Night of worship at Church of the Holy Presence

The public is invited to a special night of worship. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at Church of the Holy Presence in DeLand will host a “Taize Night of Worship.”

The evening will be filled with meditative prayer, inspiring music, spirit-filled songs and contemplative silence in a candlelight setting. The goal of the service is to help participants focus on Christ’s presence and to create a sense of peace.

Baptisms at 1st Christian Church of DeLand

The Rev. Carlos Perez of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand will provide baptisms as part of the worship service, Sunday, Nov. 24. The rest of the service includes receiving the Thanksgiving offering to benefit Disciple of Christ higher-education institutions.

The Disciple Women have their Christmas Market available Sunday, Dec. 1, through Sunday, Dec. 29. Items may be purchased by donation to assist the Disciple Women in contributions to community nonprofits.

The market will be open in the sanctuary’s west hallway before and after worship services. Christmas items are welcomed as donations to the market.

Altar Harvest at 1st Church DeLand

First Church DeLand will celebrate the Altar Harvest this Sunday, Nov. 24. Pastor Mark Bitner’s sermon title is “Row With a Purpose.”

This is the time of the year when we are focused on giving to those in need. During the holidays, when so many are walking around with empty pockets and can’t afford what they would like to provide for their families, we are called to help. Why are we called for this purpose? Because it says in Ezra 2:68-69, “Generous giving honors God.”

This season, be generous to those who have less. Bring donations of food to the altar this Sunday, so the church may provide for others.

‘The Ground of Your Being’

Unitarian Universalists of DeLand welcome George Stevenson as he presents “The Ground of Your Being” on Sunday, Nov. 24. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist, Stevenson asks, “What do you take seriously at the ground of your being?”

Stevenson offers a personal living perspective on how to live ethically without a celestial God to guide you for those having trouble with the concept of an all-seeing God rewarding or punishing individual actions. A short talk attempting to look honestly at our place in a nihilistic world.

Stevenson, an avid seeker of knowledge and retired educator, describes himself as a scientific existentialist. He has been a Unitarian Universalist for more than 70 years.

Who is king?

On Sunday, Nov. 24, at First Presbyterian Church of DeLand‘s monthly combined service, Pastor Michael Bodger will ask a mighty question, “Who is king?” Entities with that totality of power stand mostly stripped of it and have become figureheads in most of today’s world — all except one, Jesus Christ, whose power resides in being servant of all, the complete antithesis of how the world once knew kings. Do we listen to the King today?

At 10:30 a.m. Nov. 24, the church family invites members and visitors to begin a day of Advent celebration. The congregation will meet for worship in the sanctuary for a blend of traditional and contemporary worship and music.

A potluck lunch will follow, with the church furnishing a main dish and beverages. It is requested, but not required, that attendees bring side and dessert dishes to share. Deliver them to the kitchen before worship.

After lunch, all ages will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of Christmas crafts. The Worship Committee will provide materials, instructions, tools and enthusiasm to make this creative time fun and family-oriented.

The annual dinner and fundraiser for God’s Bathhouse will be 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, in the Wayne G. Sanborn Activity Center. The event will feature the theme “Breaking the Chain of Homelessness One Step at a Time,” with details on www.godsbathhouse.org.

‘Sappho: Poetess, Lyricist and Muse’

The congregation of Mosaic Unitarian Universalist meets online at 11 a.m. every Sunday. The Nov. 24 service is titled “Sappho: Poetess, Lyricist and Muse.”

Known by many as the first lesbian poet, Sappho is iconic for her work, as well as inspiring the terms “lesbian” and “sapphic.” Despite this, most know very little about her.

This Sunday, Deanna Leary will lead attendees through a brief history of the woman referred to by Plato as the 10th Muse.

Everyone is welcome!