From Your Pastors

🎂🕯️ Love, Laughter, and the Light of Advent 💖

What a beautiful blessing last Sunday was. As we lit the second candle of Advent — the Candle of Love — we couldn’t help but feel the gentle presence of Christ in every moment. The music, the message, the communion, the soft glow of the Advent wreath — it all came together in a way that reminded us how deeply God is at work among us.

And speaking of love… What fun it was to celebrate Pastor Scott’s birthday on Sunday! 🎉 Special thanks to Pam Kennedy for hosting the lovely reception after church — and to Scott, who graciously shared the cake with everyone! 🍰

(If you're wondering why that needed to be said — and you missed the sermon — be sure to go back and hear Dr. Tony Evans’ wonderful story about Agnes’ birthday from The Kingdom of God is a Party. It’s always good to throw a party!)

Speaking of surprises… Pastor Scott’s voice was unexpectedly lifted in song — thanks to Pastor Sara leading the charge with a joyful, spontaneous rendition of “Happy Birthday” mid-service. Apparently, this was a little payback for something he did a few years back. 😄

We are grateful for the laughter, the love, and the joy that filled the sanctuary — and for the incredible people who made it all happen: from behind-the-scenes helpers, to those who lifted their voices in praise.

A very special thank you to Eileen Hung for a fabulous afternoon at Lilly Pulitzer. Pastor Sara was honored to wear one of those beautiful dresses this Sunday — made even more special by your kindness and generosity. 💖

As we continue this Advent journey, may the peace we lit in the wreath continue to grow in our lives — and may we keep finding joy in the unexpected (and occasionally off-key) moments together.

With full hearts and grateful smiles,

Pastors Sara & Scott

Happy Birthday Pastor Scott!

This Sunday, music at FUMC fills the sanctuary with life and joy as the Sanctuary Choir sings African Noel, bringing vibrant West African–inspired rhythms and joyful calls of “Sing Noel!” to open our service with an energetic celebration of Christ’s birth. The mood then shifts to quiet reflection with Sweet Little Jesus Boy, featuring soloist Diane Jedlinski, which expresses humility and longing through its tender spiritual style. For the Offertory, the choir sings the gentle Carol at the Manger, offering warm harmonies and peaceful contemplation of the nativity.

This is the Last Week to Bring Gift Cards In

Join us in spreading hope and kindness this holiday season by participating in our Gift Card Drive, supporting families experiencing need in Golden Gate City. In partnership with Grace Place, we are collecting gift cards from Winn-Dixie, Publix, Walmart, Target, and Amazon to help provide essential items, groceries, and holiday cheer to families facing financial hardship. Your generosity will go directly to those in our community who need it most, offering not just support, but a sense of dignity and care during a difficult time. Together, we can make a meaningful difference and brighten the season for our neighbors in need.

Please bring cards in from now through December 14. 

Update From Cuba

Continue to Pray for Our Dear Friends



Prayers Needed for Pastor Vincente and Dunia

Dear Church Family,

We ask for your prayers for our dear friends and ministry partners in Biran, Cuba — Pastor Vincente and his wife, Dunia, who are currently sick with chikungunya. This mosquito-borne viral illness is spreading in their area.

Chikungunya causes fever, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue. While not usually life-threatening, it can be very painful, and recovery is often slow. With limited access to medical resources, the road to healing can be especially difficult.

Vincente and Dunia have served their church and community with deep love and dedication. Now, they need our prayers for healing, strength, and encouragement.

Poinsettias & Christmas Eve: You’re Invited!

This is the Last Week to Order Poinsettias

As we prepare our hearts and our sanctuary for the coming of Christ, we are once again offering the opportunity to order Christmas poinsettias in honor or memory of loved ones. Each poinsettia is $15, and they will adorn our worship space throughout the season, adding beauty and warmth to our Christmas celebrations.

Orders may be placed through the church office, using the form below, or on Sunday mornings.

Last orders will be taken on December 14th, and Poinsettias may be taken home after the Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve.

We also invite you to join us for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 5:30 p.m. This beloved service is a time of Scripture, music, and candlelight as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. It’s one of the most meaningful moments of the year—quiet, holy, and filled with the wonder of Emmanuel, God with us.

Just as in Jesus’ parable in Luke 14:16-23, when the invitation to the banquet is extended far and wide, we encourage you to invite your neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family members to share in this night of joy and hope. There is room for all, and all are welcome.



Let’s fill the sanctuary with flowers, light, and the loving presence of our church family as we celebrate the coming of Christ together.

This week, we light the third candle of Advent — the candle of Joy. Not the fleeting kind tied to circumstances, but the deep, abiding joy that comes from knowing God is near. In Isaiah 9:6, we hear again the familiar promise:

“For unto us a child is born… and his name shall be called… Everlasting Father.”

There’s something beautifully paradoxical about that name — a child who is born, yet called “Everlasting Father.” It reminds us that this Savior is not just a fleeting visitor to our world. He is eternal, faithful, and deeply personal. He doesn’t stand at a distance — He wraps us in the kind of love that knows no end.

In Psalm 103:1–14, we see this Everlasting Father more clearly: full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love, remembering that we are dust — and loving us anyway.

That is cause for joy. Real joy. Joy that sings louder than sorrow. Joy that shows up in our lives even in the waiting.

This Sunday, let’s gather to celebrate that joy together. Come ready to worship, to smile, and maybe even to be surprised by how close and comforting God feels in this season.

See you there — and bring someone who could use a little joy.

MDS Weekly Update

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This week has been full of holiday cheer and hands-on learning in Ms. Evie’s class!

The children had a fun trip to the preschool library where they explored new books and listened to festive read-aloud books. They worked on creating their very own Christmas houses and were so proud of their creations. They made beautiful wreath ornaments while working on their fine motor skills. Throughout the week the children participated in a variety of fine motor activities and enjoyed several fun Christmas stories. It was a joyful week filled with learning, laughter, and holiday spirit in the Toddler class! 



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In Ms. Margie’s class it was all about Christmas! 

The children made their own candy canes using card stock and paper plates. They enjoyed designing and decorating their festive treats. Santa Slime was a favorite activity this week! Red & green slime was a big hit during science time! They loved mixing, stretching, and exploring textures as part of this holiday-themed experiment. They created adorable popsicle stick reindeers. This cute art activity helped them practice their fine motor skills. One of the highlights was building their own gingerbread houses. This activity quickly became everyone’s favorite- full of imagination, decorating, and holiday cheer!

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This week in Mrs. Ledbetter’s class the letter of the week was letter Mm

The children practiced identifying the letter and enjoyed activities that helped reinforce its sound and shape. The class had a great time working on a number match activity using their task boxes. Number Bingo was another fun activity- lots of excitement as they listened for their numbers! The children practiced cutting circles, triangles, strengthening their fine motor skills. The color of the week was green. Nursery Rhymes brought extra fun and learning to the classroom, helping with rhythm, language, and memory. It was a fantastic week of learning in Mrs. Ledbetter’s class!

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It was a wonderful and productive week of learning in VPK! 

This week in Ms. Angela’s and Ms. Audrey’s class the students talked about the letter Gg. They practiced its sound, writing it and identifying it throughout the week. The class focused on recognizing, counting, and working with the number 19. For phonological awareness this week the children practiced: segmenting words into syllables, counting syllables in words, and combining syllables to make new words. Nursery Rhymes added rhythm and fun to learning this week. The students worked on AB and ABC patterns, and creating and extending patterns. For math this week the children focused on counting 1-20 and placing objects in correct sequences. This week word family was the -at family. The class read and practiced words such as: cat, hat, sat, that, mat, and rat. It was a wonderful and productive week of learning in VPK! 



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Library Trip

This week Ms. Angela and Ms. Audrey’s VPK class along with Mrs. Ledbetter’s class enjoyed a wonderful walking field trip to the public library on Central Avenue. During their visit, Miss Cheryl, the librarian, hosted a festive Reindeer Storytime filled with stores the children loved. The students had a blast doing the fun Reindeer Hockey Pokey game, reciting an Itsy Bitsy Reindeer poem, and completing a rhyming activity based on Rudolph. It was a delightful and memorable story time at the library!

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Soccer Shots

This week in Soccer Shots, the children focused on the character trait confidence. They talked about believing in themselves, trying their best, and showing courage as they learned news skills. While on soccer island, the players enjoyed a fun scrimmage game where they practiced some of the skills they’ve already learned this season. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow as they dribbled, passed, and worked together as a team. It was another fantastic adventure on Soccer Island!

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MDS LOVES Pastor Scott!

MDS had a wonderful time singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Pastor Scott and presenting him with the special gift they made for him. The children were so proud of their creation and loved giving it to Pastor Scott on his special day.

MDS loves Pastor Scott and hope he had a very happy birthday! 

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Advent Bible Study

Final Week Double Session Tuesday at 10:00am

You may or may not know the story of your birth. If you do, there is something special about hearing your origin story again and remembering how it all began for you. That’s why we observe Advent: to celebrate how it all began for us. In The Christmas Letters, Magrey deVega invites you to hear about the miracle of Christ’s birth from those who first told the story. The letters in the New Testament, known as the Epistles, contain the first attempts by the church to understand and celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation. They point us to the origins of what we believe about Jesus, fully human and fully divine. By spending time with these holy, ancient words this Advent, you’ll come to know the meaning of Christ’s coming like never before.

Read the New Testament letters, Romans, 1 John, Philippians, and Colossians as your first Christmas letters of the season and find within them an invitation from God to deepen your understanding of the Incarnation and embrace a fuller commitment to Jesus Christ.

Join us this Tuesday, at 10:00 am in Barton Hall for our Advent Bible Study. 

~ Bake Sale Next Week ~

Every week, you can donate altar flowers for our Sunday worship and dedicate them to the memory of someone who was special to you or to honor someone who presently needs recognition! The cost is $40. You can arrange to purchase flowers for a dedication by signing up in the church lobby or by sending an email to Karen in the church office. You can either pick up your flowers after church or donate them to an organization in our community, bringing a ray of sunshine to workers and volunteers.

There are many open dates to donate flowers!

See the signup sheets in the foyer.

Volunteers!

At First United Methodist Church, we invite you to become a cherished part of our vibrant community by volunteering for our Sunday worship services. We are all called into service to God and have unique talents and gifts that can help create a truly special worship experience, as many hands working together bring our services to life. Each week, we have individuals read scriptures, light candles, take up the offering, and greet attendees. Additionally, we hold monthly communion and anointing services, where your support is invaluable. We would be thrilled to have you join our team and contribute to the uplifting moments that connect and inspire our community. Please get in touch with Pastor Scott or Judy Margrey if you would like to be a part of this team.

Come be part of our team of greeters, ushers, acolytes, and scripture readers. Tyler Castrillo and Eileen Hung bring the light of Jesus into the worship service. 

Please let us know if you or a loved one is in the hospital so Pastors Sara or Scott can visit and pray with you and your family.

We are always in prayer for our church family, those around the world living in poverty, our leaders, and our country. Please join us in prayer.

Prayer Requests

From our FUMC Church Family



Intercessory prayer is a blessing God has given us to pray for others. If you have a prayer request for someone that we can pray for specifically, or even if you have a private prayer that you do not want published below, email us and we will pray for that person and that need privately: pastor@fumcnaples.org

• Christy Gifford (niece of Judy Margrey)
• Jupiter Lee (MDS student)
• Clint Cabonaro
• Teresa Toma Manoquin
• Nicole McNamara
• Susan Tarantino (friend of Pam Kennedy)
• Slavka Pehar (friend of Pat Hamann)
• Jessica Rich (friend of Pat Hamann)
• Ross (cancer)
• Larry and Judy Stewart (former attenders)
• Ina Gassett (friend of Norine Tempelman)
• Julia Barnard
• George Sumrall (friend of Norine Tempelman)
• Karen Click (our Director of Music, healing of her wrist and elbow)
• Jean Miller (daughter of David and Dottie Brennan)
• Brad Wood (member)
• Jean Humphries (member)
• Paul Burfoot (son-in-law of Lee Kraus)
• Mary Bach (sister of Tom Bach)
• Emily Cundra (granddaughter of Gail Jaworsky)
• Adrian Hill (friend of the Bach Family)
• Jane Briscoe (daughter of Betsy Ard)
• Richard Rydzinski (grand-nephew of Gail Jaworsky)
• Russel Clark (Amy Ehler's Uncle)
• Lynette Backiewicz (friend of Karen Parry)
• Danielle (friend of MDS)
• Ted and Ann Baker (attenders)
• Michael DiGaetono (friend of John Riccio)
• Chris and Christine Grimshaw (members)
• Evelyn Johnson (sister-in-law of Al Johnson)
• LeeAnne Merrifield (daughter of Jim Merrifield)
• Family of Valya Staruchin, Januk, Orysia, and family, Irina and family (three families of the Jaworsky's in Ukraine)
• Rosa Fogle (family of Thelma and Al Johnson)
• All the many unspoken requests and needs of our congregation and their loved ones.

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Need to Reach Us? Here’s How!



We are available to you! Our church office is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. After hours, for pastoral emergencies, call the office, and you will hear how to contact Pastor Scott, who will respond to all pastoral emergencies. 

Call the church office: (239) 262-1033

Please email us: admin@fumcnaples.org or

Mail contributions to:

First United Methodist Church, 388 First Ave S, Naples, FL 34102