Dearest Faith Community Near and Far-
I’m praying everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and this week has been restful. I pray everyone also has a safe New Years and we can look forward to all 2024 has waiting for us!
Our theme for this Advent and into the new year is “How Does a Weary World Rejoice?” This theme has touched my heart and I hope it is touching yours as well. 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 for the next two weeks.
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
- New Sunday morning schedule: 8:30- Sacred Space (cancelled on 12/31), 9:30- Fellowship, 10:00- Worship
- Office is closed and will reopen on Wednesday, January 3. Food pantry is closed this week and will reopen on January 11.
Making Headway
We’re making some headway on some more projects around the church.
- Shower permit is still in the final stages. But the final request has been received. Hopefully the project will begin very soon. Let’s pray we can get through the final stages of permitting ASAP!
- Guess what? The cross is up. Come and see it this weekend!
- Cement pads have been added to the exterior doors of the main building and concrete has been added the pavilion. The contractor is getting ready to build the walls for the pantry extension. Thank you Charlotte Community Foundation for the grant to expand our pantry!
Much love,
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.
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| It’s not too late to make your year-end gift to Wintergarden. Help us continue to live out our mission to feed people physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally in our community. Click on this link: https://onrealm.org/wintergardenpres/-/form/give/now and help support our mission in our community. Thanks for all you do and for the many amazing ways you give to this mission. We can’t do it without you! |
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Worship with Wintergarden
Sunday, December 31, 2023
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Sacred Space Meditation Service is CANCELLED on 12/31
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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.
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| Sunday, December 31, 2023 Fellowship @ 9:30 am Relaxed Traditional Worship @ 10:00 amHow Does a Weary World Rejoice? We Root Ourselves in Ritual Luke 2:21-38 |
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| Every Monday – Lectio Divina Every Tuesday & Friday – Wintergarden Bees Every Wednesday Food Truck Delivery Every Thursday Food Pantry 12-4pm (will reopen on 1/11/24) Jan. 13: Coffee, Conversation, Gardeners Gather, and Workday Jan. 14: Congregational Meeting immediately after worship. It should be a quick one! 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. Thanks for your help and understanding. We will NOT have Sacred Space on December 31, 2023. |
| ONGOING SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS |
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| FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDPlease 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. |
 Lectio Divina will not meet December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.All 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 😉 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) |
| Facebook for Wintergarden Presbyterian ChurchFacebook for the Garden of Eatin’ at Wintergarden Presbyterian Church |
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