From the Senior Pastor 2 Worship and Music 4 News and Events 10 Christian Education 8 Congregational Care 5 Preschool and Children 6 Children 9 Calendar 6 Finance 4 Mission From the Associate Pastor 3 June/July 2012 The First Presbyterian Church of Naples Celebration Commitment Compassion Page 8 Feed the 5,000 continues throughout the summer… see page 10 for more info Rev. Jonathan Evans works with the PCUSA and the Waldensian Church this summer in Buenos Aires, Paraguay and Uraguay. Check out his story on page 3
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From the Senior Pastor 2
Worship and Music 4
News and Events 10
Christian Education 8
Congregational Care 5
Preschool and Children 6
Children 9
Calendar 6
Finance 4
Mission
From the Associate Pastor 3
June/July 2012
T h e F i r s t P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h o f N a p l e s
Celebration Commitment Compassion
Page 8
Feed the 5,000 continues throughout the summer… see page 10 for more info
Rev. Jonathan Evans works with the PCUSA
and the Waldensian Church
this summer in Buenos Aires,
Paraguay and Uraguay. Check out his story on page 3
From the Senior Pastor Dr. Edward Thompson, Senior Pastor, [email protected]
Dear Members and
Friends,
The west coast
town of Troon,
Scotland, is only a
40 minute train
journey from
Glasgow. I have
very fond
memories of living
there for 7 years.
Certainly, I don’t
miss the gray skies
and rain which we
seemed to have daily from November through April.
Troon was a wonderful place to watch sunsets, and from
our Manse, which overlooked the seafront, we enjoyed
sunsets without leaving the house! For those of you who
have been fortunate to play the wonderful golf course,
Royal Troon, you know well the row of red sandstone
homes between the golf course and the town, of which the
Manse was one! The prevailing wind made its impact on
everybody and everything, including the trees. Most days it
felt that no matter in
which direction you
walked, you were walking
into the wind! I’m sure
some days that if the wind
actually stopped blowing,
people would just fall
down! This photograph is
of some trees in Troon.
Not all memories though are good ones. One rebarbative
memory is of a small independent church which called
itself “The Full Gospel Church.” Perhaps they had decided
that the other churches in the town, of which there were
many, were only “half” gospel churches, or certainly less
than full gospel!
A similar offense can be felt today when the word
“evangelical” is used. Some have deemed that such a word
can only be used to describe people with a certain set of
beliefs or interpretations of Holy Scripture. We hear this
word often being used in the public square and claimed by
politicians of all shades of political color. Evangelical is a
wonderful word and at its best it describes all of us who
claim to be followers of Jesus.
The word “evangelical” defines the central essence of the
gospel as consisting of an understanding of salvation
through Jesus, his life, death and resurrection, along with a
high regard for Holy Scripture. To be “evangelical” is to
hold dearly that our salvation is through faith, not works.
As “evangelicals” we preach and practice a faith that
attests to Jesus’ invitation to come and follow. To be
“evangelical” is to take most seriously the words of
scripture and to turn to them to hear the fresh word of God.
I wish to take back this word from its often very exclusive
and narrow understanding. In the book The Scandal of the
Evangelical Mind, author Mark Noll, a professor at
Wheaton College, urges us as evangelicals to use our
minds and best intellect to engage with our culture and our
world at large. He argues in this book that sadly “the
scandal of the evangelical mind, is that there is not much of
an evangelical mind.” We would do well to read once
again the works of Jonathan Edwards, 1703-1758.
Edwards, often thought of as one associated with the Great
Awakening, (a revitalization of religious piety that swept
through the American colonies between the 1730’s and the
1770’s). He was also most comfortable reading the works
of John Locke and Isaac Newton. He strongly encouraged
the love of God with the whole mind. Such an endeavor
was also “good, sweet, holy, beautiful, and honoring to
God.”
Let us at First Presbyterian Church be a full gospel church,
a congregation defined by the saving work of Jesus,
revealed to us in and through scripture. May the Cross be
central, not just as something that hangs in the sanctuary,
but central in our hearts and minds, may the Cross make its
mark on our lives. Let us as a congregation use our best
intellect in the reading and understanding of Holy Scripture
as the Word of God, afresh for our lives today. In hearing
the good news of the gospel how can we be anything but
“evangelical!” We are called to live this gospel and to
share it with the world around us. Let us do this with heart
and mind. In this season of Pentecost may the wind of
God’s Spirit blow hard upon us, in whichever direction we
walk, and may the wind of God blow in such a way that we
can stand up straight and not fall
over!
2
Children and Youth
Rev. Jonathan Evans, Associate Pastor, [email protected] 3 From the Associate Pastor Rev. Jonathan Evans, Associate Pastor, [email protected]
NAPLES BIKE RACING!
Competitive cycling
right in front of our
church! Bill and
Carol are enjoying
the excitement,
offering water, and
information about
our church.
Every once in a while, you have a brief window of
opportunity that can pay big dividends. In mid-April, our
church was informed that bike races were going to take
place May 5-6. We decided that it is a best witness to our
faith to be welcoming
and supportive of this
community initiative.
So, we scrambled
quickly and recruited
22 volunteers! We
handed out water to
those passing by and
we helped the race, serving as course marshals. Thank you
for all those who helped!
Snorkeling! Where? Pennekamp Coral Reef in Key Largo!
Who? Anybody who can swim, although you don’t have to
snorkel to go.
When? June 2, leaving FPC at 7:15 a.m. and returning
approximately 7:00 p.m.
Cost? $30 for children and youth and $55 for adults.
Why? Why not? But to enjoy God’s creation and launch
our Overboard theme for Vacation Bible School.
How? Sign up by calling the church or signing up on the
bulletin board.
What to bring? Water, snacks, lunch, sunblock, towel,
snorkeling gear (if you have it), money for dinner.
Something I’m excited
about…. About twelve years ago, I experienced a year of
transformation as a Young Adult Volunteer
(mission volunteer) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. That
experience allowed me to see what it means to follow Jesus
in a radical way. That year changed how I see everything,
from my nationality to my faith. Much of these changes
came by caring for the people there and trying to see how
God is at work among them.
Just recently, I came across an opportunity to re-engage
with people of faith down there. This June, I will be
spending a week getting to know leaders from the
Waldensian Church (www.waldensian.org) in Buenos
Aires, in Chaco (an impoverished province just south of
Asuncion, Paraguay), and Uruguay.
The Waldensian Church originated with the preaching of
the merchant Valdo (Waldo of Lyons, from whom the
church’s name originates), 1140-1217. Waldo believed in
the value of the evangelical poverty of the early church
and, after a profound spiritual crisis, gave all his assets to
the poor in order to freely preach the gospel.
The movement, known as “The Poor of Lyons” in France
and “The Poor Lombards” in Italy, continued to spread
throughout Europe. But in a short time it was accused of
heresy and thereafter participants were repressed and
persecuted by the civil and religious authorities. Despite
very difficult times and the violence of the Inquisition of
the Catholic Church, the movement continued to
evangelize and succeeded in establishing an important
community in the western Alps of the Piedmont, the South
of France, Germany, and even in southern Italy (in
Calabria). Their itinerant preachers were called “Barba” (a
dialectical word for “uncle”,
meaning a distinguished
person), from which derived
“Barbetti” (followers of the
Barba), a popular name
used until recent times in
Piedmont to indicate
Waldensians.
Today, the Waldensians are
located not only in Europe,
but in Argentina, Uruguay,
and North Carolina. The
Waldensians in South America are now seeking
relationships with churches and organizations within the
PCUSA. I am excited to be a part of this initiative, and I
ask that you pray for my discernment and safety as I travel.
During summer months, visitors are away, some seasonal jobs are gone, and the Naples area has fewer donors. But those less fortunate still need food. We are scheduled to help the following agencies: June - Youth Haven, which provides a safe, homelike environment, with emotional and therapeutic support. July - Salvation Army's mission is to teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to meet human needs in His name. August - Grace Place is a faith-based community center, teaching literacy,
language, and life skills to at-risk children, and impoverished families. If you are able to help others who are in need, on the first Sunday of each month, pick up a Publix bag with a list of suggested food items as you leave the Sanctuary. Food is collected on the second Sunday of the month, before the service, at the 6th Street church entrance. If you prefer, checks may be made payable to "First Presbyterian Church" and the memo marked "Feed the 5,000."
News and Events Send all publication submissions to: [email protected]
HELP! HELP!
The Sew & Sews need someone to trim the cancelled stamps which we receive from our many faithful members.
We would be so appreciative if someone would come and join us twice a month (second and fourth Thursdays) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Room 205.
Please call either Marcella Coe 239.262.0765 or Mary Burns 239.514.3098 if you have any questions.
Looking for something to do
only two days a month?
Check out this opportunity!
11 News and Events Send all publication submissions to: [email protected]
Music Dr. Brice Gerlach, Director of Music Ministries 239 [email protected]
Christian Education Rev. Susan Rice, Dir. of Children & Family Ministries215 [email protected] Kathleen Law, Publications & Admin. Asst. for CE 213 [email protected]