Dearest Faith Community Near and Far-
I just wanted to thank everyone who was able to come out and watch the 1946 documentary with us this past weekend. Thank you for the amazing conversation, the inquisitive wondering, and for being able to have the conversation. What a gift! I know so many faith communities and groups that would not be able to do what we did last weekend…So I am so incredibly thankful for you!
As the first month of the year is rapidly passing us by, I recognize that I am really looking forward to this year. Hopefully all of us can look forward to 2024. Hoping we can all approach this year with CONFIDENCE with the various things going on in our lives as well as our faith life together. We move into this week with the sermon series “Where Do We Go From Here?” We are going to do some visioning and dreaming together and I hope you will join us.
I’m not sure if everyone has heard, but I picked two star words this year. Kinda accidentally! My two words are AWE and SHARE. When I saw the word “share” I was reminded that folks asked to see my reading list from Sabbatical and other things that were formative or insightful for me. So, I decided to put a “share” box at the bottom of this email. I’ll share different things I am learning, reading, listening to, or “awed” by. I hope you will enjoy these brief little musings.
Dates to Remember
- Sunday morning schedule: 8:30- Sacred Space, 9:30- Fellowship, 10:00- Worship
- Family Fun Night- Friday, January 26- Come and make a vision board with us and for your families. We will begin creating a vision board for the congregation and you will be invited to make them for yourself or with your family. Join us at 5:30pm for this gathering.
Making Headway
We’re making some headway on some more projects around the church.
- Well, the final request to permit the shower will be dropped off on Monday. Prayers it is reviewed quickly and we can line everyone up to work on the project soon!
- Check out the new area for the food pantry! The screened in porch is fully enclosed. Last step will be stucco (but it needs to stop raining for a couple days) and painting.
Friends, I am really looking forward to this year. I pray you are too.
Happy New Year-
Pastor Devon
ps…Fridays and Saturdays are the two days I am taking off every week. This isn’t always working great, but I am really trying hard to take these days off each week. If I do not get back to you, please know I will on Mondays.
Worship with Wintergarden
Sunday, January 21, 2024
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Sacred Space Meditation Service @ 8:30 am
IN THE SANCTUARY (too cold for outside!)
(we are trying to get this live on Facebook, but it hasn’t worked yet. We will keep trying.)
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Fellowship (light continental breakfast) @ 9:30 am
Worship following about 10:00 am
In the Sanctuary and on Facebook Live
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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, January 21, 2024 Fellowship @ 9:30 am Relaxed Traditional Worship @ 10:00 amWHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Living Into God’s Vision for Our CommunityScripture Lesson: Proverbs 29:18 |
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| Every Monday – Lectio Divina Every Tuesday & Friday – Wintergarden Bees Every Wednesday Food Truck Delivery Every Thursday Food Pantry 12-4pm Jan. 23: Homeless Coalition meal at 4:30pm Jan. 25: CNS Care N Share (Every 4th Thurs.) Jan. 26: Family Fun Night (Last Friday of every month) |
| UPDATES AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS |
 In order for us to do Sacred Space, we need some folks to show up by 8:15 to help with set-up. If we don’t have help with set-up, we will not be able to continue Sacred Space. In addition, we have been trying to get it online, but have had issues. We will keep trying. Thanks for your help and understanding. SACRED SPACE IS IN THE SANCTUARY THIS WEEK |
| ONGOING SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS |
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FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Please contact the church office at 941-743-5335 or email at foodpantry@wintergardenpres.org
With the pantry cover completed and the weather cooling down a little, we invite you to come volunteer with us on Thursdays. Bring a friend to help!
Also, we are in need of translators. If you know anyone who speaks Spanish, Ukrainian, or Russian, we are in need of assistance.
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| Interested in joining our Garden? Garden of Eatin’ – Food Forest For more information click HERE. |
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| 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). Prayer requests are emailed to Pastor Devon once submitted. |
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| Lectio Divina for January 22, 2024All are welcome to join us as we continue to engage in the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina together as a community. Maybe you can add Lectio to your New Year’s resolution list 😉 This Week’s Scripture: Matthew 22: 34-40; James 1:19-27 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) |
 One of the podcasts I listen to is the Rich Roll podcast. Rich is a retired lawyer turned ultra-marathoner and now does long-form podcasts (meaning they are normally 2 hours or longer). I have found the podcasts to be incredibly insightful and cause some great thinking. This is also where I heard the podcasts about being in the second half of life (if you are interested in those, click the link and search for Arthur Brooks and Chip Conley).The podcast that I wanted to share this weekend is with Rich Roll and Simon Hill. Here is a description of the podcast. “Designed and tested by Simon Hill—nutrition expert, physiotherapist, recurring podcast favorite, and host of The Proof podcast—this free 12-week challenge focuses on improving the most important markers with a sustainable structure stress-tested to up-level overall well-being with staying power.” I’m planning to start the challenge in February when they launch it. It does require some bloodwork and tests prior too. If you want to join me on this challenge, let me know! Podcast here: https://www.richroll.com/podcast/simon-hill-804/ The Living Proof Challenge here: https://theproof.com/livingproof/ |
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