From Florida Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Network (FLAPDAN): Nicole made landfall yesterday as a Category 1 hurricane, posing a risk for significant coastal flooding, strong winds, storm surge, heavy rain and isolated tornadoes along much of the Florida East Coast.
See details: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ https://spaghettimodels.com/.
Please take appropriate measures and stay safe.
If your church is impacted and needs Presbytery assistance as Nicole reaches our area, please contact the Presbytery office at (850)535-2335 or office@presbyteryofflorida.com or FLAPDAN Liaison Tim Crawford at (850) 217-2597 or tcrawford@cox.net.
Our presbytery family
► Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church has planned an outdoor pet blessing service on their front lawn on Sunday, November 13, at 10 a.m. CST. All pets are welcome.
► UKirk Tallahassee will host their annual Friendsgiving Feast Thursday, November 17, at 6 p.m. EST.
► First Presbyterian Church of Marianna got a very pleasant and welcome surprise this week when representatives of Emerald Coast Hospice arrived at the church office with a check for $1000. A non-profit, the Hospice gives grants to local non-profits who are making a significant difference in their communities. The church supports Habitat for Humanity and Innovative Charities of Jackson County and operates a drive-thru food pantry each Wednesday. The donation will purchase food for the Food Pantry ministry, largely run by volunteers who are church members. Click here to view a check presentation photo.
► First Presbyterian Church of Chipley's Scottish Festival and Highland Games will be held next Saturday, November 19, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. CST. The event will feature entertainment, food, a pipe band and a children's area. Tickets are $5 each. A kirkin' o' the tartan will follow on Sunday, November 20, at 10:30 a.m. CST. The church is located at 658 5th Sreet in Chipley. Learn more: https://chipleyhighlandgames.com/
► First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee is participating in Guns to Gardens, a grassroots ministry that safely and legally dismantles and destroys unwanted firearms. The remianing metal pieces are then forged into life-giving garden tools. Needed are volunteers having comfort and experience with power tools, firearms safety training and comfort handling firearms, blacksmithing and/or welding skills and/or equipment, a metal-cutting chopsaw, and pastoral care skills and experience. If interested, email gunstogardens@oldfirstchurch.org.
►Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church is making plans for its annual Living Nativity, a spiritual journey through the wonders of Christ's birth. Along the way, visitors will meet people from the Bible who will share their stories. Last year's event was rained out, but had been planned to introduce new characters with a revised script to keep the story fresh and rewarding. The new script and cast will be incorporated this year, and provision for rain has beenn made by holding the "journey" in the church sanctuary. Plan to join the journey 5:30 – 8 p.m. CST Saturday, Dec. 10, at Laurel Hill Presbyterian, 8115 Fourth St., Laurel Hill.
► Northminster Presbyterian Church, Pensacola, is sponsoring a trip to the Holy Land Israel with an optional extension to Egypt next year from May 29 – June 6, 2023, led by Dr. Greg Seltzer and Reverend Shuford White. For an informative trip brochure, please contactpastorgregnpcpensacola@gmail.com.
More news you can use
►PC(USA) Theology Formation and Evangelism invites you to join a free special webinar focusing on youth, young adults and the connection between storytelling, holy listening and faith formation. Tune in to "Storytelling as Radical Hospitality" Tuesday, November 15, at 5 p.m. EST at https://hubs.ly/Q01rNtKs0
► The 223rd General Assembly (2018) mandated the collection of information about the PC(USA)'s Christian educators, so the Presbyterian Mission Agency's Research Services is partnering with the Office of the General Assembly to continue to fulfill that directive.
Congregations and others involved in Christian formation – teachers, group leaders, facilitators, camp and conference leaders, etc., whether staff or volunteers, certified or not – are asked to asked to respond to a short survey. Allvolunteers or employees who teach Christian education, formation, lead Bible studies, camp and conference leaders, campus ministers, or engage in similar educational activities within a PC(USA) church, seminary, school, or institution are welcome and encouraged to participate.
► FBI Resources for Parents and Church Staff Who Work with Minors – A message from PC(USA) General Counsel Mike Kirk:
The FBI has a resource page titled Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers: Protecting Your Kids.This page has information of value for parents, teachers, church leaders, and church staff who deal with minors. First, it includes a link to the National Sex Offender Registry. The Registry can be used when church leaders are conducting background checks on new hires. Best practice when hiring those who will work with minors or have access to minors is to conduct a background check, including a check on a history of sexual misconduct.
Next, the resource page addresses online risks to minors. It has information for adults on issues such as sextortion, in which a minor is tricked or coerced into sending sexual images to someone who then threatens to send the images to schoolmates, friends, and family unless the minor pays.
The resource also includes the Safe Online Surfing Program, a program for kids that teaches minors how to navigate the Web safely. There is also information on human trafficking, kidnapping, and gangs.
Pray for one another
- November 13 – Trinity United Presbyterian Church, Tallahassee - November 20 – First Presbyterian Church of Wewahitchka
- The Committee on Dogwood Acres (CDWA), meeting November 12, the Committee on Educational Resources (CER), meeting November 14, and the Committee on PCongregational Revitalization (CCR), meeting November 15.
