First Presbyterian Church of Orlando April 2010

Seeking. Sharing. Serving...All to the Glory of God

It Is Finished!
ON THE WAY
WITH DR. DAVID D. SWANSON
“I ran straight through the boundaries that a married
couple should live by.”
- Tiger Woods
Y es, I hate to admit it, but I watched the Tiger Woods news
conference last February. Along with what seemed like
the rest of the world, I watched this very public figure admit
to and apologize for behavior that had threatened both his
career and his family. Afterward, there was much speculation
in the media about his sincerity or lack thereof, the absence
of a wedding ring on his left hand, the absence of his wife
at the news conference, and his unwillingness to take ques-
tions. It was amazing how every sentence got analyzed, at
least most of them.
The sentence that seemed to draw little attention is the one
that stuck with me the most. It was the sentence reprinted
above about the “boundaries” in marriage. I thought it was
interesting; given the manner in which our culture has come
to view “boundaries.” Here was Tiger Woods, an avowed
Buddhist, talking about boundaries. From what he said, it
would seem that he was referring to generally accepted cul-
tural standards for how people are to behave when married.
Apparently, one of those standards includes sexual fidelity.
He was admitting to the existence of a set of standards,
standards that apparently bore some authority, but he never
alluded to where those standards came from. As a member
of the audience, listening to this cultural icon, I was imme-
diately struck by the question: Who determines the bound-
aries? If, as Tiger seemed to think, there are boundaries or
standards for our behavior, then where did they come from
and why should they be kept? In other words, does the cre-
ator or maker of the boundaries have any authority? If I was
someone who had no faith and I was listening to him speak, I
would have thought, “Why do I have to keep those boundar-
ies? Why can’t Tiger Woods be unfaithful to his wife? Who
says?” Saying, “Because that’s what’s right” is not enough.
Who says that is what’s right?
I believe there is some gut-level morality – some gut-level
sense of right and wrong – in all of us, but we didn’t make it
up. It comes from somewhere, namely, the God who made
us. God, in His nature, is faithful, thus what He makes will
reflect that faithfulness. When He created marriage be-
tween a man and a woman, a gift that He intended to reflect
the nature of His love for us, then faithfulness had to be its
bedrock. God’s nature creates the standard. Second, God’s
2 | COLUMNS
Word upholds the standard. The gift of our sexuality is to be
expressed fully in the context of a marriage between a man
and a woman, and Scripture reminds us of this repeatedly.
The problem, of course, is that we have pushed the source
of our “standards” out of our culture. We have pushed away
from the existence of God, let alone the authority of God.
We have taken His Word and demoted it. We have become
the authorities of what is right or wrong. We have become the
“standard setters.” Naturally, the problem with that is that we
are flawed. We lack the ability to actually create standards
that work. In a system that discounts the Creator of stan-
dards, we get chaos. We get people living according to their
own truth. We get what’s happening right now in the family
of Tiger Woods.
We don’t like to have boundaries, but then when we get
out of bounds and things fall apart, we realize they’re there
for a reason. Apparently, they work. I found it strangely ironic
that someone who had lived according to his own rules sud-
denly decided, given the chaos those rules had created, to
come back to a previously established set of rules. They are
the very rules God has set forth in His Word. Paul writes in 2
Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training…..” God’s Word
is useful. It works. We may not like it. We may abandon it
because we’d rather live according to our own standards, but
eventually, I believe we will all come back to it because it’s
true. It’s true.
Not just in marriage, but in all things, may we consider the
truth, the power, and the authority of God’s Word and seek
to live in accordance with it, to God’s glory. May you and
yours be richly blessed in this Easter season and I remain...
In His Grip,
David D. Swanson

9 12
ON THE COVER:
“When Jesus came out wearing the crown of
thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to
them ‘Here is the man!’“ John 19:5
14
9 Up Close & Personal:
Our New Director of Student
Ministry Jonathan Christian.
12 Adult Sunday School
We discuss its benefits with
long-time member Jack
Prevost.
14 Kaléo - A New Place to
Connect
Brad Staton discusses a new
Sunday School class and the
relaunch of a ministry.
IN THIS ISSUE:
4 Young at Heart 17 Reality Sunday Update: Grace
Medical Home
5 LIFE Community Groups Begin
to Meet 17 To Be Confirmed - Children’s
Confirmation
6 Women’s Ministry offers Here
and Now... There and Then: A 18 ASOM Purity Retreat:
Lecture Series by Beth Moore Whoever Finds Me, Finds Life...
Whatchu Lookin’ For?
8 Good Samaritan Fund
19 Tony Campolo Recap
10 Using My Gifts for His Glory -
MusikGarten Teacher Allison 20 Heart of the City:
Rosser James B. Greene
11 Camp Geneva Testimony 21  lready Gone - Why Some
A
Young Adults Are Leaving the
13 Some of My Favorite People
Church
15 Vacation Bible School
22 Hey Kids! Word Search:
The Seder Meal
23 News & Notices
CONTACT US
407.4 2 3 . 3 4 4 1
To arrange a baptism
Contact Worship x1451
To arrange a wedding
Contact Weddings x1453
To arrange a funeral or
memorial service
Contact Pastoral Care x1455
To donate flowers for
worship services
Contact Worship x1451
With questions about your
pledge, donation, or budget
Contact Finance x1479
With a change of address
Contact Membership x1471
To purchase a sermon CD or DVD
Contact x1438
To join the Chancel Choir
Contact x1273
For child care reservations -
Early Childhood
Contact x2250
To reach the Security Office
Contact 407.415.9793
For Weekday School
Contact 407.996.5864
To find out about Sunday
School classes
Contact Spiritual Formation
x1463
With questions about the FPCO
website or its Columns publication
Contact Communications x1467
To reserve a meeting space
Contact Special Services x1469
HOSPITAL CALLS:
Hospitals are no longer able to
notify us when our members are
hospitalized. If you know someone
who is in the hospital, please
notify the Pastoral Care office at
x1455.
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 Congregational
Life x1159
www.twitter.com/fpcorlando
Group: First Presbyterian Church
of Orlando
 The March Young at Heart
Luncheon celebrated the historical
roots of First Presbyterian Church of
Orlando, observing the 134th anniversary of
our church’s ministry and witness in Orlando.
Dr. David Swanson honored our 50-year
members with thanks for their wisdom and
faithful service. Heart of the City Foundation
hosted the luncheon with special speakers
recognizing our heritage and the involve-
ment of our members in supporting the
foundations. There was lots of celebrating
and fellowship!

All photos by Todd McLennan

4 | COLUMNS
 Photo by Todd McLennan

LIFE Community Groups Begin to Meet

By Kent Sterchi, Director of LIFE Community

T he next phase of developing LIFE Community Groups as a way for us to “become” the church to one another and to the City
of Orlando has begun, as LIFE Community Turbo (shepherd leader) Groups have split and those leaders are leading new
groups. Throughout the fall of 2009, we were inspired from the Word of God as David preached through the “one another”
passages of the New Testament, challenging us to do “LIFE Together” during the week through engaging in a LIFE Community
Group. Meanwhile 6 of the 9 LIFE Community Turbo Groups were coming to a point of completion, with nearly 60 LIFE Com-
munity Shepherds prepared to lead new LIFE Community Groups in 2010.

Then on January 24, 2010, we commissioned and empowered those Shepherds to love and lead those individuals and
couples that signed up to be in the first wave of LIFE Community Groups that would begin
in February. The response from the congregation has been significant; as over 330
people indicated their interest in being in a LIFE Community Group (LCG)
and currently there are 18 LCG’s that have begun to meet. The second
wave of Turbo Group Shepherds are in final preparation for leading
new groups, and we will be forming up to 10 more LCGs this month,
hopefully engaging the nearly 130 people that are still waiting to
be placed in a LCG!!! We are praising God for the beginning of
the LIFE Community ministry initiative with the dream that ALL in
our church family would one day, find a place to love, be loved,
serve, and be served in a LIFE Community Group!

If you are interested in being a part of a LIFE Community Group,

please visit www.fpco.org/life and fill out a LIFE Community Group
Interest Form. We will do our best to place you in a LCG promptly.
For more information about LIFE Community Groups, drop by the
Welcome Tent under the Angel Wing on Sunday mornings, or contact
Sarah Mattheus at smattheus@fpco.org or Kent Sterchi at ksterchi@
fpco.org.

5 | Photo
COLUMNS
by Drew Roberts COLUMNS | 5
 COMING THIS SUMMER! Women’s Ministry offers

A Lecture Series by Beth Moore

By Lori Needham, Women’s Ministry

T he Book of Revelation – the sixty-sixth book of the Bible, is the topic of Beth Moore’s recent eleven week
lecture series, which we are pleased to offer as our summer study!

Although, this is one of the most daunting books in the Bible, Beth’s tenacious research will offer a small
measure of understanding that our God has provided us a message of hope – that no matter what happens on
earth, He is in control!

Revelation closes human history as Genesis opened it – in paradise. However, there is a distinct difference
in Revelation – evil is gone forever. Genesis describes Adam and Eve walking and talking with God; Revelation
describes people worshiping God face to face.

In her introduction to this study, Beth comments “The longer I’ve studied, the more certain I’ve become that
God is as deliberate about what He doesn’t tell as what He does. Neither is accidental.”

Take this eleven week challenge to study and marvel at the wondrous panorama of God’s revealed plan and
be full of hope that Christ’s victory is assured, and all who trust in Him will be saved.

We’ve arranged for two study opportunities:

Thursday morning groups will meet from 9–11:30am, beginning June 10 (Child care available)
Monday evening groups will meet from 6–8:30pm, beginning June 7
Monday evening groups will take a break on Monday, July 5.

The presentation time and program time have been extended, but
valuable small group time will remain.

You may register for the session online at www.fpco.org/register or

by completing a registration form in the lobby of the Edington Ministry
Center.

Registration fees are $15 and this includes a listening guide with
weekly assignments.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Rev. Donna McClellan
at dmcclellan@fpco.org or 407.423.3441 x1488 or Lori Needham at
needham@fpco.org or 407.423.3441 x1463.
6 | COLUMNS
7 | COLUMNS
 Good Samaritan Fund
By Rev. Sam Knight, Associate Pastor for Congregational Life

J esus was once asked; “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus goes on to tell the parable of the
Good Samaritan. You read the account in more detail in Luke 10. The content of the par-
able offers us many faith lessons; one in particular stirred this congregation in the late 1990s to
establish the Good Samaritan Fund. Understanding the biblical principle within this text, the fund
was made available to assist families and individuals, members and non-members, who had fallen on
hard times.

The source of the fund’s income is through contributions from the congregation at each communion service (using
the special blue envelopes in the pews). Throughout the year, families have the opportunity to donate to the fund
using the envelopes provided with our tithe envelopes. Individuals and families also make specific bequeaths. If
you feel called to support and donate to the fund, please contact Finance Office personnel, Mrs. Joan Clayton, the
Chair of the committee, or Rev. Sam Knight.

As a committee of the Board of Deacons, the committee manages the Fund, reviewing and approving requests
for grants. Cash is never given to individuals, but to the agencies providing service, such as utility companies, rental
agencies, mortgage lenders, healthcare providers, etc. The committee follows established guidelines, requiring an
application to be completed with identification and other pertinent materials provided. The committee prayerfully
discerns the applications and seeks to help the individual in such a manner as to offer the financial support neces-
sary, and when appropriate, to offer financial counseling.

Crown Ministry is a study that has been recommended to many, and those that were encouraged to take this
course have witnessed the impact it has had on their understanding of biblical stewardship and how it relates to
their financial situation. The committee is very grateful to financial professionals within the church who have offered
support by providing debt management and budget planning services to those referred by the committee.

During 2009 the Good Samaritan Fund distributed $33,812.76

Examples of requests made in 2009:

• Monthly rent and deposits
• Electric and water bills

The Good Samaritan Fund committee sees their role as stewards of God’s provision, and their desire is to support
as many people in crisis as the fund will allow. The committee recognizes that in such a financial climate in which
we are currently under, that there are many individuals and families struggling to keep their heads above water. It
is important that the congregation understands that the committee respects the privacy of those requesting assis-
tance and keeps a high standard of confidentiality. We appreciate how hard it can be to admit that one needs help,
and we recognize the pain that a financial crisis can cause. Having stated this, the committee desires to help. If you
or others that you know are struggling financially, we want to extend a hand of support. The committee desires to
support our congregation by ministering to our members, while also extending the love of Christ to the community
around us as we partner with you and as you minister to your neighbor.

If you have questions or would like to complete an application for the fund, please contact the Congregational
Life office at 407.423.3441 x1159.

8 | COLUMNS
UP CLOSE
& PERSONAL
With First Pres’s Newly Appointed Director of Student Ministry
Jonathan Christian
FPCO/Todd McLennan: What are some of the things that are most on your
heart going forward with this new opportunity?

Jonathan Christian: I really feel like the youth ministry is in the first of three
seasons: the first season is just about filling holes and transitioning well, and
it’s about caring for people that may have been hurt, which will probably
be the case in the next weeks. We’re still excited about this season we’re in
because so many volunteers have come forward, parents are willing to help,
and there’s just a lot of grace covering the Student Ministry right now. So,
that feels good. The second season will be exciting with the summer start-
ing because we’ll have new interns coming in, awesome college kids.They’ll
just plug in and be in a relationship with the kids. This will free me up to start
building toward the third season in August, when we start investing in families
more, talk about our relationship with the church, and really start making that

Photo by Todd McLennan

happen.” When school starts; fall is here, staff is in place, everyone knows
their role, so let’s do this thing!

FPCO/TM: What are some things that you

“WE’RE ALL want to share with parents and families?

ABOUT BEING JC: We’re looking forward to practicing bet-

ter communication, in hopes of partner-
ing better with families and with parents.
AUTHENTIC IN We want them to feel “in the know”; we
want them to feel equipped. We want the
OUR RELATION- parents to feel equipped regarding how
to deal with middle schoolers and high
SHIP WITH OUR schoolers. What they’re going through,
more times than not, is very normal.
STUDENTS IN FPCO/TM: For parents or students who
haven’t had a chance to get to know you,
CARING FOR can you tell us how God lead you into
youth ministry?
THEM” JC: My dad Tom Christian is a pastor. I
didn’t make my own profession of faith,
until Middle School, when I went to the Great Escape as a camper. Which is
cool, to come back full circle, because now I speak at Great Escapes. Then
fast forward through High School, I walked the straight and narrow. I was a
crazy college kid my freshman year, but I finally just said “this is silly; I just
need to get back on track with my walk with God”. It was at that point that I
did part time youth ministry at my dad’s church for three years. After I gradu-
ated, I accepted the youth ministry position at Mandarin Presbyterian in Jack-
sonville, FL. I got to do Middle School, High School, as well as Young Life,
hands on – all three in my five years there. From there I felt like the Lord was
calling me to move forward and Ritsy Carpenter introduced me to Browning
at Fun in the Son. We struck up a relationship, and I was asked to come and
speak at Eagle Rock, thinking it was just to connect with the kids. I then was
informed that half of the session was going to be there checking me out…so
I was like “oh…this is an interview”. Thank God everything went well and on
March 1, I started my fifth year here!
FPCO/TM: You had some interesting excitement in your life in the last weeks
you upgraded your team significantly…
JC: Yes, I finally got to marry the love of my life, Courtney. She and I had been
engaged for nine months and got married on February 27, which was really
exciting. My dad was able to marry us. We have a blast together. Courtney
makes me a better person and she takes care of me so well that I feel like
she, along with God, provides such a strong foundation for me to go forward.
We got married on Saturday night, were here at church on Sunday morning,
then flew out for our honeymoon in New York City. I got a call while I was in
Times Square at Starbucks with my wife, from
Dr. Swanson, extending the offer to become
the director of Student Ministry. He said that
personnel had met and unanimously voted, so
in a period of four days, I became married and
became the director of Student Ministry! That
has been funny, because as people say “Con-
gratulations!” I just say “Thanks”; because I’m
not sure which one they’re congratulating me on.
FPCO/TM: In closing, share a couple of things
that you would say right now if you could talk
to a student who hasn’t been very involved
and may be pondering whether this might be
a time to jump in.
JC: This is an ideal time frame for anyone
that is new, or seeking, or on the fence about
plugging in with us. I think a lot of times stu-
dents question the authenticity of Christians,
but right now we’re vulnerable, we’re broken,
we’re figuring things out. We’re all about be-
ing authentic in our relationship with our stu-
dents in caring for them. How can we care for
kids and make sure that always stays a part of
things as we move forward?
FPCO/TM: It sounds as if a kid felt like an out-
sider that a lot of those barriers are stripped
down now, where they’d be part of this new
community that’s taking shape.
JC: It feels like a fresh start for everyone. The
youth ministry has never been at a more exciting
time than it is now. In my experience students
are more welcoming than they’ve ever been and
it’s a perfect time to be received with open
arms, to drop the insecurities, and eventually,
one day look back and say “wow I’m so glad I
plugged into that student ministry.”
COLUMNS | 9
 His Glory
Using My Gifts for
By Allison Rosser, Member
D o you remember when you learned to love music? I fell in
love with music before I was even born. “How so?” you say.
As musicians, my mother and father understood the beauty and
love of music. A generation before that, my grandmother played
the piano in church. So, when I came along, music was automati-
cally infused into my life. In fact, one of my earliest memories is
performing “I’m a Little Teapot” with my preschool class.
Like many children I began piano lessons at age eight. Around
the same age, I learned to love performing as I started singing in
church choir in my home church, First Baptist Church of Orlando.
Through my elementary years, in recitals and performances, evi-
dence grew that the “music bug” had bitten me. Fortunately, I
was blessed by talented and dedicated music teachers at every
turn in my young life.
Photo courtesy of Allison Rosser Photo by Portrait Innovations
Wanting to broaden my musical horizons, I joined the middle
school band as a flutist. As I gained more experience as a flut-
ist in high school, my passion for music grew to a new level.
Through rehearsals, professional clinics, honor bands, festivals,
and recitals, I began to understand that music was much more
than a hobby to me but rather, something God was calling me to
do professionally.
What better way to respond to the call, than to pursue a Bach-
elors degree in Music Education at University of Central Florida.
The journey to earning my Music Education degree was both
thrilling and grueling. Here again, I was blessed to have wonder-
ful music teachers who instilled greatness as my goal and fos-
tered a love of music that is still growing today. During my col-
lege years, I also began teaching flute lessons privately to Central
Florida students—this is a joy that I continue today. Nothing is
more exciting than passing the baton to a new generation.
After graduating from college, my first teaching job was at Wa-
terford Elementary School in Orange County, where it was quick-
ly confirmed to me that teaching music was my calling, as well
as something that I adored. My first year of teaching was shared
with the milestone of marrying my husband, Broc. Broc and I
dated long-distance all throughout college and looked forward
to graduating in May and getting married in June. However, we
were shocked to find out during our senior year of college that
Broc was diagnosed with cancer. Through an extremely rigorous
chemotherapy schedule and many difficult surgeries at Duke Uni-
versity Hospital in North Carolina, God healed Broc. God used
this dark time in our lives to strengthen us, bring us closer togeth-
10 | COLUMNS
Photo by Stephanie Rivera
er and closer to Him, and to grow
our faith. I can truly say that God
provided for our every need and
orchestrated all of the details in
our topsy-turvy world at the time.
We took nothing for granted when
we got married in January 1999, and knew we were observing a
modern day miracle with Broc’s amazing recovery.
With a new school being built in the area—Lawton Chiles El-
ementary, I was chosen to be the music teacher and establish
the music program at the new school. It was quite a year! From
writing the school song, to walking door-to-door to teach music,
all of the experiences helped me grow as a teacher and person.
In 2001, after moving closer to the downtown area, I accepted
a position as a middle school band director and chorus teacher
at Blankner School. I absolutely loved working at Blankner and
again, grew tremendously as a music teacher. One of my most
rewarding moments was when a student, who was typically angry,
walked into chorus one day and proclaimed, “I was having a bad
day, but I just can’t stay angry when I sing.” My time at Blankner
was filled with rewarding moments. For example, there is noth-
ing quite like giving students an instrument to play for the first
time in sixth grade, watching their faces light up as they begin to
play, and following their progress through their final performance
in eighth grade. I choked back tears of joy at every eighth grade
graduation ceremony, as I heard the lovely music being played by
the band.
During my final year at Blankner I was thrilled to discover that I
was pregnant with twins! Through a difficult pregnancy, including
10 weeks of bed rest (which, by the way, started the night of a big
chorus musical!), Broc and I were blessed with Ashlyn Grace and
Ansley Faith on April 24, 2007. Ashlyn and Ansley have blessed
our lives beyond measure, and we thank God for them every sin-
gle day!
Wanting to share my gift with Ashlyn and Ansley, I signed them
up for music classes at 5 months of age, and was thrilled to be
assigned to Lynne McKnight’s class. The girls loved Mrs. Lynne
and the music in the class. I was happy that they were gaining
exposure to songs that taught them about God and how much
He loves them.
Although I loved caring for Ashlyn and Ansley full time, I missed
the joy that teaching had brought me. I prayed that God would
open a door if He wanted me to teach again, and He quickly
and decisively answered my prayers. I was brought on board as
a MusikGarten teacher here at First Presbyterian Church of Or-
lando in January of 2008.
I realize more than ever that God has given me a gift, and spe-
cifically called me to teach music to children, so that they can
skillfully worship Him. My ultimate goal is to teach children to
love music and perform with greatness, because God inhabits
the praise of His people. While teaching here, God has given me
the following verse, “Praise the Lord with the harp…Sing to him
a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” It is my prayer that
each child whose life intersects mine, would learn to sing and
play skillfully for the glory of God!
 Camp
Testimony
Geneva By Desiree Allison, Student Member
C amp Geneva. To plan your summer around five
days of camp sounds pretty pathetic. But for me
this was normal. Telling my mom that I would be
going to Camp Geneva, even if that meant leaving a
day early, because I would be leaving for Spain for a
month the next day, was no big deal for me. To wake
up at 6:30am and see the shining faces of little kids
surrounding me was exciting. To know that I would
make a major impact on their lives was even better.
I’ve worked at this camp for six summers because
the campers and I grow in our faith with God. I’ve en-
joyed helping these first through fifth graders learn
the word of the Lord. It’s what I love to do; make
that major impact on that one person who might just
touch another person in the future.
The paragraph above was sent to almost all of the
colleges I applied to this year. Camp Geneva has
made that much of an impact on me; so much so,
that writing about it to my applicant colleges was a
must.
This is the camp where I grew up and the camp that
I now eagerly wait for every year. Camp Geneva is
the camp that taught me everything. It taught me to
love everyone. It taught me that Christ is the way to
go! I lived for this 5-day camp every year. The people
Photos courtesy of Desiree Allison
11 | COLUMNS
who made the most
impact on me were
probably the junior
counselors. I grew
every year, want-
ing to be a junior
counselor. When
that time finally came, I jumped
on being a junior counselor. I couldn’t wait to
have the responsibility of working with kids. Camp
Geneva has taught me to be the person I am today,
because of being faced with the responsibility for
the kids I watch after. Every year I grow even more,
learning from the lesson and from the children.
Some of the best memories I have are from camp.
The best one is the one from the last day of camp.
Every year on the last day, there is giant water bal-
loon fight. Then there are activities that we do at
camp that are amazing, even the newly added mud
pit. As girls, you wouldn’t think any of us would like
it—but it was amazing! Then there was Miss Carol
eating spicy Cheetos during her skit and dying be-
cause her mouth was on fire: it was definitely the fun-
niest moment ever. I have loved this camp since I
was a child and will never forget the memories made
there.
COLUMNS | 11
 Adult Sunday School:
An Interview with Jack Prevost
By Todd McLennan
FPCO/Todd McLennan: Tell me a little
bit about how you got connected with
your particular class for Sunday School.
Jack Prevost: I have been involved with
the Foundations class since probably
1990: so 20 years. I had a lot of friends
that were in that class. We all started
this: it was Larry Kreider’s class. And we
had probably three quarters of the class
who were buddies of mine.
FPCO/TM: So that was an easy decision.
But how did God lead you to attending
Sunday School as opposed to just com-
ing for the services?
JP: That was an easy decision. I had
been going to this church, I had been
married in this church, and my wife was
a member here; Cindy Hart­—she was
Lenten Allen’s grand-daughter. It was
more of a social thing to start off with
but then it got to be more and more im-
portant in our lives. I was elected an el-
der, my wife was elected a deacon, and I
began teaching in the class. The more I
did it, the more I felt drawn to teach and
do as much as I could.
FPCO/TM: So, in a way you got to dis-
cover and develop a gift that you had,
and you didn’t know that teaching was
such a passion until you were able to use
it in Sunday School.
JP: There was a time there when the
class was falling apart, it was just going
to disintegrate: so I felt in my heart that
I was not going to let that happen. We
hung together and it’s been through pe-
riods where it declined: but it’s back up
now, where we have 20 or 30 people. I
don’t know what I’d do without it.
“Once they experi-
ence it and under-
stand what it is,
then they think ‘this
is what I’ve been af-
ter…this is what I’ve
been missing’.”
FPCO/TM: What do you think specifi-
cally are the top two benefits in your life
spiritually from that class?
12 | COLUMNS
JP: It has required me to read through
the Bible: you don’t understand how
much it is that you don’t know until you
really have something that you have to
teach and concentrate on. You can read
through the Bible and say, “I know ev-
erything that’s in there, but you don’t
know anything: you don’t know jack un-
til you really work at it.” It’s made me
feel closer to God, that I can commu-
nicate and understand what to expect.
The other thing is that I think this one of
my strong suits is that I enjoy just mak-
ing people happy. Ours is a very multi-
generational group: our average age is
older than I am. It’s fun to really let them
know that we love them and that they’re
important to us.
FPCO/TM: That’s a great role, appre-
ciating how much they’ve blessed this
church. It comes out of your gifts that
God’s blessed you with, so it’s not work.
Do you leave feeling enriched as well?
JP: Yes, I feel like I made a difference,
which is important.
FPCO/TM: What are a couple of second-
ary benefits that you have experienced,
either in your marriage or in your family,
as a result of all these years of being in
that class?
JP: Most of my family is over in Europe,
but we communicate by email how
important Sunday School is. How im-
portant it is to be biblically based. I’m
harping on them all the time, just like my
father harped on me: eventually it pays
off! (Smiles)
FPCO/TM: Tell me a little bit about that.
Your father harped on you, when was
that? How old were you then?
JP: I was a bad dude! I was about 28 and
that was my only morning to sleep and
I had all of the usual excuses. He said,
“one day you’re gonna figure it out, and
I hope it’s soon, but you need to be go-
ing to church and thinking about those
things which you’re not thinking about.”
FPCO/TM: What would you say to peo-
ple who have been sitting on the fence:
they’ve considered joining a class, but
they’re hesitant.
JP: I remember sitting in class, when
we were soliciting teachers, and I kept
thinking that I really ought to do that.
I felt this tug, but I wouldn’t trust my-
Photo by Todd McLennan
self to teach adults: I thought that’s
way beyond me and I didn’t want to
be hypocritical or make excuses. But I
did it, and it’s a wonderful experience
that you shouldn’t be fearful of: you
just can’t afford to miss this opportunity.
Each one of these classes, once people
get in there, they never leave. Like ours,
most of these guys have been in there
for 20 or 30 years and it’s that important
to them that they come every Sunday.
Once they experience it and understand
what it is, then they think “this is what
I’ve been after…this is what I’ve been
missing.”
FPCO/TM: So if they’ll just step out and
take a chance, they’ll find it’s definitely
worth the risk?
JP: Anybody in that congregation can
do it, if they put their mind to it: they
can make a difference in their Sunday
School class. I mean it’s not like trying
to evangelize at work; They’re certainly
ready and willing to listen and to do ev-
erything in a user friendly environment.
That gets you comfortable where you
are in your Christianity; then you can do
it in other places that might not be as
friendly.
FPCO/TM: So it’s not just everyone smil-
ing and pretending everything’s easy. It’s
asking the tough questions about life
and faith, and having some wise people
to help you through those questions?
JP: Yes, to question things in their lives,
question things in the Bible and just get
them out on the table and get an un-
derstanding. We’re fortunate, we’ve got
a lot of very experienced biblical folks
: it is an active class as far as questions
and answers. There is nothing that can
be said or not said that’s going to both-
er anybody: we’re all there as sinners to
learn what we ought to be doing and
why we ought to be doing it.
 Some of My
Favorite
People
By Maddy Guetzloe, Student

H ave you ever felt like there’s always one place to go and you
feel better? Well, mine is the 3rd floor of the Allen & Yowell
Building, also called the Student Ministry. When I go there for
Sunday school and I see my friends and learn about God, I feel
like I never want to leave. But I always have to leave and go
back to the rest of my life. God and my church are my life. It
is what I live off of on Wednesdays.

I look forward to this during the school week because

when I see all of these Christian kids and they are my friends,
I know that all of my true friends, for sure, will be there wor-
shiping God with me. That’s the best feeling in the world,
even though I don’t tell a lot of people.

Some of my favorite people go to my church and I don’t

think they know how grateful I am for them.

“When I see my friends and learn about God,

I feel like I never want to leave.”

COLUMNS | 13
 A N E W P L A C E TO C O N N E C T
An Interview with Brad Staton
FPCO/Todd McLennan: How did the idea of this
new class evolve?
Brad Staton: I think that there was a gap in what
we offered in terms of ministry. There was a need
there, and I saw that around the same time David
(Dr. Swanson) did.
So there was that need and I felt like I had time
and some experience to fill it. There’s a segment
in our church whose needs were going unmet
and people were coming in the back door. We
get a lot of new first time visitors who are single,
young, married, with no kids, or in a similar
stage. The traditional Sunday School model
didn’t necessarily appeal to them. Some people
will bounce around between classes and just not
have a place where they really feel like they fit.
And the enemy doesn’t need much to push you
over the edge to stop you from going to church
when you need to be there. So that’s a need that
I saw in trying to think through what we could put
in place to minister to those people.
We want to give
people a chance to
connect to God
and others.
FPCO/TM: So part of the vision going forward for
these people is to structure this towards their
needs and wishes to grow as a community of
Christ. What are some of the things that you’re
hoping to accomplish in this upcoming class?
Brad: Well, I would like for it to be a class, but
more than a class. I’d like it to be more of a
“launching pad.” I think that this demographic
needs a fresh start in this church and I think that
this will be a perfect opportunity for it. For new
people or for people who have been here for a
while—everybody is welcome. One of the big
14 | COLUMNS
by Todd McLennan
Photo by Todd McLennan
things we want to focus on is “connect.”
We want to give people a chance to con-
nect to God and others. We’ll meet in
the Rotunda in the Clayton Life Center,
and I think that will set the tone. We’re
not going to try to replace worship, but
there’s going to be an aspect of worship.
There will be an aspect of teaching: a
10-15 minute lesson that will to be very
practical and hands-on. I think the Lord
wants us to apply theology to our lives,
so this will be application heavy.
How does it impact my interaction with
my boss whom I don’t like…or my best
friend that annoys me….or my younger
brother that I’m jealous of….what does
the fact that Christ said “ it is finished,”
and the atoning work of Christ was com-
pleted 2000 years ago, how does that change anything? So those are the
kind of things that we’ll talk about. There will be a small group discussion
aspect: we will break up into smaller groups to discuss how this applies in
our lives, and we might have feedback with the larger group. There will be
an aspect of prayer to hopefully prepare us to worship. As relationships
We were made for relationships;
we were made to connect
to other people.
grow, we’ll continue to do events. It’ll be a place where new people are
always welcome. Another big aspect will be the open invitation to new
people; if you’re new and if you don’t have a place where you can connect,
this is the place for you, and you will not feel weird. That’s one thing that I’m
just committed to, we’re going to go out of our way to make people feel
comfortable and welcome, because the gospel welcomes people.
FPCO/TM: Sounds like a great place to meet people, and also to worship
and learn together. When will this start?
Brad: May 2 is the launch date. We will meet in the Rotunda, in the Clayton
Life Center at 9:45am.
FPCO/TM: So what would you say to people out there who have been on
the fence with Sunday School and haven’t found a spot to connect. Speak
directly to a person or a couple who are still unsure of this.
Brad: To people who say “I loved Dr. Swanson’s sermon, but the only per-
son that I really talked to was in the meet and greet time and that was 30
seconds and that was weird and nobody likes that (laughs) I didn’t really
connect with anybody, and I don’t really know anybody.” I would just say
give this a shot; just try it on for size. Try it on for two weeks, if you don’t
like it; go back to doing what you were doing: it doesn’t cost you any-
thing. We were made for relationship; we were made to connect to other
people.
 Vacation Bible School t e s t i m o n y
Photos taken by Polly Flint

By Polly Flint and Amy Powell

O ne sunny summer morning, my daughters (then three and four

years old) and I found ourselves lost in downtown Orlando.
Newly moved to the City Beautiful, we walked down the path to Allen
Hall in hopes of finding the Vacation Bible School (VBS) we saw ad-
vertised. Not a soul to be found on the sidewalks in the warm Florida
sun. Suddenly, Maddie, my three year old, squealed “Look, Mommy,
a silly lady with a lobster hat on her head!” The two girls giggled. That “silly lady” was God’s gift to our family—Carol Welker.
She invited us into the air conditioned lobby to sign up Clara, our four year old, for VBS the following week. Carol not only
facilitated Clara’s enrollment, but kindly and with her trademark humor, encouraged me to volunteer for the week as well. We
have been blessed to be engaged in this loving community since that day. The following Monday morning, the Flint family
arrived for the first day of many VBS weeks at FPCO.

I remember that July morning. The excitement of Monday morning was pal-
pable. The Calypso music combined with the bright Florida sunshine was the
perfect backdrop for our Son Treasure Island theme. The classrooms outfitted,
doors decorated, supplies delivered and my coffee working…I was ready for a
fun filled morning with my four year old friends. For some, the setting was fa-
miliar, but for my new friend, Clara, it was a brand new world. I remember well
her sweet smile, her beautiful strawberry blonde curls and her shy glances
around the room. But once the entire group gathered at circle, the uncertainty
began to melt away.

As Clara, Maddie, and I arrived in the doorway of her VBS room, Clara hesi-
tated. Her teacher, Miss Amy, welcomed her with a smile and a hug. Clara be-
came a great helper to Miss Amy that day. Miss Amy reassured me as she took
Clara into their room. A helpful volunteer guided me to my post. I departed to
take Maddie to play with her little friends, as I made my way to my volunteer
assignment. Everyone was so kind and helpful!

Each morning, we gathered at circle time to sing songs and tell the Bible story for the day. Clara would take her usual space
right next to me. Imagine my surprise when, on Thursday morning, Clara chose a spot across from me, between her new
friends, for circle time! Between story time and music, snack time and the playground, she felt God’s love through her new
friends-both big and small. Throughout the week, I watched the children engage with one another. I was amazed at their child-
like wisdom and I knew for certain that those four year olds had much to teach me.

It has been such a joy, across these four years, to watch Clara and Maddie grow up in Allen and Yowell Hall. My timid four
year old friend and her “baby” sister have blossomed before my eyes. I am grateful that VBS gave me the opportunity to be
involved in their story.

By the end of that historic week, Clara had a new set of friends, and a mentor in sweet “Miss Amy.” Maddie had new toddler
buddies and songs with a message to dance to and I enjoyed both volunteering in music and the fellowship of other Moms.
We have all made lasting friendships from that summer. Who knew that a “wrong turn” down the sidewalk would become the
pivotal moment in the lives of the Flint family. God had a plan for our family at FPCO and continues to reveal it to us…one step
at a time.

Vacation Bible School

When: July 12 – 16
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Who: Children who are 4 by September 1, 2010 – completed 4th grade
For Registration information call Children’s Ministry 407.423.3441 x1482 or sdunlap@fpco.org

COLUMNS | 15
 Photo by Todd McLennan

From left to right: Dr. Kirsten Carter, MD (Grace Medical

Home), Dr. Marvin Hardy, MD (Grace Medical Home), and
Jim Dixon (Technology Medical Partners)
Grace Medical Home will open to patients on Wednesday, April 7.
Thanks to the generous support of the Reality Sunday partici-
pants, Grace can now open the doors using electronic medical re-
cords. This enables us to measure quality and accurately monitor the
health outcomes of each patient. This software management program furthers Grace Medical Home’s commitment to providing the
highest quality of clinical care. The Board of Directors and Staff continue to be overwhelmed by the outpouring gifts of time
and resources from the community. Over 1,200 individuals have already indicated their desire to participate at Grace.  

TOTAL RAISED ON REALITY SUNDAY: $64,817.11

Thank you, FPCO, for being part of God’s story!

To Be Confirmed
By Carol Welker, Director of Children’s Ministry

A s you read this, nearly 30 young people are studying, memorizing,

and preparing for their confirmation in this church. They have
been in class since January learning about church history, church
theology, personal faith, and so much more. They are now ready
and able to stand before you, our congregation, and proclaim, “I
am a believer in Jesus Christ”, and “I commit myself to Him and to
His church”.

On April 27, they will go before our session and be examined for
their readiness for church membership. By this time they will know
church polity, church creeds, scripture, portions of the catechism,
statements of belief, and more. Then on May 2, they will be con- Photo by Brandon Shope
firmed. What a true blessing this is to experience.

One of last year’s confirmands, Daniel Bolan, says he learned so much from the scripture work and he feels closer to God.
He says it “feels wonderful to be an official member of the family of FPCO”.

Daniel’s mom, Becky, recalls how she and her husband Chris learned and re-learned things about
the Presbyterian Church, as they worked with Daniel on his assignments. Her overall impression was
one of great blessing and pride!

So it is in this instance that we ask you to get involved. Please pray for this year’s class of young con-
firmands as they near the end of this journey. Pray for their hearts to have been changed, for their souls
to have been touched, and for their lives to fulfill the commitment they make. Then join us in worship
on May 2, to experience the blessing of welcoming these young people into the family of FPCO.

COLUMNS | 17
 Whoever Finds Me, Finds Life… Whatchu Lookin’ For?
By Jenny Arrison, Director of After School Outreach Ministry

L ookin’ for wisdom about love and sex? The After School Outreach girls found
it at our First Annual Purity Retreat entitled “Whatchu Lookin’ For?” and here’s
what they had to say…
Photos by Jenny Arrison

“I had grown tired of always being the ‘good girl.’ All my friends are having sex.
I was ready to give in and sleep with my boyfriend, until this weekend.”

“I appreciated all of the information we were given. I’ve been to stuff like this
before, but all I ever heard was ‘Don’t have sex until you’re married!’ I never looked
at it from so many different angles before. I never knew all of the information.”

Thanks to Here’s Life Inner City (a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ), we
did learn all of the information! We explored the physical, emotional, and spiritual
ramifications of sexual relationships. We learned from women in the medical com-
munity. We heard testimonies from women who waited until marriage to have
sex, women who didn’t wait, and women who had it taken from them against their will. We heard of God’s amazing love,
redemption and power, and we experienced it ourselves as well! Forgiveness was given and received. Myths and lies were
dispelled. Hearts were captured and reclaimed.

Proverbs 8:35 tells us that whoever finds wisdom, finds life. The only
source of wisdom and truth is the Word of God. So we dove headlong
into the Bible, looking for wisdom about beauty, love, dating, marriage,
sex, father figures, healing, and forgiveness. We shared our stories, our
wounds, our mistakes, and our victories. As daughters of the God Most
High, we celebrated our sisterhood and gleaned wisdom from godly
women who have gone before us. We gave each other manicures, pedi-
cures, and new hair styles… but most of all, we gave each other support.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our
troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we
ourselves have received from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3 – 4.

Every middle and high school girl who attended the retreat made a commitment to remain abstinent until marriage. Those
who had already fallen short, rededicated their lives—body and soul—to the Lord. God’s grace and redemption abounded
that weekend and abounds every day still!

18 | COLUMNS
 Tony Campolo
Challenges and Inspires
By Carol Hafer, Director of Mission Ministry

Photos by Todd McLennan

D r. Tony Campolo is a speaker, author, sociologist, pas-

tor, social activist, and passionate follower of Jesus!
Over his many years of Christian service, Tony has boldly
challenged millions of people all over the world to respond
to God’s boundless love by combining personal disciple-
ship, evangelism, and social justice.

January 15-16, 2010 we at First Presbyterian Church wit-

nessed Tony Campolo’s passion first hand. Above all else,
Tony Campolo challenges you and makes you think. I know
that I haven’t stopped thinking about his message and
questions.

How am I helping to spread the Kingdom, or rule of God

on earth? What does it mean to stand for truth and righ-
teousness? What is the difference between power and au-
thority? How do I lead differently as a follower of Christ?
What does it mean to really believe and live in response to
the words of Jesus?

Over 500 individuals were challenged by Tony Campolo

at the Urban Ministry Conference, FPCO Leadership Re-
treat, and “Red Letter Christians” Saturday night event.

Pastor David Outing, Executive Director of the Jobs Part-

nership of Florida remarked after the Urban Ministry Con-
ference, “The information was life changing. If everyone
who attended received it, it will have a life changing effect
on Central Florida.”

I encourage you to take advantage of a couple of oppor-

tunities to let Tony Campolo challenge you. The “Red Let-
ter Christians” message that Tony Campolo gave Saturday,
January 16 in our Sanctuary is available online in our media
center at www.fpco.org/campolo.

Also, our friends at Lifework Leadership have given us

access to a talk Tony gave a few years ago in one of their
classes entitled “A Christian Worldview for Leaders.” You
can download it and watch it at www.box.net/shared/
kis7tl9q21

There is also additional information and resources at

Tony’s website: www.tonycampolo.org.
COLUMNS | 19
James B. Greene
James B. Greene By Amy Bishop, Heart of the City Foundation

J ames B. Greene was born in October, 1937 in St. Petersburg, FL and moved
to Orlando with his family in 1944. He was a Boone High School graduate
and majored in business administration at the University of Florida where he
was an avid Gator fan. His early work experience was varied; he was a grocery
clerk, an orange packer, a newspaper copy boy, and a salesman of both shoes
and vacuum cleaners. After college, Jim pursued a career in insurance and
built a very successful business, James B. Greene and Associates. He was a
member of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando and consistently supported
both his church and those in need in quiet, influential ways.

He believed that good citizenship was good business, and worked tirelessly to improve the community through
many different organizations including Goodwill Industries, March of Dimes, Children’s Hospital and Perinatal
Center, The Industrial Development Commission of Mid-Florida (now known as Economic Development Commis-
sion), East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce, Florida Chamber
of Commerce and Florida Council of 100. He is probably best known for his work during the 14 years he served
as Chairman of the Orlando/Orange County Expressway Authority. He oversaw construction of the East-West Ex-
pressway (408) and the extension of the Bee Line Expressway (528) from State Road 436 to the Florida Turnpike.
He was able to lead politicians, city planners, engineers, and environmentalists to cooperate, and inspired land-
scape architects to donate their time and resources to beautify the Expressway route. When he retired from the
agency in 1985, the Orlando Sentinel said, “He is leaving an important job, but much to his credit he also leaves
a legacy of how to get things done.” Part of the (417) Beltway was posthumously named the Central Florida
Greeneway as a tribute to Jim.

Jim said, “Someone once called it civic tithing, dedicating a portion of your time to community. I’ve always
gotten more out of it than I put in.” In spite of his active civic life, he listed his priorities as his spiritual life, his
family, and his business. He said, “My objective is clearly to glorify God in everything I’m doing!” In September
1988, after courageously fighting cancer, Jim passed away, but his service to the community has left a legacy that
will continue to touch lives for generations to come.

Since Jim was an active member of FPCO, his widow, Lynne, estab-
lished the James B. Greene Scholarship Fund at the Heart of the
City Foundation to support aspiring young FPCO schol-
ars. Lynne is married to Ralph Veerman, Executive
Director of HOCF, and Jim’s daughter, Leslie, is
married to Frank Chalfont. Frank and Leslie
recently returned to Orlando after living
in Missouri for 14 years to become en-
gaged back into the Central Florida
community.

If you are interested in learning

more about legacy building, scholar-
ships, other giving or volunteer op-
portunities with the Heart of the City
Foundation, contact Amy Bishop at
Photos courtesy of Lynne Veerman abishop@fpco.org or 407.423.3441.
20 | COLUMNS
ALREADY GONE By Britt Beemer, Member

F irst, I want to state that I believe God is perfect in every way and I
accept His inspired word as it is written.  When Ken Ham asked me to
conduct a study of 20-year-olds who had left the church, we decided to
target young people who attended a Bible believing church every Sun-
day when they were little, but now never attend or only go on Christmas
and/or Easter Sunday.

We interviewed over 20,000 persons to find this specific group of

young people.  The findings were so powerful that we decided the Body
of Christ needed to see what caused these young people to leave, when
they left in their hearts, and will any of them ever return.

The shocking revelation has sent many churches to re-think their Chris-
tian education program, the qualifications for teachers, a re-examination
of materials being used with a need for a total overhaul.

For example, by referring to events in the Old Testament as “Bible

Stories” we are instructing our children that these are untrue, because
the word “story” connotes a fictional tale.

And the biggest failing focuses on the apologetics, where young peo-
ple publicly defend their faith, because they have the proper training
to answer peers or adults who challenge them.  For instance, once you
accept evolution as a theory, then God is no longer Creator, there is no
original sin, and thus, no need for Christ to come and redeem the world. 
My God who made man in His own image, and gave me a soul, is a
very ordered God, who would never allow His children to be created by
chance.

We found that 38.1% of those who left the church will some day return, because they want to raise their children in
the church. 42.9% have Christian friends who keep asking them to come to church with them.

We learned that over 85% were gone before completing high school.  These young people may still be sitting in
their pew, but their spiritual hearts have already left the building.

What was shocking, is that 42.1% left while in elementary/middle school and 45.7% while in high school.  Most
people feel college is the culprit, but only 11.2% said they really began questioning while they were in college.

What are the main causes for their decision to leave?  The top five issues are:  1.) boring service, 2.) legalism, 3.)
hypocrisy among church leaders, 4.) too political, and 5.) self-righteous people. And sadly, those who attended Sunday
school were more likely to leave the church than those who never attended Sunday school.

The most interesting part of my book, Already Gone, is what they miss—the teaching of Scripture, being spiritually
fed, the peace that comes with God’s word.  That voice inside them, although very quiet for many, is still calling them
back to church.

If we can’t defend our faith, how may we teach others to defend themselves against Satan, un-believers, and the
world that preaches excess and human pleasure?  You need to read Already Gone to learn how we can keep our kids
in church in both mind and spirit.  For more information, go to www.answersingenesis.org or visit the Creation Museum
in the Cincinnati, OH area to learn more about defending your faith.

COLUMNS | 21
 22 | COLUMNS
Answer Key
X H F J X R S B I T T E R H E R B S D G T L V GRACE ELIJAH SHANK BONE
E N A S H O A S Y E M T H J D P Y W X J P G A
C Q D H J A J K I G R A C E F S E V X R L O T BITTER HERBS EGYPT LAMB
I U X A Q G C R Z S H U R Z C L G A U V M D D
F L K N H C U G R J L O K D K E N W C M J P N AMEN CHAROSETH MIXED FRUIT
I P T K L P A S S O V E R O C A C E D I R N P
R V B B T F E I H L C H D W Y R B W X X T U A
C O T S E R
PRAYERS PEACE PASSOVER
G J R K L V U N F P N V U C N U D
A V S N V Z E U E W N H E M R I V O D D W O S
S S R E Z S J D O H U M A N L O M K H F D C L
SACRIFICE SEDER LORD
I N N Q O V G G E U A O C L P R A Y E R S H E
D U R R O L S B I L G E E F C A L P I U L P Y
PARSLEY HEBREW WINE
Z Z A P R J R R M D B J A L J Q W L O I Y B P
I H T N W E J K H R I A C Y I B R Z Z T Q S X
BREAD EGG FEAST
C O C M W C U Q K O G Z W K W J R E Q L F O T
F S M L X D O U F L D J I F E B A P D W E L G
UNLEAVENED ISRAEL RESCUED
Q Z T Q W N U B U Z P B N S V X A H K E A D Y
U N L E A V E N E D B R E A D Y L V H L S R W
F R E S C U E D K X I C P C R L Z V D P T F D
F C G K O B M A L Y I K W E G Y P T R U P U V
Word List
rescued the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt.
A meal to celebrate and remember the Passover night when God
Seder Meal Hey Kids!
 News & Notices
ICCC Tournament for the Tots to be Held April 14
Join us on April 14 for an afternoon of golf, refreshments, fun, and fel-
lowship, at Dubsdread Golf Course to benefit FPCO’s William E. Alexan-
der Infant Child Care Center’s Scholarship Fund. Pick up a registration
form in the ICCC office on the first floor of the Clayton Life Center. For
more information please contact Sue Fulford at 407.859.0198.
A Taste of Compassion Street Party to be Held on April 20
You are all invited for a night of superb dining with Orlando’s top chefs
on hand to prepare a scrumptious feast, A Taste of Compassion, to be
held on Tuesday, April 20, 6-9pm. Enjoy the entertainment of a down-
town street party, plus the chance to benefit two incredible downtown
organizations that help the homeless of our city: Central Care Mission
and our own FPCO Homeless ministry, Compassion Corner. Join us in
making A Taste of Compassion a success. Sponsorships, Corporate ta-
bles, and per seat reservations are welcome. To register, visit www.fpco.
org/register. For more information, contact 407.488.1919 x250.
Register Now for Camp Geneva June 13-17
Children who have completed first through fifth grades are welcome to
come and bring their friends to discover what it means to have joy at
Camp Geneva in Fruitland Park, FL. All paperwork must be completed in
order to register. The registration deadline is May 28. For more informa-
tion, contact 407.423.3441 x1490.
Weekday School is Now Accepting Applications
Weekday School is now accepting applications for our 2 day, 3 day, and 4
day classes for the August 2010-May 2011 school year. Weekday School
is a preschool, for children ages two and a half to five years, that pre-
pares a child for kindergarten and beyond. Apply online at www.fpco.
org/wds. For more information, contact the Weekday School Office at
407.996.5864 or at weekdayschool@fpco.org.
Get ready for Vacation Bible School July 19-23
Calling all children, who will be age 4 by July 1, through completed third
graders! You’ll have a ball with this year’s theme for Vacation Bible School
- “Baobab Blast, God’s Great Get-Together.” Adult volunteers are still
needed. For more information, contact Susie Dunlap at 407.423.3441
x1482.
Congratulations to:
Pedro Joshua Rivera and Stephanie Delia Mixner, who were married Jan-
uary 9, 2010 in the Sanctuary.
Terrence and Melissa Hart, on the birth of their daughter, Damon Liliane
Hart, born February 4, 2010.  The proud grandparents are Craig and
Barbara Clayton, and the proud great-grandparents are W. Malcolm and
Mary Damon Clayton.
Jim and Jill Hadlock, on the birth of their daughter, Hannah Elizabeth
Hadlock, born February 5, 2010.
Bill and Dana Denius, on the birth of their daughter, Peyton Dora De-
nius, born February 7, 2010.  The proud grandparents are Alan and Pam
Foraker.
Trey and Robyn Barnes, on the birth of their son, Austin Laine Barnes,
born February 13, 2010.  The proud big brother is Carter, and the proud
grandparents are Dale and Nancy Bellows and Mac and Marlene Barnes.
Charles Brett Bowers and Laura Alice Brown, who were married February
27, 2010 in the Reformation Chapel.  Laura is the daughter of Lowrie and
Mary Ann Brown.
Scott and Jennifer Boone, on the birth of their son, Dawson William
Boone, born November 10, 2009.
Daniel William Mills and Junko Yamamoto, who were married February
20, 2010 in the Sanctuary.  Daniel is the son of Tom and Karen Mills.
Clayton Lewis Cowherd and Rachael Prewitt Bryan, who were married
March 6, 2010 in the Sanctuary.  Rachael is the daughter of Robert and
Tina Bryan.
Sympathy to:
Joe Harrison, on the death of his wife, Frances Harrison, on January 17,
2010.
Bob and Jessie Adams, on the death of his father, George J Adams, on
February 6, 2010.
Jennifer and Rev. Sam Knight on the death of her father, Ken Thayer, on
February 11, 2010. Mr. Thayer was the grandfather of Cinnone, Gethin,
and Gwyneth Knight.
Dr. John and Punky Tolson, on the death of her father, Wilson Leonard,
Jr., on February 12, 2010.
Betsy and Bob McClelland, on the death of her father, Bill Hawkins, on
February 14, 2010. Mr. Hawkins was the grandfather of Alex and Will
McClelland.
Pepper and Buz Ausley, on the death of her sister, Sonya Howard, on
February 17, 2010.
Sharon Twitchell, on the death of her father, Lewis R. Twitchell on Febru-
ary 19, 2010.
Natalie and Wil Brown on the death of her grandmother, Beverly Crouch,
on February 20, 2010.
Tom Kirkland on the death of his grandmother, Topsy Kirkland, on March
1, 2010.
Jim and Diane Stowers and Sandy Holloway, on the death of their moth-
er, Marjorie Stowers, on March 5, 2010. Mrs. Stowers was the grand-
mother of Chris (Tracy) Stowers and Andy (Deb) Holloway.
The family and friends of Letha Grubbs, who died March 7, 2010.
Lindsay and Richard Bryan on the death of her father, Larry Ellison, on
March 9, 2010. Mr. Ellison was the grandfather of Alice, Ann Elizabeth
& Ben Bryan.
February 2010 Giving Snapshot
Gen. Operating Received Budgeted Surplus/
(Deficit)
February Gifts $388,073 $532,000 ($143,927)
Estate Gifts 0 1,200 (1,200)
YTD Operating
Contributions $4,394,764 $4,894,500 ($499,736)
YTD Estate Gifts 260,227 6,800 253,427
Line of Credit $0
Immeasurably More Outstanding Balance $2,987,696
IM Feb. Gifts $55,552
IM Fiscal Year-to-date Gifts 630,855
(net of 10% tithe to Missions)
Contact Finance for a full revenue and expense summary.
*Exclusive of $105,000 scholarship endowment forwarded to
HOCF
COLUMNS | 23
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TRADITIONAL SERVICES:
Sundays, 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
in the Sanctuary

GENESIS (CONTEMPORARY)
SERVICES:
Sundays, 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
in Lee Fellowship Hall