Spiritual Reflection

 "One of the outstanding qualities of Jesus was his sheer honesty. He never left people in any doubt what would happen to them if they chose to follow Him. He was clear that He had come not to make life easy, but to make us great."

William Barclay 

Summer Food Drive

Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19

The Wildwood Food Pantry’s Summer Food Drive will be held on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19. Bags will be placed on each car/golf cart during services on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12.  With no paid employees and an abundance of selfless volunteers who contribute at least 5,000 hours of their time each year, the pantry can continue to serve food to families in Sumter County.

Please fill the bags with the needed food items and leave the bags beside your car/golf cart the following weekend. Volunteers will be on hand to gather your food donations. You may also drop off your donations at the church anytime during the week. Bins are conveniently located at the west entrance to the church and in the East and West Narthexes.

Thank you for your continued support of this ministry!

Prayer Room

Our Prayer Room is a beautiful, quiet space to take some time to pray and meditate on God’s word. Located right inside the West Narthex, the prayer room has comfortable seating, topical prayer cards, and a kneeler. If you want to spend some special solitude with God, this might be the place for you! The prayer room is open whenever the church is open! Stop in and sit in the Lord’s presence!

Alzheimer’s Support Groups and Respite Care

Thursdays from 10 AM – 11:30 AM

Alzheimer’s Support Groups and Respite Care does not go on break for the summer! These important groups meet every week, year round. While the caregiver meets with other caregivers in the support group, the loved ones can be loved on and celebrated with songs, games, and entertainment! We are so grateful for our volunteers that help us provide safety and compassion for our loved ones and caregivers every week!

For more information, please contact Jackie Damron, New Covenant Social Worker.

Sensory Room

New Covenant offers a Sensory Room for our guests and congregants. This room features soothing colors, updated furniture, and items to support those with special sensory needs. We are happy to offer a welcoming space for any of our families who may need a calming space while they are at church. The room is located adjacent to the Christian Life Center, and provides the ability to see and hear any worship service or special programm. We continue to be grateful to the Night to Shine Leadership Team for helping make this a reality so all God’s people can call New Covenant “a place to call home.”  

Giving

As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. (2 Corinthians 9:13)

The blessings that God gives us cultivates a heart of thankfulness. This thankfulness gives glory to God. Ultimately, our giving becomes an act of confessing the gospel of Christ. This is huge! Our correct motivation for giving preaches the gospel! We give because God has given to us. 

Legacy Giving

Your Legacy Giving can be funded by making New Covenant the beneficiary of an insurance policy.

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

Church Holiday Hours

The church and office will be closed Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 in honor of Independence Day. Due to the holiday, there will not be a Saturday Contemporary Worship Service. Please join us on Sunday, July 5 at 9 AM or 11 AM.

Also, the Bargains & Blessings truck will only be on the church campus to accept donations on Sunday, July 5 before worship services.

Bargains & Blessings will be open on Friday, July 3, but will be closed Saturday, July 4. The store will reopen on Monday, July 6, at 9:30 AM. The church office will reopen on Monday, July 6, at 9 AM.

Venezuela Earthquake

We have seen the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Venezuela. People have lost family members and homes. The United Methodist Church, through UMCOR, continues to support victims all over the world through humanitarian relief in the name of Jesus Christ. Part of our Christian faith and our Wesleyan tradition is to “love our neighbor.” You can join other United Methodists in assisting in the relief effort.

If you would like to give, please use the button below. At the bottom of the donation form, under “Select preferred IDR gift designation,” choose “Venezuela Earthquake”. If writing a check, please make the check out to NCUMC with UMCOR/Venezuela written in the memo line.

Welcome Home T-shirts Are Available!

At New Covenant, we believe everyone deserves to feel welcomed, loved, and at home. Our new Welcome Home t-shirts are a simple way to share that message wherever you go. Whether you’re serving on Sunday, attending a church event, or out in the community, these shirts help reflect the warm and welcoming spirit that makes New Covenant so special. 

There is a limited number of XL and XXL available in the Care office. They are also available through our online store in a variety of sizes. Order yours today, and help us share the message that there is always a place for you at New Covenant. Please contact Ashley Hill for more information.

Bargains & Blessings Volunteers Needed

Your help is needed for a few hours a month at Bargains & Blessings Resale Store in downtown Wildwood. During the summer months, the store loses about 40 percent of its volunteers. Many of them are seasonal who travel home during this time of year. We would love to have you join us in the following areas: the Boutique, Intake, Family Outreach, the Main Store, the Annex, or as a scheduler for pickups and deliveries. 

Volunteers are also needed for one hour every other month when the Bargains & Blessings truck is on the church campus to meet and greet those who have donations. This amounts to only six times per year, and no heavy lifting is involved.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Janine Rogers, Director of Missions and Outreach.

Happy Retirement

Judy Fitzgerald, Communications Specialist, and New Covenant’s longest tenured employee, will be retiring from New Covenant on Tuesday, July 7. Judy joined us November 29, 2004, almost 22 years ago, and has been instrumental in the operations of the church. Judy has also been a member of New Covenant and helped lead one of the longest running small groups. 

Please join us in wishing Judy and husband, Robert, many blessings as they begin their retirement in their new home in Jasper, FL. Your well wishes and cards may be dropped off at the Administration office prior to July 7.

Early Risers & Late Risers Sunday Education Classes

Sunday mornings in July at 8 AM and 10:10 AM in the Chapel

As we celebrate the 250^th anniversary of our country’s Declaration of Independence, we invite you to join self-confessed History Nerd, Pastor Randy, as he provides stories of the amazing miracles of divine intervention that helped the United States create and sustain our great country.

From the miracles that saved the Continental Army in our Revolution, to the amazing stories of people who shaped our nation, we will consider how God has blessed the United States. All are welcome; join as you are able.

Men's Ministry Summer Fun Night (July 2026)

Tuesday, July 21 from 4 PM – 6:30 PM

Get ready for an evening of laughter, friendly competition, and great food!

Join us for a "Minute-to-Win-It" style game night featuring fun, senior-friendly challenges that everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re racing to complete a team challenge or cheering on your teammates, you’re guaranteed plenty of laughter!

Ladies are welcome to join the fun too!

After the games, we’ll wrap up the evening with a delicious summer-themed dinner and great fellowship.

Bring your sense of humor and your completive spirit – we can’t wait to see you there!

Menu: Chicken Alfedo, Green Beans, Garlic Bread, and a Special Dessert

If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Randy Cooke, Teaching Pastor.

Registration required ($15) 

Upcoming Holy Land Tours and Journeys of Paul Tour

Pastor Harold will lead two trips to the Holy Land: the first one is scheduled for this fall (October 5 – 14, 2026) and another for 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 knowing 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 Counseling

New Covenant is proud to host a Christian Counseling Ministry as part of our Congregational Care Ministries. We have two seasoned counselors who can help address various life challenges. Connie Giguere meets with clients in the Care Office, while Brenda Warren works with her clients on a secure virtual space. Both counselors are fully licensed in the state of Florida. 

Counseling can be for a short season or sometimes a bit longer. If you or someone you know needs some help in managing through life’s challenges, please call the church office and ask for the Counseling office. We are here to help.

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

Carl, who has several health issues.

Baby Nox, who is recovering from heart surgery.

Renee, who is recovering from a stroke that affected her right side.

Toni, who is suffering with CAPD.

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...

Julie Stewart and Kathleen Ann Levin, family, and friends on the passing of their mother, Donna Bright.

Christian Life Center Chancel Flowers

Our flowers have been provided by Carmen Raby in memory of her husband, John F. Raby, III for what would have been their 50^th anniversary.

To place an order for Chancel flowers in the Christian Life Center for Sunday worship services, please use the button below. For any questions about CLC Chancel Flowers, please contact Sharon Weimert, Care Coordinator.



Flower orders for the Christian Life Center must be received by noon on Monday for flowers to be delivered that weekend.

Rev. Harold Hendren, Senior Pastor

Rev. Ellen Pollock, Associate Pastor