ASH WEDNESDAY — Members of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand, and Trinity United Methodist Church in DeLand, from left, Elder Brenda Velasquez-Morales, Elder Fernando Morales and the Rev. Dr. Todd Bardin, show off ashes administered Feb. 22 observing Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season. The group hosted a drive-thru event so parishioners could get blessings on their way to work. PHOTO COURTESY TANNA GARTSIDE

It is the yard/rummage sale season again. Here you will find when and where they are:

St. Ann’s Catholic Church is hosting its Spring Bazaar, its biggest fundraiser of the year. The hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, March 3, and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, March 4. The church is at 26 Dogwood Trail in DeBary. For sale will be housewares, clothing, shoes and purses, jewelry, baked goods, crafts, children’s and baby items, home décor and plants. Hot dogs, coffee, doughnuts and drinks will be available. No furniture or electronics. The sale is sponsored by the church Council of Catholic Women.

Bible Baptist Church is having its annual Yard Sale 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 3 and 4, on the church property at 2578 N. Spring Garden Ave., DeLand. There will be housewares; men’s, women’s and baby clothing; furniture; books and crafts for sale.

• On Saturday, March 4, the Youth Group of First United Methodist Church of DeLand will have their annual Rummage Sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Life Enrichment Center, Building 4, at 115 E. Howry Ave. This is a great opportunity to find amazing bargains and help support the youth, as they are raising funds for their summer missions programs.

• The DeLand Seventh-day Adventist Church will have a one-day garage/yard sale 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, March 5. There will be household goods, exercise equipment, rugs, furniture, and more for sale, along with free books and literature. Prayer requests will be taken. The church is at 220 N. Kepler Road.

Insights from The 1619 Project

At First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand, Rowena Waters, an education specialist and private tutor, will share her insights from her study of the groundbreaking book The 1619 Project at the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday, March 5. Originally produced by The New York Times and created by Nikole Hannah-Jones, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the book explores the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans.

The talk will touch on the difficult-to-hear and fundamental changes moving forward through our world with this newfound knowledge and clarifying wisdom.

The film presentation is being shown at the church on consecutive Friday nights.

This service will also be livestreamed at https://zoom.us/i/92718819188. For help in getting connected, go to www.uudeland.org before Sunday’s worship time.

Activities at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church

Faith Evangel ical Lutheran Church, at 509 E. Pennsylvania Ave. in DeLand, will have services in the style of Taize during the five weeks of Lent. Services will be led by the Rev. Father Ted Koellin, interim pastor, every Wednesday during Lent at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with a meal of soup and bread prior to the 6:30 p.m. service.

If you are a musician (wind/ strings) and would like to join in playing the beautiful and contemplative music of Taize, you are invited to contact the church office at 386- 734-2791. Musicians must be able to read notation and play in tune. This is a wonderful opportunity to get in touch with the music director, Deborah DeGaetano.

Please Google Taize (community of) for more information on this prayerful and meditative style of worship.

Holy Week services include Holy Thursday, April 6, at 6:30 p.m.; Good Friday, April 7, at 6:30 p.m.; the Stations of the Cross between noon and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 8; and Easter service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, April 9, followed by an Easter egg hunt for the children. Sunday school activities will be offered for the children as well.

Unitarian Universalist history and heritage

The congregation of Mosaic Unitarian Universalist meets online at 11 a.m. every Sunday. The March 5 service is titled “Our Universal Heritage.”

The Rev. Tracie Barrett begins a three-part series on Unitarian Universalist history and heritage. 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.

‘Invitation to Adventure’

At First Presbyterian Church of DeLand, on Sunday, March 5, the Rev. Donna McClellan will engage listeners in a sermon titled “Invitation to Adventure.” Pastor McClellan will take listeners to 1 Samuel 3:1-21 for the story of the boy Samuel, son of Hannah. Hannah was barren and one of the two wives of Elkanah, father of Samuel.

Finally, after many sacrifices and much prayer for a son, Hannah promised, “I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life.” Soon the Lord remembered Hannah, and in due time, she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel.

During his ministry under the temple priest Eli, the boy Samuel heard the voice of the Lord, which he mistook as that of Eli, calling him. Finally, he answered, “Here I am … Speak, for your servant is listening.”

The Lord then invited Samuel to help him to pursue atonement for the contemptible deeds of Eli and his sons. This daunting invitation from the Lord challenged Samuel to an amazing adventure as an emerging prophet.

Today, God offers an invitation unlike any other. God seeks us to enter a journey, at the same time radical, empowering and life-giving, and also costly. Just as Samuel experienced, God pursues us with love, and when we answer, the Lord enables us to see with new eyes, love with new hearts, and to follow a way other than our own! What an adventure!

As the churchwide Lenten study of the book A Way Other Than Our Own continues, members and visitors can share the experience by reading and attending church and various classes to expand the experience of reading Walter Brueggemann’s book, which is still available in the office for $10. There are reflection questions offered weekly at welcome stations and by email. A worthwhile search to reorder our lives will enhance our relationship with God.

Bingo, free fun for all ages, invites church members and friends to the fellowship hall 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, March 3. There will be prizes and snacks, along with the fun and fellowship.

On first Thursdays at The Bridge, 421 S. Palmetto Ave. in DeLand, First Presbyterian volunteers prepare and serve takeout or eat-in dinners, usually to between 80 and 100 people. On March 2, chicken casserole and vegetables are being served, and on April 6, guests will enjoy hamburger stroganoff and peas.

God’s Bathhouse will be open 9-11 a.m. Saturday, March 11, near the Mission Room. Those in need can get showers, towels, hygiene kits, fresh clothing and fellowship.

1st Christian Church activities

Senior Minister the Rev. Carlos Perez of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand gives the sermon “The Merciful” to continue the series on the Beatitudes at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, March 5.

Kathy Porr gives the opening welcome, with musician Barbara Polomsky providing the prelude and songs of praise, and Donna Mozley leading the lyrics.

Elders of the day, guided by Brenda Velazquez- Morales, welcome all to the Table of the Lord for Communion.

At 8:15 a.m. Sundays, Janet Raney guides an early gathering in the kitchen foyer for prayer, Scripture and Communion.

Each Monday at 3:30 p.m., a small group of women gather to pray for those in need. The group meets in the church library and welcomes prayer requests as well as people wanting prayer in person.

On Tuesday, March 7, First Christian hosts the community dinner at The Bridge, 421 S. Palmetto Ave. in DeLand. Those serving regularly are Sue Brague, Jen Brennan, Jill and Greg Carroll (doing preparation off-site), Vicki Dean, Dusty Going and Liz Kowalski. Thanks to AdventHealth Fish Memorial for providing the entree each month.

Dorothy and Paul Ashton provide worship services live on the church’s Facebook page: First Christian Church – DeLand Disciples. It can be watched later by clicking on the “video” tab or looking on the news feed.

The creation of the human

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Genesis 1:26).

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7).

What is the difference between the human being created in Genesis Chapter 1 and in Genesis Chapter 2?

The sermon at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 5, at First Christian Church, Scientist, DeLand, will explore the connection between these passages in the Bible. It will be amplified in readings from the book Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.

Sunday school and child care are also available at the same time. Testimony meetings are at 5 p.m. Wednesdays.

The church is at 111 E. New York Ave. in Downtown DeLand, as is the Christian Science Reading Room, where literature is sold, 11 a.m. -2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

For more information, call 386-734-6547. The church’s website is at https://www.christiansciencedeland.com.

‘Giving Up Expectations’

Sylvia Plath penned this thought: “If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.”

For most of us, our expectations are not that low. We tend toward expecting a great deal from those around us.

Bruce Lee once said, “I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”

Just like in our relationships with each other, we also tend to have a lot of expectations in our spiritual relationship with God.

This week, on Sunday, March 5, at First United Methodist Church of DeLand, the sermon will focus on “Giving Up Expectations” as the sermon series “Giving It Up” continues.

Stephen Hawking stated, “My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus.”

This might be a good perspective for us when we are dealing with God’s plans, purposes and will for our lives. Letting faith be greater than expectancies might go a long way toward helping us live less-stress-filled lives. Consider joining the congregation to discover God-inspired ways to lower our expectations while believing God will work everything out for our best.

The church office is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call 386-734-5113 for more information.

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