first presbyterian church of orlando magazine (july/august 2014)

COLUMNS | July - August 1

COLUMNS

JULY & AUGUST 2014 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ORLANDO FPCO.ORG

magazine

PREPARATION

women engagedthe season ahead

faithserves at five an update on our mission

Seek God. Share His Love. Humbly Serve.

plus welcoming beckyour newest pastor

Getting ready for the things that matter.

2 July - August | COLUMNS

On the Way with David Swanson

The Stack

Women Engaged This Fall

FEATURESFaithServes Turns Five

equipping you for mission

Vonette Bright 35 years of the Jesus Film

Ready for School?

insights from Beth Hewitt

Preventing Summer Learning Loss

Empowering the Homeless at Compassion Corner

Our Website Evolves

Break It Down studying Chronicles with Case Throp

Time With God

Family News

WARM WELCOME

STEPHEN MINISTRY, 6

Learn more about Rev. Becky Davis who joins our staff this July.

Seven new caregivers, ready to serve our church family and community.

11

COLUMNS CONTENTS

JULY & AUGUST

PHOTOS: TANNER FOX, SHEA CHRISTINE, JASON FRAZIER, CHRIS CASLER

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SAVE THE DATE46

7-1113-1819-26

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24-25 29-3

3 17 18 25 27 31

For more upcoming eventsvisit fpco.org/events

july

august

Biblical Entrepreneurship 1 Class

Fun in the Son (Student Ministry Trip)

Communion Sunday, 9:45am & 11:00am Worship Only

Summer Nights & Salads with Women Engaged, 6pm

Pray for the Amazon Mission Trip

Independence Day Holiday, church offices closed

Vacation Bible School & Upward Basketball

First Step

Communion Sunday

Women Engaged Celebration Event

9:45am & 11:00am Worship Only (Labor Day Weekend)

First Step

First day for Weekday School

First day for Orange County Public Schools

The Great Escape (Student Ministry Trip)Aug.


2. Prepare your heart. Our hearts are made tender before the Lord in worship and prayer. Make a commitment to each in order that your heart is reoriented away from the world and toward the things of God.

3. Prepare your wallet. Well never live generously or give sacrificially, as Christ did, unless we prepare to do so. Pray about your income this year and what portion of it you will give to the Lord. What have you given so far and what might you do to prepare to do more? We get so tangled in debt we think we cannot afford to give. Maybe its time to figure out how to reclaim who controls our money!

4. Prepare your body. We are physical creatures. If we are not physically healthy, we will not be able to serve to our fullest extent. I learned early on that if I was not taking care of myself physically, eventually I would get sick and be of no use to the church I served. Pray about what steps you might take to be more physically prepared to be Gods instrument.

5. Prepare your emotions. Our emotional health is vital. We cannot endure lifes storms without being emotionally healthy. We improve that by honestly reflecting on our emotions, spending time in key relationships, and spending time in community. If you need help, be bold and ask for some!

I know that life in a fallen world presents its fair share of challenges, but knowing that, lets be ready. Take these slower summer months and use them to make a plan to be better prepared to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ!

With joy and thanksgiving for you in this journey we walk together, I remain

Under His Mercy,

ON THE WAYwith Dr. David Swanson

You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. Isaiah 9:3

They werent prepared. They had not been told.

It was a stunning revelation to read, but the Wall Street Journal (Residents Not Told of Slide Warning, 4/30/14) reported that the residents of Oso, Washington were never told about a geological report from 1999, indicating the potential for a large catastrophic failure exactly where the March 22 landslide occurred.

Imagine what measures residents or engineers might have taken to ensure the safety of the town, had they been told. It might not have prevented the slide, but at least they could have been prepared.

Preparation is vital to our well-being in many ways, and especially true in our spiritual lives. Scripture reminds us in 2 Timothy 4:2 to be prepared in season and out of season. We live in a sinful, fallen world, which God has told us about. But unlike the residents of Oso, we have gotten a warning. Thus, any lack of preparation is on us. But is our spiritual preparation a priority for us? How could it not be, given the world we live in?

In the next few weeks, many of us will be going through back to school preparations. Classrooms will be readied. Supplies and clothing purchased. Oil and tires checked in the cars of college students returning to their campuses. We know what things need to be done in order to get ready for school, so what things might we need to do in preparation of being faithful disciples?

1. Prepare your mind. God gave you one, so develop it for more than your work or outside interests. Pick a foundational Christian book like Mere Christianity or Knowing God, and dig into it. Study it. Reflect on it.


useful information, timely trivia and handy tips for navigating life at FirstPres (and life in general)

the Columns stack

SUMMER CHOIRBe part of our summer choir! No long-term commitment, join any Sunday from now through August 31. Just show up for practice at 7:30am in the Rehearsal Hall (1st floor of the Edington Ministry Center) before the 8:30am & 11:00am worship services begin.

WHAT IS BIBLICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP?Biblical Entrepreneurship I: Principles of Biblical Entre-preneurship gives business leaders foundational prin-ciples upon which to build a Kingdom Business. Topics covered in this 2-day intensive course include: goals and responsibilities, calculated risks, problem solving, stewardship and Biblical profit.

July 24 and 25 from 8:30am-5:00pm. Learn more at beorlando.com.

4TH OF JULY & LABOR DAYThere will be only two worship services on Sunday, July 6 and Sunday, August 31. Be with us at 9:45am Genesis in Lee Fellowship Hall or 11:00am Traditional worship in the Sanctuary. There is no 8:30am worship on those dates.

LEGACY ROOMThe work on First Pres new Legacy Room is complete and wed love for you to stop by ( just off the Sanctuary) and see our rich 138-year history on display. Discover your place in the story of this church family!

FINDING YOUR SPOTHelp make our campus as accessible as possible! Take advantage of our parking garage across the street (entrance on Liberty Ave.); the church shares ownership and helps to maintain it so our members can easily find parking every Sunday and during the week. Street and on-campus parking is for visitors, seniors and those who need the extra accessibility.

NEW TO FIRST PRES?

If you know someone whod like to get more connected at First Pres, tell them about our handy form at fpco.org/guest. They can share their info and sign up to be on the mailing list.

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

We send out a weekly email newsletter with important an-nouncements for the coming week. Well never share your information, and you can un-subscribe anytime. Join now at fpco.org/email.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

twitter.com/fpcorlando

EVENING PRAYERExperiencing a dry spell in your prayer life? Looking for a new way to grow as a dis-ciple? Be with us for Evening Prayer on Wednesday, July 16 and Wednesday August 20 at 6:00pm in Lee Fellowship Hall, as we seek Gods voice in our lives. The Prayer Team hosts this service the third Wednes-day of each month, and each month is focused on a different aspect of prayer.

Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all Gods people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

- Ephesians 1:15-16


Sunday, June 15, seven members of our church fam-ily were officially commissioned as Stephen Ministers, joining 36 other Stephen Ministers at our church. The seven from our church were part of a larger group of 15 from surrounding churches who participated in a six-month training program to prepare for this car-ing ministry. Stephen Ministers volunteer their time to provide Christian care to others who are suffering from significant challenges in their lives, such as seri-ous illness, divorce, death of a loved one, relocation, job loss, depression, or other serious issues.

Strict confidentiality is a hallmark of the Stephen Ministry program, which has had an active presence in our church since 1990. Worldwide, over 600,000 people have been trained as Stephen Ministers since its founding in 1974, providing care to millions of hurting people. The training program is built upon the premise that God is the cure giver, and the Stephen Minister is the caregiver. At First Pres, the program is directed by Tammas Smith and the training program, which runs annually from January to June, is led by Barbara Brown.

It was my honor to be the Dean of the School for the 2014 class of Stephen Minister trainees, said Barbara

Brown. There were 15 in the class, from five different area churches. I believe they will be a blessing to their churchs ministry teams.

Bill Avery, a trainee from Maitland Presbyterian Church, said, My take-aways can be encapsulated in the following: approach your care receiver authenti-cally, listen to them intently, talk with them confiden-tially, pray for them unceasingly, and live your own life gratefully!

Susan Fenstermaker, a new Stephen Minister in our church family, feels a strong sense of call, saying, I felt as if God had tapped me on the shoulder and said, Now... its time! The course has been amazing. The teachers were great and the message is powerful. He is the vine, we are the branches!

And church member Michael Coffman said of the experience, Ive been a member of FPCO since 1986 and this is the best series of classes Ive attended. The instructors were wonderful, the weekly lessons and materials are in-depth, the leadership is outstanding, and Barbara is terrific! I felt the Lords calling to the Stephen Ministry and now feel prepared to answer that call!

Bear one anothers burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ - Galatians 6:2 (NRSV)

Ready to CareSTEPHEN MINISTERS IN OUR MIDST

by Robert Sigler


Stephen Ministers are caregivers trained from the con-gregation by Stephen Leaders. They are not pastors.They play a unique role in the life of the church, offer-ing high-quality, one-to-one Christian care to people going through tough times. Each Stephen Minister usually provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour. Twice a month, Stephen Ministers gather with their leaders for supervision and continuing education.

Care receivers are people from within our church fam-ily or in the community who are paired with a Stephen Minister. Often, individuals call upon our Stephen Ministry when experiencing a difficult time in life, or when they simply need someone to listen.

There are careful guidelines for all Stephen Ministry caring relationships to protect both the care receiver and the Stephen Minister. The relationship between a care receiver and a Stephen Minister is confidential.Men are matched with men; women with women.When a care receivers needs exceed what a Stephen Minister can provide, the Stephen Ministry team makes a referral to an appropriate community resource or mental health professional.

Each Stephen Minister is unique, just like each re-lationship and season of care is unique. Thankfully, God equips our church family for the needs among us, and we are grateful to those who answer that call to ministry.

For further information about becoming a Stephen Minister, or if you feel you may benefit from the services of a Stephen Minister, contact Tammas Smith, Director of Pastoral Care at 407.423.3441 or [email protected]. Learn more about how this covenant community cares for one another at fpco.org/care

WHAT DO STEPHEN MINISTERS DO?

Stephen Ministers:

Listen Explore feelings Pray Share Christs love Maintain confidentiality Attend to the caregiving

process and leave the results to God

Stephen Ministers care for people

who are:

Grieving In a crisis In need of long-term care Dying Hospitalized Divorcing Experiencing losses as

they age Going through a crisis of childbirth The family and friends of people in

crisis

BACK ROW: Barbara Brown, Carol Lee, Bill Avery, Susan McCune, Dave Riccaboni, Michael Coffman, Janie Moore, and Angela Lee FRONT ROW: Sandy Rogers, Marcia Brown, Jan Ballowe, Jossie

Rode, Sue Fenstermaker, Nancy Clow, Gennell Perez MISSING FROM PHOTO: Dana McCrystal


preparationAround this time a year ago, my prayers often went something like thisLord, what are You preparing for the women of FPCO? What will You have us call it? What preparations should we take in moving forward with this ministry?

Just one year later, we have seen and we have celebrat-ed a new movement and vision in womens ministry, which our Heavenly Father revealed to us as WOMEN ENGAGED. This summer, we are continuing to ask many of the same questions of preparation Lord, what will you have us prepare in this next year of WE?

For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God pre-pared in advance for us to do.

- Ephesians 2:10

This verse is so comforting. If God has prepared us in advance for all the good works He wants us to engage in, then all we need to do is prayerfully listen for His next step, His direction, His guidance. God has already prepared everything He desires to accomplish, in and through the women of this church community for the remainder of this year and onward! All WE need to do is listen and respond.

So here is where you come inour WOMEN ENGAGED ministry knows that God is preparing the hearts of women in this church for big, kingdom changing thingsWE know He is raising up women

in leadership, service, prayer, and compassion to move in our city in amazing ways. But WE need you to listen and respond alongside uscould God be preparing your heart right now to engage with this community of women?

WE need women who are passionate about their sisters in Christ and desire to transform the ways in which we do Bible study, community, outreach, prayer and discipleship for women!

WOMEN ENGAGED is already preparing many excit-ing ways for you to respond:

Be part of our Summer Nights and Salads events where WE are Finding God in the Clutter with organization expert Kim Bignon. (See page 10.)

Attend the Women of Faith Conference with the Women Engaged Community in October! (See page 10.)

Register for our Fall Bible study, Nehemiah: A Heart that can Break as part of this church familys journey through Nehemiah this year. (See next page.)

Is there something (even something small), stirring inside you to join us? God hasprepared in advance a place in Women Engaged ministry for you. Join us.

Nikki Ickes is part of the leadership team for Women Engaged and would love to hear from you. You can email her at [email protected].

by Nikki Ickes


NEHEMIAH: A HEART THAT CAN BREAK

WOMEN ENGAGED is excited to offer a study this fall on the Old Testament historical book of Nehemiah, which will correspond with Dr. Swansons Fall sermon series.

The book of Nehemiah covers the period after the Babylonian captivity when Israel had returned to the city of Jerusalem, found to be in shambles. An early return of Israelites, led by Ezra the priest, restored worship in the rebuilt temple. Nehemiah, a contemporary of Ezra, led a later return and his heart was broken to find his beloved city in ruins and the inhabitants in dire need of restoration.

Nehemiah set out to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Yet in the physical restoration of this great city, he also restored the people from ruin and despair to a new walk with God.

This ten-week study series (offered 3 times throughout the week) will begin on Monday, September 15 or Thursday, September 18 and concludes the week before Thanksgiving.

Monday morning, Monday evening and Thursday morning sessions will be offered, and morning sessions include child care for infants through kindergarten at no additional cost.

This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

- Nehemiah 8:10

REGISTER by SEPTEMBER 8 at fpco.org/register or pick up a form in the lobby of the Edington Ministry

Center. The cost is $30 and includes the study guide.

Email Lori Needham at [email protected] or call 407.423.3441 x1463 with any questions.


Women of FaithFrom Survival to Revival

WOMEN ENGAGED invites you to Women of Faith, coming to the Orlando Amway Arena, October 10 & 11. For a limited time, reserve your tickets to sit with other FPCO women!

For the past nineteen years, the Women of Faith tour has been instrumental in reaching women in various cities around the country with the good news of the Gospel. This October, the tour will be here in Orlando and WE will be there!!

WE has pre-purchased a block of tickets for the premium lower bowl seatsat a 20% discount! Each ticket is $91 and offers you access to the event on Friday, October 10 from 7-10pm and then Saturday, October 11, from 9am to the 5pm conclusion. Many of these events sell out long before the actual conference dates, so dont be left behind.

FROM SURVIVAL TO REVIVAL This tour will not disappoint; seeking to shine a light on the hope that exists in Christ alone and is grounded in

David Swanson, Joel Rosenberg, Francine Rivers, Bodie and Brock Thoene, Bill OReilly, Charles Martin, Chris Stewart, Shakespeare ( just kidding), and Marga-ret Feinberg are just a few of the authors the Chapter & Verse Book Club have read and discussed this past year.

Join us as we share insights into the stories and enjoy a great group of readers, in a no-pressure gathering. Some of us have read the entire book; some of us just read part of the book; and some of us barely begin. We meet the third Tuesday of each month, from 7:008:30pm, in room 310 of the Edington Ministry Center. Chapter & Verse resumes reading and meeting on September 16!

Please contact Donna Whelchel if you want further information at 407.843.9904 or email [email protected]. We hope you will join us!

Be with us Wednesday, July 23 and learn from Profes-sional Organizer, Kim Bignon. In her business, Organize U, Kim specializes in creating systems that will simplify your life at work and at home, to help you win back time for the things most important to you.

Her services include organizing closets, drawers and cabinets, paper management, photo memorabilia, house for sale preparation, time management and personal shopper! Who couldnt use any of these ser-vices?

Invite your friends, co-workers, neighbors and family to join you! We will gather from 6-8pm in Lee Fellowship Hall and you need to register. Cost for the evening, including a summer salad buffet is $25. Register by July 16.

Contact Lori Needham at [email protected] or Nikki Ickes at [email protected] with any questions.

Summer Nights & Salads

Psalm 85:6, Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? (NKJV)

Women of Faith tour weekends are for both women who want to grow in their faith, and those exploring what faith is all about. Speakers focus on approachable Biblical teaching, making the weekend a perfect opportunity to bring friends. Women of Faith leaders share hope, storytelling and humorall wrapped around Gods Word!

Register now and pay for your ticket at fpco.org/wof. If you are inviting friends to join you, purchase the tickets in the same transaction to guarantee your seats are together. Once you are registered, mark your calendar and plan extra time to enjoy meals and time with friends who are joining you in attending this exciting event.

Questions? Email Lori Needham at [email protected] or 407.423.3441 x1463.

Chapter & VerseFinding God in the Clutter A Womens Book Club


Reverend Becky Capps Davis knows a thing or two. Or three. Actually, she knows a lot, but her passion isnt knowledge; its helping people see God in their everyday lives.

The daughter of a pastor, Becky grew up in the St. Louis suburbs and began to explore her call to ministry during her college days at Wheaton. But when she graduated in 1997, she didnt feel the time was right to go to seminary. So she entered what she jokingly refers to as retail min-istry, working in management at Talbots for two years. Even there, regular customers would come in the storenot to buy dresses or suits, but just to chat and share their problems. Becky recognized there her gift of pastoring people.

Then Becky lost her grandfather. She remembers that as being the first time she was with someone as they died, sharing Scripture with her family. It was a pivotal point in her life, and a realization that she want-ed to help pastor people through the grief process. Grief doesnt have to be dealing only with loss of life; there are all types of griefmoving, kids going to college, or just other

life changes that require a letting go, says Becky. I want to help shepherd people through those times.

Becky entered Princeton Seminary and graduated in 2003, taking a year to serve as a student intern pastor and hospital chaplain along the way. Ordained in the PC/USA church in March of 2004, her first call as a pastor was to Westminster Presbyte-rian Church in Spartanburg, SC and Spartanburg had a surprise in store.

Becky befriended Carrie William-son, a daughter of First Pres, liv-ing in Spartanburg at the time and working as a youth pastor at First Presbyterian Church. (Carrie is the daughter of Anne and Richie Davis and is currently serving on childrens ministry staff here at the church.) It didnt take long for Carrie to intro-duce Becky to her brother, Austin. The rest, as they say, is history: in 2010, Becky married Austin Davis. The couple now has a delightful two-year-old daughter, Dulaney.

Becky recently passed her ordina-tion exam in Tallahassee, this time for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, our new denomination.

(The church where she was ordained has also joined the EPC.)

Becky joins our staff as the Associ-ate Pastor for Congregational Care this month. Among her other gifts, our newest pastor also has a passion for ministry to women in generalwhether its a new mom in her babys first year or an elderly woman in a retirement home. She loves helping people connect to God and to each otherand sharing their excitement or difficulties along the way. There is great joy in her voice when she talks about ministry. I am just looking forward to joining a great team of pastors and staff at FPCO, she says. I think there are so many ways to be available and serve the congre-gationI get excited just thinking about it!

We are excited too, and thrilled to welcome her to this church family; ready to learn a thing or two in the process.

Becky Davis begins her journey with First Pres this July. You can reach her directly at [email protected] or call 407.423.3441.

by Kim Allen

WE WELCOME

BECKYRev. Becky Davis, daughter Dulaney,

and husband Austin.


five years of

Five years ago First Pres Mission Commit-tee presented to the Session of our church a fresh, new approach to engaging the world with Christs love. After eighteen months of study, conversation, and prayer FaithServes was born.

Our mission leadership found the inherited models for leading a congregation in mission were stale. With the rapid secularization of society and increased marginalization of the Christian voice, it was necessary to shift our focus to making First Pres a missional church, rather than a church with mission projects.

A seven-part strategy for future ministry was adopted by the Session, and 5 years later, our FaithServes Leadership Team is faithfully continuing to model those in our church family. Because our vision was for the long haul and not quick solutions, we had to be-come more patient in our approach. A 135+ year old church does not change or equip itself within a semester, or even a few years. Even now, at the five year mark, the Faith-Serves Leadership Team continues to re-imagine and adapt along the way.

I am a big proponent that all church strate-gies and commitments not only need regular review to see how we are doing, but that cel-ebration is an essential component to main-taining vision and momentum.

Year five isnt the end, and we have much more to do. Yet, I hope this update and prog-ress report will renew your heart as to our call as a body to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the community and world, using words when necessary.

Part 1: Leadership Changing the Governing Structure

FaithServes has become the new name for both our Mission Department and lay-di-rected Mission Committee. But for us, the idea of FaithServes expresses more than just the work and name of our team: it shares a missional way of thinking that we hope will permeate every part of the church.

By design, our church ministries dont just randomly work with different mission efforts, but coordinate with our 10 strategic mission partners: FOUR12, Infant Child Care Center, the Madagascar Initiative, the Mercy Cor-ridor Initiative, Compassion Corner, Grace Medical Home, Mission Emanuel, IDignity and the Gathering.

Part 2: Inspiration Hosting Catalytic Events

Our first big FaithServes Conference was a great success. I will forever remember the candlelight processional to the Great Lawn where we echoed our commitment to take the light of Christ far and wide. As we con-tinue, a series of smaller events have done a great job educating and inspiring, and have proven a better fit for our church culture than one big annual event. Examples include our Urban Ministry Conference with Tony Cam-polo, hosting Dignity Serves classes, and our new quarterly Introductions to Serving the City workshop, which helps to teach and equip our church family for serving.

by Case Thorp


Part 3: Concentration Selecting Partners

To dig fewer wells and dig them deeper, and when more workers come, to dig more deep wells, was our mantra to develop deeper re-lationships when we started. The FaithServes Leadership Team has worked hard to refine our mission partnerships from 80+ to a focused few local and global partners.

Narrowing down to ten strategic mission part-ners was difficult, especially with so many effec-tive partners connected to our church family. Yet weve seen God move in great ways as our rela-tionships with our strategic 10 come to fruition. Now, only a few partners are consistently put be-fore the church in worship, in communication, and for campus resources. We continue to work alongside affiliate partners, but the simplicity, fo-cus, and consistency of our core ten has been sig-nificant. Our partners have responded with joy, and weve seen dramatically increased participa-tion and support from our church family.

Part 4: Mobilization Connecting Church Members to Opportunities

Our mobilization plan is focused on mission through discipleship (the process of becoming more like Jesus). One way we instill the values and commitments of Jesus is through the experi-ence of serving.

Our churchs missional effectiveness is propor-tional to its discipleship depth. The deeper we go in Christ, the deeper well reach out with His love.

LIFE Communities have certainly been a vehi-cle for serving. Our website is being retooled to make dynamic group and individual opportuni-ties to serve easily available at fpco.org/servenow. Finally, as our methods of discipleship evolve in the next year, we will see a more intentional in-vestment in missional community.

Part 5: Stewardship Reviewing & Realignning our Fundraising

Weve researched and developed an integrated approach for how we raise funds for mission partners, including our own ministries.

The Infant Child Care Center, Compassion Cor-ner, and FOUR12 have each identified their fun-draising mechanisms and donor relationships. A five-year plan to increase mission giving was adopted by the Session, and in terms of dollars, giving in mission grows each year.

Part 6: Serve Day Sponsoring a Church Wide Day to Volunteer

Six Serve Days later, thousands of people have logged tens of thousands of hours serving our community. ServeDay has proven to be a semi-nal event in the life of the church, averaging 600 people in the spring and 300 in the fall. To God be the glory. (Save the Date for March 14, 2015!)

Part 7: Transformation Instituting Culture Change

Weve sought to give voice to Gods mission in every aspect of the life of this church, working with staff and leaders in many areas.

FaithServes team members act as liasons to the Generosity Team, Support Committee and Heart of the City Foundation Mission Committee, to help educate and offer perspective. Were also seeing deeper integration between ministries and missional efforts. Our FOUR12 mentoring program is beginning an 18-month process of transitioning to Mercy Drive with Mercy Drive Ministries Achievers Club. The Jobs Partner-ship classes continue, with a renewed structure and model. Compassion Corner is now directed by the director of Central Care Mission, Spence Pfleiderer, helping to provide a continuum of care for the homeless community. Each Friday, IDignity works at Compassion Corner to distrib-ute documents. Finally, Phil Hissom, Executive Director of POLIS, an urban ministry research center and training outfit, recently became FPCOs Missional Theologian in Residence.


One of my favorite memories of Vonette Bright is from a wedding. She stood, calmly calling the congregation to prayer, and finished with words Ill never forget:

Lord, give Alissa and Matt enough challenges to keep them on their knees in humble prayer to You, but also give them enough joys and blessings to keep their hands lifted in praise of You.

The imagery of such a sight, the theological depth, the practical application, and the personal witness behind those words moved me deeply. They are a reflection of Vonette Brights ministry in this community and around the world.

This summer we will honor Mrs. Bright for her tremen-dous contribution to the Kingdom of God, her lifes work of ministry around the world, and for her weekly presence and support of the Lords work in our church.

In 1951, Bill and Vonette Bright pursued their passion for ministry by starting Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as Cru in the U.S.) at the University of Cal-ifornia, Los Angeles.

What began as a vision to share Jesus with college stu-dents has since grown into one of the largest inter-national Christian ministries in the world, reaching beyond students to serveinner cities,the military,ath-letes,politicalandbusiness leaders, the entertainment industry, andfamilies.

by Case Thorp

The Brights spent more than half a century building and leading Cru to its current size of more than 27,000 staff members and 225,000 volunteers working in 190 countries. Today the international headquarters for Cru is located in southeast Orlando. Our church benefits from the 30+ Cru members who call First Pres home, like Mrs. Bright.

Vonette earned her BA in home economics from Texas Womens University and did graduate work in the field of education at the University of Southern California. She also taught in Los Angeles Schools before joining Bill full-time in Campus Crusade.

Over the years, Vonettes commitment to prayer led to the founding of the National Prayer Committee, a group of prayer leaders seeking to unite Christians in prayer for spiritual awakening. In 1988, as chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, Vonette was success-ful in introducing legislation unanimously approved by both houses of Congress to designate the first Thursday of May as the National Day of Prayer. Vonette currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of the National Prayer Committee.

Among her other work, Vonette has authored more than a dozen books, and in 1993, she launched Wom-en Today International, a ministry to, and for, women. Currently she can be heard on Christian radio stations

ONE MEMBERS MISSIONVONETTE BRIGHT

Vonette & Bill Bright, 1951


throughout the country sharing her heart and challeng-ing women to take their next step of faith.

And while accomplishing all of these amazing feats for the kingdom she raised two sons and continues to enjoy her four grandchildren.

We are truly blessed to have such an experienced and humble missionary in our church. Over the years, I have continued to repeat her lovely and pragmatic prayer in each wedding I officiate. I want the couples I marry to have a similar image of marriage in their minds: a re-

lationship that isnt always perfect, but that is always growing toward the Perfect One, Jesus.

For the continued mission and influence of Vonette Bright on behalf of our Lord, thanks be to God.

Compiled by Case Thorp with material provided by Cru. Case is the Associate Pastor for Mission & Evangelism here at the church, and has a wealth of knowledge about the missionaries of this church family. To learn more about our mission partnerships, visit fpco.org/mission.

THE JESUS FILM CELEBRATES 35 YEARS

The most-watched film in history,JESUS- a Bibli-cally accurate motion picture on the life of Jesus based from the book of Luke has been re-mastered in high-definition with an entirely new musical score in honor of its 35thanniversary. This new version, releasing asThe JESUS Film, is nowin select theaters and is available in retail and online stores nationwide on Blu-ray, DVD and digital format.

The JESUS Filmis the timeless story of the most beloved and yet the most controversial figure ever to walk the earth. Over the last 35 years, this film has been viewed billions of times, and is recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Translated Film in history now available in more than 1,200 languages.

While many have seen theoriginalJESUSfilm, watching the 35thanniversary, re-mastered edition is akin to experiencing a brand new movie, said Dr. Erick Schenkel, Executive Director of The JESUS Film Project, a ministry of Cru. During the films restora-tion, each of its 173,000 frames were individually and painstakingly re-touched and re-colored, and the entire audio track was re-done with dialogue, sound effects and new music. As a result, individuals who have seen the original film dozens of times have mar-veled at the beauty of the 35thanniversary edition.

A faithful depiction of Christs birth, ministry, death and resurrection as told in the Biblical account from the Gospel of Luke, virtually every word Jesus speaks inThe JESUS Filmis quoted from Scripture.

Used by Permission: The JESUS Film Project

The script was reviewed for Biblical accuracy by 450 leaders and scholars. Further historical accuracy was ensured using clothing, pottery and other props made with first-century methods to portray a 2,000-year-old Palestinian culture.

After viewing the originalJESUSfilm, more than 200 million individuals have indicated decisions to follow Jesus.

Come hear more about the Jesus Film Projects 35-year impact on world missions,

FPCOs partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ and the Jesus Film Project in

Madagascar when we celebrate Mrs. Brights many years of faithful ministry.

JULY 27, 6-7:30PM IN KING PARLOR Reserve your seat at the dinner

with Robin Boyd at 407.423.3441.


ready to

by Beth Hewitt

As the Director of the Weekday School, I am literally counting the days until preschool year begins. Why? Because I believe preschool is perhaps one of the most magical seasons of life for a child and a family. Part of the magic is because of the pre in preschool. It is the time before formal schooling begins, before tests, before homework, before grades. It is a grace-filled season that gives children time to practice and prepare to be away from mom and dad, to cooperate and take turns with friends, and to acclimate to learning in a structured, group environment.

HEALTHY EXPECTATIONS

The beginning of school for parents, however, can be filled with anxiety. Is my child ready? Will my child have friends? How will my child behave? Todays educational culture can feed this anxiety. Elevated kindergarten expectations, screenings and testings add to the pressure parents already feel to ensure their children are ready for school. If we are not cautious as parents and educators, preschool can morph into pushing and pressuring children, fearing that they will be lacking in some important way.

A BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

While there are meaningful school readiness skills that children need, embracing a Biblical foundation for early education is wise. Scripture teaches us that God creates each child in a unique and wonderful way.

This means that children learn, grow and develop at their own God-ordained pace. Our role is to support, to nurture, to discipline and to trust God to bring about the growth and development of our children. In I Corinthians 3:6, Paul gives this de-scription of discipleship and growth: I (Paul) planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

Growth is Gods job. Our job is to plant and water and trust God with all the rest.

NEXT STEPS

Want to learn specific things you can do to prepare your child for preschool? Visit our Weekday School website for easy and age-appropriate ideas: weekdayschoolorlando.org

Interested in knowing more about the Weekday School? Contact Assistant Director, Pam McComb, at 407.996.4864 to schedule a personal tour.

Beth Hewitt is the Director of Weekday School, a Chris-tian preschool serving children ages 2 1/2 to 5 years, and a ministry of First Pres established in 1950. Email Beth at [email protected].


NEXT STEPS

Read: Take trips to the library. Most librar-ies have summer reading programs.

Take field trips: Go to museums, zoos, gardens or other places in the commu-nity where children can learn about new things.

Make time to learn a new skill or activ-ity: Sign up for a new sport, art or music class to keep the mind and body alert and growing.

Play board games: An excellent way for children to practice thinking, reasoning and logic skills, as well as developing important communication skills.

Volunteer: Summer months provide the time for children to learn about their com-munity and the value of serving others.

Develop math skills: Working on just 3-4 math problems per day can close the gap of summer learning loss and keep stu-dents skills sharp.

Work on reading comprehension: Provide children with a comprehension workbook, found in most school supply stores. Students of all grades and ability levels benefit from self-quizzes and high-interest stories.

Review grammar skills: Review gram-mar skills learned the previous year and begin to work on new concepts. Students greatly benefit from review and pre-learning.

Encourage creative writing: Improve lan-guage skills through imaginative activities like writing a paragraph of a story each week. Start with a fun prompt from their summer experiences.

Focus on specific skills: Work on the skills that your child had the most trouble with the previous school year. Setting aside just 15-30 minutes each day can greatly benefit students when the new school year begins.

Statistics support that summer learning loss is real. Students who do not participate in any academic activi-ties over the summer digress 2-3 months in skills. On average, students lose about 2.6 months of grade-level equivalency in math computation skills during the sum-mer months. (Find these and other statistics on summer learning loss at summerlearning.org.)

Parents are the first line of defense in supporting their childs academic health. The summer months are an ide-al time to practice academic skills while having plenty of time to do other fun activities as well.Keeping academic activities in your childs summer routine will help pre-pare them to enter the next school year with confidence and help ease back into the academic school routine.

Parents who demonstrate they value learning will en-courage their children to love to learn. So, dont leave the summer learning just to your children. Participate right along with them and learn something new or relearn forgotten skills. Parents can be proactive in preventing summer learning loss, and help to set their child up for success once the new school year begins.

Many schools offer summer enhancement programs. For additional summer enhancement resources, visit The Christ Schools website at thechristschool.org.

Amber Lail is the Director of Academics and Student Programs at The Christ School. To learn more about the school, contact Nicole Millard, Admission Director, at [email protected] or 407.849.1665.

PREVENTING SUMMER LEARNING LOSSby Amber Lail


Compassion Corner is the Homeless Ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. Every year, approxi-mately 20,000 homeless people come to Compassion Corner looking for assistance. We provide a temporary haven from the dangerous streets of our city. Most im-portantly, when they are helpless, we are here to help.

Expressing compassion has its challenges. To begin with, offering compassion without accountability is just enabling. Those we seek to help may feel entitled, which can lead them to believe we are responsible for their well-being.

Alternatively, compassion with accountability is empower-ment. Empowering compassion puts the responsibility of change and transformation back on the individual. They regain dignity, self-respect, and the confidence to move out of their situation.

The key to empowering an individual who is homeless is identifying which category of circumstantial home-lessness each person falls into and have an actual plan of recovery for that person. This is what we do at Compas-sion Corner. Our leaders and volunteers meet with the

EMPOWERINGTHE HOMELESS

homeless and help them take the next best stepwheth-er that is for survival, for safety, or for a job.

We see evidence of Compassion Corners impact within Orlandos homeless community every day. A home-less man, diagnosed with cancer in December recently shared his story with me. Through his empowered choic-es and relationships at Compassion Corner, he now has

stable housing and is getting med-ical treatment. He is experiencing transformational change in his life because a volunteer, someone just like you, sat down with him and said, Try this. And he did.

I have seen this happen over and over again, and I invite you to

come experience it for yourself. Compassion Corner is a place of transformation, where God is already prepar-ing life-changing ministry for the people of this church. Come join in!

Spencer Pfliederer is the Director of Compassion Corner, a ministry of First Pres that builds relationships with the homeless community in Orlando, and is designed to be the way our church family connects and ministers to those in need, here in downtown.

Every year, approximately 20,000

homeless people come to Compassion Corner looking for assistance.

by Spencer Pfleiderer

NEXT STEPSVOLUNTEER at Compassion Corner for a few hours one morning, Monday through Thursday, 8:3011:00am, and come ready to learn. To sign up, contact Jeannette Follmer, our Com-passion Corner Coordinator, at 407.496.9728 or [email protected].

DONATE travel-size supplies for our friends: ra-zors, shave cream, mosquito spray, sunscreen, bottled water, and feminine products. Drop them off at Compassion Corner (425 N. Mag-nolia Ave.) or the lobby of the Edington Ministry Center at First Pres.


fpco.org three new features

2

3

1

THE STREAM fpco.org/stream

Weve completely redesigned the Stream so you can easily browse the page for latest news and important stories from

First Pres. You no longer have to click into each post; instead, just scroll and the content loads automagically.

Filter by topic in the new Stories Archive. Want to stay updated? Click Subscribe.

HOMEPAGE fpco.orgThe new homepage gives you a better snapshot of the upcoming events this week and beyond. In one glance, see whats happen-ing, whats important, and ways to further nurture your relationship with God.

LIVE WORSHIP fpco.org/liveTrouble finding our live broadcast of the Sunday worship services? Not to worry! When were streaming live, every page now shows a notification banner at the top with a link to the worship service. How easy is that?


Preparations for the Temples

22Then David said, The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. 3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

5 David said, My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it. So David made extensive preparations before his death.

6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon: My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. 8 But this word of the LORD came to me: You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon,[a] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.

1 Chronicles 22:1-19King David, who reig

ned over Israel as the first

monarch, and only one of two who reigns over a un

ited

country during Israels Golden Era.

Editors caption helps me as a reader.

When all capital letters are used, we know this to be a substitute for Yahweh, Gods name that was so holy that out of respect, it was neither spoken or written fully. The original Hebrew text would have only the consonants (YHWH) and no vowels as a way to stop short of writing down Gods full name.

David prepares for both his sons legacy and for the work of the Lord to continue. As Ive likely considered my legacy with my children, how do I prepare myself for Gods work to continue beyond my lifetime?

The answer to many famous trivia questions asking: Why didnt David build the temple?


What do you look for when you study your Bible? Whats important? Dr. Case Thorp shares insight into this passage from 1 Chronicles.

11 Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would. 12 May the LORD give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. 13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

14 I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents[b] of gold, a million talents[c] of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. 15 You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work 16 in gold and silver, bronze and ironcraftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.

17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. 18 He said to them, Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. 19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD.

How does my faith shape my understanding of discretion, understanding of success? Do I exercise a Christ-centered approach to each at work and thus bear witness to the Gospel? In what ways do secular-based preparations versus Christ-centered preparations (for anything in life) lead to being strong or courageous, or to being afraid or discouraged?

Who is your command and how

might they be deployed to seek

the welfare of the city?

Go to Wikipedia and research this key fi

xture

in Jewish faith. Discover why the ark needed a permanent home.

Who has taken great pains to provide for your faith development? I think of mentors, parents and grandparents even to donors and prayer warriors that started FPCO in 1876 and furthered her growth throughout the 20th century. How are you preparing FPCO for tomorrows mission of evangelism?

Amen!


Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way forhis steps. - Psalm 85:13 (NIV)

This issue of the Columns is focused on the idea of preparation something all of us experience at one time or another. Even in this summer season, many of us are preparing for summer trips and events, and thinking about how we may ready ourselves or our families for Fall.

But does the word preparation bring thoughts of dread or extreme pleasure as you look forward? After all, by definition, it is the action or process of making something ready for use or service, or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty.

Both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible men-tion people being preparedfor tomorrow, for the building of the temple, for sacrifices, for worship, for meals, and even for the burial of Jesus.

Preparation, though, can easily be met with procras-tination. As the old saying goes, getting ready to get ready can be a hurdle many of us stumble upon. But looking at the earthly life of Christ, we find Him in a constant state of preparation. He knew His purpose, knew the ultimate plan, and knew what He needed to do in order for us to have a prepared place to go when our earthly life ceases. So our lives, as well, should be lived in a state of preparation; preparing for the eternal life but always with the tension of living in the here and now and being examples to those who may not yet live with the promise of eternity.

Practicing spiritual disciplines benefits us both ways. It is how we prepare for eternal living. But the sanc-tifying results of practicing them move us away from earthly standards, giving us freedom in the here and now.

making spiritual disciplines a daily habitTIME WITH GOD

How are you preparing by incorporating these spiritual disciplines in your daily life?

Prayer - are you moving toward building or en-hancing the personal relationship with God while sharing your hopes, dreams, thoughts, and con-cerns for others with Him and moving away from a life lived independently from awareness or concern of God?

Journaling - moving to a habit of regular reflection on the presence and actions of God in our lives while moving away from the busy, non-reflective patterns a hectic day or culture dictates?

Stewardship & generosity - moving toward the recognition that everything we have is provided by God and moving away from the mindset of per-sonal possession?

Celebration moving toward the daily routine of thanksgiving and experiencing the joy of all the life God has given us while we move from thoughts of discontentment, focusing on what we do not have? Point made, but are you taking it well?

What are you preparing for? Do you wake each day with a kingdom purpose and perhaps a whispered prayer of use me this day? As Christians, we are in the business of kingdom building and its for the here and now, but ultimately will provide an eternal place that has been prepared for us and the hereafter! Thank you Jesus that you did not procrastinateand help me in my preparation of serving you.

Lori Needham is the Director of Hospitality and Special Events at our church, and has faithfully authored every single Time With God article weve featured over the last year and a half. She and her husband, Dan, are passion-ate about sharing Gods grace by teaching others about spiritual disciplines, Bible study, and generosity. [email protected]

by Lori Needham


FAMILY NEWS

Sympathy to...

Candy Perkinson on the death of her husband, Chuck Perkinson, February 9, 2014.

Vicki Blanchfield on the death of her brother, Rick Blanchfield, April 29, 2014.

Tammas and Gilbert Smith on the death of her mother, Mable Gray, May 18, 2014 and her stepfather, Bill Gray, June 7, 2014.

Susan and Todd Sorrow on the death of her uncle, Robert Kazaros, May 6, 2014.

Sarah Parkhouse on the death of her sister, Ruth Underwood, May 20, 2014.

Nancy McDonald on the death of her father, Roger May, May 28, 2014.

The family & friends of Betty Jo Hurt, who died May 29, 2014.

The family and friends of Rick Dye, who died May 30, 2014.

Bryan Tabler on the death of his father, Harvey Tabler, May 30, 2014.

Rev. Sam and Jennifer Knight on the death of his mother, Norma Knight, June 7, 2014. Mrs. Knight was the grandmother of Cinnone, Gethin and Gwyneth Knight.

Jim and Betty Smeenge on the death of his father, James Justin Smeenge, Sr., June 15. Mr. Smeenge was the grandfather of John (Sarah) Smeenge and great-grandfather of Palmer and Grayson Smeenge.

Congratulations to...

Brandon and Paige Ragan on the birth of their son, Ferris Alexander Ragan, born April 30, 2014.

Brandon and Rebecca Hueber on the birth of their son, Grant William Hueber, born May 23, 2014. The proud grandparents are Ralph and Becky Martinez.

Thomas Alexander Cloud, Jr. and Elizabeth Ann Hagginbothom who were married May 31, 2014, in the Reformation Chapel. Thomas is the son of Tom and Laura Cloud.

Jeffrey William Headman and Grace Gibson McNair who were married June 7, 2014, in the Reformation Chapel. Grace is the daughter of Pat and Marjory McNair.

Joshua Kane Davis and Rebecca Claire Divine who were married June 14, 2014, in the Sanctuary. Rebecca is the daughter of Russ and Janice Divine, and the granddaughter of Larry Divine.number to page the minister oncall.

Call FPCO at 407.423.3441 to

- schedule a baptism x1451- request a hospital visit x1455- plan a wedding x1272- arrange a memorial service x1455- donate flowers for worship x1272- ask giving questions x1479- change your address x1471- purchase a sermon DVD x2201- reserve childcare x1480- reach security 407.466.3497- reserve a meeting space x1272- ask about this magazine x1467

vist fpco.org/prayer and submit your prayer or praise need using our confidential form.

To submit a Prayer Request

call our Membership Coordinator, Trish Wilson at x1471.

To update your information with the church

First Presbyterian Church of Orlando106 E. Church St., Orlando, FL 32801

The First Presbyterian Columns (USPS 604-040) is published bimonthly by the First Presbyterian Church. Circulation: 2,500. (2,000 by US Mail, 500 by on-campus distribution). Periodicals postage paid at Orlando, Florida. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COLUMNS, 106 E. Church St. Orlando, FL 32801-3390.2013 First Presbyterian Church of Orlando COLUMNS.

POSTMASTER: Time Sensitive MaterialPlease Deliver by JULY 1, 2014

106 East Church Street | Orlando, FL 32801407.423.3441 | www.fpco.org

TRADITIONAL WORSHIP: Sundays, 8:30 & 11:00am

in the Sanctuary

GENESIS WORSHIP: Sundays, 9:45 & 11:00am

in Lee Fellowship Hall

LIVE ONLINE WORSHIP: Sundays, 8:30, 9:45 & 11:00am

PERIODICALS RATEUS POSTAGE PAID

ORLANDO, FL

JULY 2014

JULY 6, 13, 20, 27 Conway Cares is the in-school food pantry

supporting hungry kids at several local schools in our own neighborhoods. Sundays

throughout July, bring non-perishable food items to church, including granola bars, fruit

cups, apple sauce and more.

JULY 28 - AUGUST 1Give a couple of hours in your day and help your neighbor in need! Every year, First Pres commits to serving lunch each day of one week at Daily Bread. We need only 10 volunteers per day, and we have a spot for you!

first presbyterian church of orlando magazine (july/august 2014)

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