Save the date!
On Sunday, Feb. 19, Trinity United Methodist Church in DeLand will host a covered-dish dinner at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Service for Healing and Wholeness at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.
The dinner theme is chili and soup. Whip up a favorite recipe to share. Sides, such as cornbread dishes or anything that pairs with chili or soup, are appreciated, too, along with desserts!
The Praise Team will lead the music for this special service.
This service gives the opportunity to pray for the world, our nation, others and ourselves.
There will be an opportunity for anointing with oil and Holy Communion.
This special service is focusing not just on physical healing, but on spiritual, emotional, relationship healing or healing from violence, injustice and war.
Trinity United Methodist is at 1401 W. New York Ave. in DeLand. Call the office at 386-734-4425 with questions.
Origins of violence, and hope for nonviolence
The congregation of Mosaic Unitarian Universalist will meet online at 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. As the congregation focuses on nonviolence this month, the Feb. 12 service is titled “We Were Wrong: The Beginning of Nonviolence.” The Rev. Ben Collins will share a probing question and compelling response to the origins of so much human violence (especially religious), as well as a hopeful promise for the work of nonviolence.
With emerging research on the history of sapiens, we can name unique sources and unique opportunities to see our own self-destruction and choose a more generous way.
Jan Holloway will facilitate the service. Everyone is welcome!
For information on Mosaic, visit the website at https://mosaicuuc.org. For instructions on how to join the virtual service, email to mosaicuuc@gmail.com.
Soul
“And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28)
How do Jacob’s experiences in the Book of Genesis (Chapters 27-32) reflect the transformation of the soul?
This Bible-based sermon at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at First Christian Church, Scientist, DeLand, will explain that Jacob stole his elder brother’s blessing from his father, but then much later, made amends. This sermon will bring a deeper understanding of the soul, which can bring about transformation of character. Correlated passages from the book Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy will expand on these readings.
Sunday school and child care are also available on Sundays at the same time. Testimony meetings are at 5 p.m. Wednesdays.
The Christian Science Reading Room, where literature is sold, is open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the same location, 111 E. New York Ave. in Downtown DeLand.
For more information, call 386-734-6547. All are welcome.
‘Cleaning Out the Closets’
It’s not quite spring yet, but have you thought about the need for spring cleaning? Many of us need to clean out the cabinets, drawers and closets in our homes, but what about our lives? — a spiritual cleaning, so to speak.
At First United Methodist Church of DeLand, the sermon series “Live Differently” will continue with the Sunday, Feb. 12, topic “Cleaning Out the Closets.”
Peter Walsh put it this way: “Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor, it’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living.”
The question for this week is “In what way do we need to open the closets of our souls and the covers of our lives to God?” God has plans to make everyone’s life into a masterpiece. What role do we need to play in order to facilitate His best work?
Albert Einstein wrote, “Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Discover effective ways to begin spiritual spring cleaning at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. traditional services in the First United Methodist sanctuary, or at 9:30 a.m. for a contemporary service in the Life Enrichment Center.
Services are streamed live on Facebook on the First Church DeLand page, or they can be accessed through the website at Firstchurchdeland.org.
There are a variety of other opportunities to get connected with the church family throughout the week — youth, young adult, men’s and women’s ministries; Bible studies and prayer times throughout the week. For more details, call the church office at 386-734-5113.
Theology, technology and health care
On Sunday, Feb. 12, First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand welcomes internal medicine specialist Dr. Curt Rausch to present observations about individual and collective health. This will be an exploration of our health care as it plays out under the umbrella of our theologies and technologies. If time allows, discussion may be included after the presentation.
Those attending in person are encouraged to come between 10:15 a.m. and 10:25 a.m. for greetings before the service begins.
Masks are discretionary but encouraged at this time.
Everyone happily gathers after the service for a social hour to share coffee, tea and conversation.
Services are also Zoomed beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Zoom Sunday-service ID is the same every week: https://zoom.us/i/92718819188. Feel free to contact the church for help getting connected at www.uudeland.org before Sunday’s worship time.
Unitarian Universalists are an open-minded, freethinking, openhearted spiritual community, where all are welcomed to learn together. Regular group meetings, such as discussion group, book club, men’s group and the Conversation Covenant continue, in person and on Zoom. Special educational programs for children are available during the 10:30 a.m. service.
1st Christian Church activities
The Rev. Carlos Perez of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand encourages all to come to the Table of the Lord at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. He will be beginning a sermon series from Matthew 5:1-10. The title for the Feb. 12 sermon is “Those Who Mourn.”
Brenda Velazquez-Morales directs the elders serving the elements to all in attendance. Barbara Polomsky, on the organ or piano, and vocalist Donna Mozley, provide the music, with assistance from violinist John Parrish on some Sundays. Each service includes an opportunity for sharing prayer requests or celebrations, Scripture reading with the sermon, and announcements by Kathy Porr with the welcome.
Facebook, First Christian Church – DeLand Disciples, has the worship service live or later on the news feed. Paul and Dorothy Ashton provide this service. For questions or concerns, contact the office at 386-734-0677 or check out the website at www.fccofdeland.org.
Men wanting to attend the breakfast at Perkins in DeLand at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, should call 386-734-6078 for a reservation.
Marge Jones hosts her third watercolor class at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14.
The prayer group meets at 3:30 p.m. Mondays in the library.
Bible study is at 9:30 a.m. Sundays in the library, focusing on 2 Timothy 1:3-14 on Feb. 12.
An informal early worship service meets at 8:15 a.m. prior to the Bible study in the kitchen foyer.
Bingo will be played starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, in the fellowship hall, with proceeds after expenses going to local charities.
Our time
At First Presbyterian Church of DeLand, this Sunday, Feb. 12, Pastor Michael Bodger will extend his focus on “Sharing the Story,” begun last Sunday, with this sermon, “Our Time.” In the Scripture reading from 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Paul reveals, “We are God’s servants working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
Having spoken about sharing our stories, now Paul talks about when we are to share and what impact we might have. His answer reveals that we do not know either; however, that time stands at “always” and “without worry.”
Pastor Bodger queries, “Just how are we living out our common purpose as God’s servants, in our daily lives, right here?”
Sunday’s three services will include open Holy Communion with worshipful music: contemporary praise at 9 a.m. in the fellowship hall, and traditional in the chapel and sanctuary at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. More detailed information about First Pres appears in The Beacon’s Religion Directory.
Church members and visitors at First Pres have abundant opportunities to enrich their personal journey through life. This Sunday, Feb. 12, at 10 a.m., the Adult Discipleship Team invites all to its Spiritual Life Fair in the fellowship hall. Learn about the great variety of ways to grow at First Pres.
A part of the vision of First Pres DeLand, “To Reach Out,” has involved mission work in Nicaragua since 1997, except for the pandemic years. From 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, there will be a party to help fund the mission to take the love of Christ to Nicaraguan street youngsters and to Young Life’s Camp La Finca. The party will include food, music, trivia, an auction, and fun for all ages. Tickets cost $10 per person or $25 for a family, and are available for purchase before and after church services and at the church office.
Reminders: The Men’s Breakfast Gathering is at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, for fellowship, a message from Pastor Bodger, and a delicious breakfast. Please RSVP to the church office.
Secondly, First Pres invites members and guests to the annual “Over 90s Celebration” at a single 10:30 a.m. service in the sanctuary on Sunday, Feb. 19. There will be a joyful and memorable program and potluck lunch (meat provided; dishes brought to share, please). First Pres says, “Join us as the entire congregation lifts up our specially loved seniors!”
On Saturday, Feb. 25, Farm Share Food Distribution will provide to needy and homeless people free boxes of food from 9 to 11 a.m. by drive-thru near the pavilion.
