Upcoming Virtual Worship Service
First United Methodist Church of Naples
Sunday Service 10:15 am (Online)
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6th Sunday after Pentecost
July 12, 2020
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From the Pastor
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
So much seems to happen from week to week, as we watch the news and look at the pandemic, economic and racial issues. From day to day, things can change dramatically. I pray that each of you and your families are doing well and are safe and healthy. Although some of you have experienced falls, illnesses and surgeries, so far, I have not heard of any in our congregation contracting COVID-19. Almost everyone, however, knows of a neighbor, relative or friend who has gotten this virus. As the numbers grow, this has been inevitable, so it does somehow touch each of us. Our lives continue to be impacted with the safety measures we must each take to protect ourselves and others. Please wear a mask and social distance, so that people remain safe and we can fully open up our church, schools and economy again in the future.
Even though we have not been physically together in our sanctuary, I pray that you were able to participate in worship with us for communion and our anointing and healing service during the last two weeks. Worshiping together can still be very holy, even if not in-person.
Lastly, even though in-person worship is not happening right now, we can still continue to “be the church” and “be the hands and feet of Christ” through the
Fill the Table
initiative we are launching at our church to feed the hungry! The first part involves supporting St. Matthews House and Grace Place (see article below by Vanessa Fletcher). Soon, in mid-August, if the schools open up, we’ll begin a really big initiative to provide food for the needy children at Gulfview Middle School. We’ll partner with Meals of Hope for children in need to take home with them on the weekends. Many parents have lost jobs and struggle to feed their children. Those who are on the free and reduced lunch program often have little to eat on the weekends. We will help fill that gap. As we pack the meals, we’ll be providing an opportunity for you to volunteer in a safe environment (in Barton Hall) where you will be socially-distanced, with a small group that can really make a difference. More info on this is coming soon. Meantime, please join us in prayer as we seek to show the love of Jesus and feed the hungry in our community!
I really miss being with all of you in-person and I continue to pray for each of you individually. Please continue to pray for your church family and our ministries. Our community, nation and world are in great need of prayer, especially our leaders, as their decisions impact all of us. Continue to lean on God who loves you so much!
See you Sunday at 10:15!
Blessings,
Pastor Nancy
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Sunday's Worship Service
Our worship service will be recorded and available to you online by Sunday morning at our regular worship time of 10:15 am, so you'll be able to worship online together with others, or you can click and watch on your own time. Every Saturday night, you will receive an Eblast with the link for Sunday's worship service, or you can go to our web page at: fumcnaples.org and click on the link there for Sunday's service.
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Life & Faith Lesson
Rev. Nancy Mayeux
A Recipe for Joy
Many of you were living here a few years ago when Hurricane Irma came barreling through. It was a frightening time with so many unknowns, as we watched the news and knew there was a good chance we were targeted by that storm. We had to decide whether to flee and take a chance on running out of gas in the slow-moving exodus from Florida, or stick around and take our chances, going to a shelter or preparing our homes as best we could to protect us. Of course, there were those who decided to throw hurricane parties and be “unconcerned” about the coming menace, basically sticking their heads in the sand like ostriches do. For ostriches, if you don’t see a danger, it basically does not exist and does not frighten you.
I think with the pandemic, we watch the news, see the danger and follow similar options. We can try to live our lives carefully, as normally as possible, taking precautions, or we can fret and make ourselves miserable, fearfully watching newscasts all day long. Of course, there are always the ostriches – those people who are in denial that anything serious is going on, partying and ignoring safety precautions or guidelines that would protect them and everyone around them. The group that is fretting and worrying and just totally miserable, is the one I’d like to address on Sunday. This pandemic looks like it is around to stay for awhile here in Florida. If we allow it to destroy our outlook on life and even our faith, we are in trouble. Mental health is a major issue right now for so many in our community, including children. How we look at, and how we deal with our present situation, impacts both our mental and physical health. Did you know that even amidst all this turmoil, it is possible to experience great joy? What???? Joy??? How is that possible? Tune in Sunday and see!
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Tithes and Offerings
Please remember that your tithes and offerings are a form of worship, and that your church really needs you during this time, to continue paying our bills and keeping our faithful staff on the payroll. We pray you will donate at least what you would have given, had you been sitting in the sanctuary as the offering plate was passed. Donations can be mailed to:
First United Methodist Church of Naples, 388 First Avenue S, Naples, FL 34102
. OR you can click on the box below to make an online donation. If you’ve never done this before, when you click on the box for the first time, you will be asked to create your online profile before you can donate.
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By Vanessa Fletcher
COVID-19 has rippled catastrophic effects on our world. Not only has it caused illness and death, but it has left many without jobs resulting in people unable to feed their families. The Florida United Methodist Conference and Bishop Ken Carter recognized this need by creating the
"Fill The Table
” initiative. The goal is to provide 3,000,000 meals to individuals and families in need by July of 2021. The vision is to bring together over 100,000 United Methodists from UM churches across the state of Florida and to also involve other denominations as an inter-faith relief effort!
We are going to be a part of this!
We can be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. We have already supported Grace Place and St. Matthew's House in the past through food and financial donations. We are eager to increase our support during this pandemic by stocking their food pantries. Grace Place has gone from serving 200 to 400 people at their food pantry per week. St. Matthew's House went from helping 60-70 families to 1,500 families per week at their pantry.
There are hungry people in our Naples community who need our help! So, how do you help? You can provide food or financial donations. Imagine if each person in our congregation just picked up ONE extra item at the grocery store each week. Think of how many meals could be created!
Ways to Help
1)
Give Food.
1.2 pounds of food equals one meal! Drop off non-perishable, unexpired food to the church office on Tuesdays, 12:00-2:00 pm or Thursdays, 4:00-6:00 pm starting July 14 and 16.
For drop-off assistance, please call Vanessa Fletcher (954) 850-2343 on Tuesdays or Crystal Gibbs (239) 253-3541 on Thursdays.
2)
Donate Funds.
$2 donation equals one meal! Write out a check to FUMC of Naples with "Food" in the memo line. Send to the church at: 388 First Avenue S, Naples, FL 34102. You can also give online and designate your online gift by typing "Food" under the “Other” category.
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All food and financial donations collected will be distributed to Grace Place and St. Matthew's House Food Pantries. Our church will receive credit for our participation in the “Fill the Table” program.
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Vanessa Fletcher Appointed as
CPE Intern for NCH
We are pleased to announce that Vanessa Fletcher, our Director of Discipleship & Youth Ministries, has been accepted by NCH as a Clinical Pastoral Education intern for their Spiritual Care Department. Vanessa will serve as a CPE Chaplain, caring for the spiritual needs of assigned patients at the Baker Hospital campus during the next 6 months. She needed this internship as part of her seminary program, and was able to arrange to do this 3 evenings per week, so she can continue to serve at our church in her discipleship position. We are very proud of her and excited about all she will learn through this opportunity.
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Last Sunday's Service
Did you miss worship last week? Click on the link below to view the video of last week's complete online service, with a sermon entitled
God Is Talking, Are You Listening?
based on
Mark 4:1-20.
Also enjoy the solo by Clayton Brown singing
Praise the Lord, He Never Changes.
Just click on the box below.
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Last Sunday’s altar flowers donated
to NCH front-line nurses
Last Sunday, the altar flowers were given by Janet Doesschate, who lives up north and asked us to give them to someone who might be encouraged and enjoy receiving them. I am happy to say that the flowers were given to the front-line nurses at NCH in the COVID-19 section of the hospital. They wrote us a sweet thank you note saying how much it was appreciated by all the nurses on that floor. Please pray for those women and men caring for patients that are struggling with this virus. Please keep their patients in prayer as well.
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Would You Like to Dedicate
Altar Flowers?
If you would like to dedicate our altar flowers on an upcoming Sunday, please send us an email letting us know if the dedication is in memory of someone who has passed away or in honor of someone special who is still living. Let us know the wording you would like (a birthday, anniversary, etc.) and the Sunday you choose. The cost is $30 for the arrangement, which you can mail in or pay online. We will coordinate so you can come pick up the arrangement to take home during the week. Please email your request to:
Pastor@fumcnaples.org
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PLEASE PRAY!
During tough times and really great times, we should always be setting aside some time to talk with God. It does not have to be in a chapel or a church. It can be in a place where you really see God’s amazing handiwork during a sunset at the beach or it can be in the midst of driving through heavy traffic (just don’t close your eyes as you pray!) Prayer is powerful and I know God is looking forward to hearing from you. What to pray for?
Please be in prayer this week for our church family and their loved ones (names listed below). Pray for those who have gotten sick or families of those who have lost loved ones to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths everywhere are exploding. Pray for all people whose lives have been impacted by racism and injustice. Pray also for all those impacted in some way by the coronavirus pandemic economically or by job loss. Pray for the healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential workers, who are serving on the front lines to keep us safe. Continue to pray that God eradicates both this COVID-19 virus and racism. Lastly, please pray for our sister church and the people of Cuba where things have improved dramatically as internal travel restrictions have been lifted and food is becoming available again.
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Urgent Prayer Requests
From our FUMC Church Family
We want to remind you that
this section is for “urgent” prayer concerns only
: (in the hospital, on Hospice, recovering from a surgery, receiving radiation or chemotherapy, recent deaths, etc.) If you have a private prayer that you do not want published below, just email me and I will pray for that person and that need:
pastor@fumcnaples.org.
- Shirley Atwood (Member)
- Sharon Walker (Pastor's friend)
- Margaret Lofgren (Member)
- Tim Vincent (Member)
- Sheila Strenkert (Karen Carr’s cousin)
- Jess Rynders (Ashley Garner’s friend)
- Sean Black (Pat Schanke’s friend)
- Heather Pratt Mohler (Bea Mohler's daughter-in-law)
- All the unspoken requests and needs of our congregation and their loved ones
Also, Please Pray for…
Our pastor, our church, our bishop, our district superintendent, the community, our country and its leaders; first responders, the sick, our homebound, our sister church in Cuba, our MDS preschool children, teachers and parents, Wesley Kids & Youth, and those in military service.
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David Lawrence Center in Naples Offers Help and Hope
Anxiety, stress, depression and substance abuse are at an all-time high due to the Coronavirus lock-down, lost jobs, and life turned upside down. The David Lawrence Center remains committed to serving our community, including “Telehealth services.” If you need help, please call them at: 239-304-3055.
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Domestic Violence & Abuse 911 Calls
(Increased by 30% during the pandemic)
People are stressed and confined in tight quarters for long periods of time. This results in explosive situations. Please let anyone you know, who may be in this situation, that the Shelter for Abused Women and Children has space for women, children and pets, and is consistently open. They should call the hotline: 239-775-1109
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OFFICE HOURS
The church office is closed until further notice. The staff is working from home. Please call and leave a message. We are checking voice mail regularly. Your call will be returned.
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First United Methodist Church of Naples
388 1st Ave S.
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 262-1033
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