Service for January 5, 2025



"Epiphany"

Ephesians 3:1-12

ONLINE GIVING

You love your church and you want to support all the good things it does, but isn’t writing checks a pain. You have to remember your checkbook. You have to write the check after you also find a pen. You have to record the check in your register.

What if you could support your church and make your life simpler?

Good News! Give online! You can simply go to our church web site and click on the “Give Now” button. Select General Fund or Summer Reserve Fund, then select how you want to give, how much you want to give and even tell the system to do it automatically every week or month, whenever.

Done! A few easy steps! It’s simple! It’s safe and secure! You want a tutorial, just tell us and we can help.



Your donations are deposited directly into the church’s bank account and even automatically update the church’s books and records for each individual donor for your annual giving statement.

The calendar has turned the page to a new year: 2025. What will we make of it?  How about a bit of “grammar geek” information to get us started? The verb “resolve” is defined as “to decide firmly”, and the adjective “resolute” means “showing great determination”, and the noun “resolution” means “the quality of being resolute, great determination”. So, what New Years’ resolutions have we made for ourselves and our church this year?

The idea of resolutions at the beginning of a new year can be traced back 3,000-4,000 years. Some authorities (by that I mean the Internet) trace the idea of resolutions back to the ancient Babylonian Festival of Akitu. The Romans didn’t necessarily use the term resolutions, but they tried to enter the new year with a positive mindset – the long-held desire to be better.  In Ireland, for example, having a clean house at the start of a year symbolized a fresh start and luck for the coming year.

More recent New Year’s rituals have their roots in Colonial America. Puritans of the l7th and 18th centuries had a desire “to avoid debauchery and reflect on the passing and coming years.” New England theologian Jonathan Edwards, a notable figure in the First Great Awakening, created a list of 70 resolutions for himself to live by.” This may have led to another old tradition:  “breaking resolutions”.

In our lifetimes, the resolutions have changed. A Gallup Poll list from 1947 had the #10 resolution as “lose or gain weight”. Losing weight became #1 in more current lists.

Experts, and by this I refer again to “the Internet”, offer some tips for making resolutions in case you are tardy on this. Number 1 is to frame your resolution positively, followed by setting aside time to pause and reflect, and keeping it simple (maybe two goals instead of a long list like Edwards).  Make sure your goal is specific and measurable, time-bound and realistic.  Create an incentive for your resolution and change up your routine in the process.

So, church family, what will we do in the year 2025 to be the best we can be as we serve God and share His and our love for this community? Feel free to share your idea of a “resolution” for First UMC of Bonita Springs in the year ahead. Just put your idea in the offering plate some Sunday (include your name in case more details are needed).  

Susan the grammar geek

Our weekly Spanish lessons will be taking a break over the holiday, resuming Tuesday, January 7 at 9:30 am (our new time). ¡Feliz Navidad!

Next regular meeting will be January 20, 2025. The group meets the third Monday of the month at 3pm in Fellowship Hall. All women are invited.

First UMC Book Club

During the busy holiday season, the First UMC Book Club gathered at the Royal Scoop on Dec. 4 to discuss The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The premise of the book is that “Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with other books for the life you could have lived if you had made a different choice.” The ultimate question is: “Would any of these other lives truly be better?”  That’s what we tried to answer!

Of course, lunch and /or ice cream at the Royal Scoop are also a part of our reading experience. But next month the group will meet the second Wednesday of January (Jan. 8) since the first Wednesday is New Year’s Day. Same time, same place: the Royal Scoop at 1 p.m. This meeting will be a bit different. Since many will be busy with Christmas holiday events and travels, there might not be as much time to read a book club selection. Those attending are asked to bring a book of their own to exchange with another book lover. Each member will give a brief promo of her book before all will be able to choose a book to take home. So, that means don’t take a book you checked out from the library or one that you want to keep on your own shelf!



Reading is wonderful, and it is even better when you can share your thoughts and insights about the book. We don’t all have to love the same books – or even like them. But reading is always more fun as a sharing experience. Book clubs are about fellowship as well as reading. So happy reading and Merry Christmas, fellow bibliophiles!  

"TOM AND PRINCESS' CORNER"

The places we go and the things we see!

Purr-fect Gratitude from Tom and Princess

As the mew year unfolds, we wanted to paws and express our heartfelt thanks for the thoughtful Christmas card and paws-itively delicious food gift we received. It truly brightened our season and reminded us of the pawsitive impact that our fur-tastic church family shares.

Being a part of such a claw-some and inclusive community is a blessing, and we are so feline grateful for the open hearts and welcoming spirit that purrmeate our church. It's a purrfect place for everyone, and we are thrilled to be among such ameowzing friends.

Happy Mew Year to all! May the coming days be filled with joy, love, and plenty of purrs.

With warm whiskers and grateful purrs,

Tom and Princess

The Upper Room

The Upper Room magazine's mission is to provide a practical way to listen to scripture, connect with believers around the world, and spend time with God each day.

PRAYER & CARE

All information and last names will be kept confidential. Our list is updated weekly. If you need us to keep someone on the list, please send their name to prayer@fumcbonita.org.

Come Pray

Fridays at 9:30 am

Zoom and in the sanctuary

CLICK THE LINK BELOW

Prayer Request cards are on the rack at the back of the Sanctuary.

Please help us to keep the list current, fill out a request for adding or taking off!

Altar Flowers



If you would like to honor family, friends, or loved ones for an anniversary, birthday, or memorial, contact the church office for details.

 Wednesdays from 1:00-4:00 our church participates with the Meals of Hope to feed over 150 families each week. Right now we have a desperate need for people to come and help out with the initial packing of fresh fruits and vegetables into bags, and then taking them to the cars as the clients come through.