In-Person and Livestreamed
Worship Service
First United Methodist Church of Naples
Sunday Service 10:15 am
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4th Sunday after Pentecost
Father's Day
June 20, 2021
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From the Pastor
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
I pray that this has been a great week for all of you, full of God’s presence and blessings. Happy Father's Day to all our fathers and those who have filled the role of "father" in the lives of children.
Thanks to all for the many emails, text messages and prayers after my fall last Sunday, right before worship. My shoe collapsed under me and down I went! John took me to the ER right after worship, and other than a banged-up head, wrist, arm and knees, I had no broken bones and will soon be as good as new.
We are missing our church family members who have gone away for the summer months and will not return until season starts again. We know that many of you are continuing to worship with us online, thanks to the pandemic teaching us how to create an online worship experience. We are happy that you continue to be with us and please know that we pray for you!
Our denomination’s “Florida Annual Conference”, took place last weekend, online. Your elected lay representative, Gwen Pleban and your pastor represented you at this event. It was abbreviated and very different than the 3 to 5-day event in Lakeland, Orlando or Daytona Beach, that we normally attend in-person, with all of the other United Methodist churches in Florida. Soon, we will publish a report on what transpired at the Annual Conference. In the meantime, you may always go to the Florida Conference website to watch recordings of the various sessions that took place.
Everyone, please also be sure to scroll down to our prayer list at the bottom of this Eblast so you can spend some time in prayer for the many needs of our church family, as well as our community, nation and world. Let me know if there is anything specific that I can be praying about for you. Please email me or call if you need anything from our church. We are here for you.
Love and Blessings,
Pastor Nancy
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IMPORTANT NOTICE!
We have learned that many of you are only getting HALF of your Eblast! You are missing important news and photos, because Gmail and some other email programs are sometimes cutting off the bottom half! This is especially true when we have a very full Eblast with lots of photos. Most of you don’t even know that has happened. How can you know??? After you reach what looks like the end, you may see a little note down at the bottom that says something like: “Click here to view all” or “Click here to continue.” If you don’t click there, you will miss important things, especially our Prayer List, which is down near the bottom. If you read the Eblast and don’t see the Prayer List, then you KNOW you’ve been cut off. Just look for that note & link at the end and click on it to see all that you are missing!
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This Sunday's Online Worship Service
Every week you will receive a newsy Eblast on Saturdays. This is our electronic newsletter and you are reading it now! It will always contain a link for you to press that will cover you for both the “live” version and “recorded” version of our worship service on YouTube. You can also find our recorded service through our web page or Facebook. So, join us in-person Sunday mornings, online “live”, or at your convenience, through our recorded service. We start showing announcement slides at 10:05 (or earlier) as people are coming into the sanctuary and then the actual worship service starts at 10:15.
If all else fails, just go to www.youtube.com and in the Search box at the top of the page, type "First UMC Naples" and press enter. On the next screen go down about 4 or 5 topics and you will see "First UMC Naples - Sunday Worship - Rev Nancy Mayeux - 06 20 2021". Click on that title, or the picture next to it, to see the “live” broadcast.
Blessings as you watch and participate. Be sure to share the link for live or recorded versions of our service with your friends and family, so they can join you in worship.
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Life & Faith Lesson
Rev Nancy Mayeux
Why Do You Believe?
Is It Enough?
If I asked the congregation on Sunday (both in-person and online) whether they believed in Jesus, most would probably answer “Yes,” although there are always some in church who are not quite sure and are still just trying to figure it all out, along with others who don’t believe and just came because someone they care about dragged them there, or perhaps the Holy Spirit nudged them, and they are not quite sure why they are there. This Sunday, I will address all three groups, with emphasis on those who answered “yes”.
So, if you believe, why is that? How do you know? Is just believing in Jesus enough? Certainly, the enemy “believes” in Jesus and fully knows who Jesus is, but we would not consider him a Christian! The apostle John, in the first 16 verses of his Gospel, gives us lots to think about, in who Jesus is, why we should believe in him, and why that is surely not “enough”. What else is needed to be a Christian…that would clearly differentiate us from Satan? Come on Sunday at 10:15, in-person or online, or watch our recorded service, to find out. See you Sunday!
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COVID Safety Guidelines at FUMC
Most of you know that we are now allowing “vaccinated” people to attend worship services without a mask. Our church’s Reopening Task Force prepared new guidelines a few weeks ago, based on new guidelines from the CDC and our Bishop’s office. Please note that we are going on the honor system, trusting that unvaccinated persons and those uneasy going in public without a mask, will be wearing them. We will have one section (East side of sanctuary) that is for masked people only (our “comfort zone”). The other three sections are “mixed” – masked and unmasked. Please note that for the time being, we have been asked to maintain the 6’ social distancing requirement between family units. Please sit where our ushers direct you. Lastly, you will be happy to know that we can sing again in church! If you’d like more detailed information or our full guidelines, please click on the box below:
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Your “Giving” Is a Form of Worship!
Thank you for continuing to support this church and its ministries through congregational giving. Your gifts allow us to continue helping people to know Jesus, to grow in their faith and to serve Him as we help those in need. Please remember that your giving is a form of worship. We pray that you will continue your regular offerings, consider working toward a 10% tithe, and also consider including the church in your will as you review your estate planning. Of course, as a church member and as a Christian, we know that you will be “giving” of yourself, to God’s mission in the world: your time, your presence, your prayers, your talents and your witness. Your financial support is one more way to do that.
Donations may be brought to worship on Sunday or 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 have any questions regarding the finances of this church, Giving Goal cards or financial statements, please send an email to our Treasurer, Jeffrey Currier: jeffreylcurrier@gmail.com
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Altar Flower Dedication
The altar flowers, this Sunday, are given by Marie Evans in honor of her husband Dick’s 79th birthday.
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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 “Never Truly Lost” which was preached by Rev. Nancy Mayeux and based on Luke 15:1-10
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Altar Flower Ministry
Every week, you have the opportunity to purchase Sunday worship altar flowers and dedicate them to the memory of someone who was special to you or to honor someone who presently needs to be recognized! The cost is $30 and can be arranged by writing the pastor at Pastor@fumcnaples.org. Then you can either pick up your flowers after church or donate them for us to take to organizations in our community, bringing a ray of sunshine to workers and volunteers. The following dates are open: July 11th, July 25th and beyond.
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We’re Still Collecting Food on Sundays for
Grace Place and St. Matthew’s House
There are many people in our community who are struggling to feed their families. With school out, the lunch programs that kept many children sustained during the school day are gone. Won’t you help to fill that gap with donations of food, or monetary donations (online or by mail) earmarked for our food ministry? We’re partnering with St. Matthew’s House and Grace Place to make a difference in the lives of hungry people in our community! Thanks to all who have already been supporting this wonderful ministry.
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We’re Still Packing Meals!
We are still packing meals in partnership with Meals of Hope, packing every other week during the summer. We are now up to 120,000 meals packed for hungry families in our community since December. If you’d like to help pack one week, please email Wendy McKee at WendyMcKee3@gmail.com. It’s easy and fun. It’s a chance to socialize and make new friends. Masks are optional for vaccinated people, and we are on the honor system for those that aren’t. Our groups are small and we will be taking other precautions. See you soon!
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Need to Reach Us? Here’s How!
We are available to you! Our church office is open by appointment. Just call us and let us know you would like to meet with one of us and we will arrange it. Food can be dropped off on Sundays when you come to worship. Your pastor is mostly working from home during the week and the church presently does not have an Admin or a Director of Discipleship. When you call the church office, the call goes right to the pastor’s computer and will be checked and responded to regularly. Pastor’s personal cell number is listed on that message you hear, if you have a pastoral emergency. The pastor is off on Mondays, as her Sabbath day, but will respond to pastoral emergencies.
Call the church office: (239) 262-1033
Mail contributions to:
First United Methodist Church, 388 First Ave S, Naples FL 34102
Make online donations by clicking the link below:
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PLEASE PRAY!
Please remember to thank God for your many blessings as you ask for help with your personal needs and those of loved ones. Please be sure to include your church family (see most urgent needs below) and look through the big prayer list at the bottom of this section for additional ideas for prayer needs. God is listening! Prayer is powerful! I am praying for you!
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 COVID-19, recovering from surgery, receiving radiation or chemotherapy for cancer, 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 privately: pastor@fumcnaples.org.
- Family of Alicia Silvin (on the death of Jeri Sue Scanlon)
- Millie Saldano and Victoria George (Family of Gail Jaworski)
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Karen Kirk (Cousin of Marie Evans)
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David (Megan Burkhead's Grandfather)
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Sheila Strenkert (Karen Carr’s cousin)
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Rick (Father of Amelie Rider)
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Bob Willard (Brother of Betty Jaekle)
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Rosa Fogle (Family of Thelma and Al Johnson)
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All the many unspoken requests and needs of our congregation and their loved ones.
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Also, Please Pray for…
Wondering what else to pray for? Here are some suggestions!
We are leaving this list up each week to help you remember some important needs. Spend a few moments to pray through this list each day!
- Our church, our Pastor, our Bishop and our District Superintendent
- Everyone on our “church family” prayer list (see above)
- Each of the families in need who received our lovingly packed bag of food this week
- Our healthcare workers and first responders
- Everyone impacted in some way by COVID-19: sickness, death, loss of jobs and business, evictions, mental health, addictions and hungry families
- All those struggling and overwhelmed throughout these difficult times - for courage, strength, and peace, as they maneuver through the challenges (Some are on the prayer list and some are not.)
- Our leaders – that they will make good and Godly decisions
- Those impacted daily by racism
- Our church’s homebound or living in long-term living facilities
- Our sister church in Cuba
- All the Scouts and Scout leaders of Boy Scout Troop 165
- Our MDS preschool children, parents and teachers off for the summer
- Our church’s children, youth, and college students
- Those who have experienced and are still recovering from natural disasters
- Our military and their families
- Peace in the Middle East
We pray for our divided nation and that people can learn to set aside their political differences, words of hate and even violence, and love one another as people who are all made in the image of God and loved by God.
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Methodist Day School
Final Week of School
Last week was our final week of school, both in Collier County and at our MDS Preschool. Our VPK children graduated and the 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds had a fun water day and pajama day. You saw graduation pics last week. Here are our younger children in their final week. Please keep all the children in prayer over the summer, that they may be safe, healthy and happy!
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OFFICE HOURS
Office is open by appointment only. Please call to schedule an appointment or let us know if you need us. We will be checking messages regularly.
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First United Methodist Church of Naples
388 1st Ave S.
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 262-1033
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