1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin
455 Scotland Street
Dunedin, FL 34698
727-733-2318
VOICE - October 2014
As I write these words to you, we are facing the possibility of renewed fighting because of ISIS.
Each day as we watch the reports from the Middle East, we are reminded of the uncertainty that
always accompanies armed conflict. In military circles there is a term for the obscurity of the
battlefield - “the fog of war.” War is always an event filled with risk and surprise. As a student
of World War II, I am very familiar with the story of how the course of that global conflict
turned on the happenstance of events. The battle of Midway, later called the “miracle at
Midway,” is just one of many examples where coincidence or fate created circumstances that had
an ultimate effect on the outcome of the entire war.
War is a messy, confusing tragedy; in saying this, I am not asserting that, in the course of
human events, war is never justified, but I think there are always two competing attitudes about it
- the way we imagine war, and war’s reality. I have known may combat veterans in my life, I
have never met one who was a cheerleader for war. Most of those who have fought will
acknowledge its grim necessity, but will unhesitatingly declare that it is to be avoided whenever
possible.
Jesus used metaphors for conflict in talking about the kingdom of God and its presence in the
world. Some have tried to use these metaphors to justify war, but Christ is not speaking in these
passages about human conflict, which he acknowledges as a reality of living in a fallen world:
“There will be wars and rumors of wars.” Rather, Christ is talking about spiritual warfare, the
type of conflict that exists in our hearts and in the course of being the church. Faith leads us to
say without hesitation that the victory has been won. When the crucified Christ presented his
resurrected presence to that small group of followers, life changed forever for those who
believed that Jesus was the Son of God. The gospel of Matthew tells us that after Christ
appeared to the disciples several times, some worshiped him, but others doubted (Matthew
28:17).
Perhaps some of those who doubted the resurrection had imagined a Messiah who would gratify
their earthly desires for a perfect life - a life without struggle or conviction, free from pain,
failure, or conscience, but the reality of Christ’s call to discipleship shattered their illusions “Take up your cross and follow me.”
Faith can be confusing. The “fog of faith” is what happens when our vision of the
resurrection is clouded by the struggles of the church and the contentions of our individual lives.
We want to see clearly, and in moments of inspiration and revelation we taste the fullness of
Christ’s eternal kingdom, but then we plunge back into the messiness of actually living the faith
we profess, and we are tested. This is what Paul was talking about in Corinthians 13 when he
declared “for now we see in the mirror dimly, but then, face-to-face.” For Paul, Christian love
was one way of making the glass a little less dim. Worship, bible study, giving and the task of
mission are other ways for us to gain glimpses of the resurrected life, but we must always
acknowledge that, for the believer, a series of glimpses is the best we can hope for until we go to
be with our Savior.
Imagine that you are on a boat, bobbing in the sea, heading toward the shore. As the boat bobs
up, you get a glimpse of your destination, but as the boat sinks back into the waves, all you see
around you is the rolling waters. Each time you rise for a glimpse, the shore gets closer, but then
the waves pile up and the sight is lost. Our boat is our faith, by which we will arrive at our
journey’s end. In those moments when we exercise our faith - in worship, in prayer, in working,
in encountering God’s word - we rise to top of the waves and glimpse our homeland; but we ride
upon a messy, billowing sea. Sin, despair, doubt, apathy, and failure plunge us into the troughs.
Some never get on board to make the journey; some bail out from fear and drown; some turn
back; but those who believe ride out the tossing seas. The glimpses of the shore remind the
faithful that the journey can be over at any moment; with the roll of the next wave comes the
sound of the keel scraping bottom; the final wave breaks upon a shore where Christ is waiting to
catch the line, pull us in, and bring us home.
Mack
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS The fifth annual Blessing of the Animals service will be held October 12th
at 3 p.m. on the backyard lawn. Open to all pet lovers and friends of all denominations and beliefs, this
blessing is coordinated by the First Church Worship/Music Commission. Our sponsored Animal Rescue will be
the Humane Society of Pinellas County.
So bring your pets, bring your neighbors pets, bring your neighbor and their pets, or bring your stuffed animals,
to the fifth annual Blessing of the Animals. All animals must be on a leash or in a crate.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF DUNEDIN
455 Scotland Street, Dunedin, Florida 34698
www.fpcdunedin.org
727-733-2318
727-738-4297 (Fax)
Church Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Monday-Thursday
Noon-1:00 pm office closed for lunch
Friday
Office closed
Interim Pastor
Rev. Dr. “Mack” Sigmon
727-733-2318 (ext. 25)
[email protected]
Church Administrator
Donna Dayock
(M-W 8:30-4:00 and Thurs 8:30-12:00)
727-733-2318 (ext. 24)
[email protected]
Assistant to Administrator
Stephen L. Allen
727-733-2318
[email protected]
Director of Music
Stephen L. Allen
727-733-2318
[email protected]
Contemporary Worship Leader
Jeremy Best
Parish Associate
The Rev. Willard Doyle
Financial Secretary (M-W-Th)
Betsi Knapp
727-733-2318 (ext. 22)
[email protected]
Preschool Director
Cori LoCicero
727-733-2111
www.firstfriendspreschool.net
Preschool email
[email protected]
Custodian
Dave Rodman
Questions about First Presbyterian Church – 727-733-2318
Wedding Questions, Room Reservations, Changes in Address, Phone numbers
Web Servant –
John Brockman
Voice Editors –
Donna Dayock-office volunteers
Voice Contributors –
Members of the Church
September 30, 2014
Total Income
Total Expenses
Difference
$221,403
$234,278
($12,875)
PER CAPITA – Recently the
Finance Office received the second
quarter report from the Presbytery.
There was an interesting paragraph
that said “The Presbytery is very
thankful that our congregations are
intentional and dedicated in paying
their per capita, one sign of the
connectional shared ministry of the
Presbyterian Church (USA). Your
per capita giving provides for items
like: salary and benefits for
presbytery employees, many
necessary expenses related to the
Commission on Ministry and its
work, and it pay for utility costs,
garbage pick-up, cleaning services
and other fees related to the 4704
Kelly Road building”.
First Presbyterian’s share of Per
Capita (based on the membership
of the church) is $10,463 and as of
September 30th we have paid
$3,584. This year’s Per Capita is
$24.22 per person so please
consider making your donation to
help Presbyterians to share costs
that belong to the whole church.
PEACE & GLOBAL
WITNESS OFFERING:
BLESSED ARE THE
PEACEMAKERS
HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICE
2014:
Our annual service for giving thanks
to God for the bounty of the land
will be held on November 24th at
10:30 am. Please note that it will be
a combined service. It is a tradition
at this service to bring a donation
of fresh fruit (apples, oranges,
bananas etc), fresh vegetables
(onions, potatoes, carrots etc) or
packaged breads, flour, rice etc.
The children will bring their food
laden wagons into the sanctuary to
be blessed, and the following day it
will be transported to RCS Food
bank in Clearwater.
This is such a joyous service, full of
joyful music and pertinent lessons,
as we give thanks to God for His
many blessings. Please feel free to
invite family members, friends and
neighbors to join us - ALL ARE
WELCOME.
What you’ve known as
the Peacemaking Offering
has been transformed into
the Peace & Global
Witness Offering. This
new Offering will have a
greater global reach, more
significant impact, and
bring peace to people
through Christ.
The Peace & Global
Witness Offering is
received during
the Season of Peace,
which ends on World
Communion Sunday
October 5.
A gift to the Peace &
Global Witness Offering
enables the church to
promote the Peace of
Christ by addressing
systems of injustice
across the world. Our
congregation will utilize
up to 25% of this
offering to sustain local
peacemaking ministries.
SANCTUARY FLOWERS
To have a loved one honored or remembered please
complete a “Sanctuary Flowers Request Form”
(next to the Flower Chart on the bulletin board in
Hager Hall) providing the preferred Sunday date(s)
and to whom the flowers are to be dedicated. Put
the form with your payment ($27.50 per
arrangement) into an envelope and put it into the
offering plate or mail it to the church. Payments
MUST be made before the week of your request.
Payment can be made by “online bill-payer” from
your bank, in cash, or by personal check, with
“flowers” on the memo line.
BAPTISM
Rejoice with your family and God’s family with the
celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism. For
information on Baptisms contact the church at 7332318. Information is also available online at
www.fpcdunedin.org
WEDDINGS
Couples are urged to contact the Church
Administrator for an application and a copy
of the wedding policy. Information is also
available online at www.fpcdunedin.org
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
For inquires about medical supplies and equipment
available for loan, please contact our custodian, at the
church office 733-2318. We also accept donations;
however donations must be approved through the
church office. Please do not leave your items.
PRESBYTERY OF TAMPA BAY
www.presbyteryoftampabay.com
813-868-4800
DENOMINATION HEADQUARTERS
“TOLL-FREE THREE” Simplifies Phoning
Callers to the national offices of the Presbyterian
Church (USA) now can reach the information,
resources, or people they need without consulting a
lengthy directory or paying long distance charges.
Callers may choose from the following numbers:
1.
2.
3.
4.
1-800-728-7228 for connection to a staff
person at 100 Witherspoon Street,
Louisville, KY.
1-800-872-3283 to reach PresbyTel
information about PCUSA
1-800-524-2612 to order resources from
Presbytery Distribution Services (PDS).
Fax number 1-502-569-8099
Website of PCUSA is www.pcusa.org
RANDOM ACTS OF FLOWERS
Vase Drive
Chuck Jones Jr.
Olivia Larson
Richard W Garlick
Daniel Hemme
Jean S. Joiner
Paul Stone
Dee Faust
Linda Thies
Bonnie Jones
Corinne LoCicero
Bill Connelly
Jamie Webb
Keith Duffy
Carin Gow
Missy Larson
Claire Mock
Peg Rowe
Keith Watson
Bruce Walthall
Edith Marmalstein
Jack Gow
Helen Jackson
Mary Louise O'Malley
Nancy Christy
Mary Ann Beall
Marge Vilsoet
Lynn Steuernagle
Barbara Hanson
Tom Harp
Pat Wigle
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Before we know it the holidays will soon be upon us.
First comes Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and in a blink
of an eye it will be Christmas. Most of us will be with
loved ones and friends, but think of those that are in
hospitals or nursing homes that don’t have anyone to
spend these special times with. Now picture the smile
that they will have on their face when someone enters
their room carrying a bouquet of flowers. You can help
make that happen and it won’t cost you anything, well
maybe a buck. During the month of October we will be
collecting vases, so bring in all the old vases that you
can scare up. We want all types large, small, tall, short,
fat, skinny, and any color. We will give them to the
Random Acts of Flowers here in Dunedin who will use
them to put recycled flowers in and take to those in
hospitals and nursing homes that don’t have someone
to bring them flowers. Think of it as giving the gift of a
smile for the holidays, and here’s where the buck comes
in. If you would like you can tuck a buck into the vase
this will help to defray the cost of gas for those that
deliver the flowers. Remember this is a voluntary group
of people that does this, they collect the donated
flowers from funerals, weddings, events, and grocery
stores, recycle them and put them into the donated
vases. Then they deliver these smiles to those in nursing
homes and hospitals that have no one in the area. If
you want more information on the Random Acts of
Flowers you can log onto
www.randomactsofflowers.org
Drop of your vases in Hager Hall anytime during
the month of October.
Thanks for your support
Sponsored by the Worship Commission
PIPESCREAMS
Friday, October 24, 2014 – 7:00 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church
455 Scotland Street
727-733-2318
(A hauntingly boo-ti-ful program of music!)
Presented by the Clearwater Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
and First Presbyterian Church, Dunedin
POTLUCK DINNER at 6:00 p.m. in Hager Hall
Open a can of your most “savory” worms and join us!
Monday- 6 and 27- Lynn and Paul Burks
FIRST FRIENDS PRESCHOOL
Monday -13 and 20 Carole Ann and Welch
Agnew
Tuesday- 7, 14, 21 and 28- Nell and Dave
Thomas
Wednesday- 1, 8, 15, 22, 29- Sue Legg and
Babe Young
Thursday- 2, 9, 30- Lynn and Paul Burks
(16 and 23 no one)
Friday- 3, 10, 17, 24, 31- Mary Ann Beall
and Dodi Anderson
We are learning all about Fire Safety this
month. On October 14th the preschool
will enjoy a visit from the Dunedin Fire &
Rescue with a fire truck tour along with a
fire breathing, story-telling dragon! Ms.
Dora stops by to teach the children all
about fire exits and home safety.
Our annual Peek-A-Boo Parade will be
the last Friday of October. The children
will create “Bootiful” masks or hats in
their classrooms to wear as they
promenade around the grounds on
Halloween Day. The parade proves to be
a not-so-scary, but creative event for the
children. Everyone gets a bag of treats to
take home at the end of the day.
OCTOBER
FPC LIBRARY
NEWSLETTER
"Corn and grain, corn and grain,
All that falls shall rise again."
- Wiccan Harvest Chant
Dear Readers ~
September was a wonderful month! It brought Dr. Mack Sigmon to us! He is so enthusiastic and easy to get to
know. Check out the library window to see “What’s on Dr. Mack’s nightstand?”
Did you enjoy Diana Carsey’s review of THE FEUD by Thomas Berger at the September Koinonia? Diana is a
fine reviewer and THE FEUD is fun reading. I read it on an airplane, but Diana’s review revealed a depth of
meaning that I had overlooked. Coming up in October is Gayle Hill with GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn. GONE
GIRL has been on and off the best seller list for many weeks and is currently #4 on the New York Times Best Seller
List. You will enjoy Gayle’s insightful review of GONE GIRL on Tuesday, October 21 at 2 PM in the FPC Library.
Is the husband guilty??
Books have taken legs and walked off in the FPC library. The Christian novels have moved in below the paperbacks
on the far northwest wall. The mystery books have taken up new residence where the Christian novels used to live.
Look for the mysteries under the west window and extending to the north. Come in to browse.
Please return any FPC books you might have had in the house for over 3 months. In a couple of weeks, we will
send polite reminder postcards asking you to return “long due” books. Beat us to it! Return your books, no
questions asked, before we send the cards.
A special thank you to Andy Howell for his recent book and CD donations to the library. FPC library is always
grateful for lovingly-read literature. Be certain to put your name on the books you bring in. We love to thank you!
Look for the following new books on the shelves immediately to your left as you enter the library. They might be in
the window—or they might be checked out.
THE BOYS IN THE
BOAT
by
Daniel James Brown
The improbable, intimate account of how nine
working-class boys from the American West
showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in
Berlin what true grit really meant.
ONE SUMMER
by
David Baldacci
A heart-warming story of a father learning to
love his fractured family again after his wife’s
death, his near-terminal illness, and separated
children.
THE HARE WITH
AMBER EYES
by
Edmund DeWaal
THE RACE
by
Clive Cussler and
Justin Scott
The author traces the story of his family
through the story of a small and exquisite
collection of netsuke (264 wood and ivory
carvings, none of them larger than a
matchbox).
An Isaac Bell Adventure, 1910 and a
newspaper publisher offers $50,000 to
someone crazy enough to fly cross country in
50 days. Thus begins the mystery!
The second kittens jigsaw puzzle is coming along slowly. We need your help to finish these cute little rascals!
Bring a friend and puzzle!
Call the Bookworm at 733-4609 or leave a note in the library closet if you would like to recommend a book for
our FPC Library. If you have read a book that should be in our library, tell us about it. We are always eager to
respond to your suggestions. Propose other activities or displays for the library. Call Mary at 733-4609 with
your ideas.
REMINDER ~ MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR KOINONIA ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21 AT 2 PM!
LET’S FILL ALL THE CHAIRS TO HEAR GAYLE HILL AND GONE GIRL BY GILLIAN FLYNN.
Keep right on reading!
“You can never get a cup of tea large
Your FPC Bookworm.
enough
or a book long enough to suit me.”
― C.S. Lewis
“THE FACE OF HUNGER"
"PLEASE SIR, I WANT SOME MORE." A famous sentence from Charles Dickens novel "Oliver Twist." In addition
the apparition of starving children, so graphically illustrated in words, in Dickens novel "Christmas Carol."
"Look, look down here! exclaimed the ghost. They were a boy and a girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged,
scowling, wolfish; but prostrate too, in their humility. Where graceful youth should have filled their
features out, and touched them with its freshest tints, a stale and shriveled hand, like that of age, had
pinched and twisted them, and pulled them into shreds. Where angels might have sat enthroned,
devils, lurked; and glared out menacing..... Scrooge started back, appalled....
"Spirit, are they yours?" Scrooge could say no more. "They are man's," said the Spirit, looking down
upon them. "And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers." This boy is IGNORANCE. This girl is
WANT. Beware them both, and all of their degree, for on his brow I see that written which is doom,
unless the writing be erased....
"Have they no refuge or resource? Cried Scrooge. "
"Why are people still malnourished in the richest country on earth?" asks Tracie McMillan in her recent article
in National Geographic (August 2014 edition, pp67-89). One of the answers is that today, more working
people and their families are hungry because wages have declined and the cost of groceries has increased.
If you were asked, what section of society is the hardest hit? How would you reply? Perhaps the answer would
be, the itinerant farm laborers, or immigrants, or the inner city poor. Would it surprise you to hear that "more
than half of hungry households are white, and that two thirds of those with children have at least one working
adult - typically in a full-time job.
The new terminology for HUNGER, was replaced in 2006 and is now referred to by the government with the
term, "food insecure" it describes any household where, sometime, during the previous year, people didn't
have sufficient to eat. The government statistics are staggering "with the number of people going hungry
growing dramatically in the US, increased to 48 million by 2012. Finding food has become a central worry for
millions of Americans - one in six citizens reports running out of food at least once a year.
Ms. McMillan's article goes on to say that, "to witness hunger in America today is to enter a twilight zone of
frequently bare refrigerators. Here you will meet hungry farmhands, retired school teachers, hungry families
who are in the US without papers and hungry families whose histories stretch back to the Mayflower. Here,
pocketing food from work and skipping meals to make food stretch, are so common that such practices barely
register as a way of coping with hunger, are simply a way of life." "SOBERING statistics aren't they?"
Here at First Presbyterian Church we work hard to contribute to six food programs.
FOOD PANTRY: Serving our members and other members of our own community, plus the
homeless. Each person receiving a grocery bag of assorted foods.
PACK-A-SNACK: A program that serves 50 children from Dunedin Elementary School with a
variety of ten nutritious snacks to cover them over the weekend when they are not receiving school meals.
GRACE HOUSE: Serves a home cooked meal once a month at this facility which
houses displaced families for 60 days, where volunteers entertain the children for a couple of hours and then
serve supper to the children and their parents.
R.C.S. FOOD BANK - CLEARWATER: distributes a grocery bag of assorted food to the areas "food insecure."
F.P.C donates a few boxes of assorted food every quarter.
PINELLAS HOPE: FPC volunteers help cook a meal, and then drive it to Tent City and distribute it to the
homeless. Your donations of toiletries are also handed out.
ANNUAL HARVEST THANKSGIVING: Members of F.P.C. donate fresh fruit and vegetables
to R.C.S. Food Bank
On behalf of the Mission Commission I would like to thank everyone, for their faithful, continued support with
donations of food, toiletries, clothing, and monetary donations so selfless given. Keep up the good work -
" If not us Lord, then who?"
Drop ^ Your
Drawers for
CTK!
MONTH OF OCTOBER
There are 52,000 students in Pinellas county that are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.
Their families are having a hard time providing the basics. At CTK we help with a complete
wardrobe of 5 pairs of new socks, 5 pairs of new underwear, 5 tops, 4 bottoms and pair of
shoes. 67,500 pairs of new underwear will be given out this year.
Drop (off) Your Drawers is a drive designed to collect and “underwrite” underwear – a basic
part of the CTK wardrobe. Support our mission and help us provide this basic necessity!
First Church will be collecting the items during the month of October; they should be placed
in the bin in Hager hall.
*WE
BOXERS!*
SIZES & PREFERENCES
GIRLS
Sizes 4 - 16
JUNIOR GIRLS
Size 5 & up (bikinis)
BOYS
Sizes 4 - 16 (briefs & boxers)
YOUNG MEN
Size 30-32 & up (boxers)
*Boxers are the most needed item
St. Pete Store
3251 3rd Avenue N. 33713
727-327-7100
we provide!*
www.clothestokids.org
Clearwater Store
1059 N. Hercules Avenue 33765
727-441-5050