Service for November 3, 2024

"Home Sweet Home"

Revelation 21:1-6

Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 3 pm

You are invited to join us every Wednesday at 3 pm in the church office for Bible study. All are welcome to be a part of this small group, facilitated by Rev. Ben Richards, as we explore our faith together.

November 3, 2024

Remembering our loved ones

Joel Morrison 9/01/23

Virginia Baldwin 12/6/23

Carolyn Nielsen 6/17/24

Carol Patricia Gossett 6/24/24

Vaughn "Sam" Humphrey 8/11/24

United Women in Faith

Ten ladies from the United Women in Faith here at Bonita First UMC met on Monday, October 21, in Fellowship Hall to reflect on our hosting of the Southwest District UWF annual meeting on the previous Saturday and to look ahead to mission activities here in our community. All women are invited to join us for the regular meetings on the third Monday of each month at 3 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. The focus of our monthly meetings is on fellowship and mission outreach. 

The next meeting will be November 18.

As hostesses for the district meeting, our group provided breakfast of pastry, muffins, coffee cake, fruit, coffee, tea, and juice to the ladies attending from churches in the Southwest District. Thanks to all who donated and served. This was the first in-person event in several years.  

At the October meeting, the focus was on mission outreach and activities. The group gathered school uniforms, underwear, and socks to donate to the children at Bonita Springs Elementary School. Over 40 uniform tops or bottoms, 5 multi-packs of underwear, and 10 multi-packs of socks will be delivered to the neighborhood school.

The group also looked ahead to church-wide activities like the rummage sale scheduled for November 9 from 9 a.m.-1p.m. as a kick-off for the annual summer reserve fund. UWF member Ruthann Etzkorn is organizing the event, and several members of the group volunteered to help with receiving items for the sale and helping set-up for the event on Friday, Nov. 8, at 9 a.m. This sale will include household/kitchen items, lots of Christmas holiday decorations, but not clothing (these are part of the monthly breakfast Clothes Closet).



The ladies also looked ahead to the annual “Baby Jesus Shower” to be held December 8 in Fellowship Hall after worship. At this time, our church family is asked to donate newborn baby items (clothing, diapers, wipes, etc.) which will be donated to area programs serving pregnant women and the newborns. The UWF ladies will provide refreshments for the event. It is always fun to look at the cute baby clothes.

All Church Work Day TOMORROW

Saturday November 2, 2024

 9am - Noon

First UMC Book Club

After gathering  October 2 to discuss the novel Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, the group will read another novel about a different  youth for the November 6 session. The November selection is Lightning Strike: A Novel by William Kent Krueger.  The group meets the first Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Royal Scoop to enjoy lunch and/or ice cream and lively discussion.  All are invited to join us.  The only requirements are to enjoy reading and discussing what you have read.

Kristin Hannah, one of the group’s favorite authors, describes this book, the prequel to a series about the character Cork O’Connor, as “a pitch perfect, richly imagined story that is both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and  an evocative, emotionally charged coming-of-age tale.”  It is a story of “fathers and sons, small-town conflicts, and the events that shape our lives forever”.

The story takes place in Aurora, a small town nestled in the forest along the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. It takes place in 1963 when  Cork O’Connor is 12 years old. When he stumbles upon the body of a man hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, a series of events that follow will cause him to question  his hometown, his family, and himself.  Even though his father is the town’s sheriff, Cork begins to look for answers himself.  Was it suicide or something else?



This is a book from the library kits available through the Bonita Springs Library.  Copies will be available before and after church beginning Sunday, October 6.  See Susan Atkinson for a copy or send a text to 239-405-09078 if you have questions. Happy reading! 

"TOM AND PRINCESS' CORNER"!

The places we go and the things we see!

What a paw-sitively big weekend at FUMC Bonita last weekend!

Yes, Tom, first the purr-ayer group met on Furr-iday morning like always. We love feeling like part of this purr-special time.

Princess, what about Caturday? The meow-thly breakfast was a hit, with over 150 purr-fectly delicious meals served and tons of clothes finding new homes with those who needed them. Lots of smiles and purrs of gratitude as they left.

Tom, what about Sunday? All that delicious food, and Russ and RuthAnne made the best brisket and ribs fur everyone. 

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and wow, Ben must be truly appreciated because he got a basket and a bag. No empty box—that's a cat-astrophe!

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.