This week's note from Rev. Ben Richards

Advent Disruption

A few years ago I led a worship series through Advent that focused on disruption, on allowing our faith to interrupt the slew of stuff competing for our attention. Encouraging the experiences of hope, peace, joy, and love to interrupt. All in preparation for the gift of the newborn king to interrupt anew.

Ever since then, disruption has been an underlying theme of Advent for me. Even our title this year – What Shall We Bring? – considers how faith might disrupt lesser motivations like pride or guilt that can be particularly powerful this season. To practice pause, faithfulness… to ask God: what is it you would have us bring to this moment? To our families? Our church and community? To this world?

In other words: disruption can be a gift, and it’s an especially fitting one given how disruptive Jesus has always been, no less in his shepherd scaring, angel choir singing, magi summoning, Herod upsetting, world upending birth. “Come and worship Christ the newborn king!”

Of course, disruption is not on anyone’s gift list. No one outside of cartoonish villainy is asking for disorder or turmoil, nor do I imagine there are those hoping to be separated from their hopes and dreams. And somehow, this, too, is part of the miraculous gift of Christmas: that disruption is known by God because of incarnation, because of Emmanuel.

Here I mean not the clever (if I say so myself) worship theme of disruption, but the disruption of grief that every Christmas threatens to make new. The interruption of a holiday often conscripted by greed. Of a season that makes you skip the song before Andy Williams dares sing, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. This is the disruption many of us feel.

You may not, and that’s awesome. Truly. But if you ever do, around Advent or otherwise, there is another song actually worth singing that includes the words, “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, nobody knows but Jesus.”

This is the miracle of Emmanuel, of God with us. That, because God chooses to be with us, because God responded to our need in the flesh, God knows. This is the miracle of Emmanuel, the gift of Christmas.

Now if this sounds a bit like a Christmas Eve sermon, you’re not wrong. Yesterday I said “Merry Christmas” to someone because they were about to head north for family through the new year. I suppose it’s the same rationale behind wanting to share some Christmas Eve thoughts here since my own disruption means I won’t otherwise have the chance this year. 

I learned last week that I have an invasive melanoma and met with an oncologist this week. Given initial tests, the next step is immediate surgery for the removal of the known and the removal of lymph nodes to begin to remedy the unknown. That will take place next week and regrettably means I’m unable to be a part of our worship services on December 22 or 24. I am immensely grateful to the Rev. Dr. Carol Cook Moore who will lead those services, and to other volunteers and staff who have already done so much to accommodate this disruption. Much as I could be accurately described as holding a curmudgeonly displeasure around many of the traditional Christmas practices, there are few things I love more than the communal experiences of Advent and Christmas Eve, so it means a great deal to me to know that you will be in good-if-not-better hands in the days I will lament being separated.

And while I refuse to believe the lie that “everything happens for a reason”, as if God somehow desires suffering, I do believe Romans 8 reminds us that God can even work with disruption. And while I refuse the audacity of claiming the words of a spiritual written by enslaved persons as my own, a song crying out from a life disrupted beyond what I could imagine or have ever experienced, I take solace that their faith sings not just that Jesus knows, but “Glory hallelujah!”

Grace and Peace and Glory,

Ben

Worship Series: What Shall We Bring?

Service for December 15, 2024

"Sharing and Joy"

Luke 3:7-18

Save money and support your church

Did you know there are simple and easy ways you can do this?

If you have appreciated stocks or mutual funds you can donate these directly to the church, you avoid capital gains taxes and may receive an income tax deduction for the full value of the securities.

If you have an IRA and are over 70.5 years old you can direct some or all of your annual Required Minimum Distribution to go directly to the church and avoid income taxes on the amount going to the Church.



Other possibilities are available but are less simple: you may consider donating real estate, or you could name the church as a beneficiary to your life insurance or retirement plan. Your church can help you if you wish to consider any of these giving options.

 In celebration of Christmas and the new year, the church office will be closed from December 25 through January 1. We hope you have a wonderful season of rest, reflection, family, and celebration and thank you for your patience and support as we seek to provide opportunities for our staff to do the same. We look forward to sharing worship together on Sunday, December 29 during that period; and moving into a new year in the name of God. May grace and peace abound.

Need a ride, provide a ride?

Sunset comes earlier after the November time change, and we know some of you are not comfortable driving at night. We are compiling a list of those who need a ride as well as those able to provide a ride. If either applies to you, please put a note in the offering plate, or let the church office know (office@fumcbonita.org or 239.992.1312), and include your name, phone number, and address.

Poinsettias for Christmas

Among the seasonal things that we enjoy are poinsettia plants. If you are interested in purchasing a plant for display during Advent season in honor or memory of a loved one, please let the church office know or put a note in the offering plate.

Tuesdays 10am in the church office

Three UWF members delivered items from the recent Baby Jesus Shower to Our Mother’s Home of SW Florida, Inc. The group is currently renovating a new facility at 2666 Cabbage Court in Fort Myers. The new facility will be able to serve many more moms and babies than the current location in San Carlos Park area. Pictured from left to right are: Ruthann Etzkorn; Carlene Cummings; Cindi Fidler, administrative assistant of the facility; and Susan Atkinson. The ladies were given a tour of the facility and assured the baby clothing, diapers, and other items are much needed.

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!  

Breakfast with Santa

The December 21 Free Community Breakfast will include a special guest, Santa Claus!  He’s hoping to find some helpful elves in the First Bonita UMC congregation to fill the stockings being prepared for the children who will be attending. His storage closet has the stockings and many items to stuff the stockings, but he is short on candy. So,  he is sending out a call to the generous congregation in Bonita Springs to donate some wrapped holiday candy to add to the stockings. You could bring the candy to church any Sunday before the big event.

There will be balloons, coloring books, and other activities for the children.  He was remembering at last year’s event there was a “musical chairs/cake walk” game that the children enjoyed. He said that would be fun again, but he hopes the congregation can bring sweet treats for the prizes. He’s been rather busy at the North Pole and Mrs. Claus doesn’t have time for any more baking! These prizes may be store bought or homemade – just be sure they are wrapped and you didn’t put anything on dishes you want to get back.  Santa will be busy and won’t have time to return your plates.  

If anyone else has a game idea, just let Chief Bonita Elf Debbie Lane know.

"TOM AND PRINCESS' CORNER"

The places we go and the things we see!

**Purrs and Whiskers: Feline Tidbits from

Tom and Princess**

Hello, delightful denizens of our church community! It's Princess and Tom, your paws-on-the-ground feline reporters, bringing you the latest mews with a sprinkle of pawsitivity and a dash of cat-titude.

This past Sunday, the fellowship hall turned into a purr-adise for new mothers, UWF hosting what they adorably call the "Baby Jesus Shower." The room was brimming with tiny clothes fit for any kitten—er, baby—and everyone had a grin wide enough to rival the Cheshire Cat's. The snacks? Absolutely mouth-watering, which is a feline’s way of saying “yum, yum!”

Princess couldn’t resist sniffing out the festive vibes over in the clothes closet, which had transformed into a wonderland of teddy bears and Christmas stockings, purrhaps straight out of a Santa Paws dream! These gifts are in preparation for the much-anticipated Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 21st. We heard there’ll be heaps of joy and delicious food, and stockings filled to the brim.

What a claw-some time of year it is! The air is crinkling with excitement, and the spirit of giving is stronger than any catnip concoction. Princess and I will be on the scene, catching every whisker twitch of joy to share with you delightful humans. Until then, keep your spirits bright and your tails even brighter! 

Purrs and head boops, 

Tom and Princess 🐾

The Upper Room

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PRAYER & CARE

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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.