Ministry News

Check here for ongoing and future programs, organized alphabetically according to Ministry area (Children & Family, Congregational Care, Deacons, Fellowship, Men's Ministry, Mission & Outreach, Music & Arts, Spiritual Growth, Women's Ministry, etc.). Various Volunteer Opportunities are also identified at the bottom of this page.

CHILDREN & FAMILY MINISTRIES

NEON KIDS

Let your light shine brightly!
At Neon Kids, our mission is to partner with parents to lead children into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Neon Kids provides quality programs for children ages 6 months through 6th grade. Visit us Sunday mornings at 11 AM for children's Sunday school and adult worship. Check our new website, too: www.neonkids.org.

Wednesday Night is "Family Night"

September 8 - October 6 • 6:00-7:30 PM
This season, First Church is presenting a collaborative effort by our Children and Family Ministries, Student Ministries and Women’s Ministries to provide a “Family Night” on Wednesdays. Programs will be available for children, middle school and high school students, and parents in 5-week sessions beginning September 8. So bring the whole family! Our NEON KIDS programs for children age 3 through 5th grade feature age-appropriate games, crafts and Bible lessons. While the youth attend Basic Training, adults are invited to the parents’ class. Childcare will be provided for children under 3.

For Children...

Lil’ K for Preschoolers-Kindergartners (ages 3–6) In Big, kids learn that even though they are small, they can do big things with God’s help! In fact, they can do all things through Christ, because He gives them strength.

KIDMO for 1st–5th Graders

Calling all Change Agents! The secret agency known as A.I.M. (Agents In Motion) needs your help to change the world! As an agent-in-training, you will follow the clues to learn how to cause positive change in your family, your church, your friends, your community, and even the world. Don’t miss out on this exciting and important mission!

Registration forms for the NEON KIDS Wednesday night programs are available at the Children’s Check-In Desk. You may also contact Amanda Zaengle ( or 239-992-3233).

For Students...

BASIC TRAINING for Middle School & High School Students All Christians must be well grounded in the basics of the Christian faith in order for them to grow into maturity. Basic Training gives a concise explanation of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity in the Apostles’ Creed.
Jordan Donini will facilitate this DVD series by Dr. R.C. Sproul. (No registration needed.)

For Parents...

5 THINGS GOD USES TO GROW YOUR FAITH Imagine how different your outlook on life would be if you had absolute confidence that God was with you? Imagine how differently you would respond to difficulties, temptations, and even good things if you knew with certainty that God was in all of it and was planning to leverage it for good. In other words, imagine what it would be like to have PERFECT faith.
Dan Oedy will facilitate this Andy Stanley DVD series, as we strive to learn why our personal faith is so important to God. (No registration needed.)

Feel free to contact (239-992-3233 X248) for the latest Family Ministries news.

CONGREGATIONAL CARE

SUPPORT GROUPS

GriefShare • Tuesdays • 1:30–3:00 PM • Price Chapel
GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who are looking for encouragement and help to recover from their loss. Each self-contained weekly session begins with a brief video, and concludes with informal discussion. Facilitators include Associate Pastor Steven Grant, Elder Marietta Bala (MSW/therapist), Parish Nurse Stephanie Stec, and Grant Garritson. Please contact at 992-3233 X296 if you have any questions.

NOTE: GriefShare is currently on a summer recess and will resume weekly meetings on Tuesday, September 14.

SPECIAL SERVICES

A Time of Prayer & Communion • Sundays at 11:00 AM • Price Chapel
First Church now offers members of the congregation the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion and experience a time of healing prayer every Sunday. Come to Price Chapel immediately following the 10:00 AM worship service, where a member of the pastoral staff and members of the Order of St. Luke are waiting to minister to those who wish to take Communion and receive healing prayer. Note: The sacrament will not be offered on those Sundays when it is celebrated as a part of the morning worship service.

BIBLICAL COUNSELING

Ruth Ann Bruce, M.A., is a Certified Biblical Counselor whose ministry focuses on the sufficiency of Scripture to meet all of life's challenges. Meetings are totally confidential. Counseling is available Monday through Wednesday. Call Ruth Ann at 992-3233 ext. 293 to schedule an appointment.

DEACONS

Military Care Packages
The Deacons are coordinating a new ministry of support for our military men and women around the world. Stop at the Military Care Packages kiosk on Sundays, where names and APO addresses are available so that you may assemble and mail a care package to family members and friends of this congregation. Flat Rate boxes, labels, customs forms and tape are all provided to make it as easy as possible for families, small groups or individuals to send a package. Costs are $9.80 for a small box and $10.95 for a large box. Don't know how to fill your package? Go to the Web and google "military care package" for lots of creative ideas.

You are also encouraged to remember in your prayers those personally known to us who are currently serving in the Armed Forces. Lists are available from the literature racks in the Narthex.

FELLOWSHIP

SINGLE DIRECTION

Single Direction is a ministry to singles that seeks to encourage the development of healthy friendships in the context of Christian fellowship. The group plans monthly get-togethers from October to May. Check back in the fall for the latest schedule of events.

For more information, contact .

TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES

Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant
The Fellowship Committee is sponsoring a trip to Fort Lauderdale on December 4 to see the 2010 Christmas Pageant at First Baptist Church. Cost is $85, which includes the bus trip, show and dinner. For more information or to sign up, contact Sandy Randall at 239-498-8182.

Holy Land Trip • March 8-19, 2011
FPC is organizing a “Land of the Bible” cruise for 2011 to be led by Pastor Steven and Nanette Grant. Destinations include: Athens, Cairo, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Mount of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, the River Jordan, Cyprus, Rhodes, Corinth and Ephesus – with worship, devotions, and Bible lessons along the way. Prices include air fare, cruise for 9 nights including all meals, plus a stay at a 4-star hotel in Athens the last night; port charges, airport transfers, shore excursions, and cancellation/medical insurance. Total price depends on the cabin category you select. Deposits of $1000 per person are required with your reservation, no later than September 15, with balances due by November 30, 2010. For details and brochures, contact Pat Hazen at Pelican Landing Travel, 239-948-1000 or 888-553-8687.

MEN'S MINISTRY

Fall Schedule starts next week!
On September 9, we kick off our fall schedule... meeting weekly at the church at 7:29 AM (or earlier if you like) for a continental breakfast (only $2) and fellowship followed by our Bible study and discussion led by Pastor Doug Pratt.

Questions? Contact Chuck Vogt at 948-9230.

MISSION & OUTREACH

FOCUS ON...

Operation Christmas Child
Our Mission and Outreach Committee is urging FPC members and friends to participate in Operation Christmas Child (OCC), an evangelization ministry of Samaritan's Purse International Relief run by Franklin Graham. You are invited to fill one or more (even many!) shoe boxes with gifts that can then be sent to children who may have never received a gift in their life. "Back to School" sales are a great time to purchase supplies for your shoe box! A donation of $7 is requested for each box to help defray the cost of Gospel materials and transportation. For more information, contact .

Compassion International
Every three seconds a child under the age of five dies from poverty-related causes. but it takes only one voice — yours — to fight poverty. In its 50+ years of development work, Compassion International has found investing in individual children has been the best method for breaking poverty in children's lives. Today, Compassion helps more than one million children in 25 countries, providing child development programs to deliver children from economic, physical, social and spiritual poverty, enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.
FPC members and friends currently sponsor more than 290 children through Compassion International.

You, too, may sponsor a child and help break the cycle of poverty by visiting the Compassion International website. For just $38 a month, your sponsorship helps provide:

• Ongoing Christian training
• Educational opportunities
• Treatment and training to maintain child health
• Development of self-confidence and social skills
• Key life skills and vocational programs

For more information, contact Roy Tipton (498-1243).

MUSIC & ARTS

FIRST ACADEMY OF MUSIC

Fall Semester begins
August 23 marked the start of our fall semester. It's "back to school" at the First Academy of Music, now in its 13th year. A faculty of 15 (which includes professional educators, church musicians, symphony players and active performers) offers individual instruction in piano, voice, guitar, string, woodwind and brass instruments. Classes are held on the campus of First Church. As a National Guild member, First Academy of Music is committed to making high quality arts education accessible to all.

Call the music office at 992-3410 for more information or to register. You can also visit our website at firstacademyofmusic.org.

NEW MEMBER MINISTRY

Sunday, October 17 • 11:15 AM
Pastor Pratt and the Membership Committee invite you to the next New Member Class. Topics include what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be Presbyterian and what it means to be a member of First Church. The various options for membership are also explained. There is no obligation to join. Questions? Stop by the Welcome Desk on Sunday or contact Beth Higbee at 591-1788.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

GREAT BANQUET OF SW FLORIDA

The Great Banquet is part of a family of ministries at First church that bring people together for a life-changing experience of God's grace. The Great Banquet weekend is a 72-hour experience, beginning on Thursday evening and ending Sunday evening. For three days, guests live and study together in a worshipful time of singing, prayer and discussion. During each of 15 talks given by laity and clergy, the theme of God's grace is presented. Guests participate in the daily celebration of Holy Communion and experience God's grace through the prayers and acts of a loving Christian community.

If you feel the Lord is drawing you toward accepting His invitation to the Great Banquet, we welcome your R.S.V.P. Please contact Lee Gery (498-6051) or Bob Andreasen (495-0111) to register, or speak to any of our pastoral staff. The dates for the 2011 Banquets are: Men's Weekend, February 10-13; Women's Weekend, February 17-20.

A YEAR IN THE BIBLE

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

Many of our members have taken up the challenge to read through the Bible in 2010, and are following the One Year Bible/One Year Bible Reading Plan to do so. This is a commitment with untold blessings for those who persevere, and the members of the Christian Education Ministry are here to encourage you along the way.

Daily Bible reading offers the opportunity to listen and respond to what God may be saying to us through His Word. As we've progressed through the Old Testament, we've seen over and over again how the nation of Israel fell away from its worship of the one true God. Our suggested memory verse for August (above) is a petition to God for the cleansing and renewal only He can give.

Copies of the One Year Bible and its corresponding Reading Plan are available in the FPC Book Center.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

WOMEN’S PRAYER GROUP

Mondays • 8:00 AM • Sanctuary
Women are invited to participate in this weekly time of prayer in a small group environment.

Working Women's Fellowship

Tuesdays • 7:00-8:30 PM • Price Hall Parlor
Women of all ages are invited to join WWF at any time. This ongoing study group is currently reading and discussing Listening for God by Marilyn Hontz. This book is available for purchase at the FPC Book Center.

FIRST LOVE: Solomon’s Song of Songs

Wednesdays • 9:30-11:00 AM • Price Hall Parlor
This new 4-week study, led by Nancy Heche, is a beautiful love story that all women may soon consider one of their favorites!

SOUL TALK: Praying God’s Word

Thursdays • 7:30-8:30 AM • Price Hall Parlor
Join us for a continental breakfast and an intimate study based on Beth Moore’s book, Praying God’s Word, led by Nancy Heche. This book is available for purchase at the FPC Book Center.

BOOKS FOR LIFE: A Weekly Book Club

Fridays • 12:00-1:00 PM • Lightner Conference Room
For those who love to talk about books... what could be better! Bring your own lunch, too. Our discussion this week will be on Bringing Up Girls by James Dobson.

Questions on Women's Ministry events? Contact Director of Women's Ministry or stop by the Women's Ministry kiosk on Sunday mornings.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

First Thrift Shop
Volunteers are needed for all positions, including inside shop workers, cashiers, sorters, pricers and donor greeters. If you are looking for an opportunity to serve our church and would like to be part of this active ministry and fellowship, please call Manager Mimi Holly at 992-0285.