January 2025 FRESH START

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 , V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 1
FRESH Start
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PORT CHARLOTTE SDA CHURCH

A CALL TO PRAYER
AND POWER:
PREPARING FOR
PENTECOST IN 2025
As we reflect on the early
church, it becomes
increasingly clear that
their success in
spreading the gospel
was not due to their own
strength, intellect, or
resources. No, it was the
power of the Holy Spirit
that fueled their mission
and turned the world
upside down. And as we
enter 2025, I believe God
is calling us to
experience that same
power—power that is
available to us through
the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit, just as it was
in Acts 2.
The early disciples
understood something
vital: they needed God’s
power to do the work He
had called them to do.
Jesus, in Acts 1:4, tells
them to wait for the
promise of the Father—
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
He didn’t say, “Go and
make disciples right
away,” but instead, He
commanded them to
wait. They couldn’t carry
out the mission on their
own strength; they
needed the Holy Spirit to
empower them. And so,
they did exactly that—
they waited in one
accord, in one place, in
prayer and supplication.
This wasn’t just a casual
prayer meeting. They
didn’t gather for a quick,
10-minute prayer. No, they gathered
with a deep sense of urgency and
expectation. They continued
steadfastly in prayer, believing that
God would fulfill His promise. And
what happened? When the day of
Pentecost had fully come, the Holy
Spirit was poured out, and the church
was empowered in a way that they
could never have imagined. Acts 2:1-4
tells us that a mighty wind filled the
house, and tongues of fire rested on
each of them. They were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
different tongues, as the Spirit gave
them utterance. And that same day,
3,000 people were baptized and
added to the church.
What About Us?
Now, let me ask you: Do you believe
that same power is available to us
today? I firmly believe it is. The same
God who poured out His Spirit on the
early church wants to pour out His
PENTECOST
2025
BY BEN SHURTLIFF, SENIOR PASTOR
Photo credit: Laura Dancek

Spirit on us in even
greater measure. But
there’s a catch: the Spirit
was poured out on a
church that was in unity,
that was in one place, in
one accord, seeking God
together. The Holy Spirit
doesn’t just work in
individual hearts; He
works powerfully in the
gathered body of
believers when they are
united in prayer, in
purpose, and in faith.
The question for us as a
church in 2025 is this:
Are we ready for God to
pour out His power on
us? Are we willing to
prepare ourselves the
same way the early
church did—by
continuing in prayer, in
one accord, and in one
place?
We live in a world filled
with distractions. We
have
work,
responsibilities, family,
and the busyness of
daily life. But as much as
these things are
important, we cannot
afford to let them pull us
away from the main
thing. The early church
knew that their mission
was too important, and
their need for the Holy
Spirit was too great, to
settle for anything less
than a radical
commitment to prayer
and unity.
A Call to Action:
One More Hour for
God
I know this may seem
like a radical ask, but I
want to challenge each
of you to commit to one
more hour of prayer and
unity in 2025. The early
church didn’t just gather
once a week and call it
enough—they gathered
daily in one accord. They
were persistent in
prayer, and God
honored their faith.
Here’s what I’m asking:
Join us on Wednesday
nights from 6:00 to 7:00
PM for prayer meeting.
This hour is not just
another event to check
off your calendar. It’s an
opportunity to gather
with the body of Christ,
in one place, in one
accord, seeking the
power of the Holy Spirit
to move in our church, in
our community, and in
our world. If you’ve
never been to prayer
meeting, I encourage
you to start. If you’ve
been, I encourage you to
come even more faithfully. And if
you’ve fallen away from attending, I
urge you to make a renewed
commitment to this time of prayer.
This is not about filling a slot on the
church calendar. This is about seeking
God together as a church family. The
world is watching. The community is
waiting. And the harvest is ready. But
the question is, will we be ready to
receive the power to do the work?
The Holy Spirit
doesn’t just work in
individual hearts; He
works powerfully in
the gathered body
of believers when
they are united in
prayer, in purpose,
and in faith.
God’s Promise to His People
When God promises something, He
keeps His word. In Joel 2:28-29, God
promises to pour out His Spirit on all
flesh in the last days. The early church
experienced the “former rain” of the

Holy Spirit, but we are
living in the time of the
“latter rain,” which will
be even more abundant.
I believe that 2025 can
be a year of
unprecedented spiritual
power, but we must be
willing to make room for
God to move.
A Time to Change
I want to challenge you
to make a change in
your calendar and in
your life. For those of
you who have been
caught up in the
busyness of life, I
encourage you to set
aside that hour on
Wednesday evenings as
a sacred time for
prayer. Let that hour
belong to God. If you
have children or young
people in your family, I
want to challenge you to
bring them along. We
need the next
generation to know the
power of prayer and to
be a part of the
movement of God’s
Spirit in this world.
God is ready to pour out
His Spirit on us, but He is
looking for people who
will make themselves
available to Him. I
believe we are on the
cusp of something great,
but it will take a people
who are willing to gather,
pray, and seek God with
all their hearts. If we will
make this commitment
—if we will commit to
prayer, to unity, and to
to seeking God together—then I
believe 2025 will be a year when God
pours out His Spirit in mighty ways.
So, as we enter this new year, I want
to invite you to commit to spending
one hour a week together in prayer,
seeking the power of the Holy Spirit,
so that we can be a church that is
ready for the great work God wants to
do in our midst.
Will you join me? Will you make that
commitment to prayer in 2025?

Prayer
Meeting
R E V I V I N G O U R
C H U R C H T H R O U G H
P R A Y E R
BY LAURA DANCEK
Photo credits: Ted Stringer
Last February, while
attending a Christian
conference, I heard a
speaker share a powerful
truth: "A church never rises
above the level of its prayer
life." That message stuck
with me. I realized I
should join the small
group already meeting for
prayer at our church. I
marked it on my calendar
for every Wednesday. Yet,
week after week, I found
excuses not to attend.
Each week, I deleted it
from my calendar,
promising myself I’d go
the next week. But I
finally had to face the
truth: I did not want to
take the time to go.
On December 28, Pastor
Ben made a call to
prioritize prayer meeting.
I took it seriously when I
stood, along with most of
you, committing to make
it a priority. I missed the
very first one because of
holiday plans. But, thanks
to God, I’ve attended
every meeting since. It’s

become important to me
for two reasons: first, I
believe the speaker’s
statement about the
church’s prayer life
impacting its mission and
potential. Second, I
deeply desire more of the
Holy Spirit in my life.
Since the new year,
prayer meeting has
consistently drawn about
80 people each week. Our
elders take turns leading,
and it is a blessing to see
them as the spiritual
leaders they are. During
the first 45 minutes, the
high schoolers, teens, and
younger children have
their own meetings. They
then join the adults in the
sanctuary for the final
prayer and song, forming
a big circle while holding
hands. This time together
is not about hearing a
sermon, making
decisions, or doing work
—it’s about sharing
prayer needs, bearing
each other’s burdens,
and praying together. It’s
just one hour, but it’s a
very blessed hour.
That’s my testimony, but I
wanted to share what
others have experienced
as well. Here’s what some
of our church family had
to say:
The Toboso Family
Louren shared that their
family began attending
after the new year,
hoping for “spiritual
revival and reformation
for God’s work to be
completed. We are
encouraged and have
spiritual awakening in
our lives.”
Joy and Joe McClintock
Joy stated she and Joe only attended
prayer meeting twice last year. Now,
they are attending regularly. She’s
“hoping for not only a closer walk with
the Lord, but for the leading of His
Holy Spirit to use me as a witness to
others. I’ve always been afraid to
share Jesus with people I don’t know. I
have been so encouraged by the
church members who have made a
commitment to attend prayer
meetings. I think that God is definitely
at work in our church and also in each
individual’s heart.”

Crystal Salyer and
Family
Crystal shared that they
weren’t able to attend
regularly last year but
have been attending this
month because she wants
“increased faith, growth,
and a closer connection
with fellow believers.” She
added, “It’s a great pickme-up
in the middle of
the week.”
David Molina
David didn’t attend prayer
meetings before this year
but is now committing to
regular attendance. He
shared, “I hope to
harness the power of
prayer with my brothers
and sisters and grow
stronger spiritually. I look
forward to seeing Him in
action at the church.”
Phyllis and Bruce Price
This faithful couple was
part of the small group
attending regularly last
year. Phyllis expressed
their reason for
attending: “We want to
stay closer to the Lord
every day.” They also
hope “to see answers to
prayer and get closer to
our church family, sharing
in prayer and fellowship.”
She added, “It is always a
blessing each week.”
John and Norma Kelley
After relocating last year,
the Kelleys are back and
have rejoined the prayer
meeting group. John
shared, “We enjoy
meeting with like
believers and bringing
our prayers before God,
praying for those we
know and don’t know
who are asking for God’s
intervention in their lives,
as well as our own.”
Regarding
their
experience in prayer
meeting, he added, “God
has always been faithful
to us, and we see our
prayers answered in His
name. Prayer meeting
helps us all feel more
connected as a church
family. You see the power
of prayer every week
when we attend. Through
the pastors’ leadership,
we join together in prayer
over petitions and
witness His power in our
lives. The Holy Spirit is
there with us.”
Meet to Pray
Wednesdays
6-7 pm
The significant increase in
participation in prayer meetings is
encouraging and vital to our church’s
life. If you haven’t joined us yet, we
hope to see you next Wednesday at 6
p.m. Let’s continue to pray together
and witness God’s work in our church
and ultimately in our community!

A New Way
to Serve
O U R C A M P U S G O L F
C A R T
BY MARK MILLER
Many of you have likely
noticed a new piece of
equipment zipping
around the campus
recently. This golf cart
was part of a vision I had
for the safety and security
team to help patrol the
campus on Sabbaths. The
idea was presented to the
church board last
October and approved.
Afterward, the search
began. Pastor Ben and I
explored several options
and found one
previouslyused by the Lee
Health System. As they
were upgrading their
fleet, this cart became
available.
The Shurtliffs and I made
a trip to Ft. Myers to
inspect the cart, giving it a
thorough “once-over” and
a test drive. We felt that
Photo credits: Laura Dancek

God had led us to this
nice, used cart. With Ben’s
trailer, we loaded it up
and brought it home.
After a good cleaning, a
couple of new tires, and a
mirror replacement, we
now have the cart you see
today. It was purchased
using funds from the
surplus of giving in 2024,
which exceeded the
church budget.
The cart’s primary use has
been to shuttle members
with “stiff and cranky”
knees or hips from their
cars to the front door.
Many have expressed
their gratitude for this
assistance. During the
holidays, we even
decorated the cart with
Christmas lights and
played music to spread
some holiday cheer.
The cart will primarily be
used by the safety team
to provide shuttle service
and to patrol the campus,
ensuring
our
environment is as safe
and secure as possible.
On any given Sabbath,
you might see me, a
safety team member,
Errol Long, one of the
deacons, or even a pastor
cruising the parking lots.
Don’t be shy! Hop
aboard, and let us bring
you to the door of God’s
house.
Notice
At Port Charlotte SDA Church, we
love sharing the wonderful
moments of our community,
including those involving our
youth, through photos in any
media created by our church.
Please note that unless we are
notified otherwise, we assume
permission to use images of your
child(ren) for these purposes. If
you prefer not to have your
child’s photo included, we kindly
ask that you contact
Laura Dancek at
pcsdacommunication@gmail.com
Thank you for helping us respect
your wishes while celebrating our
vibrant church family.

UPCOMING
Events
Sight and Sound Presentation
in the Grand Hall
6 pm, Friday, January 24

KID’S J.A.M.
THE AMAZING
YOU
Photo credits: Ted Stringer
On October 26 our children enjoyed another outdoor Kids’ J.A.M. (Jesus and Me) event.
They enjoyed singing and a devotional by Mr. Chris Laracuente, our 5th and 6th grade
teacher, about “The Amazing You.” Activities included games, crafts and snacks.

M I N I S T R Y F A I R A S U C C E S S
HELP FOR
THE
HARVEST
BY LAURA DANCEK
Photo credits: Niquecoy Webb
In Matthew 9:37, Jesus said to His
disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful,
but the laborers are few.” This truth
remains as relevant today as it was then,
and our church continues to answer the
call to serve the Lord of the harvest.
To inspire and recruit more volunteers,
we hosted our second annual ministry
fair on November 2, this year titled “Help
for the Harvest.” Following the worship
service, over 150 people gathered in the
grand hall to explore opportunities to
serve through the church’s many
ministries.
The fair highlighted 34 ministries, with
booths creatively showcasing their work
in a harvest theme. The grand hall was

decorated with a harvest theme,
including colorful fruit and vegetable
balloons hanging from the ceiling and
walls to brighten the space and
celebrate the season. The hospitality
ministry provided delicious, harvestthemed
food, while many booths
offered snacks to encourage
conversation and connection.
We are thrilled to report that the event
was a success! Many attendees signed
up to serve in ministries that matched
their interests and talents. This fair was
perfectly timed to support the important
work of the nominating committee, as
we begin a new season of leadership
and service.
leaders and teams have stepped into
their roles and will serve faithfully until
the end of 2025. Let us continue to pray
for their efforts and for the volunteers
who have stepped forward to work in
the Lord’s harvest.
If you missed the fair and want to get
involved, there’s always a place for you
to serve! Reach out to the church office
or pastors for more information on how
you can help make a difference.
As of this month, our new ministry

HIGH SCHOOL AFTER CHRISTMAS PARTY
BY JED LORENZO MYR TOBOSO
Photo credits: Tria Shurtliff
I just recently had the
best time of my life with
my friends at the High
School After Christmas
Party. I enjoyed many
activities such as Dirty
Santa, decorating the
Snowman, paper ball
snowball fight, making
reindeer antlers out of
balloons and stockings,
and gift wrapping
fashion.
I had the most fun in
Dirty Santa because of
the suspense in not
knowing whether you
get to keep your gift. I
got a desktop drum set.
Also I had bought a bean
boozled game set for the
Dirty Santa that involved
jelly beans and of the
weirdest sort from stinky
socks to liver and onions
and many other flavors. I
participated only once
but I got lucky and got a
cappuccino jelly bean
not a liver and onions.
Decorating the Snowman
was actually the second
most interesting because
it involved decorating two
scoops of ice cream with
twigs, raisins, string, and
carrots. In order to win
the both teams have to
use the most materials.
Team B made a normal
snowman but used a lot
of the string to make a
comfy scarf. Team A
made a funny-looking
snowman that had more

arms than legs and
looked like an alien. But
they won based on the
rule that they used more
parts than us.
Pastor Ben made us, the
losing team, send one
person to take a jelly
bean as our trophy for
losing.
Also one of the weirdest
activities and one of the
most embarrassing to
me was the Reindeer
antlers. But it was
actually very fun, there
were two teams, team A
and team B, both on a 1
minute timer to build the
best looking antlers. My
team, team B, built a
floppy antler which
actually made me look
ridiculous. The opposing
team, team A, built more
realistic antlers with a
more sturdy look. Team
B won because their
antlers were more
reindeer like. Altogether,
this game was very fun.
The last game that we
played before we all left
was the gift wrapping
fashion show. It was like
a fashion show except
the clothing is made of
gift wrapping paper.
Nehemiah and Hope
were the models. Team
A and Team B set quickly
about making the two
costumes which was
actually very fun. My
team, Team B, made a
dress with a long train
behind the dress for
Hope. Team A made
armor for Nehemiah,
making him look like a
Nutcracker. The judges
for the show were Pastor
Ben’s parents. Both teams won
because they were equally tied in
style. This was a fun game and this
was the number one highlight of the
evening.
This party, to a great extent, was the
most fun I've ever had and that party
was the best way to spend a Sunday
evening. I wish we could continue this.
A big thanks to Pastor Ben and Mrs.
Tria, for arranging and planning this
great party. Please pray for the youth
so that more will attend events like
this, and that more young people will
come to Christ.

Transfers and Professions of Faith
BY DON BYARD
Jesse and Savannah Maize
Jesse and Savannah Maize transferred to PCSDA Church on October 12, 2024. They
moved here so Savannah could teach Kindergarten in our school. They enjoy traveling
to National Parks, trying out new recipes, and playing with their toddler.
Elton Bharath and Leisa-Gay Mullings
Elton Bharath and his wife Leisa-Gay Mullings were voted into membership in the
PCSDA Church on October 12, 2024 by Letter of Transfer. Before moving to the area,
they were looking for a church in the Port Charlotte area so they watched the PCSDA
Church service on YouTube during Covid. They have found the church to be a warm
and welcoming community.
Elton enjoys working out, fishing, and the outdoors in general. Leisa is a teacher in our
school.
Tracey and Tami Mosley
Tracey and Tami Mosley were received into membership of the PCSDA Church on Nov.
9, 20024. They were attracted to our wonderful Church School where their
grandchildren attend as well as the reverence for God that is evident in the Sabbath
Worship service. Pastor Ben’s sincere and biblical sermons, along with the welcoming
church members, were also influential to their decision to become part of our church
family.
The Mosley’s are self-employed as general contractors and own an inspection company.
They enjoy a work-life balance in family time, weightlifting, enjoying meals, and music.

Baptisms
Lloyd Brown
BY DON BYARD
Lloyd Brown has been searching for a
church that centers around the life and
teachings of Christ. In his pre-teen years he
had attended a SDA church with his mother
so decided to visit the Port Charlotte SDA
Church where he found his home. He was
baptized on November 2, 2024 in our
church. Bowling captures Lloyd’s interest in
his free time.
Photo credit: Ted Stringer
Heath Mosley
Tami Mosley
On November 30, 2024 Heath Mosley was baptized along with his mother, who was
rebaptized. Heath is a plumber. At his baptism he asked that God give him humility and
wisdom.

Baptisms
Carmine Joseph James Fina (CJ)
Carmine Joseph James Fina (CJ) has
attended PCSDA Church since moving
here with his mother Lexi. He was
baptized at Venice Beach by his brother
who is a pastor in Clearwater, on
December 14, 2024. On December 28
he was voted into membership at our
church, making his membership official.
CJ enjoys fishing, Ji Kitty and boxing. He
also has a great love for animals.
Photo credit: Rodney Grussling
Annetta Cravet
Annetta Cravet became a member of
PCSDA Church through baptism on
December 14, 2024. Her parents
discovered the church school which led
to their attending our services. She is
delighted to be a part of church family.
Annetta enjoys volleyball and playing a
variety of instruments. Her greatest
interest is following Jesus.
Photo credit: Ted Stringer
Jolynn Wagnor
Noel Samaroo
Also Baptized
on
December 14
Photo credit: Ted Stringer
Photo credit: Ted Stringer

Baptisms
Garaudy Junior Poincy
Garaudy Junior Poincy sealed his decision
to dedicate his life to the Lord through
baptism on December 14, 2024. It was a
natural choice as he has always taken a
deep interest in the Bible stories, children’s
Sabbath School classes, and other activities
of the church. He is eager to learn more
about the Bible and desires to get closer to
God. He enjoys playing soccer, fishing,
science, playing the drums and cooking.
Kate Meyrah Poincy
Kate Meyrah Poincy began her journey with
God through baptism on December 14,
2024 and finds her faith continues to grow
every day. Having grown up in the SDA
church, she has participated in many
church activities which she finds
enlightening in her knowledge and
understanding of God. She relates to John
3:16 because there is no greater love. Her
interests include drawing, painting, and
music, all of which she intends to use to
praise God.
Photo credit: Colin Stringer
Photo credit: Ted Stringer
Leynnah Poincy
Over a period of time, Leynnah Poincy began feeling a
deeper connection to the faith of her early years and
desiring a better understanding. After spending more
time in reflection on those beliefs, the decision for
baptism was the next step, which took place on her
birthday, December 14, 2024. Commitment to faith
and to others on the same journey became a priority.
Laynnah finds peace and a feeling of being grounded
through volleyball, music, and helping in the
community.
Photo credit: Ted Stringer

Baby Dedications
BY DON BYARD
Melody Giana Poincy
Melody Giana Poincy was dedicated
by her parents, Marie Lucie and
Hans. Her parents are praying for
the gift of music to be granted to her
to be used in praising God. She
traveled in utero to Wyoming and
back for the Pathfinder Camporee,
making her entrance into the world
at the Sarasota hospital soon after
their return.
Photo credits: Niquecoy Webb

Baby Dedications
Daniel Sidorenko
Daniel Sidorenko was presented to
the Lord by his parents, Lina and
Mir, on January 11, 2025. His twoyear-old
brother, David, was also
present. At the request of the
parents, the prayer of dedication
included a request for health and
wisdom for Daniel.
Photo credits: Ted Stringer

The Church Directory
is now available only for those who are included in the
pictorial section. You may pick your copy up in the foyer on
Sabbath, or at the church office during office hours. An app
will become available in February. The app will be a tool we
can continuously update. If you are not included in the
printed directory, or your contact information changes, we
would love to add them to the app.
Port Charlotte
Seventh-day Adventist
Church
941-629-1333
2036 Loveland Blvd.
Pt. Charlotte, FL 33952
Contact Laura Dancek at pcsdacommunication@gmail.com
www.pcsda.net
FRESH Start Team:
Photographers:
Laura Dancek
Rodney Grussling
Colin Stringer
Ted Stringer
Niquecoy Webb
Wave Williams
Writers:
Don Byard
Laura Dancek
Mark Miller
Ben Shurtliff
Jed Lorenzo Myr Toboso
Editor:
Laura Dancek
Contact us at:
pcsdacommunication@gmail.com