Message in a Minute

Click the image above to hear from Pastor Harold and to learn about the three Key Announcements for this week!

Spiritual Reflection

“Each of us can discover in Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence – a support and a guide in times of trouble. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”

Pope Francis 

A Season of Giving

New Covenant recently celebrated the Christmas season through the following giving opportunities:

Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child: We collected 747 shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, and other items that will be sent to children in Africa. In addition, a donation of $7,146 was sent to Samaritan’s Purse to help cover shipping costs. Approximately 30,784 shoeboxes were collected from all churches that participate in the Sumter/Lake area this year. Ten million were collected within the United States.

Christmas Wish Tree: We blessed 220 children with their needs and wishes for Christmas through the following ministries/organizations, New Covenant's Mentor Program, Kids Central, Inc., Shepherd's Lighthouse, the Refuge at Jumper Creek, and the Prison Fellowship Ministry. 

Giving in the Spirit: 19 different ministries/organizations locally and around the world were supported through $59,666.32 in donations. 

We greatly appreciate the joy and love given to all of the children and families that were impacted by your generous gifts.

“A Quiet Christmas” with Angie Rose & Ryan Loeckel

Friday, December 19 at 3 PM & 7 PM

Angie Rose and Ryan Loeckel return for their beloved annual performance of “A Quiet Christmas,” a cherished tradition for returning audiences and newcomers alike. This intimate holiday experience, with beautiful music and stunning visuals, is crafted to quiet your heart, warm your spirit, and leave you touched by the magic of the season.

Best friends and longtime collaborators Angie Rose (piano/vocals) and Ryan Loeckel (violin/vocals) blend their talents seamlessly, now joined by a full band featuring guitar, bass, and drums. Enjoy an evening of timeless Christmas melodies, thoughtfully arranged, including the show’s title song, A Quiet Christmas, written and performed by Angie Rose. You’ll hear all of your favorites, with newly added songs each year, including a very special addition to this year’s program.

Step away from the holiday rush and let this experience envelop, inspire, and move you. Leave the evening with a quiet heart, an uplifted spirit, and the joy and warmth of Christmas lingering long after the final note.

Make A Quiet Christmas part of your own holiday tradition. Take home a CD of the music and visit www.aquietchristmas.org for more information.

Tickets are available on the website. Those needing assistance can visit the Ticket Kiosk in the West Narthex after Saturday night worship service and between services on Sundays. If you have any questions or need help with tickets, please contact Angie Rose, Associate Director, Worship.

Christmas Eve Worship Services

Wednesday, December 24 at 4:30 PM and 7 PM

Celebrate the wonder of Christ’s birth with traditional Gospel readings that bring the nativity story to life. Rev. Harold Hendren will deliver a heartfelt Christmas Eve message, sharing the hope and light of the Savior’s arrival and its significance for us today.

Nursery will be available for children ages 6 years and under during worship services.

Holy Communion from 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM in the Chapel

If you wish to spend time in solitude, prayer, and meditation, Communion will be available in the Chapel. You are welcome to drop in during this hour and be guided by a special Christmas Eve meditation.

A Night to Shine 2026

Friday, February 13 from 5:30 – 8:30 PM

We are very excited to prepare for Night to Shine! This incredible evening celebrates our honored guests with joy, love, and unforgettable memories.

To make this night truly special, we still have a few important needs.

• Our Amazon Registry is open, where you can purchase items that will directly bless our guests.
• Cash donations are also a huge help, allowing us to cover event costs and add those extra touches of sparkle.
• And finally, we’re looking for enthusiastic paparazzi volunteers to line the red carpet, cheer, and make our guests feel like stars the moment they arrive!

A huge thank you to everyone who has already contributed and to our amazing volunteers who are in place. We couldn’t do this without you! If you’d like to help in one of these ways, we’d love to have you join us. Together, we’ll make Night to Shine 2026 a night our guests will never forget!

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Giving ought to be voluntary and spring from a cheerful attitude about financial giving. It should come from the heart. Paul is speaking about financial giving. But voluntary and cheerful giving goes beyond the scope of monetary giving. Serving our brothers and sisters is another form of giving.

Legacy Giving

Shine your light — bear witness to Christ’s birth and bless generations to come.

This is Christmas!

Two Performances!

Saturday • December 13 • 5 PM

Sunday • December 14 • 5 PM

Our music ministry is entering a remarkable season of celebration, and you’re invited to be part of it. This December, New Covenant and Community UMC in Fruitland Park will come together with composer Mary McDonald to present her joyful Christmas musical This Is Christmas! along with the Florida premieres of her brand-new concert work, “Gloria.”

We are blessed to welcome an extraordinary group of musicians. The New Covenant Chancel Choir, the Praise Ringers, the Community UMC–Fruitland Park Chancel Choir and Christian Voices United, and the Morrison UMC–Leesburg Chancel Choir will unite their voices in these powerful concerts. Mary McDonald will conduct “This Is Christmas!” at every performance, with Sean Pollock conducting “Gloria.”  Special performances by Angie Rose and Mark Steven Schmidt, along with the New Covenant Praise Ringers under the direction of Amy Cornwall-Robinson will be a highlight of the concerts.

This season’s concerts are especially meaningful. Just days before our local performances, singers from our New Covenant Chancel Choir traveled to New York City to join the Distinguished Concerts Singers International for the Carnegie Hall premiere of McDonald’s “Gloria” and “This is Christmas!” on December 1. What a gift to bring this new music home to our own congregations immediately afterward.

This is shaping up to be one of the most joyful and inspiring musical moments of our year. We hope you’ll join us as we welcome Mary McDonald, celebrate our choirs, and proclaim the message of Christmas through music that lifts the heart and stirs the soul.

Tickets available at the door. A love offering will be accepted.

Spirited Singles Sunday Class New Study

Sundays at at 10:15 AM in Classroom 3

All singles are invited to attend the Spirited Singles Sunday class as they begin their new Christmas study, “The Purpose of Christmas,” by Rick Warren.

At the very first Christmas — the birth of Jesus — an angel announced three things. In those three statements we find the three purposes of Christmas.

• Christmas is a Time for Celebration
• Christmas is a Time for Salvation
• Christmas in a Time for Reconciliation

You do not need to purchase the book. All are welcome to join us.

Christmas Yard Signs

We have a limited number of Christmas yard signs available for sale in the Administration Office. Each sign comes with the metal frame. We ask a donation of $5 per sign.

“Slide Into Christmas” – A Bunch of Bones

Tuesday, December 16 at 12 PM

Celebrate the season with the inaugural performance of Bunch of Bones — a brand-new trombone ensemble featuring 12 of The Villages’ finest trombonists. These musicians bring with them decades of experience, passion, and artistry, now united to share the joy of Christmas music with you.

Admission is free — bring your friends, your holiday spirit, and “slide into Christmas” with us!

Choralettes – “Christmas Is Coming!”

Tuesday, December 16 at 6 PM

Join the Choralettes for a fun-filled evening of Christmas songs! They will share some new-found treasures, some long-loved oldies, and invite you to join along in welcoming the season with a few of your most beloved holiday songs and tunes. You’ll hear “Angel’s Lullaby”, “Do You Hear What I Hear”, “Carol of the Bells”, and “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” in addition to some of your favorite Christmas carols.

Admission Free (A Love Offering will be accepted)

Holiday Closures

The church administration office will be closed from Wednesday, December 24 though Friday, December 26. We will reopen Monday, December 29 at 9 AM. We will be open for Christmas Eve Worship Services.

Bargains & Blessings Resale Store will be closed from Monday, December 22 through Thursday, January 1, 2026. No donations will be accepted.

The store will reopen on Friday, January 2 at 9:30 AM.

We wish you a blessed Christmas.

Blood Drive

Monday, December 29 from 12 PM – 6 PM in the West Parking Lot

New Covenant is hosting an upcoming Blood Drive with OneBlood.

Donors receive a $20 eGift card and a sweatshirt. You will also have a wellness check, which includes blood pressure, pulse, temperature, iron count and cholesterol screening.

Facts:

• Approximately 62% of the population is eligible to donate blood.
• Every two seconds of every day, someone needs blood.
• Only 3% of those who are eligible actually donate blood.

Appointments are encouraged!

Church Hours Changing

In order to be better stewards of New Covenant’s resources, it has been decided that the church hours will be adjusted beginning in January. The revised hours for the church building will be:

• Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 8 AM to 6 PM
• Wednesdays from 8 AM to 8:30 PM
• Fridays 8 AM to 1 PM

When planning for group meetings or classes, please consider scheduling during the day or in homes. The Administration office will continue to be open from 9 AM to 4:30 PM (Mon – Thurs) and 9 AM to 1 PM (Fri). Thank you for your patience and understanding as we strive to be the “hands, feet, and voice of Jesus in our community.

GriefShare^® (January 2026)

Mondays, January 5 through April 13, 2026 from 10 AM – 12 PM

GriefShare® support group is a safe, welcoming place where people understand the difficult emotions of grief. Through this 13-week group, you will discover what to expect in the days ahead and what’s ‘normal’ in grief. You will learn hopeful ways of coping with grief in all of its unpredictability — and gain solid support each step of the way.

Registration is required. Workbook is $20. For more information, please contact Sharon Weimert, Care Coordinator.

The Gospel on the Ground (January 2026)

Wednesdays, January 7 – February 18, from 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Come along with biblical culturalist Kristi McLelland in this 7-session study as she unpacks the life of the early church in the book of Acts and shows us that the kingdom of God is always on the move, always looking outward to bring meaning and joy to a world searching for true fulfillment and hope.

Explore the call of Jesus to His disciples then and to us today, see how God's Word can sustain us even in the most difficult of times, and embrace the transformative grace we experience as children of God in His kingdom of celebration. Charlene English will facilitate this popular study!

Registration is required. There is no cost for this study, but please prepurchase the book. For more information, contact Pat Hill, Care Coordinator - Discipleship.

Terrific Tuesday (January 2026)

“Walking with the Wesleys”

Tuesday, January 13 from 4:45 PM – 7 PM

Join Pastor Harold for part three of our Terrific Tuesday program, “Walking with the Wesleys.” Learn about the Wesley family heritage and how their early roots helped shape their Christian faith and the early Methodist Church. We also will explore our Wesleyan theology based on grace and how Christ’s grace has shaped the formation of our church. 

Doors open at 4:45 PM and the program begins at 5:45 PM.

Menu: Meat Loaf, Cheesy Potatoes, Green Beans, and Dessert (the menu is subject to change due to food availability).

Registration is required ($14). If you need assistance registering, please contact Ashley Hill, First Impressions Manager.

MOAMI Class of 2026

Thursdays, January 15 – March 26, 2026



MOAMI (Moving On: Always Master Inspired) is a powerful hands-on-class that uses Biblical principles to help women strengthen their relationship with God, develop supportive friendships with other women, learn strategies to successfully move through changes, discover their unique gifts, explore their purpose, and have fun with like-minded women.

The first class (January 15) is a Kickoff from 11 AM – 4 PM, and the last class (March 26) is a Celebration from 11 AM – 4 PM. All other classes are from 1 PM – 4 PM.

Registration is required ($45). If you have any questions or need assistance registering, please contact Pat Hill, Care Coordinator - Discipleship. If registration fills, you will be added to a waiting list.

Prayer Cards

Prayer is an important part of life; it is our opportunity to communicate with God – individually or corporately. We have several ways you can add to your prayer life. One is the guided prayer cards that you can find in the East and West Narthex. They are also available in the Prayer Room (also located in the West Narthex).

Prayer request cards are another way you can share your concerns with the community of faith. We have prayer request cards all over the campus but you can also submit a prayer concern online.

Weekly Prayer Concerns

Our prayers, love, and sympathy are extended to...

Gran Alpha, family and friends on the passing of his wife, Jane B. Alpha.

Deborah & Dave Reed, family and friends on the passing of Deborah's brother, Marvin Eugene Sams.   

The family and friends of Suzette M. Katrishen on her passing.

Altar Flowers

 

Flower orders must be received by noon on Tuesday for flowers to be delivered that weekend. To place an order for altar flowers online, please use the button below.