Dearest Faith Community Near and Far-

• Building and Grounds Updates!
  • With the kitchen wrapping up, we’re starting to order the materials for the new showers and new awning. 
  • We’re also a week out from “2nd Saturday,” which is our standing church work day. For October it is on 10\14\2023.
  • However, there is no need to wait! We need all hands on deck whenever you can come and help clean up the property and get the gardens functional again. Please pick a corner of the gardens and get to weeding! 
• Disaster Relief Update:
  • At the church office, we get new disaster relief resources all the time. Two of the most recent updates are:
    • the opportunity for FREE help resolving Ian related insurance disputes available through https://www.facebook.com/UPHELP
    • and, because on “Oct. 2 amendment to the Hurricane Idalia major disaster declaration has added Charlotte County as eligible for assistance. Charlotte County homeowners and renters who have been affected by Hurricane Idalia can now apply to FEMA for individual assistance, including basic home repairs, debris removal, and other disaster related expenses. The deadline to apply for individual assistance is Oct. 30. There are several ways to apply:  
          Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
          Using the FEMA App for mobile devices
          Calling FEMA toll-free 800-621-3362″
  • If you or anyone you know is in need of Ian or Idalia assistance, please contact, Wendy. 

• Christmas Cantata News!
  • The Cantata will be Sunday Dec 10. Practices have begun, but it’s not too late to join.
  • For those of you who have not yet signed up for the Cantata, we how have a beautiful bulletin board (Thanks Kymmie!) for music related information and you’ll see the sign up there. 
  • If you are interested, currently out of town but will be here for the event, contact Heather to see how you might be involved. 
  • Please know this is open to “anyone.”  You do not need to read music or have a perfect voice to sing. Just a desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Should be fun!!!
  • Music scores and CD’s will be available to anyone who would like to participate.  
  • If anyone wants to sing but doesn’t like to drive after dark we can arrange transportation. 
  • Contact Heather DeGroot for music. We are excited about this opportunity and need you to help make this happen!
• Music Related Suggestions Wanted  .
  • Are there hymns you would like to sing more often?
  • What are your favorites?
  • All helpful suggestions for improving our  music /worship experience are welcomed.
  • Suggestions can go on the lovely bulletin board in foyer/ or you can reach Heather DeGroot 570-875-8527 or at aamazing49@yahoo.com

• If you have a need, please reach out!
  • For inquiring minds that have been asking, Devon returns 11/6. 
    Any email to pastor@wintergarden email will go to Pastor Syl while Pastor Devon is gone. He will be covering for much of Devon’s time away. 
  • Office number: 941-743-5335
  • Julie- Bookkeeper and Office Admin- office@wintergardenpres.org
  • Wendy- Disaster Relief – disasterrelief@wintergardenpres.org 
  • Kymmie- Food Pantry and Community Garden- foodpantry@wintergardenpres.org 
  • Eric- Project Manager for building and construction- meister6ho@gmail.com 
  • Heather- other congregational needs such as hospital visits – aamazing49@yahoo.com 

Much love, 
Wintergarden Presbyterian Church 

Worship with Wintergarden
Sunday, October 8, 2023
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Breakfast Church @ 10:00 am
Worship following about 10:30 am
IN THE SANCTUARY and on Facebook Live
*Please bring a dish to share. 
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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, October 8, 2023 Breakfast Church @ 10:00 am followed by Worship @ 10:30 amSermon: Learning from History Deuteronomy 4:9; Micah 6:8; Proverbs 21:3

Every Monday Lectio Divina Every WednesdayFood delivery Every ThursdayFood Pantry 12-4pm Every Wednesday The Chosen Watch Party & Bible Study Oct. 14: Coffee, Conversation, Gardeners Gather, and WorkdayOct.17: Homeless Coalition meal at 4:30pm Oct.26: CNS Care N Share (Every 4th Thurs.) Oct..27: Family Fun Night (Trick or Treat through the garden, hotdogs/chips, s’mores)

Sunday after the Worship Service Follow Me Biblical Practices for Faithful Living Classes for Children and Adults

Facebook for Wintergarden Presbyterian ChurchFacebook for the Garden of Eatin’ at Wintergarden Presbyterian Church

Do you have a facebook account? If you do, I want to encourage you to like “Wintergarden Presbyterian Church” and “Garden of Eatin’.” Click on the blue circle with the “f” in it to access our two facebook pages. 

Why check out Wintergarden on Facebook? Well, a few months ago, Wendy started doing our Facebook marketing for social media. She spends a great deal of time creating posts, sharing our story, taking pictures, and telling folks about the exciting things happening at Wintergarden. For this, Pastor Devon is incredibly grateful!

One of the things we would love is YOUR help. Every day, Wendy puts up a new post. Then she shares it to her page and the Garden of Eatin facebook page. We would love to grow our audience even more, but it will take YOUR help. When something is posted on facebook, we would love for you to share it with your friends and family. This helps build our online presence and broadens our outreach to share about the amazing ministries and mission at Wintergarden. Oh, and you can share our worship services with others if you would like too. 

Truly, we need your help to connect with the wider community to build more and more excitement about “feeding people physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally in our community.”

FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDPlease contact the church office at 941-743-5335 or email at foodpantry@wintergardenpres.orgIt is starting to warm up, which means we need to be able to rotate volunteers more frequently while outdoors. If you can come and give an hour or more, please talk with Kymmie and come join us.

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, October 9, 2023All are welcome to join us as we continue to engage in the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina together as a community.  This Week’s Scripture: TBA 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 8-9am.  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. Meditation: (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)