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Individuals who affected the Easter story
The Easter story contains so many characters and has so much impact on who we are as a church today. First United Methodist Church of DeLand has been looking at the lives of some of the characters who impacted and, of course, were influenced by this historic event surrounding the life of Jesus.
Imagine if you were in the place of people like Mary, his mother, or John, his brother whom he spoke to from the cross.
On March 21, First Church will be looking into the role of Nicodemus. He questioned Jesus but in the end found himself defending Jesus before the religious leaders who sought to find a way to silence him.
On Palm Sunday, March 28, the church will be delving into the life of Peter, the disciple who both loved and denied Jesus and how he came to terms with his part in the Easter story.
Each part of the Easter story not only affected the lives of those present, but their lives and their stories impact our lives today. Come see just how.
Call the office for additional information at 386-734-5113.
Seeing Jesus
At First Presbyterian Church of DeLand on Sunday, March 21, Pastor Michael Bodger will read and teach from the Gospel of John 12:30-33. In that text, some Greeks who have traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover festival approach Philip with the request, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”
Modern Christians do not know with certainty that those Greeks literally saw Jesus, although Philip does pass on that request to Jesus through the disciple Andrew.
Today, 2,000 years later, Christians declare, “We wish to see Jesus.”
Answering that request from the Greeks, Jesus takes the opportunity to explain once again what must happen to Him because, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
Truly seeing Jesus meant for the ancients and means for us to embrace that which transpired in Jerusalem with all Jesus endured. It means dying to self, rising to new life in Christ and, in so doing, living eternally. In the midst of all that and the messiness of our lives, we see Jesus.
During both services, children ages 4-10 meet in the art room for the creative and spiritual-teacher-led journey “Walk With Jesus” through Holy Week from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection. The meaningful weekly experience will help youngsters grow in their biblical understanding and joy of Easter.
By reservation only, there will be a nursery for infants through age 3. Call the church office by noon Friday to reserve a place.
First Pres will offer another Food Distribution Drive-Thru 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 20. More than 1,000 boxes of food will go out to cars arriving from West Pennsylvania Avenue to enter the church parking lot. Clear signs and helpful volunteers will guide cars to receive the food. Each box feeds a family of four for a week. Two boxes will be given to each family.
For more information on church offerings, visit the church website at www.fpcdeland.org or the First Pres Facebook. Call the office at 386-734-6212.
How community colleges can provide economic help
First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand is continuing to host virtual services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays. On Sunday, March 21, Vernon Moore, entrepreneur and NAACP local chapter member, returns to share insights and suggestions for how community colleges can help economically.
The Zoom ID for Sunday services is the same every week: Zoom ID: 927 1881 9188.
Regular group meetings continue on Zoom: The Book and Poetry clubs each meet monthly, the Covenant Group meets every two weeks, and the Men’s Group meets weekly. The church can be contacted through www.uudeland.org to learn more.
Unitarians are an open-minded, openhearted spiritual community where all are welcomed to learn together.
‘The Thief’
The Rev. Elizabeth Carrasquillo of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand brings the message “The Thief,” based on Luke 23:26-43, at the 10:45 a.m. service Sunday, March 21.
Christina Coulter, a new pianist, will provide songs of praise and worship at the beginning of the service and special music during the service. The elders will serve open Communion to all believers in Jesus Christ.
An Easter offering will be taken on Palm Sunday and Easter morning to support college students in leadership-development programs, global mission partners, health and social service ministries, the formation of new congregations, and support for pastors and chaplains. The congregation is filling a large Easter basket in the narthex with eggs to be distributed to the congregation on Easter Sunday.
Dr. Janet Raney will not provide the Homework Hotspot tutoring program during Spring Holiday.
The Youth Group with Dr. Raney continues to meet at 5:30 p.m. Fridays via Zoom. Call the church office at 386-734-0677 for the link.
Hope
Mosaic Unitarian Universalist Congregation, while not meeting face to face, is meeting online at 11 a.m. every Sunday. On March 21, the Rev. Matthew Pargeter-Villarreal will present “About Hope.” As the COVID-19 global pandemic continues to rage across the world, there is much uncertainty about what 2021 will look like and what the future will hold.
Pargeter-Villarreal offers a message of how we can find hope, inspired by the life and the words of Julian of Norwich and the music of UU minister/songwriter the Rev. Meg Barnhouse.
Everyone is welcome! For instructions on how to join the virtual service, email to mosaicuuc@gmail.com.
