On The

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with Dr. David D.

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heart, for I have overcome the world.”
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John 16:33
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the Pastoral Care office at x1455.
S
ome things are just hard. They don’t have easy answers.
Perhaps there was a time when I thought life was black and
white, but rarely are things that simple and clear cut. Yes, there
are black and white Scriptural truths, but the application of those
truths is not always easily discernible. In fact, Jesus gave us a
core truth in the text from John printed above: we WILL have
trouble. Loved ones will get sick. Nations will be at war. The in-
nocent will die. Criminals will be punished. Despondent people
will take their own lives. Addicts will hurt themselves and those
that love them. And when it happens, what do we do? How do
we understand God’s presence in it? No, this life won’t be easy,
but we have hope in Christ and in the power of His resurrection
which we celebrate in this post-Easter season.
And if that’s true - if we do have hope - then I think we need
to dig a little deeper into the “trouble” we face and the hard ques-
tions that are created. God has something to say about all of it.
In the same way we tackled the “Economy of God” and all the
things related to our financial and material lives, I think we need

Pastoral Emergencies:
For pastoral emergencies outside of the 8:30
a.m.- 5:00 p.m. church office hours, please leave
a voice mail message at the main church number.
The message center will page the minister on
call, who will reply as soon as possible.
Need Help?
Dependency assistance, cancer support group,
grief support, divorce care, infertility group,
please contact Pastoral Care x1455
www.twitter.com/fpcorlando
Group: First Presbyterian Church of Orlando
to take a look at some of these “hard” things and deal with them
head on. Let’s not leave them to moments prior to falling asleep
or quick comments uttered in social conversation. Let’s bring
them out into the open. Let’s look at them – walk around them
– view them from a number of angles – and seek the counsel of
God’s word.
That is the foundation for the sermon series that will take
place this summer called “Tough Questions.” I find the summer
months are a good time to talk about more challenging topics be-
cause we tend to be more relaxed and perhaps a bit less busy. We
have more down time to reflect and consider what God is teach-
ing us. I hope that will be the case for you this summer.
Here are the topics I’ll be looking at along with the other As-
sociate Pastors:
• Issues related to life: The Beginning of Life, Abortion,

2 | www.fpco.org
 Save the Date!

Way
For more details contact our main office at
407.423.3441

May 1, 2009

Swanson
Big Wheel Deal Basketball Game

May 2, 2009
OneByOne Dessert

May 4, 2009
The Iron Chef Women’s Celebration:
“The Battle”

June 14- 18, 2009

Camp Geneva - Elementary Overnight Camp

Suicide, Euthanasia and Capital Punishment June 1-30, 2009

Camp Wee Ones
• Freedom
• Human Sexuality June 9-July 29, 2009
MusikGarten Summer Classes
• War
June 1-August 13, 2009
• Alcohol and Drugs
Esther-It’s Tough Being a Woman
• Gambling Bible Study
• Politics June 20-24, 2009
• Education June 22-26, 2009
July 6-10 2009
• Youth Culture Darrell Armstrong Basketball Camp
With each tough question, there are challenges. Each one touches us or has
July 13-17, 2009
touched us in some way. My hope is to help us see the range of thought Upward Basketball and Cheer Camp
on each topic, to understand what God’s Word says and how it might be July 2009
applied, and to offer grace and hope to those who have experienced some Combined Adult Sunday School Classes
of these things in a personal way. Each week will be a ‘stand alone’ mes- July 13-17, 2009
sage. In other words, you don’t have to hear the prior week to be ready for Vacation Bible School

the current week. July 19-24, 2009

Needless to say, I think the series lends itself well to those who may not Fun in The Son High School Retreat

believe in Jesus Christ. Take the initiative and either share the series infor- July 19-25, 2009
The Great Escape Middle School Retreat
mation with others, or invite them to attend with you. Together, I pray that
we will be able to process the issues that face us as Christians, and to walk August 30, 2009
K-Kids Promotion Sunday
through them faithfully and in a manner that pleases and honors God. I
would also greatly appreciate your prayers for me and the pastoral staff in August 25, 2009
Weekday School Prayer Walk
our preparations. We don’t have all the answers, but we know God does,
September 2009
and we trust that He will give His wisdom in our study and preparation.
Back to School Date Night
May God bless you and yours with joy and peace this month, and I
September 13-November 15, 2009
remain
SONday Times

September 1-November 17, 2009

In His Grip, MusikGarten Fall Classes

September 13-November 15, 2009

Fall Adult Class Events

September 17, 2009

David Health and Fitness Fair

www.fpco.org | 3
 By Debbie Farah,
Bajalia Trading Company
I ’ve always had a deep desire and longing to be a mother. I
was always the family babysitter, and I looked for opportu-
nities to be with children and engage them. My friends’ chil-
dren would always gravitate towards me, and I to them, spend-
ing time with them in a variety of ways. I also used to serve in
the children’s ministry and nursery, until the longing for my
own children made me worry one day I wouldn’t give one back.
Yet the closest I have come to my own children is a relationship
with my nieces and nephews who are always on my heart and,
although I am still involved in their lives, they are now past
college age and I have now been relegated to a role as a mere
Facebook friend. (I’ll take what I can get, and how else can I
find out the news?)
I was never blessed with my own children, and I will never
understand like some of you the pain and joy of childrearing.
So for that reason it seems a bit daunting to me that I would
be writing about a mother’s heart. That being said, I am begin-
ning to understand more and more the passage in Galatians 4:27
(Amplified Bible):
“For it is written in the Scriptures, Rejoice, O barren wom-
an, who has not given birth to children; break forth into a joyful
44 || www.fpco.org
www.fpco.org
shout, you who are not feeling birth pangs, for the desolate wom-
an has many more children than she who has a husband.”
I will admit that these were just words to me until about six
years ago when I began an organization called Bajalia Trading
Company. In the course of doing the research and beginning
the company that would reach out to women around the world,
I began to understand more than ever “having more children
than she who has a husband”. I have so many spiritual and ad-
opted children depending on our company for their sustenance,
I can’t keep count.
In ways that only God can explain, I have grown a mother’s
heart myself as I serve these women and the needs of their chil-
dren. Although I have never been as desperate as they have
been or had to make the decisions that they have made, I have
learned firsthand their struggles and have learned to love them
[women] and stand in intercession for them as if their children
were my own.
I remember watching out of my taxi window one night in tears
as a young mother swept the sidewalk under an overpass on a
busy street in Mumbai, India to prepare a place for her children
to lay their heads on the hard, cold sidewalk. I wept and be-
 Impacts of World Poverty
is too late for me,” she would say, “but please help me, so my
One half of the women in the world have children will not have the same life I have had.” This is the uni-
been abused by an intimate partner. versal heart of a mother.

Trafficking in human beings is now the Bajalia Trading Company is all about serving women like

third largest moneymaking venture in the this. Over the last six years, we have come alongside sustain-

world, after illegal weapons and drugs.
The United Nations estimates that, around
4 million people a year are traded against
their will to work in some form of slavery.
Young women are being sold so that their
families can eat, or lured into slavery with
promises of jobs.
able businesses in the poorest countries in the world and have
become a voice for these voiceless mothers. I have learned that
poverty keeps redefining itself for me and I have learned that
the worst form of poverty is the lack of hope. And if through
our work we can provide a glimpse of that hope by showing the
love of Christ in tangible ways, we can make a difference, one
mother, one voice at a time.
In China, Ming Xaio was 12 years old when the man came

30,000 children die every day from ex- into her village and offered her a job in the city to help her

treme poverty. That’s one child every 3 parents. After going into the city, her virginity was auctioned

seconds. off to the highest bidder. Too ashamed to return to the village,
her only option was to enter into a life of prostitution and the
Half the world lives on less than $2 per brothel. She tried to commit suicide three different times over
day and cannot satisfy the most basic hu- the next few years before being rescued and invited into the
man needs continue on page 6

came burdened for the issue of poverty and all of the symp-
toms that came with it. And through that I understand more
about the strength and determination of a mother’s heart and a
mother’s drive to provide a home for her family, even if it is only
a sidewalk in India.
All over the world poverty shows up in prostitution, slave
trade, exploitation, human trafficking, children soldiers, forced
abortions and slave labor. And women bear the greatest burden
of the abuses.
However, I have had the privilege of seeing the strength,
determination, and power that comes when women receive the
help that they need; when they join together, with their voices
and their labor. This was the case of the women I worked with
in Afghanistan. There I met the group leader, Fatima, a woman
who could not speak well because her husband had broken her
jaw in order to keep her from coming to the meetings. Yet she
came anyway, broken jaw and all, and because she could not
seek medical help, her jaw healed in its broken state. Yet she
continues to help others, with the constant reminder of the price
she pays. “It is worth it,” she says, “he can beat me, and as long
as I am not dead, I will come to teach so others have a chance.”
Over and over again I ask, ‘what can we do?’ ‘How can we
help?’ The answer from continent to continent is the same. “It

www.fpco.org | 5

shelter work program. She is now one of our jewelry designers,
handling new designs and productions of the jewelry.
Xiao Liu was the wife of a Mafia boss and a brothel owner
herself. After two years of watching the women in the shelter
reach out to the beautiful women in her brothel, she became
curious and began going to the shelter herself. She has now
closed her brothel and released all of the women and is part of
our jewelry projects.
In Uganda, Mama Nagumbi is one of hundreds of grand-
mothers living in abject poverty who need to provide for their
orphaned grandchildren who lost their parents to AIDS. The
only opportunity for income is through an income generation
project creating recycled paper bead jewelry. Starting business-
es and expanding the market for these necklaces has created
hundreds of jobs for women that would have been considered
too old to work.
In India, Young Molle Khur, 15, grew up in northern In-
dia. Her father left her mother and her four sisters to fend for
themselves as he went to find a new wife who would provide a
son. The family was left in dire need and, with Molle’s mother
6 | www.fpco.org
depressed and bedridden, it was her job to try to help. She
went from place to place begging for a job. Her passion and
desire touched our hearts and she was able to be trained to begin
a business making jewelry. She is now employing her siblings
and caring for her family as well as employing other women in
similar situations.
US AID has proven that putting money in the hands of
women go to the betterment of society and the community as
a whole, which is another indication of a mother’s determina-
tion. I have found working with women in this way brings the
sustainable, empowering, change we long to provide.
This Mother’s Day, as we face the worst economic times in
the history of our country, I thought we should be reminded of
the blessings we have. Through their suffering and determina-
tion, I wanted you to hear the voice of many mothers and their
children as we celebrate a mother’s heart.
As I pray about how we determine our progress as a minis-
try, it seems to me it is through one mother at a time.
Bajalia Trading Company is a Mission Partner of First Presby-
terian Church of Orlando. To learn more about their work and
the women they help, stop by the Angel Wing Sunday morning,
May 10, Mother’s Day. To support Bajalia or purchase products
made by these mother-owned businesses, see www.Bajlia.com.
Debbie Farah is a first generation Palestinian-American. Both of
her parents were born in Ramallah, Palestine. A frequent inter-
national traveler she speaks Arabic and English and can get to
the bathroom in Dari, Hindi, and Mandarin. n
‘[It’s] a great
opportunity to
serve God’
New staff member John Watts gets down to business at FPCO.

C hurch Business Administrator John Watts, 46, may be “the

new guy” at FPCO, but he comes with a full heart, an open
mind, and an extensive resume that shows he’s been around
A: Washing-
ton, D.C. It is
the City on a
the block (more than just a few times, too). Graduating with an Hill. The Unit-

MBA from Belhaven College, he put his degree to practice as ed States was
founded on Christian principles by men who believed in God
operations manager for Kodak, overseeing a $40 million-plus
and came to this country for religious freedom and individual
budget and nearly 350 employees. But he’s not all business: He
liberty. I love the Lord and what this country was founded on.
plays a mean game of basketball and sees himself as the char-
I love history and leadership. In addition to being in the moun-
acter “Jim” from NBC’s “The Office.” Read on to find out what
tains or on the beach, it is my favorite place to hang out. I could
brought John to First Presbyterian, what he hopes to learn, and
stay there for weeks just absorbing all the history.
why he thinks ice cream should be its own food group.
Q: What’s your favorite song on your iPod (or CD player) right
Q: What made you choose to work at FPCO?
now?
A: The position of Church Business Administrator fits my skills
A: “Take You Back” by Jeremy Camp.
and gifts and is a great opportunity to serve God in a full-time
role at this stage in my career. Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve?
A: Leaving cabinet doors open and people driving slow in the
Q: What is your title at FPCO and what do your job responsi-
fast (left-hand) lane.
bilities include?
A: Direct/oversee operations, finance, HR, facilities, and sup- Q: What word do you use the most?

port. A: “Thanks.” It is important to be gracious and thankful.

Q: What are three things you couldn’t live without? Q: What was the most important lesson you learned on your

A: God, family, meaningful work. first day of work?

Q: If you were an answer on Jeopardy, what would the ques-
tion be?
A: A Christian leader who loves to discover where God is work-
A: It is an honor to serve God and First Presbyterian Church of
Orlando in this new job.
Q: What do you hope to learn in this position?

ing in business and the community. A: How to effectively serve God in this full-time leadership
role.
Q: What is your favorite cereal?
Q: What’s on your desk right now?
A: Frosted Mini-Wheats.
A: My planner, newspaper, notes from recent meetings, my 90-
Q: If you were a super hero, what would your power be?
day objectives.
A: Ability to instantly infuse common sense, constitutional
Q: If you held a record in the Guinness Book of World Records,
adherence, Biblical Worldview as our Founding Fathers pos-
what would it be for?
sessed, and a servant leadership mindset into every politician I
encountered. (I’m sure many of them would hide from me.) A: The most ice cream consumed over a lifetime!

Q: What place in the world best represents your personality Q: If there was a symbol that represented you—think Prince—

and why? what would it be?

A: The Nike swoosh. Just do it.

www.fpco.org | 7

I Like the
Rollercoaster
By Jenny Arrison, Director of After School Outreach Ministry
O ne of my favorite movie clips comes from Steve Martin’s
Parenthood in which his elderly grandmother tells of her
trip to the amusement park. She reminisces, “When I was 19,
Grandpa took me on a rollercoaster. Up, down, up down. Oh,
what a ride! I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just
so interesting to me how a ride could make me so frightened,
so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together. But,
some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That
just goes around… nothing. I like the rollercoaster. You get
more out of it.”
Life often feels like an amusement park. At times, we are
spectators of mysteries and wonders. Sometimes we are on
the Ferris wheel, on top of the world. And sometimes we feel
trapped on that merry-go-round. Very often we find ourselves
playing Whack-a-Mole, frantically hammering at life’s problems
which seem to pop up faster than we can we can smash them
down. When life got rough, my own grandmother often joked:
“Stop the world! I want to get off!” But, as overwhelming and
confusing as life may be, we do not have that option. Whether
we like it or not, life is not simply an amusement park; and we
often can’t choose which ride to take. Life is a rollercoaster.
We can choose to ride with our eyes squeezed shut and our fists
clenched tight; or with eyes and hearts wide open and hands in
the air, shouting, “Oh what a ride!”
What an honor it has been for me to serve here as the Di-
rector of the After School Outreach Ministry… and, oh, what
8 | www.fpco.org
a ride! The After School Outreach Ministry (ASOM) has been
through its share of ups and downs: transitions in leadership,
new school hours, and budget cuts. We said goodbye to two of
our beloved servants, Kathy French and Alice Meister, as they
made the trip home to be with our Lord. But, through it all,
we remain thankful for the one and only constant: Jesus. He
is the reason we serve. He is the reason we can offer hope to
inner city teens surrounded by hopelessness. He is the reason
we love.
So, what is this wild ride called ASOM? It is a ministry,
over 13 years in existence, which serves the youth of Orlando.
ASOM offers spiritual, educational, and social support to teens
and their families. ASOM activities include tutoring, mentor-
ing, college and career exploration, character building, and
coping skills. This year we have attended art museums, Magic
games, theaters, and jails. We have acted as judge and jury
with attorney, LaShawnda Jackson. We learned respect from
Dan Cross as he taught the fundamentals of basketball. But,
most of all, we are learning what it means to love. God’s love is
different from the world’s love. Love is not a feeling. Love is a
choice. God calls us to love when we don’t feel like it, when it
is difficult, when it feels unjustified. God calls us to overcome
evil with good and to love our enemies. God calls us to stand
apart from this world and, through Him, all things are possible.
So, get on board ‘cause it’s an AWESOME ride!
ASOM Student Testimonies:
“ASOM means to do what’s right and help people. ASOM
means to be a better person. But most important, ASOM means
to believe in God and that He forgives us for our sins.” –Bacari
Dozier
“ASOM has taught me a lot about God and showed me how
to get closer to God. I get closer to God by reading the Bible and
doing “popcorn” prayers. ASOM has helped me in school by
tutoring me in math and reading.” –Cristal Cooper
While I was in All Pro Fundamentals Basketball Camp I
learned that there’s more to respect than I thought. I learned
how to shoot balls in a hoop. I also learned how to keep rhythm
with the ladder exercise. What I liked about Dan Cross was that
he was nice and fun to work with. He taught us not to say, “I
can’t”. He’s also patient and kind-hearted.” –Elaine Wiggins
“I learned that you give respect to get it and I learned to
play basketball. I liked Mr. Dan Cross because he was pretty
cool and he taught me all of that.” –Nathan Robinson
 “I learned that even though people are in jail, that doesn’t
mean that they don’t want to learn about God. I expected it to be
mean people treating us how they were treated. It is important
to have a ministry in jail because if the people don’t share their
feelings they might hurt themselves or someone else.” –Bacari
Dozier
“I say thank you for my life. Thank you for my parents, for
my family and I have a small house. I prayed what you give me.
My mom my dad please Lord give them a better job. And I please
you a lot for giving us a better life. Thank you for what you are
going to do. Amen.” –anonymous
Fund Raising
News
By Barbara Hampden, After School Outreach
Ministry Volunteer
L ike all mission work, the After School Outreach Ministry
(ASOM) depends on the generous time, talent, and trea-
sure donations of individuals who have a heart to serve God
and the young adolescents at ASOM. Local artist Luke Andrews
is one such individual. Mr. Andrews, a
Florida native, was born in 1975. From his
earliest youth he was strongly inclined to-
ward the art to which he devotes himself.
He studied intently for years and received
an art degree from the University of South
Carolina. A sojourn through Italy further
inspired his creativity. He experimented
in different techniques, but presently acryl-
ics and colors on canvas are his preferred
form of expression. In addition to many
previous exhibits in Italian and foreign art
galleries and exhibitions, Mr. Andrews’
current work is featured in Melbourne in
the “Highway Girls Gallery” as well as an exhibition at “The
LoPressionism Gallery” that runs from April 18 through June
19, 2009. You can view some of his creative works on-line at
www.lukeandrewsart.com
When the City of Orlando hosted a “Paint the Town” art
exhibition, the ASOM children were invited to view the Mayor’s
Gallery. During that tour, Mr. Andrews had the opportunity to
meet several of our ASOM students.
“I am thankful for ASOM because I could be out there on
the streets like some kids, going to jail. I am grateful to have our
great leader of the whole program, Ms. Jenny. This thing couldn’t
run without the great mentors. These people, who take time off
their jobs to come help us kids, must care about us a whole lot
because they don’t get paid to do this. I am thankful for having
people that would like for us to succeed in life. Without ASOM I
might not know about GOD the way I do.” – Dwayne Wilson
Mr. Andrews noted that at that exhibition: “I had the
chance to speak to the kids and answer some questions about
art and my experience living in Italy. I was so impressed with
the children and understood the potential these bright young
minds possess. I’m grateful that through the ASOM program,
we as the body of the church have the opportunity to use our
gifts and blessings to reach out to those who can benefit from
them the most.”
Luke Andrews’ fondness for the ASOM program prompted
him to donate to the ASOM an original painting of First Pres-
byterian’s own Reformation Chapel as well as the Clayton Life
Center. This image was an outgrowth
of Mr. Andrew’s entries in the Paint the
Town 2007 exhibition at Orlando City
Hall. The Reformation Chapel paint-
ing will be on display Sundays during
May. Mr. Andrews also has allowed
ASOM to use the paintings’ images to
create beautiful note cards, which will
be sold in boxes of 10 for $15 to sup-
port ASOM. In the future, ASOM plans
to auction or raffle the painting itself to
raise funds to support the ASOM mis-
sion.
Your purchase of the Reformation Chapel note cards is
greatly appreciated and will be directly applied toward the op-
erating budget for ASOM. You may request the note cards by
contacting Jenny Arrison, ASOM Director, at Jarrison@fpco.org.
ASOM warmly thanks Luke Andrews for his generous sup-
port and Nancy Kirk, ASOM team leader, whose unflagging de-
votion to the children of ASOM made this creative fund raising
idea a reality!
www.fpco.org | 9
 By Ritsy Carpenter, Member
Serving God:
A Family Tradition
N inety-year-old Harold Stuart is a
creature of habit. At 6am every
day, he wakes up, sits in his favorite
chair and reads the Bible. Afterward,
he prepares coffee and breakfast for his
son Scott, 57, with whom he moved in
after his wife Rebecca passed away in
2006. He ends each day the same way
he began it: By spending some quality
alone time with God, in Bible study and
in prayer. And, if it’s Sunday morning,
rest-assured he’s at FPCO for the Genesis
service and Sunday school class with
Scott and, when he’s in town, his grand-
10 | www.fpco.org
The Stuart family learns to
live the Word through their
grandfather’s example.
son, Scott. Harold’s kind demeanor is
just as consistent as his schedule. Born
in San Antonio, he’s every bit the South-
ern gentlemen: Well-mannered, soft-
spoken and a man of few words. That’s
because Harold speaks the same way he
lives … with intentionality and purpose.
And that purpose is to serve God and to
serve others.
“It’s so unusual to see someone live
and breathe the word,” Scott says of his
dad. A father of three, Harold’s other two
sons, Ken and Drade, live out-of-state,
but are also believers and followers of
By Kristin Davis, Staff Writer
the Word. Harold’s grandson, Scott, also
lives a faith-led life. He was an FPCO sup-
ported missionary with Campus Crusade
at Florida State University and is now
studying at seminary to become a pastor
in the PCUSA. He grew up at FPCO and
often attends Genesis with his wife. His
father’s and grandfather’s examples have
helped guide him in the right direction
in his faith walk. Harold says his own
faith became strengthened by his mar-
riage to Rebecca, and further developed
when they began attending FPCO togeth-
er in 1983. Over the years, he’s served as
a Sunday school teacher and a deacon for
two terms, visiting other members in the
hospital and offering them an encourag-
ing word or prayer. “I got more intense
with my relations with the Lord when I
came here,” he says. “I kind of woke up.”
Although he attended Sunday school
regularly as a child, his relationship with
God grew distant as a young adult. “It was
kind of a hit and miss [in] grade school, ju-
nior high, high school, [and] college,” he
says of his commitment to Christ. “Look-
ing back I realized He was watching over
me, but I wasn’t walking with Him.” He
served as a pilot in the Air Force for more
“Every
opportunity
you have to
help somebody,
do it.”
than 12 years and, although he wasn’t a
follower at the time, he began to get an
undeniable feeling that God was looking
after him.
One such instance was in 1941, just
days after Pearl Harbor. He was sent on a
mission with the Air Force to China, when
they were alerted that a flight of enemy
aircrafts were headed their way. They
took off to intercept them. “Shortly after
takeoff, I could see the enemy aircraft, but
then a very odd thing happened. My vi-
sion was fading; I could not see. I hadn’t
put my oxygen mask on. Something told
me to dive. When I reached the lower alti-
tude, my vision restored. By that time, my
flight was gone and the enemy was gone.”
Harold felt certain that God had guided
him to safety.
He’s also certain that it was more than
coincidence that crossed Rebecca’s path
with his during his time in the service.
She was living in Tennessee when she ap-
plied to a job opening as a hostess over-
seas to serve the troops. She was hired for
the position in Korea, where Harold hap-
pened to be stationed as a Post Exchange
(PX) Officer. Rebecca worked in a service
club for enlisted men there and would
serve them coffee and doughnuts and lead
games of bingo. “One day, she came over
and asked if she could buy prizes for the
club, and I’ve forgotten what my reaction
was, but apparently I turned her down,”
he says. “And she went back to her boss
and said, ‘If we get anything from that PX
officer, you’ll have to do it.’ The next day,
I realized I made a mistake and I asked
her out to lunch. That’s where we met,
dated and got married. I guess I just fell
for her.”
Harold’s love for his wife only grew
with time and age. Scott says he’s never
seen a more devoted husband than his
dad. Just as he does for Scott now, Harold
would brew coffee and cook breakfast for
Rebecca every morning. “He waited on her
hand and foot,” Scott says. “She would
rattle her cup and that meant she wanted
more. At dinner, she would do the same
for him.” When Rebecca suffered from a
long list of health problems, including
heart disease and dimensia, Harold stood
by her side every step of the way. For four
years, he went with her to doctor’s offices,
hospitals, rehabilitation centers and emer-
gency rooms. Although it tore him apart to
watch her suffer, Harold trusted that God
was there with them and he called on Him
often during those hard times. “Oh did I
pray,” he says. “That I did.”
When Scott thinks about his mom
and dad’s relationship, there is one mem-
ory that stands out above the rest, and still
warms his heart. “When mom had mul-
tiple strokes and her mouth and face was
distorted, he would distort his face just to
kiss her,” he says. “That’s the kind of guy
he is.” Losing the person he’s shared his
life with has not been easy, Harold says,
but he’s determined to look at the bright
side. “I feel now that she’s much better
off,” he says. “No more doctors, no more
rehab, no more medicine.”
He says that the Stephen’s Ministry
at FPCO helped show him that, although
his wife had passed away, he still had a
purpose to fulfill here. “They sent me a
grief book that says you have two options:
You can sit there and grieve or you can
get up and do something. That’s what I
decided to do. The Lord didn’t promise
us all peaches and cream,” he says. “[The]
Stephen Ministry came out a couple times
to visit. That helped, to know that some-
body cares. They’d come out and they’d
pray with me.”
Since then, Harold has become a vol-
unteer with the Meals On Wheels pro-
gram, providing meal services to those
in need. “I hope I’m a good model for
others,” he says. “I hope what I do and
what I say and any impression I give is
a good one for other people.” He’s had to
overcome challenges of his own, such as
battling and winning a fight against Leu-
kemia. He still faces skin cancer scares,
but he doesn’t let that slow him down.
“When he had cancer cut off of him, he
never said, ‘I served you for all these years
[God], why me?’” Scott says. “[His reac-
tion was,] ‘Thank you Lord for another
day of living.’” And with his children,
grandchildren and FPCO family by his
side, Harold has more than a few reasons
to feel blessed. He takes great pride in his
family and hopes they will carry on the
tradition most important to him: “Every
opportunity you have to help somebody,
do it.”
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 Happy Ending:
A Tribute to Twenty-Four Very Special Seniors
By Ritsy Carpenter, Member
I n 1979 I embarked on a new adventure and what an adven-
ture it has been. At age 24, I began to lead my first high
school small group. I had no clue what I was doing, but God
did. Little did I know then that long after being young, cool
and hip and now into my grandmother years, that God would
still be growing me and giving me some of my most rewarding
times through involvement with high school students. In the
past 30 years, I have been so blessed and spiritually challenged
by sharing friendship in Christ with our (God’s) precious young
people. I continue to enjoy and learn from those who once were
students of our FPCO Student Ministry, some of whom are now
in their 40s.
Through the years, though, I will have to say there is one
incredible group that stands out. That is the 24 senior girls who
are currently a part of the Happy Ending weekly small group
12
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which has been meeting on Sunday nights. (Their name came
from an Eagle Rock “God Moment”).
Happy Ending has had four years of striving to know God
more, feeling one another’s joy and hurts, sharing our weekly
journeys, being accountable to one another, embracing friend-
ship, growing in amazing and surprising ways, appreciating
family, mending relationships, seeking to walk more like Christ,
experiencing God’s new places . . . emotionally, physically and
spiritually, loving God’s people and all along the way . . . God
has been so good!
From our trips to the beach, chasing full moons and sunsets,
boat tours on the lake, adventures in the woods, Eagle Rock,
FITS, to studying the Parables, Significant Spiritual Friendship,
the Fruits of the Spirit, Spiritual Gifts, experiencing D-Now,
UF’s Crusade meetings, prayer, various mission work, and host-
ing senior seminar - it has all been such joy! There has been a
memory behind every moment, and a God Story behind every
memory!
Even more powerful than all the memories, the growth, the
fun in Christ, is the unconditional love and servant hearts that
these 24 young ladies have had for one another and those around
them. If any of us older students in Christ want to learn how
to love more or need an extra dose of love ourselves, just come
hang out with Happy Ending for three hours.
“We love because he first loved us.”
I John 4:19
At the beginning of this year, co-leader, Anna Cowan, and I
suggested we split into two groups of 12. The girls decided to
stay as one because they recognized that God’s love had no lim-
its. They knew of God’s all encompassing love. These 24 young
ladies have discovered there is boundless freedom in loving oth-
ers as Christ first loved us.
As these very uniquely created and specially gifted 24 dis-
ciples step out of high school onto their next adventure that
God has for them, know that as a church family our investment
in them will multiply a trillion times over because the love of
Christ has been poured into them and will continue to flow out
of them.
Relationships don’t happen over night. Investments are for
the long haul. It has taken this one small group four years to get
here, but now that we’re here at what appears to be the end of a
season, it is really only the beginning of one eternal continuous
HAPPY ENDING!
Here are some favorites from the Happy Ending girls…
“There are so many wonderful experiences I have had with
my wonderful small group!! We have all grown so close with
each other and with God. They have held me accountable and
have given me strength to stand up for my love for God. Having
a Godly place to go every Sunday night where friends encour-
age your love for God has been what i needed to start off every
week with God on my heart. I wouldn’t be where I am today if
it weren’t for the girls and Mrs. Ritsy and Anna! I love them so
much!!” - Sarah Hepner
“Something that I strongly value about our small group is
how I always know I have those girls to come to and really be
able to open up with and dig deeper into who God is and the re-
lationship we can have with Him. Our group is a place of peace
and relaxation and we are always having fun and being chal-
lenged in our faith. One of my distinct memories I have from
our small group is when Ritsy took us to the beach condo in
ninth grade. It was a mixture of girls that weren’t really friends
at the time and we weren’t totally comfortable with each other.
On the trip, God worked in our friendships the whole time! We
all bonded like we never had before and ended up staying up the
whole night to watch the sunrise. As the night went by, our con-
versations got deeper and deeper. We found more in ourselves,
each other and God. That night will bring eternal glory to God.
The memories like this go on and on and i know more are to be
made.” - Olivia Shirek
“There have been many special moments in our small group
but two stand out to me. I really liked it when Bryant Carpenter
came to talk to us because he opened my eyes to the “boy mind”.
I realized all the mistakes i was doing in my relationships with
my guy friends. It just revealed a whole other realm that I hadn’t
even known existed. Being able to put our random (and some
embarrassing) questions in a basket and to get honest answers
from a Godly guy was so helpful. Also, watching the Beth Moore
Esther video about our mean world and specifically, mean girls,
was very good because mean girls are something i deal with ev-
eryday. I never actually thought about what they were feeling or
how to handle the situation peacefully. It also helped me control
my own inner mean girl from flaring up. I have better control
over the ugly side of my personality or the things that trigger it.”
- Laura Uncapher
“Being a part of Happy Ending has been such a blessing.
One of our favorite times was going to University of Florida’s
Campus Crusade weekly meeting with Peter Tebow. Being there
with 800 other students gave us hope that we will find other be-
lievers at college. As a group, we all became closer to each other
on our trip to Gainesville. And we had lots of fun doing it es-
pecially when one of us accidently spit on Peter at the Steak n’
Shake).” - Laura Beth Guglielmi and Callie Jewett
“This small group has been so welcoming to me. I am not
even a member of this church. My favorite memory from Happy
Ending would be getting together every Sunday night to spend
time with each other, studying and growing closer to the Lord. I
have loved having friendships with all these incredible girls and
being able to strengthen my relationship with the Lord at the
same time. I have been so blessed to be a member of this group
that has been inclusive to everyone.” - Annie Stephens
“I was invited to Happy Ending half way through my senior
year. Most of the girls knew each other since 9th grade, I knew
only one or two girls. So i would have to say my favorite memory
from Happy Ending was being so immediately loved and wel-
comed into the group by Ritsy and the rest of the group. It is such
a special group of people and i am so thankful to be a part of
it.” - Katie Dunham
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“My favorite memory of Happy Ending is hard to pick be-
cause every week is amazing but I would have to say it would
be trying to find apple pies somewhere between Gainesville and
Orlando after we went to hear Joe White from Kamp Kanakuk
speak in the O’Connell Center with 9,000 other students. This
group has been an oasis at the end of the week that I always look
forward to.” - Amy Morgan Mycoff
“Having a small group has given me a place where I fell
loved and safe from judgment. I know everyone is there to sup-
port each other and they will help me through any problems. The
confidentiality and accountability is incredible. And although I
was not able to make many gatherings this year, I am still greeted
with warmth and love every time I see one of the girls. I have a
group of people who I can always turn to and who share in my
beliefs. We treat each other as a family. Small group has made a
big impact on my life for the short time I have been involved, and
I don’t know where I would be without them. It has taught me
not to let the stresses of high school get to me, to give it all to God
because He has a plan for each of us.” - Chelsea Schonhoff
“One of my favorite memories was when the “Happy End-
ing” title originated our junior year. We would ride up and down
the hill in Ritsy’s big car to our group meetings at the Eagle Rock
lodge. On those many trips, we would listen loudly to the “Hap-
py Ending” song. At first, no one had heard the song but by the
end of our time at Eagle Rock, all of us could loudly sing every
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word and we did every time!!”- Tiffany Kitts
“It is really so cool to see and be a part of God bringing
together all of us girls from different schools for fellowship, fun
and growing in Christ.” - Anna Reiman
“My favorite memory from Happy Ending was the trip to
Gainesville, it was so great to get to connect with a smaller group
of girls on a whole different level. We had so much fun experi-
encing a college atmosphere full of people who love the Lord.”
- Katie Richardson
“My best Happy Ending memory was driving through the
mountains at Eagle Rock listening to Happy Ending and singing
at the top of our lungs, and watching the sunsets every night with
each other. Growing, uninhibited, with each other in Christ has
been an unforgettable experience I will always hold dear.” - Alex
McClelland
“I haven’t been in the group since 9th grade, but you prob-
ably couldn’t tell. This group of girls has been so cool and ac-
cepting that I look forward to our Happy Ending dinner every
Sunday. Not only have I grown in my relationship with Christ
through their fellowship but i have also made friendships that
will last.” - Lacey Harris
 Heart of the
City Foundation
Celebrates
its Scholars
By Amy Bishop, Heart of the City Foundation

Heart of the City Foundation manages for are embarking on a new and exciting
its scholars. After each student’s respec- phase of their lives. It is a day to honor
tive school receives the scholarship funds the work they have put into their past
from the foundation, the students are education and to celebrate the leadership

E very year, the Heart of the City Foun-

dation (HOCF) honors its scholar-
ship recipients on Scholarship Sunday,
contacted on a consistent basis through
email, mail and gatherings with the pur-
they have shown in the church, their
schools, and community. It is also a time
pose of tying spiritual support to the fi- to encourage and pray for these students
which will be held on May 17 this year.
nancial support of the scholarship. Last as they develop into our next generation
The scholars, families of the scholars,
year, the students received
donors, and board members will gather
in King Parlor prior to the 11am service
letters from several pastors
“Go into the world
including Dr. David Swan-
for a time of celebration and fellowship.
son and Dr. Keith Wright and and do well, but more
To date, HOCF has awarded over $1
million in scholarships to a diverse group
the book The Reason for God importantly, go into
of recipients. Scholarships are available
by Tim Keller. They also re-
ceived birthday cards and
the world and do
for infants at the Infant Childcare Center,
participated in a luncheon at good.” – Minor Meyers, Jr.
children at the Weekday School and stu-
Rossi’s Pizza over Christmas
dents at The Christ School. HOCF also
break where guest speaker, Chris King, of leaders.
awards several seminary scholarships an-
spoke on how to use the challenges that “Go into the world and do well, but
nually and has supported several pastors
college presents as a way to strengthen more importantly, go into the world and
and staff members of the church includ-
your faith and trust in the Lord. do good.” – Minor Meyers, Jr.
ing Dr. Rebecca Bedell, Browning Wood,
Greg Carlson, one of the 2008 Miller If you are interested in giving to
and Rev. Case Thorp. But the majority
Scholarship recipients, has learned the HOCF’s current scholarship funds, es-
of scholarships are typically awarded to
importance of giving back at an early tablishing a new scholarship fund, or
undergraduate students attending vari-
age. discussing ways to become involved in
ous colleges and universities through out
“Your generosity has inspired me to the scholarship program, please con-
the country.
help others to give back to the commu- tact Amy Bishop at abishop@fpco.org or
Because many of HOCF’s scholars are
nity. I hope one day I will be able to help 407.423.3441 x1484.
graduating [high school] seniors, Schol-
students achieve their goals just as you
arship Sunday has traditionally become
have.”
a time to honor the foundation’s annual
Scholarship Sunday is a day to rec-
scholarship recipients. This day is just
ognize and celebrate our students who
the beginning of a year long program that

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 The Women’s Ministry Council
Remains “Amazed” at Current
Bible Study Selection
L ast year when the Women’s Ministry Council diligently
reviewed Bible study offerings, we would have no idea
how God was leading us to a series, The Amazing Collection,
that would permit our women to begin the awesome journey
of studying the Bible, book by book. We have to be honest, the
thought of studying the Bible, book by book, can and is intimi-
dating. But, somehow God placed on each heart a promise and
a reason to offer this study, so the Council held strong to His
nudging, praying over and committing to completing it from
Genesis to Revelation.
This study permits us to see clearly the plans, promises,
and provisions of God played out against the backdrop of his-
tory. Now fully engaged in the study and no turning back, we
have caught the vision of the themes which weave their way
from Genesis to Revelation; and everyone has appreciated the
fact that the material is presented in an easily digestible and
retainable format.
We have found the workbook and DVD’s to be richly filled
with inspiring stories, focused teaching, memorable quotes,
helpful charts, maps, and outlines complete with memory vers-
es; all of which are strongly building up our knowledge of the
Lord, wooing us into a more intimate relationship with Him,
and enabling us to apply the lessons learned to the rhythms of
16 | www.fpco.org
our own lives.
The feedback from our women has been joyfully positive
because we persistently pursue Him through His Word, “He will
teach us His ways so we may walk in His paths.” Micah 4:2
Last fall, three hundred women enjoyed The Pentateuch
and many remain committed to the current study and small
group with whichthey started. Women are continuing to grow
in the Word and are engaged in spiritual development with a
group of friends on the same journey. Isn’t that just like God to
give us travel partners through His Word! At the end of April
we completed a portion of the Old Testament, the first twelve
books to be exact. If you did not or could not participate in
these first two study installments, it’s not too late to join in!
That’s another thing we loved about this study! Your workbook
only contains a few books to study at a time, allowing for study
breaks – opportunities to go back and complete reading or re-
view the material.
We are currently planning a study break for the summer
months and will offer another option beginning in June. How-
ever, if you want to join in on our amazing journey through
the Bible and begin with the Post-Exilic Books, 1 Chronicles
through Esther, we’ll begin again this fall in September. Stay
tuned!
Women’s Ministry Summer
Bible Study Options
By Lori Needham, Prayer and Spiritual Formation Ministry

“…for such a time as this.” There is always a time to be engaged June 4 from 9:30 – 11am, and will also gather on the third floor
in His Holy Word…the Word that contains treasures to aid us in in Edington Ministry Center. This series concludes on August
our hurried, harried, and pressured lives. 14.

Because the season of summer instills in us a time to relax,
slow down, and enjoy lazy days, that doesn’t necessarily hap-
pen. For many of us, we must take the initiative to schedule our
days to enjoy the slower times we dream about. Sometimes we
are successful at it, most of the time we are not!
Every ‘season’ is a great time to gather for fellowship, share
our life experiences with one another, pray for one an-
other, and learn through God’s Word that he has a per-
fect plan for our life and desires fellowship with us.
Register now at www.fpco.org/register or pick up a registra-
tion form in the lobby of the Edington Ministry Center. Regis-
tration concludes on May 26. The cost of the study is $20 and
includes your study guide.
For additional details contact Lori Needham at 407.423.3441
x1463 or email lneedham@fpco.org.

Join us this summer for two offerings of Beth

Moore’s latest Bible study, Esther: It’s Tough Being a
Woman, where Beth will peel back the layers of his-
tory to show us a very contemporary and applicable
story of Esther. This book of the Bible demonstrates
God’s sovereignty and His loving care for His people.
It also contains drama, power, romance, and intrigue –
the things we look for in a summer best selling novel!
However, this book is so much more. It reveals strong
character, faith, integrity, and a God-given opportunity
that was seized in a courageous act that made a differ-
ence to a nation.

Are you slowing down to hear if God is preparing

you to act in “such a time as this?”

Beginning June 1, Monday evening sessions will

gather from 6:30-8:30pm on the third floor in Eding-
ton Ministry Center to begin this ten-week journey
through the book of Esther. We do not meet the week
of July 6 and will conclude our summer time together
on August 10. A Thursday morning offering begins

www.fpco.org | 17
 Why Attend

S ome parents might be asking this question: Why is music

important to my child? All children are musical. They have
By Stephanie Mixner, Worship Arts Ministry
?
music long enough to build a foundation of musical knowledge,
they will begin to make their own music. MusikGarten is a great
an innate and uninhibited musical sense that they act on when- tool for children to explore and develop those musical abilities.
ever they hear music. If children are exposed and experience As children, they’re not expected to sing an aria or play a sym-

18 | www.fpco.org
phony. It is assumed they will simply act upon their musical in-
stinct and learn from their experiences. Their learning is mostly
through you, their parent, not through the teacher, which is why
it is so important for you to experience music class with them!
Below are examples of the benefits of enrolling your child into
a MusikGarten class. The following information is directly from
the MusikGarten website: www.musikgarten.com.
Experience – Our founders have been involved in early child-
hood music education since before it was recognized. Dr. Lorna
Lutz Heyge has been developing early childhood music curri-
cula for 30 years, while Audrey Sillick has been training early
childhood educators for 40 years.
Reputation – Musikgarten has an impeccable track record. Our
teacher educators and Musikgarten staff are known for their
integrity and professionalism. Our founders, authors and teacher
trainers can be heard speaking at MENC, MTNA, Orff and Suzuki
conferences across the globe.
Training – The early childhood music professionals who teach in
our workshops are authorities on children and early childhood
music education. Our trainers have an easy-going style that
blends lecture with hands-on activities. Our training is a real-
life experience, not a videotape or online degree. Because of the
quality of our training, parents and children will recognize you
for the high quality of your classes.
Aural Emphasis – We emphasize active, thoughtful participation,
not entertainment. We emphasize movement, not visual
stimulation. Musikgarten is unique in these respects. Research
documents that kids today are over-stimulated visually and need
purposeful movement and music training now more than ever.
Comprehensive Pedagogy – The Musikgarten program is the
most pedagogically sound available, covering children birth
to age nine – a complete bridge from early childhood to piano
lessons. Our curricula are uniquely effective because we have
designed learning sequences that repeat and build patterns to
continually reinforce and stimulate our students. Students will
enjoy their lessons more and you will be able to retain them for
up to nine years. This continuity is as valuable to you as it is to
the child.
Level A Tuesday 11:00am AYH 211
(Birth -14 mos)
Level B1 Wednesday 11:00am AYH 211
(15 – 23 mos)
Level B2 Tuesday 10:00am AYH 211
(2 – 3 ½ yrs)
Level C Wednesday 6:30pm AYH 211
(3 ½ - 5 years)
Family Class Wednesday 10:00am AYH 211
(siblings/mixed ages)
Please note age ranges have been changed… for the last time!
*** In order for these classes to make, we must have no less than
8 children registered.
We sing, play instruments, move, and listen to music. Come
and continue your child’s musical growth during the summer as
we transition into the Fall! Invite your friends to join you for
this wonderful opportunity for you and your child! For class
descriptions as well as other information about our program,
visit our website www.fpco.org/childrensmusic. If you have
further questions, contact Stephanie Mixner at 407.423.3441
x1186 or smixner@fpco.org.
Online Registration: May 18 – June 13
Classes: June 9 – July 28
Fee: $50 per child (includes CD, music
book, and instrument or prop)
www.fpco.org | 19
By Rev. Sam Knight, Associate Pastor of Congregational Life
I n his book, My Utmost For His High-
est, Oswald Chambers speaks of the
Christian life in a realistic way. My in-
terest was captured while preparing for
a sermon series I preached through in
the church I previously served in Texas,
“The Road of Life.”
When we become Christians, we
feel such an emotional high; we begin
to believe that everything is going to go
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smoothly from now on. Reality quickly
sinks in when life continues and the tri-
als resume. We cry out to God to rescue
us from adversity. Hear what Chambers
says about this issue. “The typical view
of the Christian life is that it means being
delivered from all adversity. But it actu-
ally means being delivered in adversity,
which is something very different.” He
goes on to state, “if you are a child of
God, you will certainly encounter adver-
sities, but Jesus says you should not be
surprised when they come.“In the world
you will have tribulation; but be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John
16:33) He is saying, “There is nothing
for you to fear.” The same people who
refused to talk about their adversities be-
fore they were saved often complain and
worry after being born again, because
they have the wrong idea of what it means
to live the life of a saint. God does not give
us overcoming life—He gives us life as we
overcome.”
Growing up in the home of a minister
in Wales, there were many occasions that
life’s adversities seemed to be unfair. Our
family had little money, we lived in the
church’s manse, I did not get the toys my
friends had, and we struggled sometimes
even for groceries when repairs on the
car became too expensive. It was, how-
ever, in those moments of trial that I saw
God’s hand at work and our family’s faith
strengthened. Throughout my life and
ministry, many other struggles have been
present (“real life” is also experienced by
a pastor and their family). Chambers be-
lieves this to be an important aspect of the
Christian faith. He writes; “The strain of
life is what builds our strength. If there is
no strain, there will be no strength. Are
you asking God to give you life, liberty,
and joy? He cannot, unless you are will-
ing to accept the strain. And once you face
the strain, you will immediately get the
strength. God never gives us strength for
tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only
for the strain of the moment.”
While we journey together through
life with all its adversity and celebration,
I urge you to pray for one another. Paul
reminds us to endure and remain united
in Romans 15:5-6 “May the God who gives
endurance and encouragement give you
a spirit of unity among yourselves as you
follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart
and mouth you may glorify the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
First Presbyterian Church of Orlando
offers various support groups where you
will find people who understand your ad-
versity because it is their own. You will
find a place where people are willing
to pray with you and for you, a place of
sanctuary and safety, a place where your
emotions can be ventilated and will be
validated, and a place where the word of
God will be shared as a source of hope
and strength.
Those groups include:
Men on Masculinity
A group of men gather to share ques-
tions and answers to questions such as;
where does my significance come from?
Do I have what it takes to be a real man
of God? Questions of freedom and self
reliance often get asked and men don’t
comprehend that freedom is an incremen-
tal process that happens inside relation-
ships with Jesus and others. Men usually
want a quick fix, a solution that does not
feel too risky, and one I can do without
anyone’s help. This explains why there
are many places in our lives where men
get stuck. In order to work through their
“stuff,” this group is learning to venture
outside of their comfort zone to find the
strength and courage God created men
for. It is a difficult journey, but one full of
goodness and healing.
Divorce Care/Divorce Care for Kids
The divorce recovery ministry pro-
vides a structured support program to
help you and your children learn to cope
with the changes taking place in your
life and heal the hurt caused by divorce
and separation. Divorce Care is a weekly
support group and seminar conducted by
people who understand what you are ex-
periencing. You will find encouragement
and wise counsel as you seek healing and
balance in your own life.
Women’s Cancer
A comforting place for women to
come and share, compare notes, and get
the information and help that they need
while dealing with cancer. Each meet-
ing is planned to educate and encourage
women of all ages and stages of cancer.
Speakers are brought in from the church
and community to share their knowledge
and experience. The group offers a safe
place to honor your courage, give love
and support, and share your journey with
hope, healing, and God’s power.
Walking the Mourner’s Path
Walking the Mourner’s Path is a
Christ-centered, eight week, non-denom-
inational grief program. The classes will
consist of a series of lessons built on the
stages of grieving from denial to accep-
tance. A member of the clergy is pres-
ent at all sessions, which are led by two
trained bereavement facilitators.
The purpose of the support group and
program is to transform grief into joyful
living. Walking the Mourner’s Path offers
the outstretched hand of Christ, inviting
those who have felt the intensity of grief
to come into our Lord’s loving presence
and experience the abundance of His ten-
der mercies.
Infertility Support
The group seeks to provide a place
where others can hear stories of hope and
encouragement, receive relevant informa-
tion and resources on infertility and adop-
tion, and most importantly be surrounded
by a body of Christians to listen and sup-
port them as they wrestle with this all too
common problem.
Other support and care ministries
include Stephen Ministry, TeleCare, Dea-
con Bereavement Care and the Interces-
sory Prayer Team. Check our webpage for
further details, meetings times and loca-
tions.
www.fpco.org
www.fpco.org ||21
21
22 | www.fpco.org
News & Notices
Congratulations to:
Christine and John McCully, on the birth of their daughter,
Emma Anne McCully, born March 8, 2009.
Anna Maria Rico and Brandon Thomas Reinert, married on
March 28, 2009 in the Sanctuary. Brandon is the son of Ms.
Debbie Thomas.
Mandy and Wally Klee II on the birth of their son, Noah Wil-
liam Klee, on March 30, 2009. The proud grandparents are
Linda and Wally Klee.
Sympathy to:
The friends and family of Frances Graves, who died February
1, 2009.
Aubrey and Wilbur Sikes on the death of her sister, Maxine
Graff, on March 2, 2009.
Linda Williams on the death of her husband, Robert “Bob”
Williams on March 15, 2009.
Kim and Mike Rhodes on the death of her father, Charley Pitt-
man, on March 14, 2009. Mr Pittman was the grandfather of
Brad, Heidi and Austin Rhodes.
Claude Wolfe on the death of his daughter, Allison Wolfe Best,
on March 15, 2009.
Jon Batman on the death of his wife, Linda Batman, on March
17, 2009.
Marjorie Gilbert on the death of her husband, Lawrence Gil-
bert, on March 18, 2009.
The family and friends of Frances McGehee who died March
23, 2009.
Jane Meister on the death of her mother, Alice Meister, on
March 30, 2009. Mrs. Meister was the sister of Carolyn Tavel.
Anne Banta on the death of her brother-in-law, Bobby Rainey,
on March 31, 2009.
Scott Milke on the death of his grandmother, Margaret Baggett
on April 1, 2009.
Patricia Bean on the death of her father, Marvin Nelson, on
April 3, 2009.
The family and friends of Currie Melvin, who died April 3,
2009.
Barbara Francis on the death of her mother, Alva Persike, on
March 20, 2009.
Attend A Fresh Encounter with God on Wednesdays
Please join our weekly Wednesday Prayer Services in Lee
Fellowship Hall at 6:30pm for another opportunity to seek
the Lord. The topics will be as follows:
May 6 – “The Invisible Jesus” Matthew 25:31-46
Ministry Focus: The Mercy Corridor Initiative: Jobs
Partnership, Jail and Prison Ministry, HIV/Aids Ministry
May 13 – “Restoring the Broken in Our Jerusalem” (Nehe-
miah 1:3-4)
Ministry Focus: ASOM (After School Outreach Minis
try), Compassion Corner, The Homeless Services Center,
and ICCC(Infant Child Care Center)
May 20 – “A Light to all Nations” (Luke 2:27-32)
Ministry Focus: Global Mission Teams (Sub-Sahara Af
rica, Latin America, Muslim World, Central Europe) and
Mission Partners. We will be joined with some of our
Mission Partners via Skype, and will have specific prayer
requests for our partners around the World.
Parent Connect Meeting to be Held on May 10
All Student Ministry and 5th grade parents are invited to
join us for a parent meeting to fill you in on what’s up in the
Student Ministry. You’ll learn about summer and fall trips,
events, and what the Student Ministry is all about! There will
be a time focused on new incoming 6th grade parents, intro-
ductions to our staff and a discussion on how to best get your
kids plugged in. We’d love to have you join us on May 10,
2009 at 9:45am, during the Sunday School hour. We’ll meet
in the Warehouse located on the 3rd floor of Allen Hall. We
look forward to sharing with you!
March ’09 Giving Snapshot
General Contributions Budgeted Surplus/
Operating (Deficit)
March Gifts $ 649,665 $ 577,415 $72,249
Fiscal Year-
to-date Gifts $5,356,996 $5,719,272 $(362,276)
Line of Credit $0
Immeasurably More Outstanding Balance $4,724,649
IM March Gifts $122,342
IM Fiscal Year-to-date Gifts $1,502,437
(net of 10% tithe to Missions)
Contact Finance for a full revenue & expense summary.
www.fpco.org | 23
 First Presbyterian Church of Orlando PERIODICALS RATE
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Orlando, Florida 32801 POSTMASTER: Time Sensitive Material

407.423.3441 | www.fpco.org Please Deliver by May 1, 2009

Traditional Services: Sundays, 8:30 &

11 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Genesis Services: Sunday, 8:30 &
11 a.m. in Lee Fellowship Hall

Fun and Adventure Awaits You

at Vacation Bible School
By Susie Dunlap, Children’s Ministry
Calling all children: come spend the week with us at Vacation Bible School: July 13-17, from 9am–12pm. An experience they’ll
Bible School (to be eligible, students must be 4 years old by July 1, never forget!
2009 through completed 3rd grade in the spring of 2009). “Little
Carol” and “Sammy the School Boy” will lead off the morning Make an investment in the lives of Children through Vacation
with hilarious skits. We will be making our own t-shirts and learn- Bible School. Teachers and teacher helpers needed. Our planning
ing some “rock-in” new songs and games, making new friends and team is still looking for someone willing to work with the crafts. “I
just having fun. Did you know that you can catch a goldfish with pray that you may be active in sharing your faith” Philemon 1:6
a gummy worm and a pretzel? Come to Vacation Bible School and
find out how. Nursery is available for teachers younger children.
Children will build lasting friendship as they discover that
their true identities are not formed by where they go, or what they The Recreation Ministry Department will be offering a Basket-
can do, or what others think. Like the Apostle Peter, they’ll ex- ball camp in the afternoon after Vacation Bible School if you are
plore who they are in Jesus Christ – the most important relation- interested please contact Alice Fortunato at 407.432.3441 x2347.
ship of all. Because of His love for us, He is the rock upon which
we build our lives! As they watch Jesus call Peter away from his
fishing nets, they’ll discover what it means to be accepted by Je-
sus. Later, when Jesus invites Peter to step out of the safety of a
boat and onto a churning sea, they’ll discover what it means to be
protected by Jesus. As they witness Peter’s confession of Jesus as
the Messiah, they’ll learn how to be saved by Jesus. From Peter’s
shocking denial and Jesus’ redemptive forgiveness, they’ll know
that no sin is too large to be forgiven by Jesus. Finally, as they
discover how Peter’s faith in Jesus made a lame man walk, they’ll
know the power of living for Jesus.
This summer, send your kids to SonRock Kids Camp Vacation