Message from Pastor Harold | WeeklyWord

Message in a Minute

Spiritual Reflection

"If Jesus is king in heaven then the Kingdom of God is in heaven. If Jesus is king, reign on earth then the Kingdom of Heaven is on earth. If Jesus is king in my heart, then the Kingdom of God is in me."

Rick Warren

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Ministry Focus

Grief Support

New Covenant offers several grief support services because our desire is to offer you help during times of mourning. Our GriefShare program runs in both the fall and spring, and in the summer, we have a support group called Good Grief. Last weekend, we had Surviving the Holidays, a part of GriefShare specifically focused on navigating the holidays. Coming up, we have a Hope and Healing Service on Sunday, December 5 from 5 PM - 6:30 PM in the Christian Life Center, a time to come together and worship at the Christmas season to pray, to sing, to hear a message, and to light a candle. We just want you to know that we’re here for you throughout the year.

Key Announcements

Rediscovering the New in Christmas Advent Series

Next weekend, Pastor Harold will launch a new sermon series called Rediscovering the New in Christmas. As we journey towards celebrating the birth of Jesus, we’ll be spending time with some of the classic Christmas stories in the Bible and seeing what new things God may be speaking to us from those stories today. We invite you to join us in worship, in person or online—and maybe even bring a friend—for this new Advent sermon series.

A Quiet Christmas

We invite you to quiet your hearts and warm your spirits with an evening of your favorite Christmas melodies, intimately and beautifully performed. Back by popular demand, best friends Angie Rose (piano, vocals) and Ryan Loeckel (violin, vocals) combine their talents for this exclusive concert. During this busy season, take some “quiet” time to reflect, relax, meditate, and enjoy “A Quiet Christmas” on December 2 & 3 at 7 PM. Net proceeds benefit the House of Hope Building Fund.

Tickets are on sale at The Villages Box Office.

Spirit of the Season!

We invite you to join us on Saturday, December 18 at 5 PM or Sunday, December 19 at 3 PM as we present the Spirit of the Season with the New Covenant Choirs, Praise Ringers, and Orchestra, featuring Amanda Quinn, Angie Rose, Phillip Himebook, Mark Steven Schmidt, and Josh Quinn.

Tickets are free and are required only for seating. Tickets are available this weekend at the kiosk in the East Narthex between services and in the Administration Building throughout the week.

General Announcements

Tax-Free Giving from Your IRA

For those who are age 70 1/2 and older, the IRS code has a provision that allows a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly to the church from your IRA without having to pay income taxes that would be otherwise be due on the distribution.

If you have already started taking a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), the news even gets better: the donation from your IRA to the church would count as part of your annual RMD.

If you are interested, first discuss it with your financial advisor. Then, call the Finance Office at the church (352-750-4529) and ask for Linda Stubits or Marissa Carnevale. They can supply you with the information you will need to make the donation.

Make a Gift

Giving in the Spirit

Giving in the Spirit is a unique opportunity for New Covenant to give a monetary donation during the month of November to an outreach ministry of your choice. Your gift will bless those who have so little in our local community and around the world. Last year, the total donations to all outreach ministries that were listed in the Giving in the Spirit booklet was $51,726.

This is also an opportunity to provide a meaningful gift in the name of a friend or relative. Share the joy of the gifts you select with your special person by giving a gift in that person's name. Then, send them a "gift card" to let them know about the gift! Gift cards are available at the Welcome Center in the East Narthex. For questions, please contact Mary and Henry Goldberg.

To participate, pick up a booklet in the Christian Life Center during weekend worship or in the Administration Building during the week. Then, complete the form inside the catalog and insert it and your donation in the envelope provided in the booklet. Please return your envelope by Tuesday, November 30 to the Administration Office, or place it in the offering basket during worship services.

Thank you from Operation Christmas Child

Thank you everyone who participated in Operation Christmas Child and Christmas Wish Tree during our season of giving. If you have Christmas shoeboxes or gift tags, please return the shoeboxes and/or the gifts to the Administration Building by Monday, November 22. We would like to distribute these items to the various organizations before the holiday.

A Christmas Festival

Join us for A Christmas Festival on Thursday, December 9 at 7:30 PM in the Christian Life Center. This concert features the award-winning Brass Band of Central Florida with special guest Angie Rose.

The show benefits the New Covenant Worship Ministry.

Tickets are available through The Villages Entertainment.

December Women's Gathering

Join us Thursday, December 9 from 10 AM - 11:30 AM in the Fellowship Center for MARY Christmas! This Christmas, we will learn more about Mary, the mother of Jesus―her faith, her feelings, and her beautiful role as the mother of the Son of God. All women are welcome! Lunch follows the program at 11:30 AM.

Menu: Sugar-glazed Ham with Sweet Potato Soufflé, Green Beans, and Strawberry Poke Cake for dessert.

If you have any questions or need help with registering, please contact Ashley Hill.

Registration is required and costs $10.

Sunday Class Update

Due to health reasons, Dr. Jim Stinemire is unable to remain on staff. Pastor Jeff Vermilya will be teaching the Sunday Class that meets in the Chapel at 8 AM and 10:15 AM through the end of the year.

Recycling

Effective November 30, 2021, New Covenant will no longer offer recycling services on campus. Previously, facilitating this service provided the church income that helped support ministries. However, this has not been the case for the last two years. Now, we will no longer be able to provide recycling services. Thank you for supporting this effort for the last 10 years.

Prayer Cards

Prayers are an important part of worship. Prayer Cards are available at each entrance to the Christian Life Center, at the Welcome Center, and in the Prayer Room. They can also be submitted through the Portal, and you may phone in a prayer concern as well.

We give utmost attention to your concerns, and our Praying Together team prays over all the prayer requests on Wednesday afternoons. Please share your prayers with the Lord and our prayer team.

The prayer quilts on the altar are for...

J.D. has pneumonia

Joel had hip surgery

Marsha's cancer has returned

Michael had COVID, and also has clots in brain

We request your prayers for these prayer quilts. Please click on the quilt to be taken to our Facebook Page, where you can Like the post to virtually tie a knot.