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.  

Congregational Meeting – Sunday, August 30



Please plan to join us for a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, August 30, at 12:00 noon in the Sanctuary. The congregation will gather to elect new officers for the Class of 2029. Please join us as we prayerfully elect those who will help lead and serve First Presbyterian Church in the years ahead.

New Adult Sunday School Class: Aging as a Spiritual Journey

Beginning Sunday, September 13, 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.

LOVE IS FIRST — WEAR THE MESSAGE!

Back by popular demand, Love Is First shirts are available again!

Missed out last time? Don’t miss your chance this time!

Whether you’re wearing one to church, around town, or wherever life takes you, you’ll be sharing a simple and powerful message about who we are as a church.

Love Is First.

Orders close on August 25, and shirts will arrive approximately two weeks later.

Cost varies depending on the size and style selected. Have your shirt shipped to the church for free, or choose to have it shipped elsewhere for a minimal additional fee.

Order yours and help us spread the love!

You can also watch the Sunday sermons on our YouTube channel

Memorial Garden Renewed



We are pleased to announce the completion of the renovation of our Memorial Garden, a beautiful and peaceful space renewed for reflection, prayer, and remembrance.

This special area continues to provide a meaningful place to honor and celebrate the lives of loved ones while offering a quiet setting for members and visitors to pause, remember, and spend time in prayer. Great care was taken in preserving the sacred nature of this space, honoring its significance as a place of dignity, peace, and spiritual connection for generations to come.



Through thoughtful planning and the dedication of many individuals who helped bring this renewal to life, the Memorial Garden has been beautifully restored as a lasting gift to our church community. We invite you to visit this sacred space and experience the beauty, serenity, and reverence it offers.

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!

Our Relationship with 
Juan G. Hall is so Important

Providing Food: Thank you for the incredible support you, our congregation, have shown for our sister church in Cuba. Especially with the recent funds to buy food through Supermarket 23. Josué Montejo Bayola, the new pastor of Juan G. Hall, sent the following message after our last food order:

The June shipment from Supermarket23 was a great blessing for the projects of our church. Thanks to it, we were able to provide breakfasts, snacks, and lunches to the people in our church and in our neighborhood. This allows us as a community, not only to share the Word of God as spiritual nourishment, but also to offer the material food that strengthens the body.

The reality of Cuba is harsh: the prices of basic products have increased considerably in just one month, and vulnerability reaches us all. The weight of days without electricity, without water, and without essentials is greatly exhausting. That is why your help is so important for our church. We ask for your prayers, for we have before us - the mission to console, guide, teach, and help in everything within our reach. Personally, I thank God for all that you do. I know you also face your own battles, and yet you remain alongside us - to sustain us.

Cuba Partners Network: Approximately every four years, The Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba hosts a Gathering with members of Cuba Partners Network. This network facilitates connections with congregations and presbyteries between Cuba and the United States. This year’s gathering will take place at The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Matanzas.

Provided that things remain relatively stable, a member of our church, Sue Hargis Spigel, will be one of the representatives from the Network who will travel to Cuba this October. Sue serves on the Network’s advocacy committee. We hope to send two 50-pound bags of supplies with Sue and will share more information in the coming weeks about how you can help us prepare for her trip.

Our Next Mission Trip: We are looking into the possibility of sending our next mission team for a visit to Juan G. Hall this coming February. Please join us on Sunday, September 6 at 10:00 am in the church parlor if you would like information about the mission trip or want to know more about the current situation in Cuba. You may also reach out to Graham Hart or Carol Papa if you have questions.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN RECIEVES GRANT FROM ALL FAITHS FOOD BANK

FPC recently received a grant to cover the costs of repairing and maintaining a commercial freezer used to keep food for distribution during our Thursday operation. This allows us to continue to order enough food to ensure everyone is served while reducing waste. This grant means we can use our existing funds to purchase food and increase the variety we hand out. Thanks AFFB!

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.

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.

Dear First Presbyterian Colleagues,

Just when our pantry had really run dry, despite weeks of rain, Carol arrived with a car FULL of lovely food + hygiene products! And our guy Mike helped haul it all in.

Thank you so much for your generous gifts. We are delighted to be partners with you in the work of Food 4 Our Neighbors/ Comidas para Nuestros Vecinos. Almost every item in every bag and box pictured here has already been packed for the 15 or more needy families waiting for a delivery next week. And your amazing financial donation will buy $75 worth of perishable fresh foods for every one of them.

We are on our way to 700 deliveries since Sept. 2025. Each delivery is a minimum of 63 lbs. non-perishables, $75 perishables and diapers to order. And the message that neighbors CARE.

!Gracias infinitas! for your gifts of unconditional love.

Maria Robayo and Louise Machinist 

Immigration Justice Coalition of SWFL, UUSRQ    

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 Presbyterian Church Family,

As we look ahead to a new school year, we are filled with gratitude for the opportunity to be part of such an important ministry of First Presbyterian Church.

For nearly 80 years, First Presbyterian Preschool has been a place where young children are welcomed, known, loved, and encouraged to grow. We are deeply grateful that this ministry has been part of our church's life for so many generations, and we are honored to continue that legacy.

Right now, our preschool may be quiet, but a lot is happening behind the scenes. Our teachers are busy preparing their classrooms, planning meaningful experiences, organizing materials, and getting everything ready to welcome our children and families back to school. There is something so special about watching empty classrooms come to life again in anticipation of the children who will soon fill them with laughter, questions, creativity, and joy.

As we prepare for another year, we are reminded that our work is about so much more than early childhood education. It is about relationships. It is about creating a place where children feel that they belong, families feel supported, and teachers have the opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of young children.

We are especially grateful for the many ways First Presbyterian Church supports this ministry. From the beautiful spaces we call home to the people who welcome, encourage, pray for, and care for our preschool community, we are reminded again and again that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.

Thank you for believing in the importance of this ministry and for helping us create a place where children can learn, grow, and flourish. We are incredibly blessed to be part of the First Presbyterian Church family, and we look forward to another year filled with learning, laughter, friendships, and joyful memories.

With love and heartfelt gratitude,

Clare Carter, Lydia Chapdelain, and your First Pres. Preschool Family

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

Friends -

As summer winds down and a new school year approaches, now is the perfect time to help your family start the year healthy. Annual checkups, vision and hearing screenings, and staying up to date on recommended vaccinations are all important steps in keeping children healthy, in school, and ready to learn. Here are a few reminders about back-to-school health and the importance of vaccinations for people of all ages.



~ Nurse Cheryl

Back to School Health

Where did the summer go? We have a few more weeks to enjoy travels and time with family and friends. Don’t forget to schedule a medical, eye, and ear exam for your child. During these visits, it’s a good time to ask the doctor questions about your child’s health and get recommended vaccinations. Recommendations may change as we age, but the need for protection does not.

Here are ten reasons to get vaccinated:

Vaccine-preventable diseases have not gone away Viruses and bacteria that cause disease still exist and can be passed on to those who are unvaccinated and unprotected. While many preventable diseases are no longer common in the US, global travel makes it easy for diseases to spread

Vaccines help keep you healthy The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccines throughout your life to help protect against many infections. If you skip vaccines, you may be at risk for diseases including flu, measles, and HPV and hepatitis B–both leading causes of cancer.

Vaccines are as important to your overall health as diet and exercise Like eating healthy and exercising, vaccines help play a vital role in protecting your health.

Vaccination can mean the difference between life and death Vaccine-preventable diseases can be deadly. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 50,000 adults died from vaccine-preventable diseases in the US each year. Routine childhood immunizations are estimated to have prevented more than 1 million deaths in US children between 1994–2023

Vaccines are safer than the diseases they prevent The US has a robust approval process in place to ensure the safety of all licensed and approved vaccines. Potential side effects associated with vaccines are uncommon and much less severe than the diseases they prevent.

Vaccines do not cause disease Vaccines contain either killed or weakened viruses, making it impossible for vaccines to give you the diseases they are designed to prevent

Young and healthy people can get very sick, too Although infants and older adults are at increased risk for serious complications, vaccine-preventable diseases can strike anyone, at any time. If you are young and healthy, getting vaccinated can help you stay that way.

Vaccine-preventable diseases can be expensive Diseases have a direct impact on individuals and families, and also carry a high price tag for society as a whole, exceeding an estimated $10 billion per year. An average flu illness can last up to 2 weeks, typically with 5 or 6 missed work or school days. And adults who get hepatitis A lose an average of one month of work. Vaccination is a cost-effective way to save lives.

When you get sick, your children, grandchildren, and parents may also be at risk Adults are the most common source of pertussis (whooping cough), which can be deadly in infants. Staying up to date on all recommended vaccines helps protect you and your family as well as those in your community who are unable to be vaccinated.

Your family and co-workers need you In the US, millions of adults get sick from vaccine-preventable diseases each year, causing them to miss work and leaving them unable to care for those who depend on them, including children and/or aging parents.



Taken from: www.nfid.org, letsgetrealaboutvaccines.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.