How Does a Weary World Rejoice? Join us this weekend to reflect on this question and more!

Dearest Faith Community Near and Far-

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a good week. Looking forward to seeing you this weekend. On Saturday, everyone is invited to join us from 10-12 to decorate for Advent and Christmas. Then this Sunday, December 3, we will begin our Sacred Space Meditation service in the garden by the fountain at 8:30am, followed by a time of fellowship/continental breakfast at 9:30am, and worship will begin at 10:00am. Sunday school will follow after worship. We hope you will join for our Advent series “How does a weary world rejoice?” I’m praying this series will speak to us in many different ways. Our series will explore the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, as well Psalms and Isaiah.

The creators of this theme and series share these words: “Joy is often a companion to many other emotions. We can feel joy in addition to feeling many other things at once: grief, anticipation, anxiety, excitement, disappointment, exhaustion. Perhaps many of us live with the myth that joy is not something we deserve—or that it is wholly out of reach. But our joy is rooted in the truth that we belong to God. Can you tether yourself to that deep truth? You deserve to feel joy—fully. The world needs your joy, even if you are weary. Our joy is better when it is shared… And so, this Advent, we will hold space for our weariness and our joy. We will seek a “thrill of hope” in our hurting world. We will welcome joy—even and especially if, like the prophet Isaiah, we cry out for comfort (Isaiah 40:1). In this weary world, may we find many ways to rejoice.” We hope you will join us for this journey.

Every morning at 9am, there will be a devotional on Facebook for you to join. Please feel free to leave thoughts on comments on those posts. In addition, we will be handing out the devotionals in worship this week. If you would like an electronic version, please click HERE, and I’ll send you the link.

Dates to Remember

Thanksgiving – Thank you so everyone who made our 2 Thanksgivings possible. You are a gift and a blessing to everyone who enjoyed the wonderful food and fellowship.
Saturday, 12/2, Decorating the Sanctuary from 10-12 for Advent and Christmas.
New Sunday morning schedule: 8:30- Sacred Space, 9:30- Fellowship, 10:00- Worship

Making Headway
We’re making some headway on some more projects around the church.

The canopy for the food pantry is completed! Electrical and fans are installed. We are so grateful for Church of the Palms for helping make this possible…and for our insurance company coming through as well.
Shower permit is still in the final stages. Hopefully that project will begin early December.
Eric and I did a walk through the building and have noted a few more projects to wrap up. Contractors are coming to finish or fix some of that work.
In addition, we are working on getting the cross hung up in the sanctuary. I wish this was an easy project, but it isn’t. Please have patience with us because we do not want it to fall. It is too beautiful for something to happen to it. Praying it is done by the end of the year.

I am looking forward to seeing you all. Again, Fridays and Saturdays are the two days I am taking off every week.

Happy December! And see you soon.

Much love,
Pastor Devon

NEW Sunday Morning Schedule
Worship with Wintergarden
Sunday, December 3, 2023
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Sacred Space Meditation Service @ 8:30 am
In the sensory garden by the fountain
In the garden and on Facebook Live
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Fellowship (light continental breakfast) @ 9:30 am
Worship following about 10:00 am
In the Sanctuary and on Facebook Live
+++++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 ADVENT WORSHIP SERVICE

Sunday, December 3, 2023
Fellowship @ 9:30 am
Relaxed Traditional Worship @ 10:00 amSermon: We Acknowledge Our Weariness
Luke 1:1-23; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Every Monday Lectio Divina
Food Truck Delivery Wednesday
Every Thursday Food Pantry 12-4pm (Pantry CLOSED 12/28 and 1/4)
Dec 5: Wintergarden Wordies 1pm
Dec. 9: Coffee, Conversation, Gardeners Gather, and Workday
Dec. 19: Homeless Coalition mealDec. 21: CNS Care N Share (Every 4th Thurs.)
Dec. 21: Longest Night of the Year Service 5:30pm
Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Service (Indoors) at 4pm
Dec. 29: Family Fun Afternoon (ice skating early afternoon, followed by dinner and movie)

UPDATES AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS

ONGOING SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS

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.

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

How Does a Weary World Rejoice? Join us this weekend to reflect on this question and more!

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