PHOTO COURTESY FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MUSIC AT FIRST PRES — The Chancel Choir of First Presbyterian Church of DeLand participates in a 2019 Christmas Eve service. The church’s Music Ministry is planning four concerts in the coming months. The first event, “The Story of the Spirituals,” will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, in the sanctuary. The concert will introduce listeners to this meaningful and historical body of work by presenting solo spirituals by several of the church’s student scholars as well as guest accompanists. For more information about the concert series, please see Page 10B.

Yard Sale at St. Jude’s Episcopal in Orange City

St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Orange City is hosting its annual Yard Sale 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24 and 25. The church is at 815 E. Graves Ave.

The sale will be outside and inside the church, with social distancing and masks inside.

There will be many, many items to choose from: clothes, shoes, purses, kids’ items, electronics, household items, books and much, much more.

Donations of clean or almost-new items for the sale are appreciated. Call 386-775-6200, email to Admin@stjudescentralflorida.org, or visit www.stjudescentralflorida.org.

Sermon at 1st UMC to focus on hope in the Lord

As young children, most of us were filled with high hopes and big dreams for what would transpire in our future. Hope is defined by the idea or feeling that we are expecting something good or better to happen.

In our current world, with all that is going on, it seems many have lost their sense of hope. With COVID and all the natural disasters, accompanied by the hate and greed that seem to have infiltrated many aspects of our society, what is there left to hope for?

At First United Methodist Church of DeLand, they say, “Our hope is in the Lord the maker of Heaven and Earth. Our delight is in Him and in His ways we will meditate day and night.”

This Sunday, Sept. 19, in the sermon series “Jeremiah, Faith During Opposition,” the church will be focusing on the concept “Our Hope Is Built on Nothing Less.” Church members hope you will make plans to attend as First United Methodist looks in greater detail into this hope-inspiring idea.

The church provides in-person traditional worship at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary, and a contemporary service at 9:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center. All three services are streamed live on Facebook on the First Church DeLand page, or they can be accessed through the website at Firstchurchdeland.org.

First United Methodist also offers small-group Bible studies at various times during the week: Young adults meet on Sunday evening, youth groups meet at different times during the week, and there’s a Saturday-morning men’s Bible study.

If you’d like to get connected to a small group for fellowship and sharing, call the church office for more details. The office is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call 386-734-5113.

‘The Human Soul and the Ecosystem’

Mosaic Unitarian Universalist Congregation, while not meeting face-to-face, is meeting online at 11 a.m. every Sunday. The Sept. 19 service is titled “The Human Soul and the Ecosystem.”

It’s hard to be a human being these days. We are carrying so much in our hearts, and our souls are depleted, overwhelmed with the sorrows of this world.

In this sermon, the Rev. Mariela Pérez-Simons looks at ancestral wisdom (as well as anthropological research and the field of evolutionary psychology) to help us understand the state of our humanity and how we can be intentional about creating the right conditions for the flourishing of our humanity and the flourishing of every living organism in our own lives/circles/ecosystems. The congregation will be looking at the roles we play in our ecosystems.

Worship leader Tracy Lunquist will guide everyone through the service.

For more information on Mosaic, see the website at mosaicuuc.org. For instructions on how to join the virtual service, email to mosaicuuc@gmail.com.

PHOTO COURTESY FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
NEW DIRECTOR OF FAMILY MINISTRIES — First Presbyterian Church of DeLand welcomes a new/old friend as its director of family ministries. Elendea DeGaetano, born and raised in Ormond Beach, was baptized in this church, which was also the site of her parents’ marriage. DeGaetano has been a middle-school teacher, which revealed her passion for working with children and adults.

An open book

On Sunday, Sept. 19, Pastor Michael Bodger will continue his series studying the Book of James at First Presbyterian Church of DeLand. The congregations attending the contemporary worship at 9 a.m. and traditional worship at 11 a.m. will explore James chapters 3:13-4:3 and 7-8.

In 4:7-8, James urges us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and the devil will flee from you.” Our actions will reveal to whom we listen and invite to feed our hearts … like “an open book.”

Both services appear on the church website, Facebook and YouTube, livestreamed and recorded.

Everyone attending any event on the church campus is required to follow COVID precautions. The weekly Holy Communion includes all attendees and uses contact-free elements at both services.

Children’s Church is exploring “The Armor of God” from Ephesians and meeting Sundays at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the Art Room. Also, Sundays at 5 p.m. now offer middle- and high-school youth gatherings in the One 2 One House under Director of Family Ministries Elendea DeGaetano’s leadership.

The Chancel Choir has resumed rehearsals, and the Music Ministry plans four concerts in the coming months. The first event, “The Story of the Spirituals,” will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, in the sanctuary.

The concert will introduce listeners to this meaningful and historical body of work by presenting solo spirituals by several of the church’s student scholars as well as guest accompanists.

Although free, reservations are required, due to COVID restrictions. Call the church office at 386-734-6212 to reserve a place among the 100 seats.

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