COLUMNS | May - June 1

COLUMNS
MAY & JUNE 2014 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ORLANDO FPCO.ORG
magazine
CELEBRATING
city of joy
God at work through you
small groups
an evolution of ministry
Seek God. Share His Love. Humbly Serve.
plus donnas ministry
celebrating her next steps
Gods faithfulness in our church family
2 May - June | COLUMNS
On the Way with David Swanson
The Stack

Women Engaged Summer Study

FaithServes Focus
where can you serve?
Joy in the City
Serve Day 2014

Deacons Making a Diference
Celebrating Ministry

FEATURES
Celebrating Community
small groups, life communities and more
Knowing Jesus
how to lead your child (or anyone) to Christ
Celebrating Transitions
is your child ready for kindergarten?
Summer Reading List
How to Stay Connected
Time With God
Family News
DONNA RETIRES
SUMMER SCHOOL, 6
Rejoicing in the ministry of our friend and pastor as she
begins this next season of her life.
School of Discipleship ofers a unique series and a
special format for the summer. (So you can join in.)
7
COLUMNS CONTENTS
MAY & JUNE
PHOTOS: TANNER FOX, SHEA CHRISTINE, JASON FRAZIER, CHRIS CASLER
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5
8
10
11
12
14
16
22
23
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18
20
21
COLUMNS | May - June 3
SAVE THE DATE
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2
4
18
20
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26
30

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8
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For more upcoming events
visit fpco.org/events
may
june
Evening Prayer, 6pm
Church ofces closed, Happy Memorial Day!
Organ Concert with Josiah Armes, 4pm
Evening Prayer, 6pm
First Step
Senior Sunday
Mission team to Madagascar
Jobs Partnership Graduation, 6pm
National Day of Prayer
Young at Heart Luncheon, 10:30am
Dominican Republic Family Mission Trip
Stephen Ministry Commissioning
FOUR12 students take of for Kids Across America camp
Reception for Donna McClellan
Womens Summer Bible Study begins
4 May - June | COLUMNS
I also want to celebrate the fabulous
team in our Finance Department. Led
by Judi Cooper, our Director, these
women work tirelessly to ensure your
oferings and gifts are handled with
absolute integrity while also managing
payroll, accounts payable, and the
enormous details that accompany it all.
Jennifer Clarke, Sherry Fostier and
Debbi Cusick often work with doors
closed (audit regulations) and under
constant deadlines, but they do it with
grace and humor, and they do it in a
way that faithfully honors the gifts you
give.
Finally, I want to celebrate Bob Walsh
and Andrew Sharp who operate the
cameras during Traditional worship.
They are ever faithful and almost never
noticed because of the still manner in
which they stand, never wanting to
distract from the experience of worship.
Each Sunday, they stand behind those
cameras for two and a half hours
enabling hundreds online to be a part
of our service and allowing those in
attendance a better visual experience.
It could not happen without them.
As you think about Gods call to
celebrate, who should you be
celebrating in this season? Take a
moment and make a call, write a note,
or perhaps invite someone to lunch.
Tell them you are grateful for their lives,
and you wanted to stop for a moment to
celebrate them before the Lord. What a
gift you can give! In celebration for all
that you are as a dear and faithful body
to me, I write,
With fond afection and love in Christ
Jesus,
David
ON THE WAY
with Dr. David Swanson
You have multiplied
the nation; you have
increased its joy; they
rejoice before you as
with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when
they divide the spoil.
Isaiah 9:3
This month, like many other families in
our community, our family will celebrate.
We will celebrate the graduation of
our oldest son, John David, from the
University of Florida. We will gather with
friends and family. We will acknowledge
the manifold blessings of God, and we
will rejoice in the milestone that is any
graduation. Having been through
several of these already, I recognize
how important it is at such points to mark
the moment to pause and to celebrate
what God has done in someones life.
It is important because it causes us
to stop from all the other things we
are doing, to consider the path of our
lives, and to express gratitude to God
for the blessing He has bestowed. All
of these reorient our minds and hearts
away from ourselves while once again
yielding to our Sovereign God who
orders all things.
Like the text from Isaiah, the signicance
of celebrations is marked over and over
again in Scripture. Often, the people of
God would pause to mark a moment,
to rejoice, to feast and give thanks.
Thus, in this month of celebrations, we
want to do the same thing. This issue
of Columns will celebrate what God is
doing and has done through the ministry
of our church, and through the unsung
heroes that make it happen each and
every day. We want to celebrate people
like Roger Lee, who faithfully comes
to volunteer and serve each week,
helping at the front desk, ushering
during the 8:30 traditional service, and
walking the sanctuary each Monday to
sort and restack hymnals, Bibles, and
envelopes while picking up trash along
the way. I have never found Roger in a
bad mood. I have never heard him utter
a harsh word. He is what the church
is all about, and I celebrate his life in
thanksgiving to God!
COLUMNS | May - June 5
useful information, timely trivia and handy tips
for navigating life at FirstPres (and life in general)
the Columns stack
MISSION TRIPS
Time is running out to book your
spot on one of our summer mis-
sion trips! Its an opportunity to
see the global church at work,
begin to identify with those in
need, and understand how God
might be calling you to use your
gifts and talents. Find out more at
fpco.org/trips.
SUMMER SERMON SERIES
Beginning June 15 (a.k.a. Fathers Day), Dr. David
Swanson kicks of a 13-week sermon series on The
Lords Prayer.
Each week, well focus on a diferent aspect of the
prayer, how we can apply it to our lives and relation-
ship with God, and shed some light on things we may
have missed.
EVENING PRAYER
Join us for an Evening Prayer Service on Wednesday,
May 21 at 6:00pm in Lee Fellowship Hall, as we seek
Gods voice in our lives. The Prayer Team hosts this
service the third Wednesday of each month.
ORGAN CONCERT
Join us May 4 at 4pm
in the Sanctuary as
we present a spe-
cial organ concert
with our own Josiah
Armes, presenting a
selection of music from Bach, Widor
and Guilmant, as well as some of his
original work.
NEW TO FIRST PRES?
If you know someone whod
like to get more connected at
First Pres, tell them about our
handy form at fpco.org/guest.
They can share their info and
sign up to be on the mailing
list.

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
We send out a weekly email
newsletter with important an-
nouncements for the coming
week. Well never share your
information, and you can un-
subscribe anytime. Join now
at fpco.org/email.
FOLLOW US
ON TWITTER
twitter.com/fpcorlando
DID YOU KNOW?
3,055
people viewed our live
worship services online
since January.
+36.7%
increase in the number
of people accessing
fpco.org on their mobile
device over the past 12
months.
20,118
estimated minutes
watched of our archived
sermons from 2014.
Thats the equivalent of
almost 14 days!
VOLUNTEER FOR VBS
Parents and friends, join in the fun this summer as we go on a SPACEQuest
for Vacation Bible School. VBS is a great way we share the good news of
Jesus with our little ones. And, we promise youll have some fun too. Find
out more at fpco.org/vbs.
6 May - June | COLUMNS
School of
Discipleship
SPECIAL SERIES: THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES
9:45AM SUNDAYS, JUNE 1 - AUGUST 17
Starting next month were featuring a unique
School of Discipleship series on the Spiritual Dis-
ciplines, with a single topic covered each Sunday
morning by a diferent expert.
Each week will be a stand-alone seminar, so you
dont need to fret if you miss one. Stop in any
Sunday and learn more about prayer, Bible study,
journaling, Sabbath, solitude and other important
practices in Room 310 of the Edington Ministry
Center.
Designed to help you grow and mature as
a follower of Jesus, School of Discipleship
courses include great content for both new
believers, and those who have been growing
in their discipleship for many years. All are
held here on the church campus, and typically
cover 1 hour of classroom time.
COLUMNS | May - June 7
FROM
REV. DONNA
MCCLELLAN
Join us June 8 as we thank Donna together
Stop by from 12pm-1pm in the King Parlor for a special recep-
tion after worship to recognize Donnas ministry, thank her and
give her a big hug as she begins this next season of ministry.
I can so clearly remember the words an
Elder prayed over me years ago at my ordi-
nation. She thanked God for calling me to
that church for such a time as this. It sent
chills up my spine as I considered myself
being in the company of Queen Esther!!
Tat phrase for such a time as this has
been and continues to be a signifcant encouragement to me. To know that God calls and equips
usall of us in the covenant communityto partner with Him in carrying out His mission here
on earth in His appointed time. It is truly not about being the most gifed, the holiest, or the
best. It is about answering Gods ofen mysterious call to minister whenever and however He
calls us. And that call is never fnished.
Tat is why leaving this great church and a ministry and people I love is simply another chance
for me to trust in and celebrate Gods continued presence and call in my life. When we leave a
certain place, Gods presence and power goes with us. God still wants to use me for such a time
as this!
I also love the fact that for such a time as this applies to the new person that God has called
and equipped to take my place as Associate Pastor of Congregational Care. Tat person will be
the perfect ft for this time and placebecause it will be part of Gods call and Gods provision.
I am so thankful for all the ways you have been my teachers during my time hereyou have
given grace when I stumbled and you have ofered wonderful words of encouragement in more
ways than I can count or deserve! As I step out to a new unknown adventure, I do so with great
gratitude for the years God gave me here helping to prepare me for what God has in the years to
come!
With love,
Rev. Donna McClellan
8 May - June | COLUMNS
We hv shrd tgtr t besigs o Go.
Phiippians 1:7
Celebrating. Yes, WE are. WOMEN ENGAGED,
have a lot to celebrate afer seeing how God has used
this ministry since its new vision launched August
2013. It has been an incredible privilege to see how
God has used this ministry to connect, unify, and
transform womens lives in the last 8 months. WE are
building disciples. WE are reaching upwardand
therefore God is changing us, deepening our aware-
ness and relationship with Him on the inside as well
as opening our eyes to reach outward to one another.
Much to celebrateand this is only the beginning!
WOMEN ENGAGED launched with an incredible
vision a community of women at FPCO devoted to
intentional intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ through
our commitment to in-depth Bible study and prayer;
with an eye toward building disciples for a lifetime. With
this as our foundation, we will go into our community
with humility and grace to bring the love of Jesus to
Orlando and beyond.
WE began last Fall with the Bible study Experiencing
God, where women began to experience Him in their
daily lives in ways they never before realized possible.
WE concluded with a night devoted to Experiencing
God in Christmas, the frst Women Engaged event
devoted to intentionally seeking God in all things from
the very beginning of the Advent season. Te Red
Chair Brigade was also launched as a small group of
women devoted to praying for any personal prayer
requests of the women engaged in Bible study. In Janu-
ary 2014, WE knew the Lord was moving our women
into a season of experiencing Him through Prayer
where Women Engaged paired with the FPCO Prayer
Team to deepen our understanding and use of the
power of prayer in everything we do! One of the many
things to celebrate is that the live speakers used for
both of these Bible studies have been women from
within our very own FPCO church bodyand lives
have been transformed through the testimony and
words of the Holy Spirit through them!
An exciting fnale to our recent study, Becoming a
Woman of Prayer, was our Women Engaged Prayer
Retreat on Saturday, March 15th at the San Pedro
Center in Winter Park. Around 100 women regis-
tered to gather together and worship, give thanks, and
spend time in solitude with our Heavenly Father in the
beautiful, peaceful surroundings. Here is a quote from
one of our women to celebrate the impact of this study
on womens prayer livesI wish so much that I could
give a testimony about my answered prayers during
this study but I cant speak about it without crying.
Tank you for encouraging me to do this study and all
the prayers that went into our groups. It has been won-
derful!! Really, a life-changing study for me.
Now, Women Engaged is focusing on what God desires
for the women of this covenant community through
the rest of 2014. We hope youll engage with us.
COLUMNS | May - June 9
Beautiful Brokenness
a personal reection from the Women
Engaged Prayer Retreat

by Kathy Taylor
As I walked back along the path, I noticed it wasnt a
perfect path with everything perfectly placed. While
the built path was clear, the views all along the way to
the breathtaking destination were flled with broken
branchessome very thick vines, torn limbs, and just
an overall mess!
I heard the Spirit say to me,
See, Kathylife is messy and yet isnt it beautiful? Can
you see the branches that are broken and yet held up by
others? Tis is what your life has beena beautiful bro-
ken mess! Its going to continue being thatbut its ok.
See the beauty anyway. Im here. I am the clearly built
path. Te destination is worth it. Hang on, child. Just a
bit longer. See those red berries that dot the views of the
thick brokenness? Tats symbolic of my blood shed for
you. Ive already been here. Ive walked this. I made it.
Halleluia! It is fnished and we win.
SUMMER STUDY
This summer, we will study the one who wrote so
many of our prayers through the Psalm, looking
at the life of David in a 6 week study by Pris-
cilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur entitled,
Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed. Get ready-
this study was taped at a live Deeper Still con-
ference and is HIGH energy and deeply engag-
ing!

Join us Monday evenings 6:00-8:00pm and
Thursday mornings 9:30-11:30am beginning the
week of June 9th.
MORE WAYS TO ENGAGE
Attend the Women of Faith Conference and
sit together as one big community of women
engaged in building the Lords Kingdom, Octo-
ber 10th-11th, 2014.
Join our WOMEN ENGAGED Facebook
group and stay connected with inspiring mes-
sages, words from our Father, current and
upcoming events, and wisdom from women of
all ages from within this covenant community.
fpco.org/we
Step up: WE currently have Engagement
Teams for Hospitality, Bible Study Curriculum,
Event Planning and Leadership Development
where you can invest by using your unique
gifts and talents. Learn more from Nikki Ickes,
Chair of Women Engaged Leadership Team,
nikki_ickes@yahoo.com.
10 May - June | COLUMNS
SUMMER CAMP KICKOFF!
Saturday, June 14, 10:00-3:00pm
Help send of over 50 summer campers
from our FOUR12 and Mercy Achievers Club
ministries. We need folks to help us set up
and take down tables andsupplies, register
kids, tag luggage, and help pack. A big need
is for a group to serve lunch. If youre able to help, contact
Eugenia Sefcik at eugenia@ersjoe.com or 407.256.6736.
your practical guide to serving, from your
neighborhood, to the City Beautiful, to the world.
focus
CONNECT IN
MISSION
GIVE STUFF
Read with Children
Invest time reading with one
of our Mercy Achievers Club
students (ages 4-11) this summer!
Contact Lisa Shaw at lshaw@
mercydriveministries.com or
407.466.3911.
Correspond with a Prisoner
Letters are a lifeline and encour-
agement to those behind bars.
Contact Jail & Prison Ministry
intern Mike Shockey at
mshockey@fpco.org or
850.559.3101.
Pray for our Mission Teams!
Our summer mission teams are
gearing up! For updates and
specic prayer requests, visit
fpco.org/trips.

Madagascar: May 20-31
Dominican Republic: June 7-13
Amazon Medical Trip: July 19-26
Needed Items at
Compassion Corner
Our homeless friends need help fending
of bugs and heat. Can you donate bug
spray and deodorant? Contact Jeannette
Follmer at jfollmer@fpco.org.
Backpacks for Madagascar
We need 25 more backpacks
to bring to Madagascar.
Please deliver to the church
by May 14. Contact Carol Hafer
at chafer@fpco.org.
Supplies for Camp
Help us send 50 students to Kids Across
America Summer Camp (KAA) in June.
We need knee-length gym shorts for girls
and guys ages 9-18 in all sizes and other
assorted items. Contact Eugenia Sefcik at
eugenia@ersjoe.com or 407.256.6736.
GIVE TIME
Lead a Devotion
Grace Medical Home starts
each weekday morning with a
brief devotion and prayer; the
most important part of the day!
If youd like to lead one (read
scripture, tell a story, pray for
the staf, etc.), email
gracedevotions@gmail.com.
gracemedicalhome.org
Volunteer with IDignity
Assist community members in
getting much-needed identi-
cation. Volunteer at a monthly
event, May 15 or June 19.
Training provided for rst-time
volunteers. For more informa-
tion, go to:
IDignity.org/volunteer
INTRODUCTION
TO SERVING THE
CITY
June 1, 9:45am, EMC-310A
Come hear about the ways
First Pres is serving in the city,
and how you can be involved.
Dr. Case Thorp hosts staf and
volunteers from our Compas-
sion Corner homeless ministry,
Mercy Drive Achievers Club,
FOUR12 after-school outreach,
Jobs Partnership, and our jail
and prison initiative. Whats your
passion?
for ongoing & updated ways to serve, visit
fpco.org/servenow
COLUMNS | May - June 11
GIVE STUFF
On March 1, 550 people from our church family gathered to pray and
head out into our community to serve. We had 3-year-olds and 73-year-
olds, 150 middle school and high school students, along with singles,
retirees, couples, grandparentsand over 100 children excitedly served
with their families.
We cleaned and recycled soap to take to third-world nations, sorted
school supplies, spruced up the Christian Service Center, packed food
for hungry neighbors, gardened at Matthews Hope, painted childrens
faces at Mercy Drive, sang songs and did crafs with kids at Orlando
Childrens Church, landscaped at House of Hope, and painted at Equine
Angels. And, over 60 First Pres members and 60 members of the Mercy
Community shared laughs, games and lunch together.
Lots was accomplished! We logged over 1,650 hours of service to those
on the front lines. Tats the equivalent of over 40 weeks of labor!
Special thanks to Quino Martinez, Robin Boyd, our Wee SHINE and
SHINE ministry, and all of our team leaderswe couldnt do it without
you! A very special thanks to Freshfelds Farm Orlando for providing
our hamburgers and hot dogs for the last six ServeDay events. Yum!

Carol Hafer is the Director of Mission at First Pres, and would love to talk
to you about how you can serve in your community or around the world.
You can contact Carol at chafer@fpco.org, 407.423.3441 x1460.
JOY IN THE CITY
SERVEDAY2014
NEXT STEPS
We hope ServeDay encour-
ages us all to jump in and
serve throughout the year.
Dont wait until next year!
The contact information for
all of our ServeDay partners
and ideas for serving can be
found at fpco.org/servenow.
by Carol Hafer
12 May - June | COLUMNS
A deacons visit is so welcome
Something to look forward to
With a friendly smile or warm handshake
Someone thinks of you!
We talk and we listen
Is there anything we can do?
Sometime just a simple prayer
Is all we ask of you!
At times a visit is so special
When appears a treat or two
Whatever it is, I love it
Something just for you!
I love it when we visit
Stories we both can tell
Soon its time for departure
Everything went so well!
When a deacon ends his visit
Ive found a brand new friend
It was so very nice of you
I hope youll come again!
So thank you deacon for your visit
It meant so much to me
Im sure God up in heaven
Will bless you as youve blessed me!
Ruth Johnson
February 2014
WHATS A DEACON?
The Diaconate (the fancy name for a group of
deacons) is made up of individuals who are
responsible for the care and nurture of the
church family. Deacons are identied in the
Bible as people called to sympathy, witness
and service after the example of Jesus Christ
and actively serve the church family for three
years.
The ofce of deacon is important to the ongo-
ing relationships and community in the life of
our church family. Deacons visit the sick, hospi-
talized and homebound, and ofer communion.
They are present at regular worship services
and memorial services to ofer care and to
pray for those in need.
RUTHS STORY
Ruth Johnson wrote a beautiful poem to ex-
press her gratitude for the care and support
shes received from deacons. Ruth isnt always
able to attend worship or events at the church,
but stays connected through the loving and
caring deacons who visit her.
Ruth is a marvel. She has mac-
ular degeneration and writes
her poetry using a special ma-
chine that she demonstrated
for me. It was a privilege to visit
with Ruth. - Kay Pricher, Deacon
DEACONS
making a diference
COLUMNS | May - June 13
MARRIAGE RETREAT
108
couples reconnected
with each other for
a loving, Valentines
weekend away.
LETS CELEBRATE!
Take a moment to give thanks for the amazing
things God is doing in our congregation and the
City Beautiful.
As we rejoice in the things that God has already done among us, lets take a few moments to
pray for upcoming ministry at First Pres this summer:
CONFIRMATION
28
students joined the
church, after receiving
a foundational
understanding of our
faith and beliefs.
170
LIFEFEST RETREAT
adults and children
spent a wonderful,
God-lled weekend in
community.
& PRAY
VACATION BIBLE
SCHOOL
400
approximate number
of students who will
join us for a God-lled
week of VBS.
SUMMER MISSION
TRIPS
3
mission teams head
around the globe to
use their unique gifts
for Gods purpose.
STUDENTS SUMMER
TRIPS
Pray for our students
who will travel to
Great Escape, Fun
in the Son, and Kids
Across America (KAA)
this summer.
14 May - June | COLUMNS
Gertrude Stein once penned, A rose is a rose is a rose,
expressing the same sentiment of Juliets famous words
to Romeo: things are what they are no matter their
name.
What Stein and Shakespeare both touch on in these
lines encapsulates the evolution of group life here at
First Pres over the past 5+ years.
In the fall of 2009, we launched LIFE Community groups
under a fresh vision to have deep fellowship, rooted in
the Word, serving together, and multiplying group life
by Hailey Domeck
Whats in a name?
that which we call a rose
By any other name
would smell as sweet;

-Juliet in Shakespeares
Celebrating
Community
Romeo and Juliet
COLUMNS | May - June 15
along the way. First, Turbo Groups met to train and
equip leaders in the values of LIFE Community to instill
in their own future groups. Ten, Turbo Groups multi-
plied and expanded the LIFE Community ministry to
bring group life to all parts of the Greater Orlando area
- from Altamonte Springs to Windermere; from College
Park to Conway; from Winter Park to Winter Springs.

Over the years, overall participation in group life has
ebbed and fowed, according to the season of year and
the content ofered, with the most growth experienced
through church-wide studies like Church Alive or Bare-
foot Church. Half a year afer 45 groups participated in
the Barefoot Church experience, we are lef with a wide
variety of small groups, and our Discipleship Team has
found themselves thinking more and more about our
church culture and language.
At one point in time, LIFE Community groups
had similar goals and characteristics. Now, we see
much more diversity in how groups are functioning.
We have groups that meet weekly; every other week;
once a month; or some other variation in frequency.
Some groups meet for dinner every week; others do
Bible study together. Some groups are open to adding
new people; some are focused on caring for the needs
of their group members. Weve discovered that - over
time - groups have adopted diferent names for them-
Celebrating
Community
NEXT STEPS
Start a Small Group
Small Groups are led by those who are faithful to their group and its vision, available to the
group members, and teachable. Are you ready to invite others into community? Do you have a
vision for group life? Here are some questions to ask as you consider community life:
1. Who would you invite to join in a small group with you?
(Hint: friends in your zip code are a great place to start.)
2. What time, day and place would you set aside to meet?
3. What type of group are you considering?
Would it be a mens group, a singles group, a family-friendly group?

To get started, contact our Discipleship Pastor, Kent Sterchi at ksterchi@fpco.org.
selves: LIFE Community, Life Group, Barefoot Group,
Bible Study, or Small Group.
And thats ok.
We want to celebrate what God is doing through the
small group ministry here at First Pres, and we want to
celebrate the journey that we have been on over the past
few years. Not all small groups are going to look alike, and
we want our church family to know that you can fnd a
little bit of everything in the small group ministry here at
First Pres, and grow into the plan God has for your group.

We thank the Good Lord that He gives us one another
to do life with - no matter the name of our group.
Hailey Domeck is the Coordinator for Discipleship &
Family Life at First Pres, and is available to help explain
the diferent kinds of groups which have emerged in our
small group ministry. Our Discipleship Team will look
at Small Group Ministry over this summer, and this fall,
new small groups will launch around the Compass Bible
study (formerly Crown Ministry).
16 May - June | COLUMNS
KNOWING JESUS
how to lead your child to Christ
by Sarah Savage
As parents, there are hundreds of moments we cel-
ebrate with our children throughout their lifetime.
Whether we are coaxing them toward us as babies
taking their frst steps, guiding their hand as they
sketch their own name for the frst time, or watching
them make the right choices as teenagers (without our
prompting), each moment matters.

But none matters more than the moment when your
child acknowledges Gods goodness and begins to fol-
low Him.
However, many parents feel unprepared when faced
with the questions and the steps of helping lead their
children to Jesus. In the midst of teaching our kids
safety, preparing for school, playing sports, and enjoy-
ing friends, our tendency can be to fall back on the
church to be solely responsible for guiding a childs
Christian experience. In reality, most children are only
at church 1-2 hours a week.
A SPECIAL CALLING
As a parent, God has uniquely called each of us to per-
sonal discipleship of our children. Tis can feel like a
tall order (and it is), but we dont do it in a vacuum. We
have the support of our covenant family at the church,
other parents, and our friends in SHINE. But most
importantly, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit to
guide us.
As parents who are followers of Christ, we should be
desperate for our children to know Jesus personally.
Youve probably heard it said: there is a huge difer-
ence between knowing about God and knowing God.
My absolute favorite book in the whole world (other
than the Bible), Raising Kids to Love Jesus by Norman
Wright and Gary Oliver, says this:
Te ultimate goal of Christian parenting is
not kids who merely have a knowledge about
God. It is kids who have personal relationship
with God. It is kids who really believe that Gods
Word is relevant for every aspect of their lives. It
involves teaching our children the ways of God,
COLUMNS | May - June 17
helping them to become sensitive to the dark-
ness of their own hearts and the danger of walk-
ing alone and trusting in themselves. It involves
teaching them the power of the Cross and the
provision of Gods promises.
Leading our children to Christ is the single most
important thing we can do for our children and a mo-
ment we need to be ready for. Every other moment we
share with our children will be temporary; this mo-
ment will echo in eternity.
HOW TO HELP
How do we help our child learn and respond when
the moment arrives? Below is the language we use in
SHINE Childrens Ministry, along with some verses to
help frame the conversation.
ADMIT
Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23
Admit that you are a sinner and that you need a Savior.
Admit that you do things that are wrong by disobey-
ing Gods commands. Admit that you cannot stop
disobeying Gods commands on your own and that
you need someone to forgive you when you disobey
(sin). Understand that the good things we do are not
good enough to balance out the bad. You cannot earn
forgiveness of sins.
BELIEVE
Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-10, 2
Corinthians 5:21, John 1:12
Believe that Jesus is the only Savior who can truly for-
give your sins. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God who
came to Earth to take on the punishment for our sins
by dying on the cross, and that He overcame death by
arising from the dead on the third day. Jesus resurrec-
tion is necessary proof to show that His payment for
sin was full and fnal. Believe that we need to live like
Jesus.
Sarah Savage is the Director of Childrens Ministry at
First Pres, and is passionate about equipping parents
to share God with their children in practical, personal
ways. If you want to learn more about ways to share
Jesus with your children, email ssavage@fpco.org.
COMMIT
1 John 1:8-10, Romans 8:1-2, John 15:4-5, 2 Corinthi-
ans 5:17, Galatians 2:20
Commit to follow Jesus and live your life the way
Jesus tells you to. Jesus commands you to follow Him.
Understand that the Holy Spirit will help you follow
Jesus. You may not hear Gods voice speaking to you
but you can hear His voice in the Bible which is Gods
written word. Understand that when you sin, you are
able to repent (turn away from your sin and turn to
Gods ways) and believe (believe that you are forgiven).
Ten you can experience Gods grace, forgiveness and
victory over sin.
OUR OWN LIVES
Entrusted with this gif of discipling our children, we
shepherd our family in faith, knowing that what they
see at home on a day-to-day basis will build the frame-
work of their understanding of a relationship with
God. In their book, Wright and Oliver leave us with
this reminder:
We cant give our kids what we dont have;
we cant take them where we havent been and
arent willing to go. If we arent willing to let
God parent our hearts, if we arent willing to
trust Him as our Good Shepherd, if we dont
listen to His voice and follow Him, why should
our children be willing to let Him, through us,
parent their hearts? If our kids arent observing
us becoming more like Christ, why should they
want to become more like Him?
NEXT STEPS

1) Think about the number of hours your child is
with you or away from you during the week.
When and how can you teach them about having
a special relationship with God?
2) As you look at the steps above, reect on your
own experience. Have you acknowledged these
things in your own life and committed yourself to
God?
18 May - June | COLUMNS
making the transition to Kindergarten
GROWTH
CELEBRATING
When is the right time to start kindergarten? Many
parents of children who turn 5 right before the school
year begins struggle with this question. For optimal
success in kindergarten, academic achievement is only
one component - readiness of the whole child must
be considered. Ofen, giving a child a bit more time to
grow socially and emotionally can help him or her be
successful in school. Tis can lead to another ques-
tion - is keeping my younger child in pre-kindergarten
a second year going to impede momentum? Ofen, a
young 5 may be ready for something more challeng-
ing than pre-k, but may not be quite ready for kinder-
garten.
Tere is great value in providing opportunities for
students who are age-appropriate for kindergarten but
exhibit younger developmental tendencies. In recog-
nition of this need, Te Christ School is pleased to
announce the addition of a Transitional Kindergarten
program opening with the 2014-2015 school year.
Te Christ Schools Transitional Kindergarten cur-
riculum is modifed from traditional kindergarten
to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of
younger children, says Amber Lail, TCS Director of
Academics and Student Programs. Te Transitional
Kindergarten environment includes more opportuni-
ties for growth in social and emotional areas, language
development and communication through dramatic
play, small group instruction, and intentional teaching
through hands-on activities. Te Transitional Kinder-
garten curriculum helps students succeed in kinder-
garten and become leaders in the classroom.
Debra Brett, parent of a current student at Te Christ
School, shares her enthusiasm for the new program.
Our son turns fve the week prior to school starting.
He would be the youngest child in his kindergarten
class, she says. Although he is age-appropriate, we
believe starting him in the Transitional Kindergarten
class will set him up for success by giving him another
year to emotionally mature while approaching the
kindergarten curriculum at a pace that may be better
suited for a younger student.
by Gretchen Miller Basso
COLUMNS | May - June 19
We are excited he will move into a structured learning
environment which will help him up his game emo-
tionally and academically, while still getting longer rest
times and more play time than traditional kindergar-
ten classes. We believe it will be a great ft for his young
age. Of course, we are excited he will also get to be a
part of all of the programs Te Christ School has to
ofer including daily chapel and age-appropriate school
sports and activities, she continues.
Te Christ School strives to foster a life-long love of
learning in each student, understanding that when stu-
dents are confdent in the classroom, they are poised
for success. Te students reap the benefts of our aca-
demically rigorous and Christ-centered program. Te
foundation of Christ, which guides all aspects of the
curriculum, instills important values in our students
that guide them as they navigate through the course of
their lives.

Te Christ School serves children from kindergarten
through 8th grade, and is located on the First
Presbyterian Church of Orlando campus downtown.
thechristschool.org
How Do You Assess
Kindergarten Readiness?
Social and emotional development can
greatly impact a successful start in school.
Therefore, parents should consider factors
beyond academic skills when deciding
whether to start a young ve child in
kindergarten or give them the gift of time in
a transitional program.
Providing an additional year for children to
grow in their social and emotional areas
of development allows them to tackle the
increased academic demands placed on
them because they possess the social skills
and condence to be successful. Parents
should consider the following factors when
deciding on placement in kindergarten for a
child with a birthday just prior to the start of
the school year:
Ability to separate willingly from a parent or
guardian
Ability to interact and play with other children
about their same age
Ability to demonstrate self-help and social
skills
- taking care of bathroom needs
- dressing and feeding themselves
- waiting for a turn
- sharing materials and space
Ability to work with others to solve a problem
Ability to concentrate on or nish a task
before moving to another activity
Ability to demonstrate language skills
- communicate with others in
complete sentences
- use their words to communicate
feelings, describe things, name
places, animals and objects
A parents best resource is often their childs
teacher who has the opportunity to observe
the child outside of the home.
NEXT STEPS
Interested in learning more about The
Christ School or Transitional Kindergarten?
Please contact Nicole Millard, TCS Admis-
sion Director, to schedule a personalized
tour. She can be reached at
nmillard@thechristschool.org
or 407.849.1665.
20 May - June | COLUMNS
OUR SUMMER READING LIST
Books lled with heady theology, historical account and the pressing questions
faced by Christians today, all suggested by our staf. Perfect light reading for a
sunny day on the beach.
CRAZY BUSY BY KEVIN DEYOUNG
(KENT STERCHI)
UNGLUED: MAKING WISE CHOICES
IN THE MIDST OF RAW EMOTIONS BY
LISA TERKEURST (BETH HEWITT)
THE LOST HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
BY PHILIP JENKINS
(DR. CASE THORP)
JESUS OF NAZARETH BY GERALD
BORCHERT (DR. DAN SHARP)
MAKING ROOM: RECOVERING
HOSPITALITY AS A CHRISTIAN
TRADITION BY CHRISTINE POHL
(DR. CASE THORP)
TIM KELLER, WALKING WITH GOD
THROUGH PAIN AND SUFFERING
(DR. DAVID SWANSON)
LOST HORIZON BY JAMES HILTON
(DR. CASE THORP)
OS GUINNESS, THE GLOBAL PUBLIC
SQUARE (DR. DAVID SWANSON)
TIM KELLER, EVERY GOOD ENDEAVOR
(DR. DAVID SWANSON)
COLOSSIANS REMIXED: SUBVERTING
THE EMPIRE BY WALSH AND
KEESMAAT (DR. CASE THORP)
WHEN THE KINGS COME MARCHING
IN: ISAIAH AND THE NEW JERUSALEM
BY RICHARD J. MOUW
(DR. CASE THORP)
THE BOOK THAT MADE YOUR WORLD
BY VISHAL MANGALWADI
(DR. DAN SHARP)
FOR MORE SUGGESTED READING
AND HELPFUL LINKS
VISIT FPCO.ORG/RESOURCES
COLUMNS | May - June 21
Live Worship Broadcast for
Desktop, Tablet & Smartphone
Worship online with our live broadcast from
the 8:30am & 11:00am Traditional services
and the 9:45am Genesis service. Visit
fpco.org/live to connect you to the online
broadcast, which includes special links for
iPad & iPhone streams.
Sunday Worship Bulletin Online
Follow along the live broadcast with the
weekly order of worship for Traditional ser-
vice, exercises and meditation notes for
Genesis, and news about events taking place
this week and the next. Available at fpco.org/
bulletin.
Worship & Sermon Video Archive
Catch up on an entire service you missed or
share a great message with a friend through
our media center, available at
fpco.org/media.
Mobile & Online Giving
Participate in the ofering anytime throughout
the week by giving online at fpco.org/give.
You can give one time or schedule a recur-
ring gift with a quick registration process.
Columns Magazine Online
This bimonthly magazine, designed to help
equip and encourage our church family in
discipleship is available for download on your
reader or desktop at fpco.org/columns.
Weekly Email
Receive news and reminders about events
coming up through our weekly email. To sign
up, go to fpco.org/email.
10 Ways to
STAY CONNECTED ON THE GO
Be our Friend on Facebook
& Follow FPCO on Twitter
Connect with others in our FirstPres family,
be encouraged and hear about upcoming
events by becoming our friend on Face-
book through facebook.com/rstpres
or following us on Twitter at
twitter.com/fpcorlando.

FPCO Events Calendar
A really handy way to keep up with big
events, starting classes or registration
deadlines, at fpco.org/events. You can
also download events and add them to
your calendar.
Podcast
Weekly messages from the worship ser-
vices can upload automatically to your
iTunes account for free, so you can listen
online or via a device. To connect, visit
fpco.org/podcast.
Genesis Spotify Playlist
Listen to new worship songs played in
Genesis, or learn a few of the lyrics before
Sunday. Subscribe to the Genesis playlist
on Spotify, a free online music provider at
fpco.org/music.
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22 May - June | COLUMNS
JOY
- a cause for delight, pleasing, a state of
happiness, cause for rejoice!
You would be amazed if you did a word search of the
bible and found the references to the word joy
Gods Word clearly gives us permission to fnd joy in
many things and in many ways.
For many, living a joyous life is not always easy. To be
joyful people, according to John Ortberg, we have
to train practice being who we want to become. A
spiritual discipline that perhaps is least put into prac-
tice is celebration. In celebration, you will always fnd
joy.
As we look back at the life of Jesus, we can clearly see
that He celebrated life. He attended weddings, enjoyed
private times and meals with His closest friends, Mary,
Martha and Lazarus. He created celebrations through
the miracles of raising people from the dead; He spent
time with His disciples.
Celebrations were relevant in Old Testament times as
well! King David danced through the streets, Queen
Esther celebrated when the Jews were saved from
slaughter, and even Abraham celebrated when his son
Isaac was saved from being a sacrifce.
Te spiritual discipline of celebration is just not an
outward expression. Practicing joy is also internal; joy
is what we fnd in our relationship with God, when we
acknowledge every day is a gif. He provides moments
of laughter and happiness. Even the darkest moments
are made tolerable if we develop celebration in our
hearts for the things God has done for us.
making spiritual disciplines a daily habit
TIME WITH GOD
Set aside time to be still and quiet in your
mind. Very difcult to do!
Acknowledge Jesus is present; invite Him to
teach you.
Practice the discipline of celebration; do ac-
tivities that bring you pleasure, be with people
you love, reecting on the God who has given
you so much.
Find a joy mentor! Spend time with life-en-
hancing, joy producing peoplealways posi-
tive. Enjoy themthank them!
Pray for joya fruit of the Spiritand ask for
this in greater abundance.
Set aside one day a week to celebrateeat
foods you love, listen to music that inspires
you, surround yourself with beauty and nature,
and then thank God for His goodness in your
life!
Journal a few things each day that make you
happy. Pause and give thanks for each entry.
Finding Joy in your Day
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing
forjoy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love
your name may rejoice in you. - Psalm 5:10-12 (NIV)
Celebration also strengthens our faith; we become
stronger in the toughest of times because the joy in our
hearts can move us through the dark times we might
encounter. Without this discipline it could become
easy to let the tough, dark moments dwell in our hearts
and weigh us down.
COLUMNS | May - June 23
FAMILY NEWS
Sympathy to...
Wayne and Gwen Rich on the death
of his step-father, George Talbot,
January 27, 2014.
Jackie Crisler on the death of her
husband, David Crisler, February 5,
2014.
Ange and Lori Picillo on the
death of his father, Vincent Picillo,
February 7, 2014. Mr. Picillo was
the grandfather of Hallie and
Victoria.
Joyce Sorn on the death of her
husband, George Sorn, February
23, 2014.
Carrie and Trey Vick on the death
of her mother, Debra Jensen,
February 27, 2014. Mrs. Jensen
was the grandmother of Brandon,
Bailey, and Bella.
Bill and Michelle Fluke on the
death of his mother, Connie Fluke,
March 19, 2014. Mrs. Fluke was
the grandmother of Matthew and
Parker.
John McKnight on the death of his
brother, David McKnight, March
26, 2014.
Linda and Cal Peck on the death of
her mother, Marjorie Bell, April 1,
2014.
Ken Nuckols on the death of his
uncle, Fred Mauk, April 7, 2014.
Congratulations to...
Ross and Ashley Johnston have
a daughter, Sarabeth Dorothy
Johnston, born February 22, 2014.
Brendan and Melody Lynch have a
daughter, Katherine Delaney Lynch,
born March 8, 2014.
Eric and Patricia Gray have a
daughter, Sawyer Beaux Gray,
bornMarch 19, 2014.
Kevin and Lauren Sheehan have
a daughter, Parker Ellis Sheehan,
born March 20, 2014.
Jason and Hannah Dykes have a
son, Kaden Christopher Dykes,
born March 25, 2014.
Patrick and Amy Mixson have
a son, Jack Lambeth Mixson,
born March 29, 2014. Te proud
grandparents are Bob and Vicky
Mixson and Jay and Deborah
Dominick.
John Russell and Mandy Boyd who
were married on April 5, 2014.
Mandy is the daughter of Ernie and
Robin Boyd and the granddaughter
of Linda McCallister.
Steve and Amber Eastwood have a
son, Crosby Brave Eastwood, born
April 9, 2014.
Ryan and Colleen Scordato have a
son, Braden David Scordato, born
April 10, 2014.
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.
Jason Alexander Lopez and Colby
Sara McComb were married
April 12, 2014 in the Reformation
Chapel. Colby is the daughter of
Dave and Pam McComb.
- schedule a baptism x1451
- request a hospital visit x1455
- plan a wedding x1272
- arrange a memorial service x1455
- donate owers for worship x1272
- ask giving questions x1479
- change your address x1471
- purchase a sermon DVD x2201
- reserve childcare x1480
- reach security 407.466.3497
- reserve a meeting space x1272
- ask about this magazine x1467
First Presbyterian Church of Orlando
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