October 2025 FRESH Start

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 6
FRESH Start
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PORT CHARLOTTE SDA CHURCH
Pile
on
the
Love!

P I L E O N T H E L O V E !
A n E d i t o r i a l
Pastor Appreciation Month
BY LAURA DANCEK
Photo credit: Wave Williams
In my five years as editor
of the church newsletter,
I’ve written many articles—
but rarely an editorial.
Usually, I invite our pastors
to share their thoughts in
this space. After all, they’re
the ones you want to hear
from.
the theme of this issue to
be focused on them. Of
course, it wouldn’t be
appropriate to ask our
pastors to write about
themselves. That’s where I
come in. I can say the
things they can’t—and
wouldn’t.
But since October is Pastor
Appreciation Month, it
seems fitting—maybe even
overdue—for
Pastor Appreciation Month
(and Pastor Appreciation
Day) began in the 1990s as
a way to encourage and

uplift the leaders of God’s
people and help them avoid
burnout. It’s not about
glorifying them—it’s about
supporting them, recognizing
their sacrifices, and
expressing the deep gratitude
we often feel but too rarely
speak.
Just as we celebrate birthdays
and anniversaries to remind
our loved ones how much
they mean to us, October is
our chance to be more
intentional about showing
our appreciation for our
pastors and their families.
Why is that important?
Paul puts it this way in his
letter to Timothy:
“Let the elders who rule well be
counted worthy of double
honor, especially those who
labor in the word and
doctrine.”
1 Timothy 5:17, NKJV
The Message paraphrase uses the word pastors
instead of elders, and many sources—including
the North American Division—affirm this
interpretation. According to Paul, pastors are
worthy of double honor. That’s more than a
polite thank-you—it’s twice as much honor as
others receive.
The Living Bible puts it even more simply: “They
should be highly appreciated.”
I agree wholeheartedly—and here’s why.
A Life of Sacrifice
The life of a pastor and their family is one of
constant giving. They are fairly paid, but often
not in line with what they could earn in a
different career. Their hours are long, and their
personal lives are frequently interrupted by the
needs of others. They relocate more than most,
which can be particularly hard on spouses and
children.
They are, in many ways, on call 24/7. In a church
family like ours—with an aging population and
frequent needs for visitation and support—our
Dictionary Definitions from Oxford
Languages
ap·pre·ci·a·tion
/əˌprēSHēˈāSHən/
noun
1. recognition and enjoyment of the
good qualities of someone or
something.

pastors often walk closely
alongside people in deep
grief or serious illness. The
nature of their work can
include much sadness.
They prepare and preach
sermons, they teach, they
listen and advise. And they
do all this, and so much
more, knowing they can
never please everyone.
They carry the enormous
responsibility of shepherding
our souls. What could be a
higher calling than that?
Something I’ve observed over
the years is how often our
pastors quietly go above and
beyond what’s expected of
them. I often hear stories of
them helping church
members move, assisting
with home projects, or
stepping in during times of
unexpected need. My own
family has experienced that
kindness—both at our office
last year and in our home
many years ago.
While none of us would
expect this kind of service from professionals in
other fields, our pastors often offer it willingly.
Their care extends far beyond the pulpit. In fact,
it sometimes feels as though they are the ones
giving us double honor, rather than the other
way around.
If Scripture calls us to give them “double honor,”
perhaps it’s worth considering how we can
support them more—and be mindful of the
many ways they already serve, often quietly and
sacrificially.
Let’s Pile on the Love
Photo credit: Rodney Grussling
This October, we want to be extravagant in our
appreciation. We’re calling it: Pile on the Love.
Let’s lift our pastors up. Let’s encourage and
strengthen them. Let’s help them feel seen,
supported, and surrounded by love.

Here are some ideas of how you can be part of it –
everyone can do at least one these:
Cards and Letters: Fill their inboxes with heartfelt, loving emails.
Overflow their mailboxes with cards and notes.
Gifts and Meals: Let their desks be piled with thoughtful gifts. Deliver
delicious, home-cooked meals they didn’t have to prepare.
Gift Cards: Pile on gift cards for restaurants (to give them a restful
break) and stores (so they can treat themselves). Amazon gift cards
offer the widest selection and flexibility.
Acts of Service: Ask how you might assist with personal projects—
whether at their homes, vehicles, or elsewhere—especially if you have
experience in a particular area.
Focus on Their Offices: Pastor Ben and Gavin each have offices at the
church that could use some sprucing up. Check with them about what
would make their spaces more comfortable and inviting. Or ask them if
there are any technological gifts that would assist their work.
Donate to Their Discretionary Funds: Pastor Ben and Pastor Gavin
each have separate discretionary fund line items in the church budget.
Donations to these funds allow them to use the money where it’s most
needed.
Prayer: Most importantly, pile on your prayers. Janice Swanson is
organizing a “Blessing Calendar” for the month. To sign up for a day,
contact her at (941) 661-0351.
Let’s also pile on the love with our words—words of kindness,
encouragement, gratitude, peace, tenderness, mercy, affirmation,
love and patience.

Upcoming Events
October 4 – Potluck Kickoff and Card Collection
We’ll begin the month with a special potluck to honor our pastors and
their families. Your presence—and your dish—will help set the tone. A
card basket will also be available in the foyer starting that Sabbath and
will remain through the month.
October 25 – Special Guest Speaker
We’re honored to welcome back our former Senior Pastor, Tim Goff,
now Executive Secretary of the Florida Conference. Pastor Goff—who is
second in leadership to the Conference President—has gladly accepted
our invitation to close out this special month by speaking in support of
our pastors.
Between our first and last events,
let’s remain intentional. Keep our
pastors in your prayers. Speak words
of love. Share your appreciation in
meaningful ways. Be creative!
Let’s make October a month where
our pastors and their families are
truly blessed—because they bless us
every single day.
Let’s Pile on the Love.
Laura Dancek, Editor

We Love You,
Pastors!

My spiritual walk has
been greatly enriched by
having Pastor Ben as my
pastor. Not just for one
term, but now doubly
blessed.
For Pastor Art:
Pastor Art is the Patriarch of
our church. He is always
willing to lead out and be a
blessing to those around him.
His service to God is
unconditional and full of life.
He will always have a special
place in our hearts.
Words can't express how
much he and and his
family have meant to me
and my family. He has
been right by our side for
celebrations as well as in
grief. I thank God for him.
Lynn Price
Andrea Williams
Pastor Gavin,
It has been a privilege to watch you grow into
your responsibilities as Associate Pastor at our church. Your
leadership with the youth at church and at the school has
certainly not gone unnoticed. I am honored to call you my
brother.
We are also glad that God has blessed you with a wonderful
wife to serve with you in youth ministries. Thank you Pastor
Gavin and Hannah and may God bless you as you continue
your ministry of serving.
Duane Morauske

I would like to thank Pastor Ben
for his selfless service to the
congregation of PCSDA church.
I highly appreciate his
transparency and humility as
the leader. Leaving Harbor of
Hope in MI I was scared that no
one would be able to take the
place of my former pastor. But
Pastor Ben has endeared me to
him and I can truly say, there is
no void in my transition.
I love you, Pastor Ben.
Marcia Knights
Pastor Art is an Adventist
treasure. Despite suffering
tremendous loss, he has
remained steadfast,
upright, gracious, and
dedicated. He is the best
man I know.
Kevin McNeil
Pastor Ben,
Thank you for being a good
shepherd and leading without
judgment. We have grown closer
to God and transformed under
your leadership. Thank you for
loving us as we are and allowing
God to transform us from within.
You are an amazing Pastor! Quite
frankly, the best we’ve ever seen!!!
Thank you for all that you do! May
The Lord truly bless you and your
family and give a peace the passes
all understanding as you do His
work!!
Pastor Ben’s leadership has
brought our congregation
together and helped us become
a stronger, and more loving
church family. Pastor Ben and
Tria’s ministry is a blessing to
our church family. I thank them
for their commitment and
servant’s heart. He is a great
boss!
Sandee Lawrence
Ted Stringer

For Pastor Ben:
My husband, Todd, and I
really appreciate the
enthusiastic and
optimistic messages from
the Book of Revelation
Pastor Ben has been
preaching. We find his
messages Biblical,
thought-provoking, and
encouraging for us as
God’s children in these
difficult times. We look
forward to the continued
teaching in this Book!
Dawn Tritch
Pastor Ben and family,
Your steady leadership
and care for both the
young and the old show us
what it means to follow
Jesus with humility and
faithfulness. We’re also
thankful for Tria, Gage, and
Hope—the way your family
quietly supports and
encourages our church is a
blessing to us all.”
The Mercados
As members of the Spanish group, we would like to express
our gratitude to our Pastors Grayman, Ben, Gavin, and their
families, for their support, sacrifice, service and dedication to
their congregation. They encourage and strengthen our faith
with their efforts and dedication. May God greatly bless,
protect and prosper our dear pastors and their families.
Felix and Millie Kelmes

Pastor Ben is honest,
friendly, high energy, funny,
great leader. My kids ( Juju,
Kate, Melody ) love him a lot.
Lucie Poincy
Pastor Ben is more than just
our pastor—he is my
personal example of what the
power of prayer can do. His
patience, kindness, and faith
remind me that God truly
answer when we pray.
Viktor Poperechnyy
Few church members have an understanding of the life of a pastor
and his or her family. They see and hear things that break their
compassionate hearts. They deal with the emergencies of others
with grace and understanding. Their schedule is not their own,
regardless of planning and budgeting their time. Their unwavering
dedication to the congregation they serve often goes unnoticed.
I am thankful that we have a pastoral staff that openly demonstrates
love and appreciation to our congregation. I especially admire the
united teamwork that Pastor Ben, Pastor Art, Pastor Alex, and Pastor
Gavin present, knowing they are stronger as a team.
The behind-the-scenes support of their spouses is a special talent
that often is taken for granted.
I am grateful for our pastors and their families.
Don Byard

God sent us Pastor Alexey—right at the perfect
time. We had been praying for a leader, and God
answered by sending him to guide us. His
experience and organizational skills have been
such a blessing for our group, but even more than
that—his heart for people and for God makes us
feel cared for. For me, Pastor Alexey is a living
reminder that God always provides exactly what
we need, exactly when we need it.
Viktor Poperechnyy
Pastor Gavin,
What a blessing you have been to me,
as you have begun your pastoral
journey. I appreciate your brutal
honesty, and your wit. You can relate
to the younger ones better than some
because you have recently been in
their shoes. I have also enjoyed
getting to know your lovely wife,
Hannah. She seems to be the quieter
one, but so loaded with skills!
I pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in
both of your lives, in all things. I also
pray for your health, your finances,
and that God will keep a hedge of
protection around you both.
With much love and encouragement,
Janice Swanson
Pastor Gavin's engaging smile and
the upbeat energy of youth have
been so refreshing and moving. He
has been a wonderful complement
to Pastor Ben. Gavin and Hannah
have undertaken large roles within
the church and done it all
exceedingly well.
Kevin McNeil
For Pastor Art:
We are grateful for Pastor
Art’s gentle and loving ways
as he welcomes us to church
from time to time. Although
we don’t know him well, we
appreciate his passion for
the underserved in our
church and community.
Dawn Tritch

Pastor Gavin,
Thank you for giving our kids memories that will
last a life time!! They still talk about the going to
all the ice cream shops and the favorite ice cream
they tried. You give them sweet precious
memories that fill their soul with Jesus. Just like
the ice cream, you make their life sweet! God uses
you to teach them, and mold them into pure
vessels to be used by God! God bless you and
your wife! We are so grateful for you and our kids
just love you!!!
Ted Stringer
Dear Pastor Ben,
I appreciate you and your work, more than you know!
I see the Holy Spirit working in and through your mind and
heart as you share each of your sermons, making Jesus and
His Word the main focus of ALL.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead you and your
family’s lives. I pray for utmost protection of God from the
evil one for you and your family.
With love and respect,
Janice Swanson
Pastor Ben's warmth, love, genuine concern,
and belief in the power of prayer have made a
remarkable difference in the health of this
church and its individual members. Pastor Ben,
Tria, Hope, and Gage have been exactly what
this Church and Community needed.
Kevin McNeil

Dear Pastor Art,
You are special to me! You have
always been so kind and positive with
me and my family. I admire your
unwavering dedication to visiting the
sick ones around you. Joy and
gladness shine from your face from
your heart. Your life work is to be
praised!
I thank God for your long, fruitful life.
You are such an example to all of us! I
pray for your continued health, for
God to continue holding you in the
palm of His hand, and for the Holy
Spirit to continue guiding you in every
way. My family and I love you so
much!
Janice Swanson
For Pastor Gavin:
It has been a privilege to
help Pastor Gavin with
the Earliteens Sabbath
School. He clearly
connects well with the
young people and is
doing a great job!
Dawn Tritch
God has richly blessed our
church community with four
pastors who each bring
boundless dedication, energy
and spiritual leadership! Whether
our requests are for help in
moving, prayers in times of
crises, invitations to play on the
beach or on the court, or to give
us needed deep dives in Bible
study, they are always ready,
willing and very able. Thank you,
Pastors!
The Sedgwicks
Pastor Gavin and Hannah
are what I call Summer in the
Winter couple. They bring joy
and happiness to our church
and a love for not only young
people but the whole church.
I love the fresh ideas and
youthfulness and their
willingness to be used by
God in their willingness to
serve and absorb and learn.
Continue to be used by God
and follow His direction.
Andrea Williams

Pastor Art,
What can I possibly say about you? Mi amigo and Hermano!
You are an inspiration to many. Your tireless devotion and
leadership to our Spanish speaking membership as well as our
entire church is amazing and God led. Your smile, friendship,
and love comes from your heart. Phillis and I saw that when
you and Prudence welcomed us here 11 ½ years ago. You are a
consistent witness for God and reflect His character. Pastor Art,
you are greatly appreciated and loved by your church family.
Thank you and may God richly bless you as you continue in
your ministry.
Duane Morauske
Pastor Gavin,
Your passion and ability to connect with people of all ages
bring encouragement and life to our church. We’re also
grateful for Hannah, whose quiet strength and kindness are
felt in so many ways. Together, you both inspire us through
your service and care.
The Mercados
For Pastor Ben:
I would like to say Pastor Ben
and His family are
appreciated by Wave and me.
His love for God and his focus
on church and the community
and their willingness to follow
the paths God is leading them
is what we appreciate.
Andrea Williams
When I think of Pastor Gavin, I
think first of his love of prayer.
Whenever he is asked to pray at a
gathering or meeting, his response
is beautifully consistent..."I'd love
to."
Pastor Gavin is a good listener too,
which I've also appreciated.
Lynn Price

Pastor Ben,
God sent you here when our church was in need of a man like
you! Our church had been heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian and
was unusable. You showed up right after the storm before you
were even our pastor and brought volunteers from your church
to assist in any way you could. You have continued with that
same energy and devotion to God and family, keeping the pedal
to the metal, willing to help and pray with anyone on a moments
notice. You, Tria, Gage, and Hope are a big part of our church and
school family. We are so blessed that you and your family are
here. Thank you for your leadership, prayers, and Bible- centered
sermons. And yes, for your sense of humor too. A special thank
you for what you have done for us personally!
Duane Morauske
Dear Pastor Alexey,
I have been so excited to see you become the Slavic church
pastor! I appreciate the way you reached out to my Russian
neighborand friend when she was in the hospital, and made
sure that she had follow-up visits from others in your
congregation. Nadya was VERY impressed with the kindness
given; so much so, that she came to your church three times
so far. Praise the Lord!
I pray for you to have good health, protection from God for
you and your family, and that the Holy Spirit will continue to
guide you in all that you do and say.
I encourage you today with blessings of affirmation and
admiration.
With much love,
Janice Swanson

Thank you, Pastors
by
Audrey Irby Wainwright
Thank you for the service that you give each week we meet.
You take us to the throne of God to sit at Jesus’ feet.
May God bless you in every way and bless your family, too.
So, here’s a simple way I can convey to you,
THANK YOU!
Love,
The Wainwrights
We have a team of pastors who are phenomenal. Pastor Ben has
his finger on the pulse of the congregation. He finds the right
words to preach and teach every time. Pastor Gavin is wise and
experienced beyond his years. Pastor Art still has a lot to
contribute to our church. We all hope and pray that he will remain
forever young and vibrant. We love these humble servants of
God.
Cleveland Bloomfield

Upcoming Events
September
28
6:30 pm King’s
Heralds Concert
- details here
October
11
9:00 am Good
God Cafe in
Grand Hall A
11:00 am
Communion
9:30 am Kids’ J.A.M.
at the school
September
29
2:30 pm Cooking
Class sponsored
by the Health
Ministry - details
here
October
25
11:00 am Guest
Speaker for Pastor
Appreciation
Month,
Pastor Tim Goff
3:00 pm Caravan of
Blessings
October
4
Pastor
Appreciation
Potluck
Basket for cards
in the foyer all
month
November
1
Operation
Christmas Child
- more
information
here

Oh, We are the
Pathfinders Strong!
BY LUCIE POINCY, WITH PHOTO CREDIT
projects. At every club
meeting, these young people
bring a smile, a story to share,
and the friendship they build
along the way. We are not just
a club; we are a family.
More than just a youth group,
the Pathfinder Club is a
transformative experience
that nurtures young people’s
faith, leadership, and life skills.
With a strong emphasis on
community involvement and
service, the program equips
participants for a future of
dedicated service, leadership,
and spiritual commitment.
The Pathfinder Club is a dynamic, church-centered
ministry that offers a unique blend of adventure,
recreation, and spiritual growth. Designed for
youth ages 10 to 15, it provides a well-rounded
program that encourages personal development
in spiritual, mental, and physical aspects through
engaging activities, challenges, and service
Whether locally or globally,
the Pathfinder Club plays a
pivotal role in shaping the
lives of young believers,
leaving a lasting impact on
their personal growth and
Christian walk.

WE ARE THE FIRST SLAVIC
GROUP IN FLORIDA!
BY VIKTOR POPERECHNYY
Photo credits: Ted Stringer
and FL Conference
We’re delighted to be the first
Slavic mission group in Florida.
We were officially founded on
September 6 – at our church!
Pastor Walter Castro was on hand
to present us with a certificate of
recognition.
The first time I heard that we would have
a Slavic group was right after my parents,
grandparents, my four children, my wife
and I moved to Florida. I overheard my
mother telling the realtor, “It’s very
important that the house we buy has a
big living room and dining room
together.” Her reason was so she could

have Friday evening Slavic services at
her home. In February 2021 we held
our first Friday night vespers
together. On Sabbath mornings, we
met for Sabbath School in the church
library. We soon met one other Slavic
family, and then another, and then
another.
Before long, we outgrew the library
and moved to a larger room, and not
long after, we outgrew that space,
too! We moved once more before we
landed in our current space, the
church Grand Hall, which will allow
for us to have much more room to
continue expanding our
membership.
With so much growth, we realized
that we needed a leader – someone
to guide and organize us. Shortly
after we made this a matter of
prayer, Pastor Alexey Novosolev
moved here from Russia. He came
with a vast experience in pastoring
and teaching. God went above and
beyond our requests! Under his
leadership we have held seminars for
the Slavics in our community with
topics to help those who have just
moved to the United States. They
included one with a lawyer, another
about taxes, and one just for couples.
Since the war in Ukraine, many people
have relocated to this country, and
some have moved to Port Charlotte
because of our group.
We have also been blessed with many
baptisms!
The name we chose for our church is
“Three Angels Slavic Group” because we
are on a mission to share the gospel
with the Slavics in our community,
which includes Ukrainians, Russians,
and Moldovians. Approximately seventy
have been attending each Sabbath. We
feel blessed to be the very first
recognized Slavic group in the Florida
conference, and can’t wait to see how
the Lord will continue to grow us.

Operation Christmas Child
By DAWN TRITCH, Earliteen Helper
Your Earliteens Sabbath
School is launching a Global
Mission Project: Operation
Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child is a
project aimed at sharing the
Gospel of Jesus to children
around the world who have
never heard of Jesus. These
children are found in countries
where there are no Christians, in
orphanages, refugee camps,
hospital wards, schools, disaster
and war zones, just about
anyplace you might find a child!
The children are invited by a
local trained Bible worker to an
outreach event for children
where the gospel of Jesus will be
shared. The children hear the
gospel presented, and some
choose there and then to invite
Jesus into their hearts through
prayer. Afterwards, the Bible
worker gifts each child with a
shoebox packed by someone
like YOU, to be used as a
tangible example of the free gift
of salvation Jesus offers to each
of us.
For children who have so little, who have
probably never received a gift nor may
they ever receive another gift, this is a joyfilled,
amazing moment!
Then the children are invited to a 12-week
follow-up Discipleship Program called
“The Greatest Journey." The first six weeks
focus more fully on the Gospel and the
Bible, with stories, songs, memory verses
and fun activities. The next three weeks
are all about discipleship--how we are to
act as followers of Jesus. The last three
weeks are how to share Jesus with family,
friends and the community. This
culminates in a graduation with a
certificate of completion and a Bible in
their own language. A baptism service
concludes the program for those who
want to become a fully devoted followers
of Jesus.
Here are some fun facts:
Operation Christmas Child has sent out
232 million shoeboxes to over 170
countries since the beginning in 1993;
46 million children have completed “The
Greatest Journey,” the discipleship
program, and graduated since it began in
2009. Of these, over 24 Million children
have been baptized and are sharing Jesus

in their homes and communities
(that’s one of every two children
who accept Jesus in this
evangelistic approach). These
become the seeds for Mission
Branch Sabbath Schools and
eventually churches! Some of
these churches have had
churches built for them through
the Maranatha International
Volunteer Program!
Last year, 11.9 million shoeboxes
were sent out, 10.5 million of
those boxes came from the USA!
These boxes required the
assistance of 519,000 volunteers
around the world for delivery,
with more than 204,000
volunteers from the USA; 2.2
million trained Bible Volunteers
held outreach programs in
134,000 different places!
Yes! It is a huge, fun, exciting evangelistic
project that ANYONE who wants to can be
involved in! We need as many as possible,
because even though 232 million
shoeboxes is huge, there are still over
two BILLION children who haven’t heard
about Christ.
Sabbath, November 1
We will have shoeboxes you can take,
with a brochure on how to pack the
shoeboxes.
Sabbath, November 15
We will be collecting the shoeboxes at
church.
Shoeboxes are filled with a WOW toy,
personal items, and school supplies so
that each box is fun, full and goes with
your prayers across the world.
Thank you so much for helping our
Earliteens to make an eternal impact in
this project!
Click to watch videos for more information
One-minute explanation of Operation Shoebox
How to pack a shoebox with useful tips
Stories from people who received shoeboxes as children

Our ministry fair was a success!
Thanks to Pastor Gavin and Hannah Forbes, and to
all who participated.
Photo credits: Rodney Grussling

PCAS
Pre-K
BY ABRIL RIVERA LBORES,
PRE-KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
WITH PHOTO CREDITS
Prekindergarten focuses on developing
social, emotional, cognitive, and physical
skills to prepare them for formal
schooling. The primary goal is school
readiness, equipping children with the
skills and confidence to succeed in
kindergarten.
In our Pre-K classroom, we introduce
more formal learning concepts while
emphasizing play-based learning,
helping children develop skills in areas
like language, problem-solving, and
emotional regulation. We also focus a

lot on teaching social skills
like sharing, turn-taking,
and patience, as well as selfregulation
and interacting
with peer and adults. The
program fosters a love for
learning through engaging,
child-directed activities.
In addition to the VPK
Curriculum we also utilize
the Florida Conference
Pebbles Curriculum to teach
our children about Jesus
and the abundant love he
has for each one of us. So
far this school year some of
the stories we have studied
together are the Good
Samaritan, Zacchaeus, the
paralytic and his friends,
with the purpose of
teaching empathy and
acceptance-friendship.
We have had a great time in
our pre-k classroom,
learning how to write our
names, colors, letters,
numbers and a lot of other
new things. One of the
students’ favorites was our
colors unit, as we learned
about primary and
secondary colors. We
watched closely how mixing
two different colors
together can make a new
color. We asked students
questions like what
happens when you mix
red and blue? We get
purple.
Everything we do with
the children is done with
the goal of enriching
every single one of them
with academic and
spiritual knowledge. We
pray God continues to
utilize the PCAS staff to
help our children build a
relationship with God
and grow academically.
“But Jesus said, ‘Let the
little children come to me
and do not hinder them,
for to such belongs the
kingdom of heaven.’”
Matthew 19:14

Welcome to the Family
BY DON BYARD
Ariella Felico was baptized on August 9.
Photo credit: Ted Stringer
Olena Laubis joined our church by profession of
faith on August 2.

Welcome to the Family
Sheldon Willis and Cassidy
Chimento were baptized on
September 13.
Photo credit: Wave Williams
Judy Staffan’s transfer of
membership to the PCSDA
Church was voted on September
6, 2025 from the Punta Gorda
Church. When a hurricane
destroyed their church last year,
the Port Charlotte Church
graciously welcomed them to
worship in the Community
Center building on Sabbath
afternoons. She found she
wasn’t fond of afternoon services
so decided to visit the PCSDA
Church where she felt at home
and enjoyed the participation of
children in the service. She also
appreciates the variety of the
service.
Judy enjoys gardening, picnics,
sewing, reading the Bible, and
group events.
Karen Cocoran also joined
our church from Punta
Gorda on September 6,
2025 by letter of transfer
with her friend Judy Staffan.
Karen enjoys sewing and
crocheting as opportunity
presents itself.
Jean and Suzette Joseph
joined the PCSDA Church
on August 9, after attending
for a long while. They
decided it was time to
transfer their membership.
Suzette enjoys playing
group games as well as
visiting and helping those
who are ill.

In Concert
September 27, 6:30
Vegetarian Cooking Class
September 28, 2:30
Demonstration to prepare healthy Caribbean food
Speakers:
Millie Kelmes, cancer survivor
Angela Najara, ex-restaurant owner,
cancer survivor
Dr. Silvestre, retired oncologist speaking
on finding protein in a vegan diet
Dr. Rodriguez-Martin, Family Medicine,
speaking on ways to protect our heart and
manage diabetes.

Kids’
J.A.M.
October 25
9:30
PCAS
Pastor Appreciation
Month Guest Speaker
October 25
Pastor Tim Goff
Our former Senior Pastor, now
Executive Secretary of the Florida
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Photo credit: Ted Stringer

Caravan of
Blessings
October 25
This project is designed to get our youth and older members involved
to visit the home bounds members
1. Caravan of cars (Line up outside of church)
2. Drive slowly in front of the homebound member home (Stay in cars)
3. Member stand at doorway/driveway
4. Each car carrying a smiley face balloon/bannerwith these
suggestive phrases and give a card with a prayer
a. "God loves you and we love you too!"
b. "You are not alone!"
c. "We are praying for YOU!"
1. "Your church thinks about You"!
e. "You are valuable to your church!"
f. "God is not homebound!"
5. One person will exit the car, hand a balloon and other small item to
the home bound member. If possible, have a short prayer.
6. Proceed to next house.
7. End at church with prayer
* * We'll have a sign-up sheet
* * Kick-off day (October 14,
2025)
* Items: Smiley face
balloon/stem of flower.
** Small banana homemade
bread
** Card with a prayer

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 6
Pastor
Appreciation
Potluck
October 4
941-629-1333
2036 Loveland Blvd.
Pt. Charlotte, FL 33952
www.pcsda.net
Bring a dish or more, and be there to
support our pastors.
FRESH Start Team:
Photographers:
Rodney Grussling
Ted Stringer
Wave Williams
Writers:
Don Byard
Laura Dancek
Editor:
Laura Dancek
Contact:
pcsdalaura@gmail.com