Spiritual Reflection

"The Cross is a confrontation with the overwhelming goodness of God revealed in the broken body of His only begotten Son."

Brennan Manning

First Impressions Ministry: The First Face of New Covenant

Our Hospitality Ministry is known as the First Impressions Ministry. This team is made up of our greeters, ushers, Welcome Center volunteers, and coffee bar helpers: the smiling faces you see the moment you arrive on our campus.

Our goal is simple but powerful: to ensure every guest, regular attendee, and member feels seen, heard, and genuinely loved. A warm greeting, help finding a classroom, a fresh cup of coffee, or someone to remember your name may seem small, but those small moments often open the door to life-changing encounters.

First Impressions is more than a handshake at the door. It is ministry. It is outreach. It is creating an atmosphere where people feel safe to worship, learn, and connect.  

If you have a heart for people and a welcoming spirit, we would love for you to consider joining the First Impressions Ministry. You don’t need special training, just a friendly smile and a willingness to serve. Whether greeting at the door, helping at the Welcome Center, ushering, or serving coffee, you can play a meaningful role in helping others find New Covenant, as their place to call home. Come and be a part of the first face of New Covenant!

Wildwood Food Pantry Spring Food Drive

Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22

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.



Please click on the link below for the current list of food items that are needed.

Terrific Tuesday (March 2026)

Journey Through the Gospel of John

Tuesday, March 24 from 4:45 PM – 7 PM

Ever wonder why the gospel of John has Jesus referring to himself as "I am the light of the world," or Paul spends so much time talking about "Joy" in his letter to the Philippines? What’s all the rejoicing, contentment, and gladness about despite the fact that Paul is writing from prison? Pastor Harold is on a quest to help answer those questions and more.

He will begin a new Terrific Tuesday series entitled: "Bible Basics…Everything you need to know about the Books of the Bible." Each month he will pick out a book in the Bible to study and give an overview of that book’s themes and theology in order to take what we learn and apply it to our daily lives. This month we will be studying the book of John. Join us for our next Terrific Tuesday as we live, learn, and lean into the gospel of John. 

​Menu: Spiral Sliced Honey Ham, Cheese Potatoes, Candied Carrots, Roll and Dessert (menu is subject to change due to food availability).

Registration is required ($14) and closes at 12 noon on Friday, March 20. If you have any questions or need help with registering, please contact Ashley Hill, First Impressions Manager.

Easter Weekend: Can You Help Us Create a Warm Welcome?

Easter Weekend is one of the most meaningful and joyful times in the life of our church. It’s also one of the weekends when we welcome many guests: friends, neighbors, and family members who may be visiting New Covenant for the very first time. A warm smile, a helpful conversation, or a simple offer to take a photo can make someone feel instantly at home.

This year, we’re putting out a special "all-call" for Easter volunteers. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to serve in our First Impressions Ministry, this is the perfect opportunity to try it out. We’re simply asking for a one-time commitment for Easter weekend. Who knows? You might discover that you love it!

Here are a few of the ways you can help:

• Guest Parking Greeters: Stationed near guest parking areas, these friendly volunteers help welcome guests as they arrive, answer quick questions, and help people find their way into the building.
• Outdoor Welcome Team: Sometimes people arrive looking a little unsure where to go. A smiling face outside the entrance can make all the difference by offering directions, opening doors, and helping guests feel comfortable from the moment they step on campus.
• Flower Cross Hosts: Our Easter flower crosses are a favorite photo spot! Volunteers can help welcome families to the cross, offer to take photos of our guests on their phones, and keep the line moving so everyone gets a chance.

If you’d like to be part of helping someone have a meaningful first experience at New Covenant this Easter, we’d love for you to serve.

Please contact Ashley Hill, First Impressions Manager, with any questions or if you’d like to be part of the team!

Giving

"Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God." - 2 Corinthians 9:11.

Giving is set apart and is so enjoyable. Thanks to passages like this one, God has released us from hoarding, and now we can’t wait to give to our church and other ministries.

Legacy Giving

Rooted in Faith, Growing for Generations.

New Members

We welcomed these new members into our family last weekend.

SALT Meeting and Upcoming Charge Conference

Thursday, March 19 at 9 AM on the Church Campus

A special called "Charge Conference" will be held on Thursday, March 19 at 9 AM at New Covenant United Methodist Church.

The purpose of this meeting is to approve Andrew Collins for candidacy in the United Methodist Church. Andrew has been a part of our church for the past 15 years and has accepted God’s calling to be a United Methodist minister in the Florida Annual Conference. Andrew will be beginning his Master of Divinity degree at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University this fall.

We celebrate God’s calling upon his life!

Easter Plants

Help us prepare a beautiful Chancel for Easter weekend by purchasing a flowering plant in memory of or in honor of someone special.

Plants are $15 each and will include a variety of tulips, daffodils, Easter lilies, and hydrangeas. Your purchase helps offset the cost of decorating the Chancel for Easter and adds beauty and celebration to this sacred weekend.

To place an order, please use the button below.

Order deadline: Monday, March 30 at 11 AM.

Pickup: After the 11 AM Easter Sunday worship service on April 5.

"The Chosen" Season Two

Wednesdays, March 18 and 25, from 2 PM – 4 PM

"The Chosen" Season 2 follows Jesus as His fame grows, leading to larger crowds, new disciples, and escalating conflict, focusing heavily on the disciples' internal struggles to understand their roles, their growing community dynamics (especially Simon/Matthew tension), Mary Magdalene's relapse, and preparations for the Sermon on the Mount, while antagonists like Shmuel plot against Jesus, and Roman involvement increases.

The season highlights the "beatitudes," showing Jesus's way of living and teaching amidst new challenges and deepening faith.

Registration is not required. Please contact Pat Hill, Care Coordinator - Discipleship, for information.

March Women's Gathering

Thursday, March 19 from 10 AM – 11:30 AM (with lunch to follow)

Join us for a meaningful and inspiring morning as we welcome Rev. Sarah Campbell, PhD, Senior Pastor of Forest United Methodist Church in Ocala and Silver Springs and Congregational Vitality Specialist for the Northeast District of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. 



Dr. Campbell will share the unique and powerful story of ministry in and around the Ocala National Forest, where community needs look very different from what many of us experience day to day. Through outreach efforts like a thriving thrift store and the Forest Food Pantry, Forest United Methodist Church is meeting people where they are and making a tangible difference in daily lives. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, connect, and grow in compassion as we gain a deeper understanding of how our neighbors live and how faith in action can transform communities.

The mission for March’s gathering will benefit Forest UMC’s food pantry, clothing closet, and other Ocala Forest related ministries. 

Menu: Chicken Alfredo, Italian Garden Salad, Garlic Toast, Dessert

Registration is required ($12) and closes at 12 noon on Monday, March 16. If you have any questions or need help with registering, please contact Pat Hill, Care Coordinator - Discipleship.

New Covenant Men’s Chorus

Sunday, March 22 at 9 AM and 11 AM

Attention men — and anyone who’s ever sung in the car and thought, “I've still got it.” Here’s a low-commitment, high-fun chance to sing with us — no long-term choir signup required. The New Covenant Men’s Chorus is coming together for a one-time special, singing in both worship services.

Nervous? No problem. Haven’t sung in years? Even better. If you can match a pitch most of the time and you’re willing to jump in, you belong here.

We have one more rehearsal:

• Tuesday, March 17 – 9 AM (Choir Room)

If you have any questions, please contact Bonnie Fisher at (614) 565-0953, or email Bonnie using the button below.

Spring Choir Concert

Saturday, March 28 at 5 PM in the Christian Life Center

Joel Raney’s Blessed: A Holy Week Journey Through the Beatitudes, featuring The Chancel Choir and Chamber Orchestra.

You’re invited to a Holy Week experience that reaches deeper than a typical concert. This contemporary work weaves the Beatitudes, the "Blesseds" Jesus proclaims in the Gospel, into the emotional and spiritual arc of Christ’s final days. Set in the present tense, it feels less like a retelling and more like we’re standing inside the story as it unfolds: blessing and cost, grace and sorrow, courage and love on the road to the cross.

Come ready to listen, reflect, and be moved. This is music that doesn’t just describe Holy Week; it helps you enter it. Bring a friend to this meaningful worship concert. This is a free concert; no tickets are required.

A Love Offering will be accepted.

Please note: Due to our beautiful concert, there will be no Contemporary Worship Service on Saturday.

Holy Week Worship Services

One of our “Bring Weekends”

"Bring Weekends" are extra special weekends where we are making it easy for you to invite your friends, neighbors, family to worship services. We encourage you to invite people year-round; but we hope that you will focus on these weekends throughout the year!

Palm Sunday, March 29 at 9 AM & 11 AM

Begin Holy Week with worship and praise as we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem — waving palms, lifting our voices, and preparing our hearts for the journey to the cross and the joy of Easter.

Maundy Thursday, April 2 at 6 PM

Holy Communion with the Chancel Choir

Good Friday, April 3 at 12 PM

Service of Darkness — readings and music

Contemporary Easter Worship, Saturday, April 4 at 5 PM

Worship Band with Rev. Harold Hendren

Easter Sunrise Worship, Sunday, April 5 at 6:30 AM

Simple outdoor worship with Rev. Harold Hendren

Easter Sunday Worship, Sunday, April 5 at 9 AM & 11 AM

Festival Worship — Chancel Choir, Praise Ringers, Brass & Organ with Rev. Harold Hendren

Fifth Sunday for Residing Hope Children's Home

Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29

Residing Hope is now operating as a holistic organization to provide unique services for children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. These services include:

• Therapeutic Residential Care (80 children served)
• Foster Care (135 children served)
• Outpatient Counseling (7,757 total hours received by children in this program)
• Independent Living (22 children served)
• Childhood Education-Montessori (220 children served)

We can help them continue to provide the support systems needed by these children. Please donate by writing your check out to New Covenant with Residing Hope in the memo line. 

Lunch and Learn with Dr. Buck Blodgett

Tuesday, April 7 from 12 – 1 PM in the Fellowship Center

Dr. Blodgett will present part three of his “F Words” series on “Fruitfulness” at this month's Lunch and Learn. He returns for part four the first Tuesday of May. If you missed part one and two, you are still welcome to join him. He continues to expand on his theme of “The LOVE>hate Project” message. “The F Words” include Forgiveness, Faith, Fruitfulness, and Fortitude. These study sessions are designed for all groups to hear about the transformative force of love!

All are welcome to join. There is no charge for this event, but we do ask that you preregister. At each session, you're invited to bring a sack lunch.

Dr. Buck’s book will be available for $20, benefitting the LOVE>hate Project.

Our final date will be May 5 and will require a separate registration.

The Villages Concert Band

Friday, April 10 at 7 PM in the Christian Life Center

The Villages Concert Band closes its season with a thrilling musical adventure that spans nearly seven decades of exploration and imagination. JOURNEY – From Sputnik to SpaceX traces humanity’s fascination with the skies — from the historic 1957 launch of Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite, to the groundbreaking innovations of SpaceX, which continue to redefine space travel today.

This inspiring program captures the ever-changing moods of the cosmos — the mystery of the moon, the sweep of the horizon, the drama of the clouds, and the exhilaration of flight itself. Through powerful symphonic storytelling, you’ll soar through unforgettable music from Star Trek, relive the courage and triumph of Apollo 13, and experience the timeless wonder of “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz.

It’s a concert filled with imagination, nostalgia, adventure, and heart —celebrating both where we’ve been and where we’re headed next. So fasten your seatbelts and prepare for liftoff…join us April 10 and come fly with us on a journey that reaches for the stars!

The Villages Symphonic Winds

Sunday, April 12 at 6 PM

The Villages Symphonic Winds presents, “The Vibrant Colors of Wind Music,” featuring some of the finest works ever written for concert band, and two beautiful pieces originally written for other groups first and later transcribed for band. The first of these transcriptions will be “Rest,” by Frank Ticheli. This was originally a choral work by Ticheli himself, which he later transcribed into a beautiful wind band piece. The original choral work, “There Will be Rest,” was a setting of a poem of the same name, by Sara Teasdale. And like choral work, “Rest” is relatively short, quiet, and quite beautiful.

The second transcription and one of three major works on the program, will be conductor Lewis Buckley’s own transcription for band of a new “Carmen Suite.” There were two previous orchestral suites based on excerpts from the opera “Carmen.” Buckley chose the movements from both suites that he thought would work well for concert band and transcribed them, thereby creating a new, third “Carmen Suite.”

The first of the other two major works will be “Of Sailors and Whales,” Francis McBeth’s masterwork based on the Herman Melville novel, “Moby Dick.” It is a multi-movement piece with each movement depicting one of the major characters in the novel, and it is positively spellbinding. Short quotes from the novel will be read to introduce each movement in the piece.

And the last major work will close the concert, Jerry Bilik’s famed “American Civil War Fantasy,” made up of the songs and sounds of the Civil War. Rounding out the program will be three marches, Kenneth Alford’s famous “Colonel Bogey,” Henry Fillmore’s lesser known “Men of Florida,” and John Philip Sousa’s “Thunderer.”

This will be a classic concert band concert, made up of both original band music and transcriptions from other media, and it will beautifully display the remarkable talents of the musicians who make up the Symphonic Winds.

Horns Aplenty

Thursday April 16 at 6 PM

Horns Aplenty present a concert celebrating the noble, golden voice of the French horn in all its warmth, brilliance, and depth. This exciting program will feature music written especially for horns alongside beautifully crafted arrangements that showcase the instrument’s extraordinary range and character. Audiences will enjoy selections by composers from both Europe and the United States, highlighting the horn’s rich heritage and global artistry.

We’re especially proud to present an arrangement by our very own Don Daily, adding a personal and homegrown touch to the evening. As a special highlight, Cornucopia — a horn quartet that grew out of Horns Aplenty — returns to the stage with a thrilling performance of “Espionage,” sure to captivate with its intrigue and flair. They will also present “Frippery” by the late Spike Shaw, whose vision and dedication were instrumental in the growth of our horn ensemble and expanding the repertoire for a remarkable group of instruments.

From bold fanfares to lush harmonies and playful brilliance, this concert promises an unforgettable evening celebrating the rich, dynamic, and unmistakable sound of the French horn.

The Village Ringers

Sunday, April 19 at 6 PM in the Fellowship Center

Village Ringers, under the direction of Bonnie Fisher, and Village Ringers TOO, directed by Cathy Bullock invite you to an unforgettable evening of music with their concert, “Ringing Reflections.” These auditioned handbell ensembles brings extraordinary artistry and passion to the stage as they perform their most beloved and dazzling selections from years past — the pieces that have resonated most deeply with both audience and ringers alike. 

Experience the shimmering sound of handbells paired with stunning visuals as you journey through iconic hits by The Beatles, thrilling music from Star Wars by John Williams, beloved American classics celebrating our nation’s 250^th birthday, the electric joy of “Mr. Blue Sky,” the sly charm of “The Pink Panther,” and so much more. Join us for an evening of nostalgia, celebration, and breathtaking musical color — where every ring tells a story!

Fundraiser for House of Hope

House of Hope is hosting Comedian Al Ernst on Friday, March 27 at 7 PM at Hope Lutheran's Central Campus, 250 Avenida Los Angelos in The Villages. Al Ernst is an international touring comic and three-time Carnival Cruise Lines "Entertainer of the Year."

All proceeds will benefit the House of Hope, a Christ-centered residential substance abuse recovery program in Wildwood for men who want to heal from addiction.

Registration is required. The cost is $15 per person if you purchase a ticket in advance and $20 per person at the door. To register, please use the button below.

Prayer Cards

New Covenant wants to pray with you and for your prayer concerns! Please submit a prayer card at any one of the prayer card boxes on campus (there is a box at the Welcome Center, the main entrances to the Christian Life Center, the Prayer Room, the Care office, and Administration office).

You may also submit a prayer concern online. Use the button below to submit your care concern. We want to walk with you through your needs. Our prayer team prays over these requests every Wednesday at 2:45 PM in Classroom 14. These names are also listed below in the WeeklyWord so you can pray for them at your convenience, if they are indicated to be published.

Weekly Prayer Concerns

The Prayer Quilts on the Altar are for:

David: has cancer spreading to bone and lung

Greg: grieving the death of his wife

Sandra: has a broken ankle and depression

Theo: is recovering from hip surgery

We request your prayers for these prayer quilts. Please click on the quilts 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 Chancel Flowers have been provided by:

John Affleck and family in memory of Pat Aflac for what would have been their 38^th anniversary.

George Heritage and family in loving memory of wife and mother, Barbara, on the anniversary of her passing.

To place an order for Chancel flowers, please use the button below. For any questions about Chancel flowers, please contact Sharon Weimert, Care Coordinator. Flower orders must be received by noon on Monday for flowers to be delivered that weekend.