5/5/24 Bulletin & Order of Service

Welcome to St Pete First United Methodist Church, the Heart of the City! All are welcome. All belong. Whether a first-time guest or a lifelong member, you are a part of our family. God has called you to worship here, and for that we are glad.

Click here to view a welcome message from our pastors.

Rev. Bob Martin, Senior Pastor

Rev. Margaret Rountree, Associate Pastor

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A NOTE FROM PASTOR BOB    

Every four years the legislative body of the United Methodist Church (The General Conference) meets to determine the trajectory of our global church in ways of ministry, social principles and our focus in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. As many are aware, we have completed a period where some churches had decided to disaffiliate from the Denomination due to differences in Scriptural and Theological interpretations surrounding the understanding of human sexuality. The United Methodist Church’s General Conference this week has taken measures to ensure we remain a church of inclusivity, accepting all people within our churches without exception. It also means we United Methodists can now move forward focusing on Jesus’ call for us to make disciples in the words of what we call His “Great Commission” without continuous fractures over the topic of human sexuality. What I love most is, it affirms folks who may have different Scriptural or Theological interpretations can remain as one family in the church they love and seek and grow and love one another in the name of Jesus Christ.

The video below is from our Florida Bishop, Tom Berlin, who gave a very clear update after the conclusion of the May 1, General Conference meetings. I would encourage you to watch the video and understand God is doing a good work around the world through the people called Methodists.

I am so excited about our future and what God has in store for us through our vision here in St. Petersburg.   If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Pastor Margaret. 

— Pastor Bob   

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Traditional Worship—8 & 11 AM

May 5, 2024

*Please stand as you are able. Congregational responses are in bold.

(Click here to check-in)

PRELUDE

"The Sacred Hour" by Esther Higgins

"Holy, Holy, Holy" by Ellen Jane Lorenz

Rick Nay, Organ

(11:00) CHORAL INTROIT

"Praise the Lord in His Holy Temple" by Charles Yannerella

Chancel Choir

*CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Jesus said: You are the light of the world.

People: Let our light shine, giving glory to God.

Leader: Do all things for the sake of the Gospel.

People: So may we share in the blessings of God.

Leader: He called out, "Whom shall I send?"

People: I answered, "Here I am; send me.".

*HYMN OF PRAISE

"How Firm A Foundation" Hymn # 529

GRADUATE RECOGNITION

Carissa Aumack - St. Petersburg Collegiate High School/St. Petersburg College

Samuel Deering - St. Petersburg High School

Lauren Dickenson - St. Petersburg High School International Baccalaureate Program

Daven Fudge - Shorecrest Preparatory School

Peyton McClung - St. Petersburg High School

Judson Vann - Clearwater Central Catholic High School International Baccalaureate Program

Natalie Walker - St. Petersburg High School SPH 3DE Entrepreneurial Program

Andy Winter - St. Petersburg High School

Preston Buchanan - Juris Doctor - University of Miami Law School

*PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST

*CONGREGATIONAL SONG

“Blest Be the Tie That Binds” Number 557

Blest be the tie that binds

our hearts in Christian love;

the fellowship of kindred minds

is like to that above.

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

“A Modern Affirmation” # 885

Leader:

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the one true church, apostolic and universal, whose holy faith let us now declare:

Leader and People:

We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, power, and love, whose mercy is over all his works, and whose will is ever directed to his children's good.

We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, the gift of the Father's unfailing grace, the ground of our hope, and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death.

We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our lives, whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ, and find strength and help in time of need.

We believe that this faith should manifest itself in the service of love as set forth in the example of our blessed Lord, to the end that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth. Amen.

PASTORAL PRAYER / LORD'S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

(11:00) CHORAL ANTHEM

"O God Our Help in Ages Past" by Anna Laura Page

Chancel Choir

WORSHIP WITH OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS  (Click here to GIVE)

"The Earth Is Full Of Beauty" by Jeanne Cotter

Ginny Cannon-Soloist

*DOXOLOGY Number 95

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise Him, all creatures here below; praise Him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*HYMN OF PREPARATION

"Take My Life and Let It Be" Hymn # 399

SERMON

"All In!" Rev. Bob Martin

Text: John 3 NLT (selectively)

*HYMN OF DEDICATION

"Here I Am, Lord" Hymn # 593

*BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE  

"Chorus Of Praise" by Randolph Johnston

Rick Nay, Organ

The flowers are given to the glory of God in love and honor of Jill Brass on her 56th wedding anniversary, from her husband, Wayne.

The flowers are given to the glory of God in recognition of National Nurses’ Week.

The flowers are given to the glory of God in loving memory of Bruce Eliot Wilkinson’s birthday from his sister, Chriselle Hamilton.

Thank you for joining us today!

Reminder: If you are not feeling well, please take advantage of our livestream worship.

Contemporary Worship - 9:30 AM

May 5, 2024

(Click here to check-in)

Praise & Worship Praise Team

"Blessed Be Your Name"

"O Praise Him"

Passing the Peace of Christ

Graduate Recognition

Carissa Aumack - St. Petersburg Collegiate High School/St. Petersburg College

Samuel Deering - St. Petersburg High School

Lauren Dickenson - St. Petersburg High School International Baccalaureate Program

Daven Fudge - Shorecrest Preparatory School

Peyton McClung - St. Petersburg High School

Judson Vann - Clearwater Central Catholic High School International Baccalaureate Program

Natalie Walker - St. Petersburg High School SPH 3DE Entrepreneurial Program

Andy Winter - St. Petersburg High School

Preston Buchanan - Juris Doctor - University of Miami Law School

Worship with Our Tithes and Offerings

(Click here to GIVE)

"The Heart of Worship"

Sermon

"All In!" Rev. Bob Martin

Text: John 3 NLT (selectively)

Worship Song

“One Thing Remains”

Benediction

The flowers are given to the glory of God in love and honor of Jill Brass on her 56th wedding anniversary, from her husband, Wayne.

The flowers are given to the glory of God in recognition of National Nurses’ Week.

The flowers are given to the glory of God in loving memory of Bruce Eliot Wilkinson’s birthday from his sister, Chriselle Hamilton..

Thank you for joining us today!

Reminder: If you are not feeling well, please take advantage of our livestream worship.

Volunteer Help Needed

Our Hospitality Team needs volunteers to help serve coffee, donuts, and pastries at Common Grounds on Sunday mornings. Common Grounds is our Sunday morning between-services coffee and fellowship hub in the Fellowship Hall. Two people are needed each hour from 8:30-11:30 to help serve and keep the coffee flowing. Contact Chad at csimonds@fumcsp.org or Click here to go to our Serve form, then select "Hospitality/Kitchen Team."

Wednesday Night Live Dinner & Activities has had another wonderful year. We will take a break for the summer and return on September 4th. Mark your calendars!

Last Week's Attendance Numbers

Thank you for joining us for worship! These are our attendance numbers for last week. We hope to see you again next week!

April 28: In Person 480 Online 342

Church Finances

March 2024 Year to Date

Income $238,189 $803,825

Expense $372,753 $888,580

Discover First (5/19 NEW DATE):

Our next Discover First informational meeting for those interested in joining the church will be Sunday, May 19 from 10:45 to 1pm in the Chapel. Childcare and lunch provided. Click here to sign up.

Street Ministry needs 2nd Wednesday Cooks:

Come join a small team of Street Ministry Cooks on the 2nd Wednesday of every month that prepares meals for the homeless in our church kitchen. Volunteer Cooks prepare meals from 4 pm to about 5 pm. Most Cooks only volunteer an hour a month and have had no prior experience in cooking for a large number of people. To learn more about volunteering with Street Ministry, contact Hal Heitler at 727-448-6291 or at heitlerh@tampabay.rr.com.

VBS Volunteers Needed:

It's May and that means VBS is getting close!! We will have a full house, with 120 children during the week! Phew, that’s a lot of kids… Did you know that more than half of those children are from the community and NOT members of St. Pete First? This is one of our largest outreach events of the year and we need your help.

We have many areas to choose from; you can help by setting up ahead of time, helping lead a preschool or elementary group, helping lead music during our opening and closing each day, preparing snacks or crafts – there’s SO many things to do. If you can help, CLICK HERE to volunteer or email Lora Ulrich and she will find a spot for you!! We are also asking for donations to purchase snacks and donate to our service project (backpacks for St. Pete High’s Green Devil’s Pantry)— you can click here to donate to VBS or write a check and designate VBS.

Club 56 Roller Skating Celebration with Youth (5/19):

Our 5th graders are moving up to 6th grade and our 6th graders are joining YOUTH! We want to CELEBRATE! We will be having a combined YOUTH/CLUB 56 party at Astro Skate at 5:30. Pizza and drinks are included. Everything is FREE but you need to register - click here to join the fun.

Donate to Youth Summer Sports program:

We're starting up a new youth sports program, which will include running, karate, and more, and we need some donations to help us get up and running. Right now we need a used (or new) 3-wheeled bike with a back basket to support our runners, and donations to help us buy some martial arts mats. Contact KayLee Bennett if you have a bike that needs a new home, or donate here.



Pastor Margaret's Ordination (6/8):

We are taking a bus to Lakeland on Saturday, June 8 to support Pastor Margaret as she is ordained at the service of licensing and ordination of the Annual Conference. The service will be at Florida Southern College in Lakeland at 10:30AM.  The bus will pick folks up at St. Pete First and provide round-trip transportation. Cost is $20 per person. Seats are limited!  CLICK HERE TO GET A SEAT ON THE BUS.  Also, on Sunday, June 9, we will celebrate with Pastor Margaret and our church family with a luncheon in the Fellowship Hall after the 11am service.

VBS & Summer Camp registration is OPEN:

VBS - June 17-21

Camp Friendship Week 1 - July 8-12

Camp Friendship Week 2 - July 15-19

Elementary Art Adventure Camp - July 8-12 (FULL, but you can join the wait list)

Elementary Slimetopia Camp - July 15-19

Click here to Register.

To see our full list of job openings, visit our Job Center: https://www.stpetefirst.org/job-center.

KIDS

SUNDAYS

8:00 am

Infant Lounge/Cry Room Room 204 (Livestreaming available during all services)

9:30 am

Infant Lounge/Cry Room Room 204 (Livestreaming available during all services)

Nursery (Birth - 2 years) Room 105

2’s TODDLER Room 104

PRESCHOOL (Age 3 - K) Sunday School Preschool Hall

ELEMENTARY (1st - 5th Gr) Kids Church 4th Floor

11:00 am

Infant Lounge/Cry Room Room 204 (Livestreaming available during all services)

Nursery (Birth - 2 years) Room 105

2’s TODDLER Room 104

PRESCHOOL (Age 3 - K) Kids Church Preschool Hall

ELEMENTARY (1st - 5th Gr) Sunday School 4th Floor

CLUB 56 (5th & 6th Grades) Room 404

WEDNESDAYS -RETURNING on Sept 4th

5:00 pm KIDS PRAISE TEAM (Age 4-6th Grade) Chapel

5:30 pm DINNER Fellowship Hall

6-7 pm WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE (Preschool & Elementary) Preschool/4th Floor

6:30-7:30 pm NURSERY (Birth - 3 years) Room 105

YOUTH

SUNDAYS

9:30 am WORSHIP (Look for the youth up front) Sanctuary

11:00 am CLUB 56 (5th & 6th Grades) 4th Floor, Room 404

10:45 am YOUTH (7th – 12th GRADES) WhereHouse

6:00 pm YOUTH (7th – 12th GRADES) WhereHouse

WEDNESDAYS -RETURNING on Sept 4th

5:30 pm DINNER Fellowship Hall

6-7:30 pm Youth Group WhereHouse

SUNDAY WORSHIP

8:00 am Traditional Service -Sanctuary

9:30 am Contemporary Service -Sanctuary

11:00 am Traditional Service -Sanctuary

FELLOWSHIP TIME (BETWEEN SERVICES)

9-11:30 am Common Grounds (Coffee, Food & Fellowship) -Fellowship Hall

9-11:30 am (2nd Sundays) Blood Pressure Clinic -1st Floor Nurse's Area

ADULTS

SUNDAYS

9:30 am QUEST -Zoom & Room 208

10:45 am PROMISED LAND -Zoom & Room 301

10:45 am YOUNGISH ADULTS -Room 101

11:00 am BECOMERS -Zoom & Room 103

11:00 am DISCIPLE MAKERS -Library-Room 212

11:00 am SOJOURNERS -Room 208

MONDAYS

11:30 am United Women in Faith FAST Crowd (3rd Mondays) -Location varies

WEDNESDAYS -RETURNING on Sept 4th

5:30 pm DINNER Fellowship Hall

6:30 pm BAND OF BROTHERS -Parlor-Rm 214 

6:30 pm Adult BIBLE STUDIES - TBA

THURSDAYS

7:30 am THURSDAY MEN’S STUDY -Zoom

1:00 pm United Women in Faith Deborah Circle (4th Thursdays) -Room 101

MUSIC

SUNDAYS

8:30 am IGNITE WORSHIP TEAM -Room 214-Parlor & Sanctuary

10:15 am CHANCEL CHOIR -Room 312

12:10 pm HANDBELLS -Room 310

TUESDAYS

6:00 pm IGNITE WORSHIP TEAM -Sanctuary

WEDNESDAYS

5:00 pm KIDS PRAISE TEAM (Age 4-6th Grade) Chapel -RETURNING on Sept 4th

7:30 pm CHANCEL CHOIR -Room 312

CARE & SUPPORT

WEDNESDAYS

12:00 Noon CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP -Zoom

THURSDAYS

6:30 pm WOMEN'S JOURNEY -Chapel

7:30 pm AL-ANON Parlor -Room 214

LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS

FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH

5:30 pm BOARD OF TRUSTEES -Admin Conference Room

SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH

6:00 pm STAFF PARISH -Closed Meeting

THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH

6:00 pm FINANCE TEAM -Admin Conference Room

FOURTH TUESDAY OF THE MONTH

6:00 pm CHURCH COUNCIL -Fellowship Hall & Zoom

FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH

12:00 pm LEARN PILLAR

SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH

6:00 pm SERVE PILLAR

THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH

12:00 pm INVITE PILLAR

THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH

2:00 pm NURTURE PILLAR