Spiritual Reflection

"Prayer is standing in the presence of God with the mind in the heart; that is, at that point of our being where there are no divisions or distinctions and where we are totally one. There God's Spirit dwells and there the great encounter takes place. There heart speaks to heart, because there we stand before the face of the Lord, all-seeing, with us."

Henri J.M. Nouwen

Phase 2 Update: Exciting Progress Continues!

If you’ve been on the church campus recently, you’ve probably noticed that Phase 2 of our building improvements is coming together beautifully. We are nearing the finish line, and we are grateful for the patience, generosity, and excitement of our church family throughout this journey.

One of the biggest milestones has been beginning Contemporary Worship in the Fellowship Center with its new elements, creating a warm and inviting space for worship, fellowship, and ministry.

Many other improvements are now complete or nearing completion, including:

• Fresh paint throughout the church building
• New flooring in key areas
• Beautiful new countertops at our kiosks and coffee bars
• New clocks throughout the building
• Updated artwork
• Our new Legacy Tree, celebrating the individuals who have given to the New Covenant Legacy Fund or who have indicated that they have included New Covenant in their will or trust

Over the next several weeks, you will see:

• The coffee bars and kiosks receive their final paint and finishing touches at the end of this month.
• The new "Our Story" wall, expected in about a month, which will share the history of New Covenant United Methodist Church, celebrate God’s faithfulness over the past 25 years, and inspire future generations as we continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

As we celebrate our 25th Anniversary, these improvements are more than simply updates to our facilities. They help create welcoming, functional spaces where lives can be transformed through worship, fellowship, learning, and service.

Thank you for your continued prayers, generosity, and support as we prepare for this exciting new chapter in the life of New Covenant United Methodist Church.

Celebrating the Win: 1,600+ Backpacks for Local Students!

At New Covenant, we believe that serving our neighbors is one of the most meaningful ways we share the love of Christ. This year, we are celebrating another incredible milestone through our Backpacks4Kids ministry.

Thanks to the generosity of our congregation and community, we are providing more than 1,600 backpacks filled with school supplies to students in the Wildwood schools. This marks the 12th year of this ministry, helping ensure that local children begin the school year equipped with the tools they need to succeed.

What makes Backpacks4Kids unique is our commitment to meeting real needs. Rather than purchasing generic supplies, we work directly with school administrators and teachers to provide the exact items requested for each grade level. Your gifts help place the right supplies into the hands of the students who need them most.

This ministry is truly a church-wide effort. We are grateful for everyone who has supported Backpacks4Kids through financial contributions, attendance at benefit concerts and special fundraising events, and countless hours of volunteer service. Our dedicated volunteers sort, organize, and pack thousands of school supplies with care, making this outreach possible.

A special word of appreciation goes to Janine Rogers, our Director of Outreach, whose tireless work helps secure the best prices while ensuring every request from our schools is met as faithfully as possible.

Thank you, New Covenant, for continuing to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community. Because of your generosity, more than 1,600 students will begin a new school year knowing that someone believes in them, cares for them, and is cheering them on.

Beds & Blankets Ministry

​The New Covenant Beds & Blankets Ministry has been serving families in our local community since 2017. The first bed was delivered on November 14. Since then, over 1,500 children have a comfortable bed and bedding. The ministry supports children who have never had a bed of their own or who are currently sleeping on an air mattress or a couch in the home. In 2025, 314 children were blessed through this ministry.

The ministry provides a baby, toddler, twin, bunk, or trundle bed with the mattress, mattress protector, pillow, sheets, bedspread, and blanket. Each child also receives a stuffed animal or doll and a Christian book. 

If you are interested in donating items, the ministry needs:

• New 4-5 piece bedding sets
• New stuffed animals
• Brightly colored twin sheet sets

Financial donations are also welcome. Please make your check payable to New Covenant with Beds & Blankets on the memo line. For more information, please contact Pam Brown, Ministry Leader.

New Covenant ID Cards

What are New Covenant ID cards? These scan cards are assigned to each churchgoer and serve two important purposes:

• The first is Attendance Tracking. For weekend services, please check in at the self-check in kiosks or with greeters at the main entrances. If you forget your card, you can check in using the last four digits of your phone number.
• The second is Library Access. Your card also allows you to check out books from our expansive library.

By checking in, you help us keep accurate attendance records and ensure we can follow up if you’ve been away for a while. This is a meaningful way for the Care Office to stay connected with you.

If you do not have a New Covenant ID card yet, please contact the Administration Office during regular church business hours during the week, visit the Welcome Center before Saturday worship, or visit the Computer Center on Sundays before or after worship services.

Wearing a Name Badge is another easy way to strengthen connections. If you forget yours, stop by the Welcome Center for a temporary badge. If you need to order a new one, please do so on the church website or by visiting the computer center during service hours.

These small tools, ID cards and name badges, help create a welcoming and connected church family. For questions, please contact Ashley Hill, First Impressions Manager, using the button below.

God's Money

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, is quoted frequently. A favorite quote is that it’s "not, how much of my money will I give to God, but, how much of God’s money will I keep for myself?"

Tithing is a big decision for many. It’s not such a big deal for others. Tithing helps us to look outside our selfishness. It’s meant to be a benefit for us and make us more aware of the needs of others.

Whether you tithe or not, giving to your church makes you feel good. A generous heart is a kind heart. You will not find a generous person who is an unhappy person. Try it, you’ll like it.

Financial Highlights January 2026 - June 2026

Stewardship is a key component of our Christian faith. Your tithes and offerings to New Covenant United Methodist Church support missions, fund quality worship, enhance discipleship, and offer care to those in need.

The Finance Team would like to thank you for your generosity and your commitment to New Covenant’s vision of being Christ's hands, feet, and voice in the world. In order to keep you informed on the finances of New Covenant United Methodist Church, the Finance Team is providing you with these financial numbers monthly. We hope this information is helpful to you as we track our financial status throughout the year. Thank you again for all your support and faithfulness.

Highlights: 

• Total Congregational Giving Through June 30, 2026: $1,839,882
• Total Expenditures Through June 30, 2026: $1,747,490
• Net: $92,392

Legacy Giving

Rooted in Faith, Growing for Generations

If you would like to know more about Legacy Giving, please contact Linda Stubits, Finance Manager. Thank you for considering our Legacy Giving Ministry.

Congregational Care Ministers

Congregational Care Ministers are an important part of the Care department!

Congregational Care Ministers (CCMs) are truly extensions of the pastors in many ways. CCMs are doing hospital and rehab visits, prayer calls, cards, and other wonderful ways of connecting with our community of faith.

CCMs are trained to provide prayer, encouragement, and comfort during times when we need extra compassion. We are continually working to keep improving our skills and gifts to help those who need care.

If this is something of interest to you, please contact Pastor Ellen about the next training opportunity. We particularly need men as well as persons located on the southern parts of The Villages.

Upcoming Holy Land Tour and Journeys of Paul Tour

Pastor Harold will lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land next spring (March 8 – 17, 2027).

In addition, Pastor Harold will be leading a cruise tour that follows in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. The cruise (October 6 – 17, 2027) will take us to towns where Paul had established churches such as Philippi, Thessaloniki, Corinth, Athens, and Ephesus. There also will be stops in Rhodes, Mykonos, and Santorini, Greece.

If you are interested in learning more about these tours, you can pick up a brochure at the Welcome Center in the East Narthex, download the information from the New Covenant website, or use the links below.

In the fall, Pastor Harold will hold information meetings to talk more about these trips, answer questions, and share more details.

Christian Life Center Chancel Flowers

Each week the Christian Life Center chancel area is blessed to have beautiful flower arrangements. These are available to purchase in honor or memory of a person or event. We hope that you will continue to remember to designate flowers for a special occasion to beautify our Christian Life Center area.

If you would like to take them home to enjoy in your home, then we are thankful for that to extend the life of the flowers! If you choose to leave them, the church will enjoy them all week.

Please contact Sharon Weimert by using the button below to reserve a date and arrange for payment for the flowers. We are so grateful for this opportunity to honor our great God with special arrangements in our Christian Life Center.

Weekly Prayer Concerns

Praying Together meets at 2:45 PM in Classroom 14

Every Wednesday a small but faithful group come to pray over the requests and needs of the congregation. The written prayer cards and the online submitted prayer requests are prayed for by this team. If you would like to join this group, all are welcome! You do not need to be a member of New Covenant, or you don’t have to pray flowery, elaborate prayers, but just come with a spirit of humility and reverence as you bring these needs to God. Please use the link below to submit an online request

Prayer Quilts

Connie is experiencing surgery & aging

Doris is recovering from a stroke

Karleen has multiple health issues

Sandra's husband died

We request your prayers for these prayer quilts. Please click on the quilt to be taken to our Facebook Page, where you can "Like" the post to virtually tie a knot. Prayer quilts are made by a dedicated group in our church and throughout our community who envision the quilts being a special gift of love for people experiencing life-changing challenges. If you would like to order a prayer quilt, please click the button below.

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

The family and friends of Rev. Henry Theodore “Theo” Gee, on his passing.

Rev. Harold Hendren, Senior Pastor

Rev. Ellen Pollock, Associate Pastor