Dearest Faith Community Near and Far-
First, Happy Friday! Last Wednesday as many gathered for our Ash Wednesday service, the question “what is an intention you have for Lent” was on the back of a paper. As I sat in the time of silent meditation, I realized my intention needed to be to take one day off a week. With everything going on at the church, in our presbytery, and our family, I realized I need to have one full day off a week. So friends, I will be implementing a day of Sabbath that begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunrise on Sunday morning. During this time, I will not be using my phone, be on Facebook, or computer for work purposes. My phone will be on silent/do not disturb. If something is incredibly pressing and you need to reach me, you may call but please leave a message. If it can wait until Sunday, please do so. If there is an emergency during this timeframe, please contact one of the elders. I have included their contact in the link at the bottom of this email. Also, we have updated my email address to pastor@wintergardenpres.org.
Second, Breakfast Church with the Lord’s Supper will continue under the tent on Sunday, March 5 at 9:30, please bring a dish to share every week. We will have a few guests from St. Charles Presbyterian. Our new friends have been working on helping rebuild a member in our communities home after the hurricane. We are grateful for this small and mighty team. We DID NOT have many sign up to bring food this Sunday, so please bring a dish to share! As we continue our Lenten Study, we will be exploring how Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners.
Third, some construction highlights, updates, and property work. In Addition, pictures are being posted on our Facebook page:
- Care Electric spent the whole work working on the electrical. A couple more days of work and we can move to insullation.
- More carpet samples have been ordered. We are getting closer!
- The land clearing began for the outdoor kitchen. Last year, we received a grant for an outdoor kitchen and we are able to start the work on it now. Check out the area behind the shed!
- Projects coming up in the near future:
- Kitchen Demolition
- Outdoor kitchen build out
- Insulation for both buildings
- Drywall and wall texture
- AV installation work
Fourth, the “makeshift” kitchen for our work teams was started and items were put back in the hallway cabinets! A little more work to do on the makeshift kitchen. If you can, we would love help in the children’s Sunday school room this Tuesday. It will involve getting the closet more organized, throwing items away, and creating a welcoming environment for our children. Fifth, this past week, we welcomed many different groups who are all working in the community. Praying Pelican Missions Team brought 40 youth from Arizona to work on various projects at the church. The mulched the island for the food forest, built a patio by the Missions on Wheels Trailers, painted the container, worked in the food pantry, helped clean up the property, and so much more. It was full of energy and excitement as the youth worked and served our community. We also welcomed the construction team from SBP out of Pensacola. SBP’s team is working in Pine Island and North Port on a few different projects. On Thursday, we welcomed 3 amazing women from St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in New Orleans. The ladies have been working at neighbor’s home to get his house repaired after the hurricane. And on Saturday and Sunday evenings, we will welcome another team with Praying Pelican Missions Teams. Sixth, if you are interested in helping us dream, create, and/or implement how at Wintergarden we can approach congregational care in a way that truly works for our community, please join us on Wednesday, March 8 at 1pm. Sue and I will be leading a workshop on different approaches to help us determine a way forward for us. So if care, nurture, hospitality, and mercy are part of your spiritual gifts, please come…if you want to learn more about your spiritual gifts and you are welcome to join us too.
If you have any questions or wonderings or concerns, please let me know. Call, text, or email. Blessings to you all!Much love, Pastor Devon
| Worship with Wintergarden Sunday, March 5, 2023 2nd Sunday of Lent +++++ Breakfast Church @ 9:30am In the Garden and LIVE on Facebook! Check in around 10am to go live with us on Facebook! *Please bring a dish to share. +++++How to access the bulletin: Bulletin HERE How to Access Services Online: Join us on Facebook for Worship Services https://www.facebook.com/wintergardenpres Remember, you don’t need a Facebook Account to join us for worship. You can also click HEREfor the Facebook link. |
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE  Sunday, March 5, 2023 2nd Sunday of LentThe Welcome Table: “He eats with tax collectors and sinners!”Matthew 9: 9-13Join us under the tent at 9:30 am for a time of Food, Fellowship, and Worship. We will enjoy the Lord’s Supper as well. Please bring a dish to share this Sunday. Also, if folks can come around 9:00 am to help set up for Breakfast Church it would be greatly appreciated!  Our Lenten Devotional is through SOSA (The Society of St. Andrews). SOSA’s mission is to end hunger. If you want to receive the devotional electronically, please click HERE for their website. We will also provide paper copies in worship and the daily devotionals will be on our Facebook page around 9am every morning.  Wednesday Evening Dinner and Study, March 8 at 5:30pm “Just Eating?: Practicing Our Faith at the Table.” Everyone welcome – Invite a friend! The “dish” challenge for this Wednesday is to bring something to the table that ranges in cost from $.25 to $3.50. We will gather for our meal at 5:30 and begin our study at 6:00pm. Also, please work through the in-home study if you have the booklet.  Every Monday Lectio Divina on Zoom, 8am Every Wednesday Food delivery Every Thursday Food Pantry 12-4pm Every Tuesday and Friday is Bone Builders, 10am Mar. 7: Wintergarden Wordies on zoom at 1pm March 8: Potluck Dinner and Bible Study (Just Eating?) at 5:30pm Mar. 11: Coffee, Conversation, Gardeners Gather, and WorkdayMar. 14: Homeless Coalition meal at 4:30pm March 15: Potluck Dinner and Bible Study (Just Eating?) at 5:30pm March 22: Potluck Dinner and Bible Study (Just Eating?) at 5:30pm Mar. 23: CNS Care N Share March 29: Potluck Dinner and Bible Study(Just Eating?) at 5:30pm Mar. 31: Family Fun Night (Last Friday of every month)  Interested in joining the Wintergarden Wordies? Click HERE to learn more!    FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDPlease contact the church office at 941-743-5335 or email at foodpantry@wintergardenpres.org  Interested in joining our Garden?Garden of Eatin’ – Food Forest For more information click HERE.  At Wintergarden Presbyterian Church we’re eager to pray with you! Please let us know how we can pray by submitting a Prayer Request online (link below). The prayer requests are emailed to Pastor Devon once submitted.Prayer Request  Lectio Divina for Monday, March 6, 2023All are welcome to join us as we continue to engage in the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina together as a community. Our Scripture Lesson is Luke 7:36-50 We will gather via zoom for an intentional time of listening, reflecting, responding, and resting in the Word of God. We will meet on Mondays from 8-9 am. Here are some details about Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina, literally meaning “divine reading,” is an ancient practice of praying the Scriptures. During Lectio Divina, the person listens to the text of the Bible with the “ear of the heart,” as if he or she is in conversation with God, and God is suggesting the topics for discussion. There are four movements for Lectio Divina: 1. Lectio: (Listening to the Word of God or Reading God’s Word) 2. Meditatio: (Reflecting on the Word of God) 3. Oratio: (Responding to the Word of God) 4. Contemplatio: (Resting in the Word of God) Here is the Zoom Link: Join Zoom Meeting: Click HERE https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87832080869?pwd=TUxCRThUcEdRbTNTWmJ6emZRamUyZz09 Meeting ID: 878 3208 0869 Passcode: 396015 +16465588656,,87832080869#,,,,*396015# US (New York)   Our current Session is as follows: Maralee McGowen, Clerk of Session Bert Simmons, Treasurer Rick Laurence Wendy Rainey Lynn Webster  |
