Service Times

Traditional 8:00 & 11:00

Contemporary 9:30

Sunday School 9:30
PreK - 5th grade
W/ some adult classes

Coffee Fellowship after 8:00 and 9:30 services

Announcements

Flowers

The flowers beautifying our Chancel today are given by Dot Welsch in loving memory of Howard Cross. Flowers were also given by Mimi Bergdorf in loving honor of her son, Bob Bergdorf, celebrating his 60th birthday.

Blood Pressure Screening

Blood pressure screening is from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. in the church office.

Corner Ministry

Stephen Ministers are available for prayer following each service at the back corner of the church closest to Washington Avenue. If you would like to pray with a Stephen Minister, simply look for them at the end of the worship service. The Stephen Ministers available today are Gail Fiske, Mary Foster, and Terri Spong.

Per Capita

The Presbyterian Church USA has a yearly Per Capita assessment for each member of the church. This money is used to support the Tampa Bay Presbytery and the national office. This year’s Per Capita assessment is $15.05 per member. We have provided a Per Capita envelope in your packet. For those of you who are able and willing, you can make your contribution for $16.00 (or more), and the extra money will be used to help those in our congregation who are unable, at this time, to pay their Per Capita.

Pastor’s Lenten Study

During Lent, Pastor Davies is teaching a class on “The Psalms: Confidence for Living.” This Bible study allows the rich literary tradition of the Psalms to speak to us today of faith and the things of God. Dates, times, and topics are as follows:

March 17th - 6:00 p.m. - Potluck Dinner - “How May We Come to God?” Psalms 24 & 127

March 24th - 7:00 p.m. - Dessert - “In the House of the Lord Forever” - Psalm 23

Lenten Stewardship Message

In many churches Lent is seen as a 40 day period of penitence and fasting observed from Ash Wednesday until Easter. When I was young, I remember my Catholic friends talking about giving up candy, chewing gum, or some favorite goodie for Lent. If we concentrate on the huge sacrifice that Jesus made for our sake and want to make some sacrifice in our lives, that can be admirable. The flip side of that thinking would be giving something extra in the way of service to help make a positive difference in the world. We have many volunteer opportunities.

A minister in a small church gave out a large nail to each of the congregation at the beginning of Lent. He asked them to carry this nail with them or place it somewhere in a prominent spot to remind them of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. He asked them to see what they could do in their lives to make a change in order to bring in a special offering on Easter. It was amazing to find out the different ideas people had to enable them to bring in some extra cash. Some saved their coffee, cigarette, or candy money. Some baked, sewed, or built something to sell. Others used their store coupons on Double Coupon Day to save extra money for the special offering. Artists and musicians used their talents. In all, it seemed to emphasize that Lent helped them focus on their gratitude to Jesus for His life and sacrifice and their thanksgiving for His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Monmouth College Choir – March 10th – WOW Dinner

On Wednesday, March 10th, we will host the Monmouth College Choir from Monmouth, Illinois. They have an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church. They will be in Florida during that week also performing in Winter Haven and Longwood. A 6:00 p.m. WOW Dinner will precede the 7:00 p.m. concert. The concert is free; however, a “free will” offering will be taken to support their travel. We are looking into the possibility of hosting the students (31) in private homes for one night of March 10th, in groups of 2 or 4. They would need to be back at the church by 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 11th. Please make your reservations for the WOW Dinner by using the meal reservation cards found in the pew racks, or call the church office at 637-0770. Please contact Richard Saari, 527-9544, for more information or with any questions.

Stephen Ministry

The 2010 Stephen Ministry class started last Monday, 3/1/10, with two members, Ray Birstler, Jr. and Pedro Fuentes. This class marks the beginning of a new partnership in the gospel, as Paul wrote in this passage, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:4-6

We believe that God is beginning another of His good works in this class of new Stephen Ministers, and we are confident that He will carry it to completion. As always, we ask you to keep the Stephen Ministry in your prayers.

Saints Alive! Going to Weeki Wachee State Park

Travel with the Saints Alive! group to the Weeki Wachee State Park in Brooksville on Friday, March 12th. We will leave the church at 9:30 a.m. and return mid to late afternoon. Cost is $13.00 and includes transportation, the live Mermaid show, and a boat tour. Lunch is dutch treat.

Make your reservation through the church office. Contact Denise Lay, Gail Sturtevant, or Linda Tompkins for more information.

Presbyterian Women

The Presbyterian Women are planning a “fun” raiser. Please mark your calendar for Saturday, March 13th, at 12:00 p.m., and join us for a lunch of baked ziti, salad, dessert, and a beverage. The cost is $8.00 per ticket. The program is “Garments Go Green: A Fashion Show and Clothing Exchange.” In this time of conservation and diminished economy, it is appropriate to consider extending recycling to our wardrobes. With this in mind, we have planned a fashion show of gently used garments, which will be available for purchase. As an added bonus, we are organizing a clothing exchange. If you have quality items of clothing you no longer wear, please consider “exchanging” them for different items of more use to you. Bring your gently used items on hangers the day of the event and trade them for other articles. Please do not include shoes or lingerie, but scarves, purses, or jewelry would be welcome additions to clothing. Any exchanged clothing that is not claimed would be donated to Hospice Thrift & Gift of Citrus County.

Praise Kids Trail Walk and Picnic

Come walk with us on March 14th! We will meet at the church at 1:30 p.m. and walk to Wallace Brooks Park where we will have a picnic. We will have fun on the playground and trail and then return to the church no later than 4:00 p.m.

You may either bring a picnic lunch or purchase a Subway Kid’s Pack for $3.00. You must make a reservation if you want a Subway Kid’s Pack, as we will place an order in advance. Come and bring your friends. Contact Denise Lay or Sarah Fiske for information and reservations at christianed@embarqmail.com.

A Work Day

Our regularly scheduled work day for Habitat for Humanity is Saturday, March 13th. The time is 8:00 a.m. until noon. The site is 3503 E. Theo Lane, Inverness (Jill Rhoads’ home). Wear your grubbies and come and see!

Wash Days Are Back!

Our 2010 Mission campaign for Habitat for Humanity washers and dryers has begun. This is the third year we have donated washers and dryers for each new Habitat for Humanity home being built in Citrus County. Can your family or group contribute toward the wash day fund? Any contribution should be made payable to First Presbyterian Church and designated HFH-W&D fund. We are making a difference and showing our Faith in Action! Contract Richard Saari, 527-9544, for more information.

Church Golf Scramble

There is going to be another golf scramble on March 20th, and we pray that we won’t get any liquid sunshine on this day. We will play at the Inverness Golf and Country Club with a tee time of 8:30 (please be there by 8:00 a.m. at least), and anyone is welcome to play. If you just want to play golf, it will cost $20.00. If you want to play golf and eat a delicious meal afterwards, it will cost $28.00, and someone else can eat with you for another $8.00. You may choose your team, or just sign up and be placed on a team. To sign up or to ask questions, please call Greg Andreichuk, 860-0426, or Frank Mattox, 341-2484. See you on March 20th for fun and fellowship!

Prayer Chain

Are you interested in joining others in our church family who are part of a weekly prayer chain? The prayer request names are passed to others on the chain either by email or by telephone call and are then prayed for. It’s a meaningful way to minister to those in need. If you would like to find out more about being a link in our prayer chain, please contact either Mary Anne Hlavacek at 527-8880, or Mary McDowell at 302-1112.

Bakers Needed

We need bakers! The Bereavement Committee needs to update the list of bakers, so if you have signed up in the past, please sign up again. Please contact Cheryl DeVore at 270-9026, or call the church office at 637-0770.

Donations Needed

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled for April 3rd, and plans are underway to make this a very fun event. At this time we are collecting wrapped candy to place inside plastic Easter eggs. You may drop off your donations at the church office. Thank you for your support.

Men’s Fellowship

The next breakfast meeting of Men’s Fellowship will be held on Thursday, March 18th, at 8:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Hope to see you there! Should you have any questions, please call Ken Strohl at 527-8681.

Capital Fund Campaign

The Capital Fund Campaign has now entered its 22nd month. As you will recall, the campaign was designed to take place over a period of 36 months; thus, there are still 14 months remaining before the campaign is concluded. To date, our congregation and its friends have contributed a total of $209,499.68 toward the goal of $316,089.00. A total of $108.263.65 remains to be contributed during the next 14 months.

As you may recall, the campaign was conducted to assure that there was financial support available for major repair or replacement of such items as carpeting, heating/air conditioning, roofing, communication equipment, and so forth. These needs will continue to exist as the church ages and wear and tear take their toll. The exterior of the church has already been repainted, a refrigerator replaced, repairs to the Youth House made, all because of the funds raised through the Capital Fund Campaign.

We are thankful that God has assured that the campaign has been so generously supported. Please continue to honor your pledges and your contributions, whether pledged or not, in support of this campaign so that at the end of the 14 months, we can achieve our goal and have sufficient reserve on hand to address the projected repairs and replacements as they are needed.

Also, we ask that you not forget the Operating Budget that provides for the day-to-day functions and activities of the church. Honoring of your pledges and generous contributions are critical in this time of economic downturn.

May God Bless Each and Every one!

Scripture Searchers

The Scripture Searchers class is studying Jesus in the Gospels. At the heart of the study is the question, “Who is this Jesus?” Scripture Searchers is led by Jeanie Roberts and meets at 9:30 a.m. Sunday mornings in the church library. You may also contact Denise Lay for further information.

Women’s Bible Study

The Women’s Bible Study class is studying “Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman,” written by Beth Moore. Class meets Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., and women of all ages are welcome. Feel free to invite a friend or neighbor to come with you. Please phone Denise Lay, 637-0770, or Gail Hill, 341-4779, if you have any questions.

Open Door Bible Study

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

(Our Lord God speaking in Revelation 3:20)

Have you discovered we do not live in a perfect world? Perhaps you have found yourself scorned or feeling discriminated against recently because of your age, appearance, race or something else that is personal to you, and you wonder why. There is Godly wisdom that shows us how to handle these situations. James shared that wisdom in his letter to the Jewish Christians who were living among the Gentiles outside of Palestine. That Godly wisdom is still relevant to us as believers today. We’d love for you to come and study it with us.

Open Door is presently studying “What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do,” written by Dr. David Jeremiah. It is an in-depth study of the book of James. Each lesson encourages us to walk closer with the Lord. We meet every Sunday evening at 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Call Gail Hill, at 341-4779, for further information.

Our March Fellowship schedule is as follows:

Tonight - Finger Foods

March 14th - Go to a Restaurant

March 21st - Potluck

March 28th - Go to a Restaurant

Attendance Last Week: 452

Revenues and Expenses 2010

February January thru February

Revenues $38,724.00 $82,789.00

Expenses $37,878.00 $79,678.00

Differences +$ 846.00 +$ 3,111.00

SERMON NOTES

March 7, 2010

WHAT OTHERS SAID AT THE CROSS

“Any Special Tricks Up Your Sleeve?”

“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.” Matthew 27:42

The chief priests, scribes, and elders hated Jesus. We can see clearly the enormity of their hostility.

1. Hostile people fail to appreciate the good.

2. Hostile people always demand more.

3. Hostile people misinterpret any good which is done.

The Savior who did not come down from the cross, who did not save himself, can save us!

THE HOLY LAND

visiting

Haifa Tiberias Nazareth

Bethlehem Jerusalem

hosted by

The Rev. Craig S. Davies

10 Days: February 8-17, 2011

Persons interested in this “trip of a lifetime” are invited to attend an information meeting on Sunday afternoon, March 21, 2010, at

4:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.