S u n d a y W o r s h i p : 1 0 : 4 5 a . m . 110 North Adams Street Tallahassee, Florida 32301

Phone (850) 222-4504 Fax (850) 222-2215

email: office@oldfirstchurch.org w e b s i t e : w w w . o l d fi r s t c h u r c h . o r g

www.facebook.com/oldfirstchurch Pastor’s Blog: b r a n t c o p e l a n d . c o m

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS: 9:00 AM—12:30 PM AND 1:30PM—5:00PM, Monday—Friday

Derrick Rose and Cristina Key were married in the sanctuary on

June 23, 2018.

The day after Ramadhan ended on Friday, June 22nd, Mariam, Johari, and Amidu

Luhembwe and Shaggy Kazembe enjoyed the water jets at Cascades Park, followed by a

Happy Meal at MacDonald's.

Intergenerational Civil Rights Bus Tour July 16-18, 2018

$160 per person includes transportation on a charter bus, two nights in hotels, and admission

tickets to all sites. Breakfasts are provided by both hotels.

Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Some of our participant’s schedules have changed, leaving us with two available spots.

Please contact Christy Williams if you would like to register for this trip.

Pastor’s Column by Brant S. Copeland

If you missed the e-mail blast that went out last week, you won’t know about the session’s decision to re-establish a Refugee Fund at First Presbyterian Church. First Church has been very active with refu-gee resettlement through the years, but recently we eliminated the Refugee Fund from our list of re-stricted funds. Now that we are working with several refugee families in Tallahassee, and in order to help immigrant and refugee families on the southern border, the session wants to have funds available for quick response.

The Compassion and Social Justice Ministry Team has already allocated some of its discretionary fund to refugee and immigrant work. A re-established Refugee Fund will give us another tool in the tool bag.

I hope that by the time this newsletter reaches you, there will be a link on our webpage for credit card gifts. You can check at www.oldfirstchurch.org.

Those of you who follow the actions of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) will know that the over-ture calling for divestment from the fossil fuel industry was not approved. By a vote of 332-178, the assembly voted in favor of a minority report that called for the PC(USA) to continue its corporate en-gagement with fossil fuel companies—through its Mission Responsibility Through Investment Commit-tee—rather than divest from those companies. The Assembly Committee on Environmental Issues had voted 35-20 for the divestment proposal offered by the Presbytery of Hudson River and many others, including Florida Presbytery. After the minority report became the main motion, it was approved by the assembly 409-106.

I am very disappointed by the commissioners’ decision. I had hoped that the entire denomination would follow the lead of First Church of Tallahassee and other congregations who have divested from the biggest fossil fuel companies. I remain proud of our session’s decision and hope that fellow Pres-byterians will wake up to the climate change crisis.

Next week Christy Williams and I will be chaplains at Dogwood Acres. Several of our middle school and elementary-aged youth will be at camp, too. I’m looking forward to a great time – and will at-tempt to avoid sunburn, yellow flies, and over-eating. Perhaps I’ll give you a report on Sunday, July 15.

Upcoming Trips and Prayer Requests

Dogwood Acres Summer Camp – July 8-13: A full week of Dogwood Fun including worship, canoeing, swimming, archery, Bi-

ble Study, hiking, games, singing, crafting and more!! Please pray for Chaplains: Brant Copeland and Christy Williams. Camp-

ers: Chloe Hightower, Clara Lohmeyer, Palmer Corzine, Grayson Polhemus, Hope Altieri, Bryce Codrick, Thomas Kennedy, Ca-

mille Peterman, Ian McGorty, Ethan Tozer, Nicholas Ponder, Serenity and Jamarion Gavin.

Civil Rights Bus Tour – July 16-18: Three days of visiting important Civil Rights sites and museums while we discuss the im-

portance of events in the past with regard to happenings today. Please pray for participants: Walter and Marian Moore, Joan

and Dave Custis, Cay and Matt Hohmeister, Kerry Laird, Debbie Gibson, Carla Connors, Elizabeth Platt, Jean Souter, Christy

Williams, Carol Wynn, Patrick, Thomas and Molly Kennedy, Abigail Cleveland, James Griffin, and Doug Throm.

Montreat Youth Conference – July 22-28: This year’s theme is “Lift Every Voice” and will focus on ways in which we listen to

difficult voices, the ways in which God may be speaking to us, and avenues for lifting our own voices in order to do God’s

work in the world. Please pray for conferees, chaperones and cooks: Thomas and Molly Kennedy, Ethan Tozer, Mason Becker,

Casey and Paige Keating, Jaret and Abigail Kidd, Webb, Olivia and Catherine Burke, Camille Peterman, Noemi Galeano, Abigail

Cleveland, Jacqueline Cruz, Ryleigh Polhemus, Maggie Hall, Hope Alteri, Yasmyn Gooden, Glenn and Kerry Laird, Amy Guthrie,

Bev Booth, Emma Lowry and Christy Williams.

Visitation Ministry Are you able to visit with members who cannot attend wor-ship, either for a short time (such as when a member is re-covering from an injury) or long-term? Do you know a mem-ber who would appreciate some extra contact with our church family? Please let the Care and Outreach team know by contacting Ann DelRossi, chair, atadelrossi@fsu.edu.

The Ivey Ringers are thirteen dedicated high school

and middle school students, many of whom have

been ringing since they were in elementary

school. The ensemble, which has been active for over

thirty years, is based in Charlotte, NC at First Presby-

terian Church. Since its inception, the group has

traveled internationally to Australia, Russia, Puerto

Rico, Canada, Switzerland, England, Germany, France

and Ireland, and has taken several tours throughout

the United States. The group has also had the honor

of performing with the Charlotte Symphony Orches-

tra. Under the direction of Trevor Cook, the group

has expanded both its octave range and scope of mu-

sical expression. Performing on 6 octaves of hand-

bells and hand chimes, the ensemble creates a rich

pallet of sound and a visually stunning presentation.

Schedule for Summer Newsletters

July 16 July 30

Resume weekly publication August 6

Please plan your submissions for publication in the newsletter accordingly. Although the deadline for submission of an arti-cle is noon on the publication date, you may always submit earlier; just specify the date or dates you wish the article to

appear. The next newsletter will be published July 16. Submit items for publication to: newsletter@oldfirstchurch.org

August 2- 5:30-7:00 p.m. Children and Worship Workshop

(pizza dinner to start our time together). This is for those chil-

dren in elementary school who are beginning to worship with

our church family, or for those who would like a refresher

course. RSVP to christy@oldfirstchurch. Childcare can be avail-

able on request.

August 5 – 9:00-10:30 a.m. Teacher Training and Orientation

for those who will be teaching in our children’s church school

classes during the new program year. Westminster Room.

Childcare available.

August 19 – 9:15-10:15 a.m. Church School Open House for

ALL AGES and Stages in faith formation. Light Breakfast Snacks,

review of our summer programs, introductions to teachers and

our course offerings for the fall. Westminster Room. Brochures

for our Dogwood Retreat will be available at this event.

September 28-30 Church-wide Dogwood Acres Retreat!!

Dates for Your

Calendars

Fall Gathering Sunday August 26th at 3:30 pm

in the Westminster Room

The Reverend Dr. Pamela King Phillips will introduce our new Bible Study

God’s Promise: I am with You

This is a wonderful occasion for all the circles to meet together after the summer hiatus.

Members will receive their new study books and

directories. Circles will make plans for their first meeting. Child care will be provided.

We are asking all who are able to come to bring a few

school supplies for our First Presbyterian Preschool.

The following are suggestions: 1. Fiskars 5” children’s scissors, blunt or pointed 2. Colored Construction Paper 3. Decorative Foam Stickers 4. Glue sticks 5. Children’s washable colored markers 6. Sharpie markers for the teachers 7. Printer Paper 8. Play Dough 9. Boxes of Kleenex

COME JOIN US!!!!

YOU CAN STILL GET YOUR PHOTOS TAKEN FOR THE CHURCH DIRECTORY.

Photograph e rs wil l be available in t h e

We s tmins te r Room o n Friday, July 1 3 (1pm – 7pm) and Sa tu rday, July 14 (noo n – 5pm)

Th e r e a r e 3 way s yo u may s ign u p: See An n Del Ros s i afte r chu rch t h e next few Sunday s; Email An n a t adelros s i@fsu.ed u; or Cal l An n a t 850/566- 799 5

Those who get t h eir photo take n wil l get a fr ee

8x1 0 pictu r e and a ha rd-copy o f t h e dir e cto-

ry. If yo u a r e not available o n t h e se da te s

bu t wo uld l ike yo u r

Our Care and Outreach Team will be hosting a summer potluck directly after wor-

ship in the Westminster Room on Sunday, July 15th. The team will supply drinks, and request that anyone who wants to participate

bring a side or a salad to share with others. Guests and visitors are encouraged to attend!

Summer

Summer Childcare at FPC on Sunday Mornings

Our nursery and preschool rooms are staffed by childcare providers from the Heavenly Helpers Agency. These childcare professionals are

background checked and trained in infant/child first aid and CPR. They are present in both rooms from

10:00 a.m. – Noon each Sunday.

Main Floor Nursery: Our nursery is for infants and toddlers up to two years old. Parents can drop children off beginning at 10:00 a.m. and

children will be cared for through the worship hour. There is a sign in sheet for parents to list who will be picking their child up, an emer-

gency phone number and any particular needs the child may have while in the church’s care. Children should come with a bottle or sippy

cup, preferred snack and diapers. Diaper wipes and additional snacks are available.

Preschool Care: Beginning at age two, children go to the third floor preschool room. Drop-off begins at 10:00 a.m. and children are cared

for through the worship hour. There is a sign in sheet for parents. Snacks are provided.

Lectionary Readings

July 8, 2018 7th Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

July 15, 2018 8th Sunday after Pentecost

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 Psalm 48

2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Mark 6:1-13

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Psalm 24

Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29

First Presbyterian Church Calendar for July 2018

Date Time Event Location Comments

Sunday Schedule 10:00 a.m. Nursery Opens Education Building

Care for children last through the worship

hour

10:45 a.m. Lord's Day Service Sanctuary All are welcome

10:00 a.m. Choir Practice FPC Choir Room Summer Schedule

Wednesday, 4th Church Office Closed The Church Office will re-open @ 9 a.m.

on Thursday, July 5th

8th — 13th Summer Camp Dogwood Acres

Monday, 9th Noon Adam Cobb

Organ Recital FPC Sanctuary

Come hear the works of Franck, Vierne, Messiaen, and Bach.

Friday, 13th Office Closed Administrator’s Day Off

16th — 18th Civil Rights Bus Tour

Friday, 20th Office Closed Administrator’s Day Off

22nd — 28th Montreat Youth

Conference