We are a curious, inclusive, and diverse gathering of imperfect people united by our common hope in Jesus Christ. Through worship, study, and service we seek to know and show the transformative love of God found in the pages of scripture and revealed in the person of Jesus. No matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey, know that you are welcome here.  

New Song 9:00 a.m. Worship

Livestream Update

Live streaming of the New Song service is temporarily suspended while we work to resolve ongoing technical issues. We look forward to resuming the livestream once the issues have been resolved and the system is working reliably.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Inquirers Class –

Sunday, September 27



Are you new to First Presbyterian Church or interested in learning more about who we are and how you can get involved? Join us for our Inquirers Class on Sunday, September 27, beginning with worship in fellowship hall at 9:00 a.m.

No registration is needed. Just come as you are—we’ll be glad you’re here!

Following worship, we will move to the Parlor at 10:00 a.m. We’ll spend time together getting acquainted, learning about First Presbyterian Church, the ministries, and opportunities to get involved. We’ll also take a tour of our campus before moving to the fellowship hall for lunch and the second part of our gathering.

Lunch is from 12:00–1:30 p.m. and is an important part of the class. It will be a relaxed opportunity to continue the conversation, ask questions, and get to know Rev. Tim Boggess, along with other church leaders and members of the FPC community.

We’re trying a new format for our Inquirers Class! This one-day class is designed with busy schedules in mind, especially for people with families and those who may not be able to attend a multi-day class.

Everyone is welcome!

World Communion Sunday

One Service 10:00 a.m. Next Sunday, October 4

Join us at 10:00 a.m. for worship as we celebrate World Communion Sunday. Christians around the world will gather at the Lord’s Table, reminding us that we are part of a global community of faith. 

Children are welcome to help carry in the bread at the beginning of the service. Those who wish to participate should be in the narthex by 9:45 a.m.

Potluck Lunch - World Communion Sunday 

Join us for a special potluck lunch as we celebrate World Communion Sunday together following the 10:00 a.m. service. Please bring a dish to share according to your last name:

A–I: Main Dishes; Meats, casseroles, quiches

J–Q: Salads, Vegetables and Fruit

R–Z: Muffins, Pastries, Coffee Cakes & Desserts

Dishes may be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall kitchen before the service.

All are welcome! Come celebrate, eat, and enjoy fellowship together.

Adult Sunday School Class: Aging as a Spiritual Journey



Continuing this Sunday, Dent Davis and Mary Ziegler will lead a six-week adult Sunday School class, Aging as a Spiritual Journey.

As the Bible reminds us, "Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom" (Job 32:7). Aging is more than a physical process—it is also a spiritual journey filled with opportunities for growth, reflection, and deeper faith.

Together, we will explore stories from the Bible, history, and literature, drawing on insights from gerontology and psychology to discover how spirituality enriches the aging experience. Participants will also have opportunities to reflect on their own journeys and gain practical wisdom for navigating the joys and challenges that come with growing older.

Aging brings both gains and losses, joy and sorrow, meaning and uncertainty. Since aging is a journey we all share, there is much to learn from one another.

The class meets Sundays from September 13 through October 25 (no class on October 4) at 10:00 a.m. in Room 203.

All are welcome.

Youth Group: Connect, Serve & Grow!

New Youth Group Events Begin 
Sunday Evening.

Middle School and High School Youth Group events will be held on the first and third Sunday evenings of each month beginning this week! Contact Tim Walsh with any questions: timw@FPCsrq.org or (941) 356-0801.

October 4 Youth Group Outing is an Escape Room event! Get your thinking caps on and be ready to solve a mystery! Text Tim Walsh at (941) 356-0801 if you're interested. Lookout for details coming this week via email. 

Support the World Communion Offering Cultivating reconciliation by supporting racial and gender justice, peacemaking efforts, global witness and nurturing ecumenical and interfaith relations.

All of God's people gather around the Table to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Part of the atonement that happens around this Table is reconciliation, which is the focus of the World Communion Offering.

Experience the grace that comes from reconciling all peoples from all nations around the corner and around the globe through the ministry of this offering. 

Arts Advocate Kick-Off Meeting
October 18

12:15 in the sanctuary

As we begin a new season of concerts and events at First Presbyterian, we invite you to join us for an Arts Advocate Kick-Off Meeting!

Whether you’re a seasoned Arts Advocate or new to the team, this will be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect, learn what’s ahead, share ideas, and get excited about the upcoming season.

Arts Advocates are FPC’s volunteer ambassadors for the arts. They attend concerts and arts events on our campus, welcome visiting artists and groups, help answer questions and provide information about the church, and offer support to performers and event organizers as needed. They help create a warm, welcoming experience for our arts partners and guests while enjoying the wonderful events taking place at FPC.

New Arts Advocates are especially welcome! Come be part of the team and help us make this another great season of music, art, and community at First Pres.

Contact Stan Romero stanr12@bellsouth.net with questions

You can also watch the Sunday sermons on our YouTube channel

Join Our Tech Team!


We're looking for volunteers to help support our worship services by serving on our Tech Team. Opportunities include running slides, operating cameras, and assisting with sound and live streaming. No prior experience is necessary—we'll provide training.

If you'd like to use your gifts in this important ministry, or would like to learn more, please contact Jimi Camastro jimic.thesoundlounge@gmail.com

Your help can make a meaningful difference in our worship each Sunday!

Hurricane Season Preparedness

Hurricane season is here, and now is the time to prepare your family, home, and neighborhood. Create an emergency plan, know your evacuation level, and stock a disaster supply kit with enough essentials to last at least seven days, as extended power outages are possible and emergency responders cannot assist once winds reach 45 mph.

No two storms are alike, so preparation is essential. Find preparedness guides, checklists, and evacuation information at scgov.net/beprepared.

The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Mid-Year Report gives us a glimpse into how Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is putting faith into action through disaster response, recovery, and community support.

Chapel News

“Solitude is the place where our own hearts discover our deep yearning to be loved unconditionally and to love with our whole beings… it is the place of the great encounter from which all other encounters derive their meaning.”

-Henri Nouwen

 The Chapel is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

We Need Your Help!



Each week, First Presbyterian Church’s All Faiths Food Bank distribution serves more than 200 families—and volunteers are essential to making it possible. As many of our regular “snowbird” volunteers head out for the season, we especially need extra helping hands right now.

Join us on Thursday mornings in the south/back parking lot. We begin packing food at 8:00 a.m., and distribution runs from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. You don’t need to stay the entire time—any amount of help is truly a blessing.

Our drive-through food distribution continues to grow as we respond to increasing needs in our community. Each family receives a generous mix of dry goods, fresh produce, bakery items, dairy, and meat.

Ways you can help:

Volunteer:

We would love to have you join us Thursday mornings to help pack bags and serve our neighbors. No experience is needed—we’ll show you everything. Individuals, couples, families, and students needing service hours are all welcome.

Donate:

Every gift makes a difference. Donations may be made to FPC with “Food Bank” in the memo line.

Thank you for helping us be the hands and feet of Christ as we serve our neighbors with compassion and care.

🗓 When: Thursday mornings

⏰ Food packing begins: 8:00 a.m.

🌟 Distribution: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

📍 Where: First Presbyterian Church, south/back parking lot

Even an hour of your time can make a real difference.

Dear First Pres. Church Family,

Our preschool year is off to a wonderful start, and our classrooms are already filled with new friendships, discoveries, laughter, and lots of learning through play.

This year, our staff is focusing on Building Our Village Through Relationships: The Heart of Our Work. The relationships our students build with their teachers, friends, families, and the community around them are at the heart of everything we do.

As we move through the first six weeks of school, we're spending lots of time helping children feel safe, connected, confident, and like they belong.

We'd love for you to take a little peek inside our preschool and see what this looks like in the everyday moments of our students' lives, and why we believe play is such an important way for children to learn.

Click below to read our September newsletter and see what is happening in our village! 

With love and heartfelt gratitude,

Your First Pres. Church Preschool Family

Cheryl's Monthly Health Awareness ........

When it Comes to Sepsis, It’s About TIME

Sepsis is your body’s life-threatening response to an infection. Sepsis damages vital organs and can cause death. In other words, it’s your body’s overactive and toxic response to an infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.

Your immune system usually works to fight any germs (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites) to prevent infection. If an infection occurs, your immune system will try to fight it. It might be able to fight it alone or you might need help with medications.

Unfortunately, for reasons researchers don’t yet understand, sometimes the immune system stops fighting the “invaders,” and begins to turn on itself. This is the start of sepsis.

Some people are at higher risk of developing sepsis because they are at higher risk of contracting an infection. These include the very young (infants), the very old, those with chronic illnesses or malnourished, and those with a weakened or impaired immune system. 

People are diagnosed with sepsis when they develop a set of signs and symptoms related to sepsis. Sepsis is not diagnosed based on an infection itself.

Sepsis progresses to severe sepsis when – in addition to signs of sepsis – there are signs that one or more organs aren’t working properly. This is called organ dysfunction and can include difficulty breathing (problems with the lungs), low or no urine output (kidneys), abnormal liver tests (liver), and changes in mental status (brain).

Septic shock is the most severe stage and is diagnosed when your blood pressure drops to dangerous levels. These patients are treated in the ICU.



Sepsis is the number one cost of hospitalization in the United States. Costs for acute sepsis hospitalization and skilled nursing are estimated to be $60 billion annually. And, sepsis is one of the primary causes of readmission to the hospital.

Until a cure for sepsis is found, early detection and treatment is essential for survival and limiting disability for survivors.

 Updated August 5, 2026. Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis.org

Pastoral Care

When you or a loved one is hospitalized, it is important that you contact the church or the pastor to inform us directly and inform the hospital that you are a member of our congregation and would welcome a visit. Hospitals will not contact the church. We have also discovered that some will no longer list a patient as our church member on their internal records unless the patient carefully notes their relationship with our congregation. Thank you for your assistance.

We’re Here for You!

The FPC care team, deacons, elders, and church staff continue to be available for you. Please feel free to reach out to Cheryl Track, Faith Community Nurse, at (941) 320-3828 or call the church office at (941) 955-8119 if we can support you.