Trunks of Treats will feature decorated cars and their trunks 6-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, at DaySpring Community Church in DeLand, and there will be free candy, hot dogs, chips, and fun for everyone, including games that kids can play.
The church is at 902 S. Spring Garden Ave. in DeLand.
Knights of Columbus sponsor drive to help people in need
Deltona Knights of Columbus Council 6584 is sponsoring a Diaper/Toiletries Drive for the St. Vincent de Paul Society 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church, 1310 Maximilian St. in Deltona. The drop-off area will be in the church parking lot.
The items requested are diapers in sizes 3-6, baby wipes, baby soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, baby shampoo, laundry detergent and toilet paper. Monetary donations will also be appreciated. Make checks payable to Knights of Columbus Council No. 6584.
‘Adam and Fallen Man’
First Church of Christ, Scientist, at 111 E. New York Ave. in Downtown DeLand, welcomes members, friends and visitors to attend the 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, service, whose topic is “Adam and Fallen Man,” based on Luke 9:25, “For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”
Testimony meetings are at 5 p.m. Wednesdays. All are welcome.
The Christian Science Reading Room, where the church sells literature, is open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the same location.
For more information, call 386-734-6547.
1st Congregational UCC of Orange City welcomes Dr. Timothy Peters
First Congregational United Church of Christ of Orange City welcomes Dr. Timothy Peters to the Sunday, Oct. 30, service.
Peters is director of choral activities at Stetson University. The university’s choir will join in worship with a music ensemble.
You’re encouraged to bring family, friends and neighbors. There will be a light lunch following the service. Everyone is welcome!
Visit the church’s website at https://www.orangecityucc.org.
Reformation Day service Oct. 30 at Lutheran Church of Providence
Lutheran Church of Providence, at 1696 Providence Blvd. in Deltona, will have a Reformation Day service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 30.
Activities at 1st Christian Church
The Rev. Dr. Fernando Morales will be the guest minister at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand for the 10:45 a.m. worship service Sunday, Oct. 30. Kathy Porr will enthusiastically welcome everyone as the service begins.
Organist/pianist Barbara Polomsky and song leader Donna Mozley offer music for the service, and the Rev. Morales and Dr. Janet Raney will provide Communion for all in attendance.
Nancy Jones and Sue Brague greet all during the fellowship time at 10:30 a.m.
The Rev. Carlos Perez starts his service to First Christian as the senior pastor Tuesday, Nov. 1, and will be in the pulpit Sunday, Nov. 6.
Bingo will be played at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, in the fellowship hall. Proceeds after expenses go to Journey’s End Animal Sanctuary.
Trinity United Methodist Church and First Christian invite all children to attend the Trunk or Treat event 6-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, in the south parking lot, with guests’ cars parking in the north parking lot.
Dr. Janet Raney and Sue Brague invite all high-schoolers and middle-schoolers to attend a youth group, with dinner at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the Welcome Room outside the kitchen.
For more information about the church, call 386- 734-0677.
‘The Battle of Our Mind’
’Tis the season to be busy: fa la la la la la la la la. The countdown to Christmas has already begun, and in-between we still have Thanksgiving plans to make. Sometimes it seems we get so busy we don’t have time to stop and think.
This week at First United Methodist Church of DeLand, the sermon series “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table” will continue, with the topic Sunday, Oct. 30, being “The Battle of Our Mind.”
Noam Shpancer wrote, “Mental health … is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.”
When it comes to spiritual mental health, people often have to look beyond themselves.
Aristotle wrote, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”
Jesus is the light that brings illumination and peace to troubled minds.
At First United Methodist, in-person traditional worship is at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary, and an in-person contemporary worship 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.
The church also offers small-group Bible studies at various times during the week: Young adults meet Sunday evenings; youth groups meet at different times during the week; and there is a Saturday-morning men’s Bible study.
To get connected to a small group for fellowship and sharing, call 386-734-5113.
‘Feeding the Hungry Ghosts’
Mosaic Unitarian Universalist Congregation, while not meeting face to face, is meeting online at 11 a.m. every Sunday. The Oct. 30 service is titled “Feeding the Hungry Ghosts.”
The congregation says, “It’s Halloween, and the ghosts of our ancestors walk the Earth. Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan will share with us a Buddhist ceremony, Feeding the Hungry Ghosts, which is said to help even the most hopeless spirits progress toward spiritual peace.”
Worship leader Judy Raymond will guide everyone through the service. All
are welcome!
For information on Mosaic, see the website at https://mosaicuuc.org. For instructions on how to join the virtual service, email to mosaicuuc@gmail.com.
1st Unitarian Universalist to learn about the option of a green burial
First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand welcomes Carlos Gonzalez to the 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, service. Gonzalez is the executive director for Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, a nonprofit community cemetery based in Gainesville. He will provide an in-depth exploration of the wonderful option of a green burial, discussing the environmental impact of different funeral services and why the green burial provides the least harmful impact to our precious planet. It is never too late to contemplate and plan for what is inevitable for all of us, our death. Making plans now allows us the freedom to spend time with loved ones with less worry during the precious hours at the end of our life. Those attending in person are encouraged to arrive at 10:15 a.m. for greetings before the service begins.
Masks are discretionary but encouraged at this time. Services are livestreamed on Zoom, and all are invited.
Go to https://zoom.us/i/92718819188. Contact the church for help in getting connected at www.uudeland.org.
Unitarian Universalists are an open-minded, freethinking and openhearted spiritual community, where all are welcomed to learn together. If time allows, discussion may be included after every presentation. Happily, everyone will gather after the service for a social hour to share coffee, tea and conversation.
Regular group meetings include discussion groups, a book club, a men’s group, and conversation groups, which continue on Zoom and in person.
Special educational programs for children are available at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. For more information about groups, attendance and church activities, visit www.uudeland.org.
The lost
On Sunday, Oct. 30, First Presbyterian Church of DeLand will recognize two significant historical milestones in the history of the church. At all three services, First Pres will recognize Reformation Sunday, when Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation in Germany in 1517.
As a prelude to the 11 a.m. service, the church will celebrate the U.S. tradition Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan to honor Presbyterian roots in Scotland in the 1700s.
Scottish clansmen who had been subjugated under English Roman Catholic rule protested in secret due to threat of death by hiding a small sample of their family’s tartan to receive blessing of the church, the kirk, at services.
First Pres will enjoy a gala procession with special Scottish garb, music, bagpipes and banners. The Chancel Choir will extend the event with special Scottish-flavored music, especially with David Blackwell ’s “A Scottish Blessing” as the anthem. Pastor Michael Bodger’s sermon on Sunday, Oct. 30, will be titled “The Lost,” and will feature the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector, as told in Luke 19:1-10. Jesus’ followers felt appalled that Jesus welcomed the hated tax collector down from a tree by saying, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Christ answered the protesters with, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” First Presbyterian says, “Consider the ‘lost’ of our society today. They might stand closer than you are willing to think. They might figuratively be climbing a tree within our sight! Do we see and embrace them? Jesus declared, ‘I came to seek and to save what was lost’ (Luke 19:10).”
Operation Christmas Child reminds all who are contributing shoebox gifts that the deadline for these gifts is Sunday, Nov. 13.
Boxes with directions on how to contribute to this mission for children all over the world await you at First Pres. Visit samaritanspurse.org.
Boy Scout Troop 440 will have a fundraising car wash near the pavilion all day Saturday, Oct. 29. Next Sunday, Nov. 6, First Pres invites the community to join the celebration of All Saints’ Day. This service recognizes church members and friends who have died in the past year. Many churches observe this day with the tolling of bells and prayer. The church encourages everyone to see The Beacon’s Religion Directory for more details about First Presbyterian DeLand and “join the journey!”
