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
May 2013
News and Events 11
Finance 10
3 Worship and Music 2
From the Interim Pastor 2
Christian Education 4
Calendar 6
Mission 8
Preschool 5
Congregational Care 7
Session
Members and the committees
they serve
See page 3 for details
See what Mission work we’ve been doing!
Check out page 8
Preschool Fundraiser ALDO’S Italian Restaurant
May 31 Voucher on page 5
Session 3
From the Interim Senior Pastor Dr. David Horne, Interim Senior Pastor, [email protected]
Worship and Music Dr. Brice Gerlach, Director of Music Ministries, [email protected]
Dear Friends,
Your help is needed. Members and friends
of the congregation are completing an online
survey through May 7. The survey CAT
(Church Assessment Tool by Holy Cow
Consulting) is an essential ingredient of the transition path.
This is an ideal opportunity to express your wants and
needs. The individual responses are completely
confidential. A summary and analysis of the results will be
used by the Transition Team in completing their work. This
is an important step in the process of the eventual calling of
a new installed senior pastor.
Everyone’s response is essential. The survey takes
approximately 30 minutes to complete. If you do not have
an e-mail address to receive the survey link, you may
contact the church office for a written copy. A survey will
be mailed to you. Please return your completed survey
before May 7. Thanks to everyone who has completed the
survey since April 16.
Additional Sources of Information
The Transition Team is collecting information from the
community and congregation to be used in the development
of a vision statement with the Session. Two additional
conversational opportunities for congregational input will
take place in the process. The dates are June 2 and 9 as part
of the Sunday 9:30 a.m. morning worship and fellowship
time. The morning begins with a 9:30 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.
worship service followed in Spencer Hall with conversation
and lite refreshments ending by 11:15 a.m. Results of the
survey will be reviewed with additional discussion in
Spencer Hall.
Our thanks to you for being part of the process we are
moving forward.
Dr. David L. Horne
2
May Worship Schedule 9:30 a.m. Sanctuary
May 5
Holy Communion
Psalm 67, John 5:1-9
Sabbath Beyond Imagination
Rev. Evans
May 12
Psalm 97:10-12; John 17:1-11
How Many People Are In Your Family?
Dr. Horne
May 19
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b, Acts 2:1-21
The Party
Dr. Horne
May 26
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Romans 5:1-5
The Trinity
Dr. Horne
Summer Choir
Summer Choir begins on Sunday, May 5.
We meet each Sunday morning
throughout the summer at 8:45 a.m. in the Choir Room
for warm-up and rehearsal.
Even if you are only in town or part of the summer,
we would love to have you sing with us!
Come and join in on the fun. If you are interested, please call
Brice Gerlach at 239.262.1311 ext. 239 or [email protected].
3
Members of Session and the committees they serve
Session Hansen Long, Clerk of Session, [email protected]
Joan Gust will be nominated as a Ruling Elder, the Class of 2015, and will Chair the Evangelism Committee. Session approved a modification in the Terms of Call for Rev. Jonathan Evans to grant him a two percent increase in compensation effective April 19, 2013. Session approved a change in time for the traditional worship service to 9:30 a.m. beginning May 5, 2013, and to discontinue the Currents Worship following the 7:30 a.m. Courtyard Service on March 31. A new member class was announced for April 7, led by Rev. Evans, and new members to be received into membership in the second service on April 14. Dr. Horne outlined the Transition Process we will follow as we continue our search for a new senior pastor. This will be further explained in a letter to the Congregation describing a church-wide survey which will help us to better define who we are, what we wish to be, and how we intend to get there as a Congregation. Feedback from this survey will be included in the Church Information Form which is provided to all prospective candidates for the position of senior pastor. This information will also be used by our Pastor Nominating Committee upon its election by the Congregation to help guide them in the selection process.
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS From March 26, 2013
Class of 2013
Bill Barton – Endowment
Committee Chair,
Corporation President,
Facilities Committee
Member
Jennifer Coates—
Missions Committee
Roger Miller – Personnel
Committee Chair,
Transition Team member
Mark Owens – Christian
Education Committee
Chair, Facilities
Committee
member
Class of 2014
Ed Boot – Facilities
Committee Chair
Bob King – Audit
Committee Chair,
Corporation Vice
President, Finance
Committee member
Hansen Long – Clerk of
Session, Corporation
Secretary, Transition Team
member
Joe Patton – Christian
Education Committee
member, Nominating
Committee member
Susan Stafford –
Worship & Music
Committee Chair,
Transition Team member
Class of 2015
Keith Gahagan – Missions
Committee Chair
Jan Gazdic – Finance
Committee Chair,
Corporation Treasurer,
Endowment Committee
member
Joan Gust – Evangelism
Committee Chair,
Facilities Committee
member
Eric Holt – Personnel
Committee member,
Endowment Committee
member
Patty Rutzler –
Nominating Committee
Chair, Worship and Music
Committee member
Pastor Nominating Committee Following its stated meeting of May 28, Session will begin the process of assembling a slate of nominees for the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). In the meantime, all active members of the Congregation who desire to serve on the PNC are requested to notify the Clerk of Session, Hansen Long, e-mail: [email protected] and provide the following information: Name, address, phone number, e-mail address and a brief statement declaring their reasons for wishing to be considered for service on the PNC, as well as a brief statement of their Faith. Persons submitting the names of others to be candidates for service on the PNC must first obtain the consent of those so considered and supply the same information, described above, for each prospective candidate.
Christian Education Christian Education Kathleen Law, Administrative Assistant for C.E., [email protected] 4
In this series, we will hear from several leading and diverse Christian
voices and artists who collaborated to create an accessible, captivating
exploration of those big questions designed to spark new
conversations in the church.
Please sign up by contacting Kathleen Law 239.262.1311 ext. 213 or
Religion | Spirituality Is Not Enough, Lillian Daniel
What does it mean to be spiritual? Is it the same as being religious?
Lillian Daniel pushes back at this question that has been stirring up the
cultural conversation for a while now. She asks us to consider how the
seeds of faith take root and thrive. What role does organized religion
play in helping—or hindering—growth?
God | Faith is a Quest, Brian McLaren
“If you ask me, ‘Is God real?’ I first have to ask, ‘Which God are we
talking about?’” With these words, Brian McLaren gives voice to a
common struggle among people of faith—who exactly is this God we
worship? How can we speak of faith if we can’t even speak of God
with any certainty?
4
Adult Bible Study We meet each Sunday in Room 204 at 8:30
a.m. for a study on the Psalms. For more
information call Gretchen Oakley at
239.591.3467.
HUDDLE
Please feel welcomed as we meet each
Thursday at noon until 1:00 p.m. in Spencer
Hall. Just bring your own lunch and join us
for this fellowship and study. For more
information, please contact Roger Miller at
239.774.5552.
Church On Wednesday May 1, May 8
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Spencer Hall
Children and Youth Ashley Houk, Preschool Director, [email protected] Preschool 5
Join us at Aldos Ristorante Italiano and Bar
Located at 4820 Davis Blvd Kings Lake Plaza
659-ALDO
on Friday, May 31 for a fundraiser to benefit the First Presbyterian Preschool
Angel Fund
The Angel Fund provides financial assistance, as well as curriculum
enhancement.
Please present this voucher to your server. First Presbyterian Preschool will receive 20% of all eligible sales.
Additionally, kids drinks are free with
this voucher!!!!!
*Voucher good for lunch or dinner
Silent Auction Winners
Spa & Relaxation—Mary Casey—$160
Wii Family Fun—Mary Casey—$160
Family Game Night—Mary Brandt—$55
Movie Night—Mary Brandt—$110
Creative Artist—Creative Artist—Mary Brandt—$160
Sun & Fun—Mary Brandt—$70
Date Night—Michele Schoessel—$275
Wine Basket #1—Marianela Henthorne—$120
Tea For Two—Mary Brandt—$70
Coffee Break—Annabella Richardi—$150
Welcome Baby—Sandy Poore—$105
Spanish Wine Basket—Gary Tincu—$60
Keurig Coffee Maker—Sharman Pfaus—$135
Bleu Provence Dinner—Sharon Seidensticker—$305
Angie Sieman Photography Session—Jacques Cariot—$130
Joe DiMaggio autographed picture—Mike Tanner—$85
Gutter Cleaning from Gutters Unlimited Plus—Jacques Cariot—$160; Mike Tanner—$130 and Mary Brandt—$130
Carpentry Services with M.T. Adams Carpentry, Inc.—Mary Brandt—$155
Hair cuts for the family—Val Richey-Klein—$30
Golf Foursome—Paula D’Anbra—$105
Hotel Escalante—Jane Rogers—$490
Tropical Orchid—Mary Brandt—$115
International Wine Basket - Gary Tincu—$85
Calendar Sandy Poore, Facilities Manager, [email protected]
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1
10:30 a.m. PW
Coord. Team
9:15 a.m.
Preschool Comm.
12:00 p.m. PW
Gathering
3:00 p.m.
Communications
Committee
6:30 p.m. COW
Class
2
12:00 p.m.
HUDDLE
7:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
3
9:30 a.m. Sunday
Cookie Baking
4
9:00 a.m.
Communion
prep
5
8:30 a.m. Adult
Bible Study
8:45 a.m. Choir
9:30 a.m.
Communion
Worship
12:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
6
7
SURVEY ENDS
7:00 a.m. Men’s
Breakfast Bible
Study (separate
location) 11:00 a.m.
Alzheimer’s
Support Group
8
6:30 p.m. COW
Class
9
9:30 a.m. Stephen
Ministry
10:00 a.m. Sew &
Sews
12:00 p.m.
HUDDLE
7:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
10
9:30 a.m. Sunday
Cookie Baking
12:00 p.m.
Preschool Teacher
Appreciation
Lunch (separate
location)
11
12 Mother’s Day
8:30 a.m. Adult
Bible Study
8:45 a.m. Choir
9:30 a.m. Worship
12:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
13
14 7:00 a.m.
Men’s Breakfast
Bible Study (separate location) 8:00 a.m.
Facilities Comm.
2:00 p.m. CE
Committee
4:00 p.m.
Mission Comm.
15
OUTREACH
DEADLINE
16
12:00 p.m.
HUDDLE
7:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
7:00 p.m. Faith
Community Mtg.
17
9:30 a.m. Sunday
Cookie Baking
1:00 p.m.
Mision Peniel
18
19 PENTECOST
8:30 a.m. Adult
Bible Study
8:45 a.m. Choir
9:30 a.m. Worship
12:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
20
3:30 p.m.
Finance
Committee
21 7:00 a.m.
Men’s Breakfast
Bible Study (separate location)
11:00 a.m.
Alzheimer’s
Speaker
1:00 p.m. CPR
Training
5:30 p.m.
Deacons Mtg.
22
1:00 p.m. First
Aid Training
23 10:00 a.m. Sew
& Sews
12:00 p.m.
HUDDLE
2:00 p.m. Beekman
Interment
5:30 p.m.
Preschool
Fantastic Finale
7:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
24
9:30 a.m. Sunday
Cookie Baking
25
26 TRINITY SUNDAY
8:30 a.m. Adult
Bible Study
8:45 a.m. Choir
9:30 a.m. Worship
12:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
27
OFFICE
and
PRE-
SCHOOL
CLOSED
28 7:00 a.m.
Men’s Breakfast
Bible Study (separate location) 4:00 p.m.
Session Meeting
29 30
Preschool Field Day
12:00 p.m.
HUDDLE
7:00 p.m.
Cumberland Church
31
Preschool Field
Day
9:30 a.m. Sunday
Cookie Baking
Preschool
Fundraiser at
Aldo’s Restaurant
This calendar does not necessarily include all
events that are scheduled at the church. For
additional information, call or visit the website
www.fpcnaples.org.
Deadline for monthly Outreach is the fifteenth of
the month prior to that edition. Submit all items to
If submissions are not received prior to the
deadline, we cannot guarantee that your article
will be considered for publication for that month.
8
Sandy Poore, Facilities Manager, [email protected] Rev. Jonathan Evans, Associate Pastor [email protected] Congregational Care 7
Just because you’re back up north doesn’t mean you have to lose touch
with what’s happening here at First Presbyterian Church.
Facebook www.facebook.com
Facebook is the leading social networking site with over one billion users.
To become a fan of First Presbyterian Church, either click the facebook button on our website
homepage (www.fpcnaples.org) or search for First Presbyterian Church Naples on facebook
(www.facebook.com/fpcnaples).
To become a fan of the First Presbyterian Preschool, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-
Presbyterian-Preschool-Naples-FL or search for First Presbyterian Preschool Naples on facebook.
Church Website www.fpcnaples.org
The First Presbyterian website is filled with information about our church.
Watch recent services (now available in higher quality and with the option of viewing full-screen)
Recent services can be viewed through the worship information page.
Get News
Read the Outreach (church newsletter) by clicking the Outreach icon on the homepage.
Check the Calendar
Find upcoming events by clicking the calendar link on the homepage.
Learn More
Browse the site to learn more about our mission and ministry.
Stay Connected
Feed the 5,000 Luke 9:10-17
In May we are supporting The Shelter for Abused Women and Children. The Shelter’s mission is
to prevent, protect, and prevail over domestic violence through advocacy, empowerment, and social change. The Shelter protects victims and helps heal and transform lives. Desired food items are:
1 jar peanut butter 1 jar jelly or jam 2 cans tuna or chicken 2 cans fruit 2 cans kidney beans 2 pounds of pasta 1 large apple juice Baby food or formula Please take a Publix bag from an usher on the first Sunday of the month, and return it with food on the next Sunday. Checks are welcome and should be payable to "First Presbyterian Church," with the memo marked "Feed the 5,000."
Preschool Keith Gahagan, Mission Committee Chair, [email protected] Mission 8
On March 23 some of the
Choir members volunteered
their time at Grace Place for the
music themed Family Literacy
Day.
A group of First Presbyterian members went to Habitat for
Humanity on Wednesday, March 13 to help with the mailing
of their newsletter.
Watch for other
opportunities to help with
local missions
Preschool Keith Gahagan , Mission Committee Chair, [email protected] Mission 9
The International
Mission effort of First
Presbyterian Church of Naples
provides support for five
organizations. One of these is the
Dr. Juan R. Kempers Presbyterian
Seminary in Chiapas, Mexico.
The seminary is named in honor of
the pioneer Presbyterian missionary
to that southernmost state in
Mexico. When he began his
missionary work in 1925 there
were only a few scattered families
of believers throughout the state. Over half of the state is populated
by people of pure Mayan Indian
descent. They live as six separate
groups in different regions each
speaking its own distinctive dialect.
Few speak any Spanish. Traveling
chiefly on horseback John Kempers
established numerous congregations
throughout that mountainous state.
When he retired 40 years later in
1965 there were an estimated
150,000 Presbyterian believers.
He was supported later by other
Presbyterian missionaries and
translators of the Bible including
the Wycliffe Bible Translators. This
astonishing growth of the church
continues. Today there are an
estimated one million Christians
in that state gathering in 1,300
churches or chapels who worship in
six languages.
The rector of the seminary, Rev.
Sebastian Espinoza, sends us annual
reports. His most recent one details
the institution’s many activities
including outreach
preaching by his
seminarians. The
seminary is centrally
located in the state. The
faculty consists of four
full time and five part
time teachers in
Theology and six part
time teachers in Music.
Students of Theology
and of Music come
from different regions
of the state. Each
receives some financial support
toward their tuition and room and
board from their home churches.
After graduation they return to their
home regions to be pastors and
directors of music providing
leadership in both their own dialects
as well as in Spanish. The seminary
Theology course is eight semesters
and the Music course is six
semesters. This summer the
seminary will graduate six students
in Theology and five in Music. The
seminary music program is
outstanding and their choirs are
called on often to perform at civic
and regional church events. In
addition to 24 students currently
enrolled in the seminary there are
52 students in Bible schools taught
by extension in three other cities.
These young men and women go on
to be well trained lay leaders in
their respective churches.
Costs for maintaining the seminary
are only partially offset by the low
tuition paid by the students. Major
financial support is provided by
their Synod and three church
congregations including ours at
First Presbyterian Church of
Naples. Other support this past year
came in the form of actual
construction of two additional
second floor rooms to the seminary
done by professional builders from
two congregations in Michigan who
traveled there to do the work. In
expressing his gratitude for our
financial support and prayers Rector
Espinosa concluded his letter “Most
esteemed brethren in Christ, may
God bless you greatly”.
Roger D. Kempers, M.D.
Finance Michele Martin, Accountant, [email protected] 10
Financial Report
MARCH
Offerings Budgeted through (the month) March ..................... $345,238
Actual Offerings through (the month) March ......................... $377,903
Actual Offerings are more than Budget by ............................. $ 32,666
Actual Expenses are less than Budget by ................................ $ 30,779
If you have particular questions in relation to church budget and expenses, please speak to a member
of the Finance Committee or contact Michele Martin, our church accountant, 239.262.1311, ext. 242.
The Finance Committee members are: Jan Gazdic (chair), Terry Brennan, Lloyd Doerflinger,
Don Grandi, Bob King, Karen Martin, Bill Stafford and Tom Stevens.
IRA DISTRIBUTIONS
FOR 2013
The church has been blessed with many gifts you have made
by requesting your IRA distribution be sent to the Church.
It is important for you or your IRA custodian to notify the
Church when such a distribution is made so we can ensure
that your donation is recorded correctly on your year-end
giving statement. Please call Michele Martin at 239.262.1311
ext. 242 or e-mail at [email protected] to notify her of
your intent.
Finance Michele Martin, Accountant, [email protected] News and Events Send all publication submissions to: [email protected] 11
Julia Kurtz
April 17, 2013
Rachel Sink
April 22, 2013
Clifford Mitchell
April 23, 2013
Edward Wiitala
April 29, 2013
Dear First Presbyterian Church,
Thank you for the use of the building facilities. Your
prayers and support are very important to us.
The Hispanic Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Dear Family of Faith at Naples First Presbyterian
Church,
We have been blessed to be part of your church for the
last 3 1/2 years. In that short time we have met many of
you and in recent weeks you have reached out to us
with your kindness, cards and prayers.
We left Naples in haste after Lee received a diagnosis
of gastric cancer. We are now in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, where Lee has already completed two
rounds of chemotherapy. We are praying that these
treatments will be effective in shrinking the tumor with
the hope that surgery might be possible in the future.
We are learning in new ways what it means to trust
God and to lean on His everlasting arms. If you wish to
follow Lee's progress feel free to go to
www.CarePages.com and enter
PastorLeeKoningUpdates.
Thank you for your love and support. We hope to
return to Naples in the fall. God has blessed us with a
very content and peaceful spirit. His grace and mercy
are new every morning. We find God's Word precious
and His promises give comfort to our souls.
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes
from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is
my fortress and I will not be shaken. Trust in Him at all
times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God
is our refuge." Psalm 62:5,6,8.
Your Friends in Christ,
Lee and Pat Koning
2624 Village Circle Court SW
Byron Center, Michigan 49315
The Shelter for
Abused Women and
Children is in need of someone
with electrician experience to help at
Options Thrift Store a few days a week. The thrift store
receives a lot of lamps and donations that need to be
repaired and checked so they can be sold and/or given to
participants for their new homes. Options is located at 968
2nd Ave. North and is open Monday through Saturday from
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. For more information please call
Rebecca Thompson, Volunteer & Resource Coordinator at
239.775.3862 www.naplesshelter.org
Welcome
the following new members
Thomas & Joan Norris
Mary “Cathy” Norris
Tom, Joan and Cathy come to us via letter of transfer
from First Presbyterian Church in York, Pennsylvania.
Mission Work May 17
1:00 p.m.—7:00 p.m.
We’ll meet at the church, drive to Immokalee and
distribute approximately 400 meals at Misión
Peniel. Our work begins in Immokalee at 2:00 p.m.
and finishes at 6:30 p.m. This is a fascinating and
meaningful place to spend your time, so please sign
up by calling the church office at 239.262.1311 by
May 15. For more information, please contact Rev.
Jonathan Evans at [email protected] or
239.262.1311 ext. 224.
In Memoriam