September 2023 FRESH Start

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 3 , I S S U E 8
FRESH Start
THE PORT CHARLOTTE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST FAMILY

WE ARE A FAMILY
COVER and PHOTO CREDIT: Emmanuel St. Cloud, of St. Cloud photography, captured this family
portrait of our church. On August 26, 2023 we rededicated our campus and shared this beautiful
moment in our church’s history together. Following eleven months of restoration from the damage
caused by Hurricane Ian, on September 28, 2023, we praised the Lord for His marvelous blessings.

Family Album

Rededication Sabbath
Moments captured by Laura Dancek

Click here to watch the video played during the worship service

Appreciation of Mike Torry from Canco General Constructions, Inc.

Appreciation of Jim Hudson from Canco General Constructions, Inc.

Appreciation of Pastor Ben

Appreciation of Diane Sedwick

Gathering for the group photo

Campus Transportation

Dedication of the Community Service Building

Dedication of the school and teachers

Celebrating on Sunday
Moments captured by Wave Williams

Waterslide Rides

Pathfinder Breakfast and Lunch

Silent Auction

Caricature Artist

Pathfinder Car Wash

F A M I L Y P H O T O S
BY BEN SHURTLIFF, SENIOR PASTOR
I absolutely love the
photo that was
taken for our
rededication
weekend! Thank
you St. Cloud
photography! It
reminds me of
times I had as a kid
looking through
family photo albums
on the floor next to
my grandparent’s
fireplace in the front
room of their home.
My siblings and I
would go through
photo album after
photo album and
look at photos of
our dad as a baby,
then boy, then
young adult. The
photographic family
progression and
smiling familiar
faces always
produced a warm
nostalgic feeling and
a sense of
belonging. When I
look at the photo we
just took, I catch
myself staring at it
and going face by
face, saying “Oh,
there he is,” and
“There she is,” and
“Oh, look at that!
They made it for the
photo!” That same
warm nostalgic

feeling and sense of
belonging was
kicking in.
The Bible states in
Ephesians 1:5-6, “He
predestined us to
adoption as sons
through Jesus Christ
to himself,
according to the
kind intention of His
will, to the praise of
the glory of His
grace, which He
freely bestowed on
us in the Beloved.”
That means we are
family. That means
the photo on the
front page of this
newsletter is a
family photo. You
are my sister or
brother because of
Christ and we have
all been adopted
into God’s family.
Each face in the
photo is a precious
member of God’s
family and each face
has a story to tell of
how God adopted
them from the
broken family of this
world to the
everlasting family in
Heaven. I am so
grateful to do life
with you, and
beside you, on this
side of heaven! We
have each other, as
siblings, to love and
cherish. We have
Jesus as our elder
brother and God as
our father. You and I
are not alone.
I love to see God’s
family progressing. I
love to see your
smiling familiar
faces. I love the
warm nostalgic
feeling and sense of
belonging I have as
your pastor. I wish
you and our future
family members the
same happiness.

A Night
in Italy
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
Sunday, October 22
5 pm
Come for a three-course fundraiser for the youth in the school gym.
Minimum donation is $30 per person, black tie formal. As well as the meal,
there will be fun, games, music and more!
For more information, contact any of the Youth.
Fellowship
Lunch
Sabbath, September 23
Bring your appetite and food to share at our next fellowship dinner
following the worship service.

Evenings on
Prophecy
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
6:30 p.m. Tuesdays
Prophecy is a vital part of the Bible and the SDA church. Come to
learn more about it every Tuesday night in the sanctuary. We are
following along with the video series "In the Days of Noah" that
covers end time prophecy, using study guides from the creators of
the video.
Pray with
Elders
10 a.m. Wednesdays
Please join the elders every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for a special prayer
time. We intend to pray for approximately 30 minutes for the church
family and community.
Join the Zoom Meeting at:
https://zoom.us/j/96643095756

Fellow
Stitch
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
Wednesday, September 20
10 am -1 pm
This fun life group is resuming after a long hiatus. Please note the new
day and time -- and that it will be every other Wednesday, beginning
September 20. Bring your craft supplies and enjoy creative time
together.
PCAS WEEK
OF PRAYER
Monday through Friday, September 18-22
Go There4 will spend the week inspiring our children and teaching
them more about God.

U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
What if the Port Charlotte SDA
Church no longer existed?
Would the people around us
notice any difference?
IT’S TIME TO MAKE AN IMPACT!
September 23 will be our first
Service Sabbath. Go There4, the
evangelistic team we are
partnering with this year, will
lead us outside of the walls of
our church and join us as we
knock on the doors of neighbors
across the street from our
church, finding out what their
needs may be.

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL
BY ALMIBAR CRUZ, PRINCIPAL
We are grateful for all the
parents that came to our
open house to see the
classroom and meet their
teachers. It was great to see
so many families and
children.
We had an incredible first
week! We had a very busy,
but great first day of school.
The students enjoyed all the
school activities and
especially the watermelon -- a
PCAS tradition for the first
day of school.
Please continue to pray for
us, not only to have a
productive and blessed year,
but for our plans to continue
chimes and marimba directed
by Mr. Cruz, skits and drama
by Ms. Monroe, and choir by
Mrs. Wainwright.
As a Christian educator, I feel
humbled and blessed to have
the opportunity to not only
teach lessons and lead
activities, but to teach my
students about the love of
Jesus.

We thank our church
members who come to
pray for PCAS children,
teachers, and school
every Monday 8-9 am.

WELCOME OUR NEW TEACHERS
Kindergarten
Dani Bobbitt
3rd-4th Grades
Beverley Monroe
5th-6th Grades
Ben Bobbitt
7th-8th Grades
Audrey Wainwright

“Train up a
child in the
way he should
go, even when
he is old, he
will not depart
from it.”
Proverbs 22:6

September 2023 - Special issue of FRESH Start, edited by Laura Dancek