September 2025 FRESH Start

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5 V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 5
FRESH Start
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PORT CHARLOTTE SDA CHURCH
Our
Precious
Children

Planting Seeds at
Early Ages =
Forming Characters
"Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
Jesus, “the greatest Teacher of all” taught us that the
best education starts at an early age. PCAS adopted
the philosophy of planting seeds at early ages, so
Christian education can continue through the years.
This is the 55th anniversary since our school was
established with the purpose of being a beacon of
Christian education in our town. This school year we
reached the highest enrollment in our whole school
history. We have an enrollment of 136 students! To
God be the glory!
by Almibar Cruz
Principal, PCAS
We have 44 new students coming from Port
Charlotte and more distant places such Arcadia,
Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral, North Port, and Sarasota.
“Traveling long distance every day to give children
Adventist Education is worthwhile,” shared parents
who travel 40-50 minutes one way every day.

There is nothing quite like
the first day of school!!
Our students literally
received a red carpet
welcome to a blessed
school year. The hallways
came alive with laughter
and greetings. At our first
meeting all together,
Pastor Ben welcomed this
year’s students and
reviewed the purpose of
Adventist Education. We have an amazing staff that
shows the love of Christ, and supports our school.
Our first day of school was filled with energy, smiles,
and new beginnings! We are off to a wonderful
start, and we look forward to a year of learning and
growth together, and above all, bringing our
students to the feet of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support
for Port Charlotte Adventist School.
Photo credits: Ted Stringer

Family
Sabbath
By Laura Dancek
Photo credits: Laura Dancek,
Rodney Grussling, Ted Stringer
The children of our
church are precious
to us, and on July 26
we set aside the
entire morning to
focus on our families
in unique ways. In the
foyer, people could
feel like they were
stepping right into
nature with the rain
forest family photo
background set up. A
few steps away, into
the sanctuary, you
could enjoy the
nature scene set up
across the platform.
The morning began as
a Kids’ J.A.M. (Jesus
and Me) event during
Sabbath School, which
started with lots of
singing. After the
raising of voices,
Camp Kulaqua staff
members Keith and
Andrea Nelson and
Krystina Cotton made
Sabbath School and
the worship service
meaningful and
special by bringing
nature right into our
sanctuary. We were
able to see, and

sometimes touch, and
learn about some of God’s
small creatures, including
a skunk, mole, python
snake, iguana, ferret, and
hedgehog. Keith’s sermon
emphasized lessons we
can learn from animals.
Beyond the animal
encounters, everyone was
treated to a haystack
lunch afterwards to extend the family bonding
time, where some lucky individuals were the
recipients of gifts if their names were drawn
during the meal.
Our sincere thanks to Donna Judy for her
passion for children, and for spearheading and
coordinating everything for this high Sabbath
that brought us closer to our Creator, to His
creation, and each other.

Baby Dedication
Kaylani Amira Webb
by Don Byard
Photo credits: Ted Stringer
Kaylani Amira Webb was
dedicated to the Lord by her
parents, Janelle and Niquecoy
Webb, on May 31, 2025.
Janelle and Niquecoy prayed
about taking this step, both
having grown up in a Christian
home. Their prayer was
answered when they
discovered Isaiah 54:13: “All
your children shall be taught by
the Lord, and great shall be the
peace of your children.”
Six-month-old Kaylani is a blessing to her
parents who enjoy watching her learn to
crawl and explore sounds and movements
around her.

adventurers
Pathfinders
& Begin Their New Year
by David Molina
Adventurer Director
Photo credits: Ted Stringer
On August 10th, we commenced
our Adventurer Club year with
bouncy houses and face painting.
Additionally, we were fortunate to
have a delightful meal provided by
Ms. Lucie and her mother. It was
truly heartwarming to witness the
children and families gathering to
partake in this enjoyable event. This
year, we are honored to welcome
several new instructors: Donna Hall
will assist Lidiia Tymko with the
Eager Beavers (Kindergarten),
Hannah Bowman will impart
instruction to the Sunbeam (Second
grade), Maggie Merone will teach
the Builders (Third grade), and
Riana and Astyn Lindell will guide
the Helping Hands (Fourth grade).
We extend our heartfelt prayers to
the club families and staff, seeking
blessings for a fulfilling and
enriching year.

COMING SOON
The
Good God
Cafe

9-9:50 a.m. on the
First Sabbath of the Month
in the Vault (Room 113)
BEGINS SEPTEMBER 6
Purpose: To foster community and strengthen interpersonal
connections through informal gatherings that encourage fellowship,
authentic and free-flowing conversations, and loving interaction
within the church family to deepen relationships and strengthen
community.
Menu: A simple and welcoming selection of refreshments, including
hot and iced beverages (herbal tea, coffee, Roma, etc.), and light
breakfast options (pastries, fruit, granola bars, etc.).
Leadership: Gavin and Hannah Forbes
Transition to Sabbath School: At 9:45 a.m., the café will
conclude with a group prayer centered around a prayer
request box placed in the café, then dismissed to their respective
Sabbath School classes.

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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5
V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 5
Or go to:
pcsda.net/contact
941-629-1333
2036 Loveland Blvd.
Pt. Charlotte, FL 33952
www.pcsda.net
Church Rebranding
Have you noticed our different look? We
created a slightly different color palette, and
made subtle changes to our fonts. Our new
logo was added to the last issue of the
newsletter. Our redesigned website was
available in July.
As we order more shirts and printed products
you will see our new branding more and more!
This was done to create harmony in all of our
media, and fine tune features. We hope you get
a sense of warmth and peace, as well as
freshness.
FRESH Start Team:
Photographers:
Laura Dancek
Rodney Grussling
Ted Stringer
Writers:
Don Byard
Laura Dancek
Editor:
Laura Dancek
Contact:
pcsdalaura@gmail.com