Macedonia Missionary Baptist to celebrate Pastor’s Anniversary

Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in DeLand is celebrating its annual Pastor’s Anniversary at the 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, service. This year celebrates 21 years of continuous service by Pastor Melvin L. Young Sr. and Lady Ernestine Young.

The church is at 514 W. Beresford Ave. in DeLand.

COVID guidelines will be followed, with masks required.

1st Christian Church activities

The Rev. Selena Reyes Martinez, regional support pastor for the Florida Region of the Disciples of Christ, will be the guest speaker for the 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, worship service at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand.

Martinez serves regional ministry by providing

pastoral care, chairing the New Church Ministry Commission, and assisting with the search-and-call process for congregations and clergy. The new church Nueva Comunidad Christian Church has the Rev. Martinez as their pastor.

Edna Cartes and Eddie Wachter are the elders who, during the service, will serve Communion to all believers.

The Rev. Dr. Fernando Morales provides the Scripture reading, and Walter Davis and Jane Ashton are the greeters.

The Rev. David Cortes chairs the 9:30 a.m. adult Sunday-school class in the library, with the topic “Praise for Salvation,” based on Acts chapter 2. The practices of first-century churches will be compared with the current practices at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Dr. Janet Raney and Sue Brague offer free tutoring 4-5:30 p.m. Thursdays in the church library whenever school is in session.

The youth group meets 5:30-7:15 p.m. Wednesdays in the Youth Room, with the entrance by the church office.

Life as a tapestry

Pastor Michael Bodger will conclude his series on the Book of James by focusing on James 5:13- 20 at First Presbyterian Church of DeLand this Sunday, Sept. 26.

James is continuing his overall call for people to express faith clearly in daily living, both corporately and individually. James ends his letter by addressing how to live together in community: “We stand stronger together,” called by the Living God to sing songs of praise when happy and turn to other believers when troubled by sin.

James focuses on prayer as the mechanism for “reaching up to God but also for reaching into the body of Christ.” By extension, God urges us to reach out to our community.

Followers of Christ find their lives inextricably linked together like thread used on a tapestry. Each of us exists as a thread that, when interwoven with other believers, produces a canvas that reveals the Glory of God.

First Pres invites all to join in Holy Communion at the 9 a.m. contemporary and 11 a.m. traditional services. The church follows COVID precautions and requires masks and distancing at services, as well as appropriate distribution of Communion elements.

Services are also available through livestreaming and recordings via YouTube, Facebook and the First Pres website. Please read the Religion Directory for church details.

This Sunday, Sept. 26, the church begins its first annual series of four concerts throughout 2021-22 that will explore various aspects of sacred music. “The Story of the Spirituals,” under the gifted leadership of Music Minister Jane Christeson, features solo and ensemble singers who participate in the Chancel Choir as student-scholars, as well as a guest soloist and piano accompanist. The concert will begin at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary. Due to limited seating, attendees must call the church office at 386-734-6212 to reserve a seat at no cost. The office is open 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. COVID precautions stand, with a 100-person limit.

Also this weekend, First Pres offers God’s Bathhouse 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, to supply showers, hygiene kits, fresh clothing and fellowship to those in need, on the church basketball court.

First Pres welcomes you in the adventure of reaching up, reaching in and reaching out in God’s name.

Saving the environment – activists in action

On Sunday, Sept. 26, Suzanne Scheiber with

Dream Green Volusia joins members of First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand to talk about the current projects and efforts of this local group to ensure our green spaces and environment are not lost to us forever. You’re encouraged to come hear what’s happening and how you can be part of the solution!

Zoom services continue until further notice. The church’s virtual services begin at 10:30 a.m. Sundays. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to join over Zoom from 10:15 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. for greetings before the service begins.

The Zoom ID for Sunday services is the same every week: Zoom ID: 927 1881 9188.

Unitarian Universalists are an open-minded, openhearted spiritual community, where all are welcomed to learn together. The church participates in Interfaith Kitchen and other community projects.

Regular group meetings continue on Zoom and in person: The Book and Poetry clubs meet monthly; the Covenant and Discussion groups meet every two weeks; the Men’s Group meets weekly; and the Green Team meets monthly.

Special educational programs for children are available.

The church may be contacted through www.uudeland.org to learn more, or call 386-232-8433.

‘To the Ends of the Earth’

Learning to share is such a vital aspect of our formative years.

We teach our younger children to share their toys, their space and their time with others. As adults, sometimes we forget those valuable lessons from our youth.

At First United Methodist Church of DeLand, everyone is very motivated by the concept of sharing. One of the most important responsibilities members of a church have is to share their faith, their hope and their belief that God is and has the answers to all the questions and situations in our lives.

In keeping with the belief that followers of Christ have not only a duty but an obligation to share the Gospel with the community and the world at large, First United Methodist will be starting the new sermon series “To the Ends of the Earth.” This series will examine the remarkable spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the world. This Sunday, Sept. 26, the church will be looking at the beginning of

this movement, in a sermon titled “Empowered to Go.”

The United Methodist Men will be hosting a “Getting Connected” evening at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28. The meeting will highlight many of the ministries and outreach programs provided by the church to the community. There will be a dinner served at the cost of $5 per person. If you’d like to attend, call the church office by noon Monday, Sept. 27, to make reservations.

The church’s in-person traditional worship services are at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary, and a contemporary service is 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.

Small-group Bible studies are offered at various times during the week: Young adults meet Sunday evenings, 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, contact the church office for more details. The office is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call 386-734-5113.

‘Getting Unstuck’

Mosaic Unitarian Universalist Congregation, while not meeting face-to-face, is meeting online at 11 a.m. every Sunday. The title of the Sunday, Sept. 26, service is “Getting Unstuck.”

We’ve all had experiences of being somewhere we wish we weren’t. For some of us, this past season has given us ample opportunities. So how do we get moving, get real about ourselves, and get connected with the right people for the next leg of the journey? The key is way back in the goodness that got us moving in the first place.

You might feel stuck, but your calling isn’t. You’re encouraged to join Pastor Ben Collins at Mosaic Sept. 26 for his tips on how to get unstuck. All are welcome.

Worship leader Judy Raymond will lead everyone through this service.

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

Nitty-Gritty True Talk Ministries seeks volunteers

The Nitty-Gritty True Talk Ministries Inc. is looking for volunteers. The multifaceted nonprofit has sponsored food drives and toy giveaways, and has worked with other nonprofits on their food distributions and giveaways as well, such as The Salvation Army in DeLand.

Assistance is also given to individuals and families who are struggling financially with food, clothing, and even gas for those transitioning or looking for a job.

The ministry has been on a local Christian radio station since 2017 giving Bible studies 9-9:30 a.m. every Saturday on 97.1FM, and simultaneously on the internet through vida97.org.

The next event is a food distribution Friday, Oct. 8, in Deltona.

Call President Elizabeth Chavez at 321-203-9520 for more information or to volunteer.

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