COLUMNSdocshare04.docshare.tips/files/26546/265462750.pdf · 2017. 4. 19. · Easter 2015 FEATURES...

COLUMNS | Summer 2015 1

COLUMNS

SUMMER 2015 • FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ORLANDO • FPCO.ORG

magazine

SERVE THIS SUMMER

discipleship meet the team & get connected

homeless Jesus dedication May 20

faith + work sacred space in the workplace

Seek God. Share His Love. Humbly Serve.

find your place to hang out

2 Summer 2015 | COLUMNS

On the Way with David Swanson

The Stack

Summer Reminders for the Cool Kids

Encounters with Jesus summer sermon series

Homeless Jesus Dedication

Easter 2015

FEATURESCelebrating Community

and the power of prayer

School of Discipleship get smart

Faith + Work Dr. Case Thorp explains

ARISE AND BUILD UPDATE

Family News

DISCIPLESHIP, 16Meet Rev. Jack Peebles and team, learn about the vision

for the future, (hint: it involves Jesus) and get the course preview for Summer & Fall.

TEAMWORK, 6

COLUMNS CONTENTSSUMMER 2015

PHOTOS: TANNER FOX, FRAZIERFOTO

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Not serving overseas this summer? Serve on the First Pres team and be part of incredible ministry to children, pastors, parents and everyone in between.


For event details and the full calendar, visit fpco.org/calendar

may 17 Senior Sunday

may 20 Homeless Jesus Dedication

may 24 Pentecost & Memorial Day Sunday (9:45 & 11:00am Worship ONLY)

may 25 Memorial Day, Church Offices Closed

may 31 Encounters With Jesus SERMON SERIES BEGINS

june 1 The Christ School ‘Summer in the City’ Begins

june 6-12 Dominican Republic Mission Trip

june 10 WE Summer Nights & Salads

june 15 Company’s Comin’ Rally

june 22-27 EPC General Assembly

june 29-july 3 Camp Twain (middle and high school students)

july 1-13 Madagascar Mission Trip

july 3 Independence Day, Church Offices Closed

july 3 Holiday Weekend (9:45 & 11:00am Worship ONLY)

july 8 WE Summer Nights & Salads

july 20-24 Vacation Bible School Upwards Basketball & Cheerleading Camp

SAVE THE DATE


say, it will take the hospitable gifts of many to care for such a group.

In the same way that Aaron came alongside of Moses to hold up his arms as he led the Israelites, so we will come up underneath our denomination to hold them up, to serve them, to pray for them, to do all that we can to ensure that they are both empowered and emboldened to return to their churches filled with the fresh strength of the Holy Spirit.

If you have signed up to serve, I am deeply grateful for your time and sacrifice. If you’re not yet signed up, you can do so at fpco.org/ga.

If you are a visitor to our campus, welcome! I am delighted that you are here, and please know that we have been praying for you and your time in our midst that it will be rich and fruitful for God’s Kingdom.

If you are someone who lives in other locales or who is unable to be part of these great events, please pray for us. Pray that God’s Holy Spirit would anoint us in these weeks with the gift of hospitality that we might serve all those who come, faithfully and well.

With sincere gratitude for your servant hearts, and with joyful expectation, I remain

Under His Mercy,

David

ON THE WAYwith Dr. David Swanson

“Be joyful in hope,

patient in affliction,

faithful in prayer.

Contribute to the

needs of the saints

and show hospitality.”

Romans 12:12-13

Dear FPCO Family and Friends,

When we moved from Austin, Texas to Chattanooga, Tennessee in the summer of 1991, it was a life-changing event. I was about to begin my first call as an Associate Pastor at Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church, and together, Leigh and I were embarking on what would be the great adventure of our lives. We learned many things in those eight years, but one of the first was the marvelous ministry of their hospitality. We watched Jakie Dudley, the wife of the Senior Pastor, Bill Dudley, week after week invite people to their home for “supper” after Sunday worship. With incredible attention to every detail, delicious meals were served. Bodies and souls were nourished. Relationships formed. Wounds healed. Ideas were born. Hospitality is indeed one of the rich and marvelous gifts of God’s Holy Spirit and one that we try to emulate in our home to this day.

This May and June, we at First Presbyterian Church have been given the wonderful opportunity to show this gift to our brothers and sisters in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. In the same way that our church was so warmly and hospitably welcomed in June of 2012, we now have the chance to nourish, encourage and bless our body as we host The Presbytery of Florida May 8-9 and the General Assembly of the EPC June 22-27. The latter is a historic event for our church as it will be the first time we have hosted the national gathering of our denomination with more than 1900 people coming from all over the country, including missionaries from around the globe. Needless to


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

the Columns stack

SUMMER CHOIRSING this summer! No interview necessary. You do not have to be able to read music (though it helps!) Come any Sunday at 7:30am for rehearsal and join in on a week-by-week commitment. There is no mid-week rehearsal. Use the voice God gave you in the joy of worship. Summer choir begins June 28.

SERVE ON OUR BAPTISM TEAMServe on Sunday morning as a Baptism Assistant! Use

your gift of hospitality to host our baptism families during worship and help them prepare for this special day. Serve just prior to your regular worship service and be part of this important ministry. Contact Pam McComb to

learn more at [email protected].

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: RESPONSIBILITYJoin WOMEN ENGAGED for a video series by author Andy

Stanley, on taking authentic responsibility for our lives. As Christians, we should be examples of responsibility. But as we see from the very first book of the Bible, it doesn’t always come naturally. This is a message we all need to hear, so we’ve opened this study up for women of all

ages. Starts the week of July 6 - August 10. Register by June 22 for $15 at fpco.org/register. For more, contact Lori

Needham at [email protected] or 407.423.3441 x1463.

UPWARDUpward Basketball & Cheerleading Camp is July 20-24. Held at our Fitness@First gym, camp will be from 1-4pm daily and open to kids K-6th grade. Regis-ter online or contact Angela Brown at 407.206.2406 for more details. Get moving! fpco.org/upward

NEW TO FIRST PRES?

If you know someone who’d 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.

DO YOU GET THE EMAIL?

We send out a weekly email newsletter with reminders and news you don’t want to miss. We’ll never share your infor-mation, and you can unsub-scribe anytime. Join now at fpco.org/email.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

twitter.com/fpcorlando

UPDATE YOUR PREFERENCEShave you moved? changed your number? new email address? Tell Trish Wilson so we don’t harass the people who live there now. Email [email protected] or call 407.423.3441 to update your membership record.

see your giving statement & set up automatic giving Create a login and our giving portal makes this a snap. Update your giving preferences anytime. fpco.org/give.

manage your inbox Choose which email updates you receive at fpco.org/email.

FPCO.ORG/SERVENOWEvery week, we update fpco.org/servenow with fresh opportunities to serve our city and the church. Live out God’s mission in your neighborhood, Children’s Sunday School or with those most in need. Looking for something to do with friends? With your kids at a particular ministry? Face to face? Want to collect and donate needed items? We’ve taken away all the obstacles and prepared the way. Plug in today at fpco.org/servenow.


SERVE THIS SUMMER

GENERAL ASSEMBLYCOMPANY’S COMIN’! First Pres will host the Evangelical Presbyterian Church’s 35th General Assembly from June 22-27, 2015. We expect 950+ delegates (pastors and elders) and another 1,000 missionaries, ecumenical liaisons, exhibitors, and friends from all around our nation and world.

General Assembly will utilize our entire campus, in addition to First United Methodist Church across Jackson Street and other area venues within walking distance. We need your help to create a hospitable and easy experience for our guests!

Please sign up for one of the four-hour volunteering time slots available throughout the week. For each role you choose (we recommend no more than 3), you will be asked to attend at least one training.

YOUR COMMITMENT• Volunteering During the Conference for one (4hr) time slot• One Hour Training• Company’s Comin’ Volunteer Rally, Monday June 15, 6:30pm-8pm

(Worship, shirt pickup & final details in the Sanctuary with Dr. Swanson)• Volunteer Commissioning, Sunday, June 21

To learn more and sign up, visit fpco.org/ga.

JUNE2015

If you’re not able to serve globally this summer, there are so many ways to serve right here at home. First Pres is hosting two giant events this summer, and you can be part of the team.


SERVE THIS SUMMER(at home)

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLTHE BIG DIG Mark your calendars, we’re digging up a great week of Vacation Bible School this July, and we can’t do it without the fantastic work of volunteers.

• DATES: July 20-24• TIME: 9:00am-12:15pm

YOUR COMMITMENT Volunteer half-days during the week. Even if you can’t come the entire week, we have a space for you. Choose from small group guides, or craft, recreation, music or snack helpers! We have a place for every gift and talent, and the kids will appreciate it.

Sign up today to make a huge impact in our community and the lives of children! Visit fpco.org/vbs.

JULY2015

FPCO.ORG/SERVENOWYour ongoing resource for serving needs in and around the City Beautiful.

NEXT STEP


A FEW REMINDERS TO KEEP THINGS COOL

M Summer is a slow time for many businesses...but not at all for the church! Camp Twain in Student Ministry, General Assembly, Vacation Bible School for SHINE Children’s Ministry, KAA Camp in FOUR12, and summer MusikGarten are just a few of the reasons we will be going strong through the hot summer months. PLEASE PRAY God brings the right people, keeps things organized and transforms hearts this sum-mer through First Pres. We love your prayers, and so does God.

M Ministry costs as much in the summer as it does any other time of year (and maybe more, since we have to keep the A/C running). THANK YOU FOR STAYING FAITHFUL to your tithes and offering over the summer. We are praying to finish the year with strong stewardship. Update your giving preferences or give anytime at fpco.org/give.

M If you’re traveling, you don’t have to miss out on Sundays. WORSHIP WITH YOUR CHURCH FAMILY live every week, rain or shine, at fpco.org/live.

M Can’t watch live? CATCH UP ON SERMONS and full worship services anytime at fpco.org/messages.S

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ME

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SUMMER SERMON SERIESBEGINNING MAY 31

A FEW REMINDERS TO KEEP THINGS COOL


First Presbyterian Church of Orlando will officially dedicate a new, permanent art installation on our cam-pus May 20. Homeless Jesus, a bronze statue by Canadi-an sculptor Timothy Schmalz, depicts a covered figure sleeping on a park bench with distinctly pierced feet.

Our hope is that the presence of the statue will not only bring more attention to the cause of homeless-ness, but also prompt a different way of thinking about everyone we encounter in our city on a daily basis.

Given by three anonymous donors in memory of their loved ones, Homeless Jesus will be placed next to the sidewalk on Jackson Street, close to the corner of Rosa-lind Avenue.

Though our church family gives almost $150,000 an-nually to the cause of homelessness, both in relief and development, we know there is always more that can be done to call attention to this issue.

Relief work, to care for the immediate and desperate needs of our homeless community, is necessary and important. Development work, to address the root causes of homelessness and create pathways for our homeless friends to have new opportunities, is essen-tial.

However, we believe we can do more than simply provide immediate assistance to people in the home-less community each week through our Compassion Corner ministry. We can do more than partner with the City of Orlando and other ministries on develop-ment initiatives offering long-term solutions for the homeless. We know art has incredible power to impact culture and challenge norms, and that change has to take place on every side of an issue to have a lasting effect.

For thousands of years, the church has been the stew-ard of compelling art, designed to prompt curiosity, questions, reverence and honest dialogue about the state of human affairs and God’s divine nature. We recognize, like our partners with Rethink Homeless-ness, that we must change our mind-set, and we hope the presence of Homeless Jesus will motivate others to do the same: to think differently about the homeless, and see them as image-bearers of God and worthy of respect and care, regardless of their circumstance.

A Place for Homeless Jesus

Dedication of Homeless Jesus10:00AM ON MAY 20 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ORLANDOFPCO.ORG/HOMELESSJESUS


GOOD NEWS BREAKFASTWe began the Good News Breakfast in 2001, a weekly worship service and hot breakfast on our campus that is open to all. Since then, with our partners at Central Care Mission, we have served approximately 150,000 total meals. Each year we serve between 7,500 - 8,000 individual breakfasts. 20-25 volunteers cook and serve every week, for a total of over 3,000 volunteer hours each year. HOW YOU CAN SERVE: Show up at 6:15AM on a Sunday morning in Lee Fel-lowship Hall, ready to pour coffee and serve food. (Donations to cover food costs are always welcome.)

COMPASSION CORNER MINISTRIESCompassion Corner Ministry was founded in 2001 by a group of compassionate lay and pastoral members of First Pres.

Located at 425 N. Magnolia Ave. behind the Orange County Courthouse building, Compassion Corner opens its doors to our homeless neighbors four days a week for a total of 24 hours. Each day we welcome 75-80 men and women for bible study, coffee, fellowship, prayer, and a needed respite from the streets. Our goal is to provide a safe place where trusting relationships can be built, and through those relationships, restora-tion and transformation can take place. The corner is dry when it is wet, cool when it is hot, and warm when it is cold.

We have five coaches providing over 10,000 hours of Case Management per year. These coaches help each person take their next best step, referring them to the services they need.

Toiletries and other necessities are distributed as needed, adding up to over 600 personal hygiene prod-ucts a week, alone. Compassion Corner also provides socks, reading glasses, and work boots; helps pay for prescriptions; and $20,000 worth of bus passes for job interviews, medical appointments, VA visits, and other needed services annually.

HOW YOU CAN SERVE:Donate toiletries, bring baked goods, offer a listen-ing ear during morning coffee time, or be trained to become a coach, to help our friends take that next best step.

IDIGNITYIDignity helps the chronic homeless maintain their identification so they can utilize shelters, social services, and apply for employment. First Pres supports IDignity through a mission grant, and many First Pres members volunteer their time each month. On Fridays, IDignity uses the Compassion Corner facility to follow-up with those who are in the process of securing their identifi-cation documents. HOW YOU CAN SERVE: Volunteer for the next IDignity Orlando event on Thursday, May 21st at the Orlando Union Rescue Mis-sion. Register online by Friday, May 15th, at IDignity.org or contact the IDignity Orlando Volunteer Coordinator, Julie, at [email protected]

GET THE FACTS Dr. Swanson serves on the Executive Committee of the Central Florida Regional Commission on Homelessness, with a special focus as Chair of the Chronic Homeless-ness Subcommittee. In his words, “We are working on a new model called ‘housing first’ that will house 100 homeless people in the next 100 days while surround-ing them with the necessary support services to keep them housed. As a city-center church, I am engaged in this as a means of actively serving our city.” Learn more at rethinkhomelessness.org.

Learn more about ministries like Compassion Corner, mission partners and mission mindset at fpco.org/mission.

Learn more about our partner organization Central Care Mission, a long-term residential drug and alcohol program structured to help men through the process of recovery while living in a therapeutic Christian commu-nity at centralcaremission.org.

Find a way to serve anytime at fpco.org/servenow.

CARING FOR THE HOMELESSCOMMUNITY IN ORLANDOHow can you make a difference? Be an ambassador of grace and humility to our friends in the homeless community by pouring a cup of coffee, offering a welcoming smile, walking some-one through a confusing process or picking up an extra pair of socks.


an EASTER celebrationTHANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR HELPING MAKE IT SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY OF WORSHIP.

See more at fpco.org/easterphotos.


The Christ School (TCS) and First Presbyterian Church of Orlando en-joy a strong partnership, enhanced by a deeply-rooted community of people who celebrate and support one another in both good and chal-lenging times.

The Vais family are beloved mem-bers of this community. Many of you know Jim and Tami Vais as members of First Pres; Jim for 18 years, and Tami for 15 years. Oth-ers may know them as parents of Jennifer, 2nd grade student at TCS, and 3-year-old James, who attends the Weekday School (WDS). You may see Tami every Sunday serving as the Coordinator of SHINE Chil-dren’s Ministry for nursery and tod-dlers.

Jim and Tami’s journey together began at FPCO. Tami explains, “When Jim and I met, he introduced me to his church. Our first date was Christmas Eve at First Pres, and we listened to Dr. Howard Eding-ton preach. Wow! What a first date! They both had me with ‘Hello!’”

When it was time for their daughter Jennifer to attend kindergarten, Jim and Tami looked to their communi-

ty for guidance. “When we were con-sidering school options for Jennifer, we looked at public schools in our area. They just didn’t seem to line up with our walk with Christ and what we were looking to have for our chil-dren,” Tami says. “Our neighbor, Vicki Rutledge, whose son attended TCS, told us great things about the school. We toured TCS and couldn’t have been more pleased. Jim and I both attended public schools and never would have imagined our children in private school. We had many questions. How will we afford it? This school sounds too good to be true – is it? How can we make this work?

“We prayed,” Tami continues. “We asked God to walk us through this decision and, if it is the right choice, to help us make the choice. We talk-ed with our families, who live out of state. We met with Dr. Jason Pow-ell, Head of School for TCS, and he prayed with us. After that, we knew we were going to take the step. We took the ‘leap of faith;’ one of the greatest choices we have ever made! The faculty and staff at The Christ School are a part of our family now. It is also great that as members of

First Pres, our church family is an extension of our children’s educa-tional family.

“We love The Christ School! We can’t think of a better way to start the day than attending morning Chapel. The joy and energy we ex-perience every time we go makes Jim and I wish we could start ev-ery day at Chapel. Even Jennifer’s brother, James, loves going to chapel before he heads off to WDS. One of our favorite parts of the day is when Jennifer gets home from school. We ask her how her day was, and she is so full of joy.

“13 years ago, we took our wed-ding photo on the spiral steps in Allen Hall, taking that leap of faith and learning about Jesus together as a married couple. Who would have thought our children would be walking up and down those stairs every day, learning about our Lord and Savior,” says Tami.

Recently, the Vais family experi-enced significant health challenges. In September 2013, Jim was admit-ted to the hospital with a high fever and fatigue for 7 days. He was tested for over 200 different diagnoses.

Celebrating Communityby Gretchen Miller Basso


“Our FPCO, TCS, WDS and Bible study families surrounded us with prayers and love,” says Tami. We still don’t know what he had, but it is gone. Praise be to God!”

Then, in February 2014, Jim and Tami’s lives were shaken yet again. Tami received a call from TCS cli-nician, Donna MacNichol, to let her know that Jennifer wasn’t feeling well; that she had a stomachache.

“I went back to school and picked up my sweet girl. She seemed fine,” says Tami. “We started for home, and suddenly she began to have seizures in the back of my car! I turned the car around and drove to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Chil-dren, praying and crying the whole time. But, from the second we ar-rived at the hospital I felt that God was with us and was guiding all the staff - from the security guard that helped me get out of the car to the last nurse that checked us out. We stayed in ICU for 3 days.”

Their community surrounded them with prayers, hospital visits, mes-sages, and support. Dr. Jason Pow-ell and Dr. Case Thorp, Senior As-sociate Pastor at First Pres, were there within the hour. Many TCS and First Pres families came to see them throughout their stay to pray with them, offer support, and even bring food for the family. Dr. Swan-son, First Pres’ Senior Pastor, asked them to watch the Sunday service on video. There, he asked the con-gregation to pray for Jennifer. They even received a video message from Jennifer’s class at school. “Teachers from The Christ School and FPCO

members were there with us when she finally woke up,” says Tami. “That was a moment we all shared and felt God with us, holding our hands! It is awesome, the power of prayer. Jennifer has been seizure-free for over a year now.

“We are so blessed to be surround-ed by great friends and family, our Bible study, The Christ School, the Weekday School, The Magnolia School staff and community, our First Pres church family, the staff at Arnold Palmer Hospital, and many more. TCS parents we didn’t know

before Jennifer’s incident intro-duce themselves to us (even to-day) to say that they were, and are, continuing to pray for us,” says Tami.

“Jim and I have been attending

a Bible study since we got married at FPCO, and we continue to learn more about God and learn to lean on Him more,” says Tami. “After getting shaken by Jennifer’s sei-zures, we learned even more that God is in control and that the power of prayer truly is amazing! We feel blessed that we are able to strength-en our faith, not only at First Pres, but through learning with our chil-dren with Bible study, the Weekday School, and The Christ School.”

The Christ School, located on the First Pres campus, serves traditional kindergarten through 8th grade. Find out more at thechristschool.org.

“That was a moment we all shared and felt God with us, holding our hands! It is awesome, the power of prayer.”

JIM & TAMI VAIS

JAMES VAIS & JEAN GUEVENEL

JENNIFER VAIS

THE VAIS FAMILY


WHAT WE DO The Discipleship Team is responsible for helping every member of the FPCO family grow in their relationship with God through following Jesus in their everyday living. We work with the Discipleship Ministry Team, Sunday School and School of Discipleship teachers, and small group leaders to equip and empower the people of the church in their journey with Jesus.

WHO WE ARE Scarlett Stewart (pictured at left) is the most seasoned member of our discipleship team, having joined the staff in July 2014. She is no stranger to First Pres; Scar-lett began attending as a wee tot in 1980. She assists Jack in planning discipleship initiatives, like School of Discipleship and small groups, and leads our 20’s Min-istry. (So if you were born in the late 80s/early 90s, you should call her). Scarlett is passionate about encourag-

ing people to grow in their personal relationships with the Lord. She is a fan of flip flops, candy and sunshine.

On a team of newbies, Lori Tipping (pictured far right) is the newest newbie transferring from Worship Arts as the Administrative Assistant on the team. Disciple-ship has been in her bones since college, where her involvement began with Cru and her life was changed by one-on-one discipleship. It is her job to do whatever it takes to keep the Discipleship effort moving forward, and she considers it a privilege. She and her husband (Coy) heard there was a fellow Texan in the pulpit way back in 2004 and joined FPCO shortly after. You can always find a smile, and a jar of chocolate for sharing, at her desk.

Jack Peebles (at center) is Associate Pastor for Disciple-ship and has oversight over the discipling ministries of

Hundreds of dedicated staff members and volunteers work “behind the scenes” to keep things running smoothly at First Pres every day. As the church family, they’re all on your team. We feature a team in each issue of the Columns, to help you learn about the church, and maybe even find a new place to serve. This month, we’re featuring our newly-minted Discipleship Team, who are a pretty impressive bunch.

MEET THE TEAM


Dear Friends,

I wanted to take this opportunity and introduce myself. My name is Jack Peebles, and I am the new Associ-ate Pastor for Discipleship. I am humbled and honored to be stepping into this new call, and the entire Peebles family (my wife, Margaret, and our two kids, Annabelle and David) is looking forward to this next season of our lives. What a joy it is to be a part of the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando family!

One of the questions I have been asked on multiple oc-casions already is, “What is your vision for discipleship at First Pres?” That is a great question and one that is easily answered by Scripture. As Jesus calls his first disciples, Pe-ter and Andrew, He is clear and direct: “Come, follow me…and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19, NIV). Thus, Peter and Andrew (and shortly after, James and John) began a pursuit that challenged and convicted, but ultimately empowered and equipped them to partici-pate in God’s mission to the world. Out of that and sim-ply put, my vision is that every member of the First Pres family would grow in their relationship with God through following Jesus in their everyday living and, within the context of community, invite others to follow as well.

I often liken discipleship to a journey. Every journey has a beginning and an end. For the disciple of Jesus, that jour-ney begins when one responds to the invitation of Jesus. It ends (or at least enters a new phase!) when the disciple goes to glory. Unfortunately, some disciples get lost or sim-ply do not progress in their journey: they stay at the trail-

head or starting line and move very little toward growth and maturity. Thus, the challenge for church leadership is to encourage progress and growth in that journey.

I, like many pastors, am a fan of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In the movie version of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, there is a wonderful conversation that unfolds as Bilbo, the pro-tagonist, is trying to determine whether or not to embark on the journey ahead. He is being counseled by the wise wizard, Gandalf the Grey.

Gandalf: “You’ll have a tale or two to tell when you come back.”Bilbo: “You can promise that I’ll come back?”Gandalf: “No. And if you do, you will not be the same.”

I love it! As you consider embarking on or progressing in the journey of discipleship, I can promise two things. First, it’s definitely not an easy excursion and God is going to challenge and convict you, while He empowers and equips you. Second, you will be changed. Growth and transfor-mation should be expected.

I look forward to the journey ahead. May God grant us all a growing sense of His transforming presence as we seek to follow Him in our daily living!

Living and loving for Him,

Pastor Jack Peebles

COME LEARN FROM JACKFlip to page 18 for the details on Jack’s sum-mer class, “Means of Grace: An Exploration of Spiritual Disciplines” as well as a Fall pre-view. Our School of Discipleship courses are designed to last a specific number of weeks so that you can plan them into your schedule and know what your commitment will be.

FROM JACKBEGINNING THE DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY TOGETHER

the congregation. Part of Jack’s responsibilities include developing strategies for implementing a discipleship culture in the life of the church, supervising the disci-pleship staff, helping to lead the Discipleship Ministry Team (a committee under Session), and serving as the pastoral support to the Sunday School, School of Dis-cipleship, and small group ministry. Jack loves teaching and writing and looks forward to sharing these pas-sions with the greater church family in the future. Read on to learn more about his vision for the future of discipleship at our church...


FALL COURSE PREVIEW

SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP

MEANS OF GRACE: AN EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

EXCLUSIVE SUMMER SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP COURSE WITH REV. JACK PEEBLES

JUNE 7 - AUGUST 9 (EXCEPT JULY 5) 9:45AM TO 10:45AM, EMC 310 TEACHER: REV. JACK PEEBLES, ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF DISCIPLESHIP

An 8-week course for those who want to make themselves more available to God and go deeper in their discipleship. (That’s you.) More than an informational class, this one is transformational. We study inner, outer and corporate disciplines - topics like prayer, confession, meditation, service, study and more, and then practice and experience them together in class. Plus, each class is a stand-alone lesson, so if you miss a week you can jump back in the next week or just come for a few classes. fpco.org/smart

QUESTIONS? Contact Lori Tipping at [email protected] or call 407.423.3441.

Designed to help you grow and mature as a disciple of Jesus, School of Discipleship courses take place over a set number of weeks of Biblical study.

SUMMER COURSE

CASKET EMPTY: A NEW TESTAMENT STORY SEPTEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 13 9:45AM TO 10:45AM, EMC 310 TEACHER: DR. CASE THORP, SENIOR ASSOCIATE PASTOR

A 14-week course to learn and remember the story of God’s redemption as it appears throughout the New Testament. Using curriculum created by professors at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, participants study the full scope of the New Testa-ment’s chronologocal, geographical, historical, cultural and literary context. fpco.org/casketempty

FIRST CONNECTIONS SEPTEMBER 13 - OCTOBER 18 9:45AM TO 10:45AM TEACHERS: LEIGH SWANSON & LANCE FAIR, FIRST PRES ELDERS

Did you recently join the church? Are you considering membership in our First Pres community? First Connections is the place to discover what First Pres offers and get connected to others. fpco.org/first

PRAYER 101 SEPTEMBER 13 - OCTOBER 25 9:45AM TO 10:45AM (subject to change) TEACHERS: REV. BECKY DAVIS, ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF CONGREGATIONAL CARE

Jesus’ example teaches us that prayer is essential to following God. Our ongoing conversation with God the Father is the first place we share our joys, concerns and sorrows. Join Rev. Becky Davis and the Prayer Team for a variety of weekly teachings on prayer. fpco.org/smart

DAVE RAMSEY’S FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY SEPTEMBER 13 - NOVEMBER 8 MORE DETAILS COMING SOON! fpco.org/smart


CLOSING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SACRED AND SECULARFAITH + WORK

Our church family has expressed a great deal of in-terest, excitement, curiosity, and a little confusion over a new ministry forming at First Pres called The Center for Faith & Work. This is a unique and innova-tive ministry, operating in a different vein than we’ve traditionally known. 21st century ministry shaped to meet 21st century needs will inevitably take some time to understand and produce fruit. However, a firm and clear theological basis must guide any ministry in any age. To that end, allow me to explain more.

Creating a Center for Faith & Work (CFW) is rooted in two theological convictions: God’s redemptive work of sanctification and missional evangelism.

THEOLOGICAL ROOTS: GOD’S REDEMPTIVE

PURPOSES

First, we believe that God is in the process of redeem-ing all creation, and within that, we are being made more holy (sanctification). Consider this: if God is on a redemptive mission through his Creation, covenants,

work of Christ on the cross, and the mission of the Church in all cultures and places, should He only limit His work to your personal soul? Too often in church history, the Church has narrowed its view of God’s re-demptive work to one’s avoidance of hell, solely think-ing and acting in terms of an individual’s personal salvation, and the institutional survival of the Church.

A Center for Faith and Work would reclaim a Bibli-cal witness that shows God extending His covenant of grace from Eden to the ends of the earth. We recognize God calls forth a New Jerusalem in which:

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. (Is. 11:6)

God’s redemptive work is certainly for our souls to live in eternity with Him, but it is also so much more. Scripture points us toward a new heaven and new earth, where we see every cultural sphere redeemed

by Dr. Case Thorp


and in service to our God. In God’s greater plan, the arts, government, education, and even the marketplace are redeemed, so why not work toward those ends now? If your life is more in order, blessed and fruitful when you are in God’s will, why wouldn’t your busi-ness, career, or product development be the same?

One third of the hours in our day, if not more in today’s busy world, are given to our jobs, our work, to seeing that bread is put on the table and we provide for our families. Why, then, would we segment our spiritual lives to our morality, or our marriages, or our personal Bible study without an application of our faith to our vocations and daily business decisions?

Marketplace ministries have his-torically done a fine job focusing on workplace evangelism, per-sonal morality, business ethics, and Christian leadership development. All these are good things, and we will continue as a church to support these kinds of ministries.

The Center for Faith & Work will lean into a deeper evangelistic purpose, which is best articulated by Tom Olson, a pastor in the Chicago area, who says, “The workplace will become a platform for evangelism when work becomes more than a platform for evangelism.” A CFW will focus on bringing deeper meaning to our work, and clearly tying it to God’s work of redemption.

Tim Keller, pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, a church that pioneered the model for The Center for Faith & Work, writes:

“...work, and lots of it, is an indispensable com-ponent in a meaningful human life. It is a su-preme gift from God and one of the main things that gives our lives purpose. But it must play its proper role, subservient to God. It must regularly give way not just to work stoppage for bodily repair but also joyful reception to the world and of ordinary life.”*

How can a Biblically-rooted understanding of our creation, the impact of sin, and the possibilities of redemption lead one to engineer differently, or per-

form at Disney uniquely, close commercial real estate deals with the kingdom of God squarely in aim (even for property not intended for a church or non-profit!), lend money with God’s beauty, or wait on a customer with divine distinction? What might we discover if we can begin to close the distance between the sacred and

secular in our work?

A Center for Faith & Work will be a place to help followers of Christ, and those curious about Christ, to see their work lives squarely in the re-demptive purposes of God. Just think of the difference such motivational perspective and rooted conviction can bring to Wall Street, Madison Avenue, Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and Orlando. Whole industries - financial services, banks, real estate firms, educational institutions and more -- pushing for God’s agenda rather than their own? Theocracy? No. Christ-centered businesses? Not necessarily. Yet, surely Christ-centered workers experiencing their

faith and vocation in seamless fashion bears witness to our God.

MISSIONAL EVANGELISM IN A 21ST CENTURY WORLD

A CFW will build trust, the glue of our society, benefit-ing everyone in our community. Trust matters because it is a fundamental component to our economy. But, let me explain what I mean when I say “economy.”

The word ‘economy’ is a combination of the Greek words: oikos and nomos. Oikos means “house” and no-mos means “manage.” So essentially, the word economy means: house management. To manage our personal house, or our societal house (the city, a nation, our culture), there has to be management, and that man-agement requires humans interacting with humans.

Dr. Greg Forester, PhD from Yale and Program Direc-tor at the Kern Family Foundation, teaches us that economic exchanges are more than giving money for a product. Philosophically, economic activity is any human exchange, especially those that do not involve money. For example, I talk with a friend about the weather, and this is an economic exchange. I offer my child to doctors for life-threatening surgery; that is an

“One third of the hours in our day, if not more in to-day’s busy world, are given to our jobs, our work, to seeing that bread is put on the table and we provide for our families.”


economic exchange. A man and a woman decide to marry and live together, a human exchange and thus an ordering and management of our society: economy.

Using this expanded version of eco-nomos, Forester goes on to recognize that the modern economy is a vast web of relationships that create flourishing human society. If one were to chart (and many scholars have), the economic activity of human society for the last six thousand years, the rate of exchange in every economic category is fairly flat, but skyrockets from the early 1800s to now. Why is this?

Prior to the 1800s, most of humanity never ventured more than a few hundred miles from their place of birth. Communication was slow and spotty. Transpor-tation options were few and expensive. However, the technological advancements coupled with democratic principles established during the European Renais-sance laid a foundation to unleash human flourishing.

It was in 18th century London and Amsterdam that sociologists identify a dramatically accelerated rate of human exchange. These ‘exchanges’ lead to a boom in population, industry, communications, transportation, and even the alleviation of severe poverty, never before seen in human history.

But why then, and why particularly in London and Amsterdam, which is where scholars have traced these specific, exponentially accelerated economic activities?

Unique to London and Amsterdam, scholars point to the Christian, particularly Protestant, brand of dis-cipleship. It was this particular brand of discipleship that paired the transformative truths of Scripture to the everyday activities of life and human exchange. Be-neath the discipleship methodology was a unique and innovative emphasis upon trust. Trust, Forester notes, allowed for, “an odd openness” that had not previously existed in any culture in human history. Trust released human capital as faithful men and women trusted one another with their goods, their ideas, their inventions and advancements, and more. Add to this flourish-ing trust the advent of private property and contracts supported by the rule of law, and the entrepreneurial economy was born.

Trust, Forester says, is an essential, foundational com-ponent to economic activity. If I am going to trust a doctor with my child’s life, I have to have some basic level of trust in their expertise. To make you a car, I

have to trust my boss will pay me and that he’ll get paid when a customer buys that car. Take away trust and money has no value; trust is essential to human ex-change, to economic activity.

We take trust for granted, but the millions of men and women who inhabited earth prior to the modern age would not have known such trust with others or institutions. It was a cultural embrace of trust in 18th century London and Amsterdam that had not existed in previously successful societies like China, Persia, or Egypt. Those cultures thrived in their era with archi-tectural advancements, the arts, notable religious ideas and scientific invention. However, these, and other, societies had not established inherent trust between its citizens on such a scale. These societies still operated within a severely hierarchical power structure which squashed trust. The human exchange undergirding those ancient societies was an exchange based on fear and protection: the king protects me from outside invaders, and I’ll serve his interests. Societies and cul-tures that made a mark in history may have had their unique contributions to the whole of human history, but they produced limited and few advancements in poverty, health, the arts and education for the masses. Often only the elites benefited because they were at the top of the hierarchical system.

Rather, 18th century London and Amsterdam incor-porated a unique and rare mix that unleashed never before seen human flourishing. Trust, supplied by the Church through her gospel witness and discipleship of society, coupled with governing and technological ad-vances increased the economic activity exponentially. The Industrial Revolution radically altered the standard of living and human to human encounters. And today’s technological revolution is flattening the world even more, giving access to resources and education like never before.

Today, however, trust in our government, economy, and society is trending downward. Congressional entrenchment causes few to look to Washington for inspiration and leadership. The financial crisis of 2007 introduced us to new concepts like “too big to fail.” So-cietally, we are seeing cracks in marriage, cracks in the family, and myriad sexual identities. This leads to fear and makes us wonder, “What is next?” Trust is threat-ened, and when trust is threatened, human exchanges become fewer, coarser, and more selfish.


The Center for Faith & Work will be one more way the church seeks to restore trust, stability, common civic values, and human flourishing. The Church created the ‘trust space’, and so too, shall we reclaim it. We educate, disciple, convene, challenge, advo-cate, prophetically confront, confess, and seek to re-store aspects of the human condition which restores trust.

If we hope to maintain and grow the human flour-ishing of the last two centuries for millennia to come, and not see it turn into a coarse, utilitarian future in which “might-makes-right,” we must carry the Gospel of Christ into the marketplace, the arts, the government, the family, and every sphere of hu-man culture.

God’s redemptive purposes are meant for every sphere of society. Our sanctification is incomplete and disjointed if we do not understand the image of God in each of us: its corruption, and its redemption through the very vocations we embrace. Missionally, the evangelistic push of the Church demands she share the Gospel with every person in every sphere of society, especially if we wish to see the entrepre-neurial release of the last two hundred years con-tinue.

As a church family, we have already begun to think and pray about how a Center for Faith & Work can be implemented in our context. We’re exploring ways to integrate it in the life of our church, and in ways unique to the City Beautiful. I invite you to join me - pray that God would reveal His purposes for your work, and make it a sacred space. Think about your spheres of influence and relationships of trust. Our Fall sermon series will be specifically focused on vocation, and learning more about what God says about work.

Sign me up.

Case Thorp is the Senior Associate Pastor of Mission & Evangelism, and knows well the challenges of living out a vocation of calling. He’s excited about helping our church family find the divine spark that leads to life-giving work, and in turn, seeing it lead to re-demption in our city. He loves answering questions at [email protected].

*Every Good Endeavor by Tim Keller with Katherine Leary Alsdorf p. 42

ARISE AND BUILD UPDATEGod continues to bless the ARISE AND BUILD Campaign through the generosity of this church family.

To date, we have paid off $2,055,585 of our debt! We have made another $400,000 payment on our building mortgage, cutting our mortgage debt in half for the second time this year. That will leave us with only $1,010,465.46 total debt remaining in our mortgage and additional loans. We are excited to share that within six months we anticipate paying off our entire mortgage. That is something to celebrate!

As of the end of March, we’ve committed $229,000 in our Mission Tithe, from which we have already given $75,000 to Mission Emanuel in the Dominican Republic for construction of a community center & gymnasium, seen below. Thank you for this incredible gift for the glory of God. Learn more and give at ariseandbuild.org.


ARISE AND BUILD UPDATE

FAMILY NEWSSympathy to...Margaret Foster on the death of her mother, Louise Poland, December 24. Mrs. Poland was the grandmother of Sue (Alex) Hartley.

Richard & Alyce Henderson on the death of their son, Bo Henderson, January 15.

Richard & Gerda Stewart on the death of his brother, James Stewart, January 15.

William Maguire on the death of his mother, Faye Agoes, January 15.

Lauren & Bo Morgan on the death of her mother, Paula Schneider, January 16.

Jean & Brad Porter on the death of her brother, Matthew Schultz, January 24.

The friends and family of Juliet Milligan, who died January 25.

Susan & Larry Kreider on the death of her father, Ernie Ward, January 28.

Greg & Wendy McNeill on the death of his father, Harold Gene McNeill, February 2.

Jason & Vanessa Brewer on the death of her mother, Jean Welch, February 3 and his grandmother, Sallie Belle Brewer, February 12.

Sallie Douglas on the death of her uncle, Dr. Bill Douglas, on February 5.

Michele & Bill Fluke on the death of her grandfather, Gerard Lefreuniere, February 22. Mr Lefreuniere was the great grandfather of Matthew & Parker Fluke.

Helen & Bob Cairns on the death of her mother, Mary Elizabeth Harrison, March 2.

Su Graham on the death of her nephew, Greg Wurster, March 9.

Sonia Cates on the death of her husband, Harold Cates, on March 9.

Bill Kennedy on the death of his wife, Agnes Kennedy, March 10. Mrs. Kennedy was the mother of Ann (Doug) Woodman and grandmother of Joey & JB Woodman.

Paul & Virginia Scheck on the death of his brother, Steve Scheck, March 10. Mr. Scheck was the uncle of Rebecca, Peter & Joseph Scheck.

Joe & Eugenia Sefcik on the death of his brother, Munro Sefcik, March 12. Mr. Sefcik was the uncle of Thomas, Sarah & Andrew Sefcik.

Kathy & Richard Lee on the death of her brother, Herbert Sully, March 14.

Pam & Gary Kranston on the death of her mother, Kathryn Harvey, March 31. Mrs. Harvey was the grandmother of Chase and Chloe Kranston.

Tami & Jim Kaiser on the death of her sister, Teresa Jefford, April 3. Ms. Jefford was the aunt of Jen Kaiser and the daughter of Dibby Jefford.

Congratulations to...Duane Dean DeBoer & Amanda Jan Brouwer were married January 24, 2015 in the Reformation Chapel.

Denver & Rebecca Martin have a son, Aiden Sebastian Martin, born January 29, 2015

Lance & Rachel Gartrell have a daughter, Caitlin Elizabeth Gartrell, born February 2, 2015.

Taylor Seaton Lane & Jeannette Marie Cox were married February 7, 2015 in the Sanctuary. Jeannette is the daughter of Reid & Jan Cox.

Pete & Heather Gill have a son, Blake Austin Gill, born February 10, 2015. The proud grandparents are Chuck & Carol Ickes.

Call FPCO at 407.423.3441 to

FOR PASTORAL EMERGENCIES after the hours of 8:30am-5:00pm, please leave a voicemail message on the main church number to page the minister on call.

Scott & Lani Sampsel have a son, Wyatt Charles Sampsel, born February 3, 2015. The proud grandparents are Jim & Gloria Sampsel.

Chris & Christy Elder have a daughter, Charlotte Anne Elder, born February 11, 2015.

Jason & Lauren Ashe Haydu have a son and Ryder Haydu has a new brother, Ashe Day Haydu, born December 5, 2014. The proud grandparents are Day & Laura Dantzler.

Hamilton Drew Rogers & Andrea Genevieve Chiklakis were married March 7, 2015 in the Reformation Chapel. Drew is the son of Buddy and Anne Rogers.

Bo and Lauren Morgan have a daughter, Caroline Kay Morgan, born March 26, 2015. The proud grandparents are Chris and Dianna Morgan.

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