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

“Would to God that all the party names and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world were forgot, and that we might all agree to sit down together, as humble, loving disciples, at the feet of our common Master, to hear His word, to imbibe His spirit, and to transcribe His life our own.”

John Wesley

Student Ministry Fall Fundraisers

This year, we want our students to be able to experience the whole weekend of worship music at Rock the Universe, a Christian atmosphere at Universal Studios. Net proceeds from the Student Ministry Fall Fundraisers will support the New Covenant Student Ministry.

Greenery Fundraiser – Our annual Greenery Fundraiser is here again! Items are delivered and distributed from the New Covenant campus. The greenery is live; you will need to pick up your order. Prices vary; to order, please click the button below.

This year we are taking credit, cash, and checks on Sunday mornings during the month of October. Our youth will be in the Narthex from 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM to take your order and collect your payment. If you order online, you can drop off your cash or check on Sunday or to the Administration Office on weekdays during church business hours.

Car Wash – Our car wash fundraiser on the church campus will be held Saturday, November 16 from 9 AM – 12 PM. The suggested donation is $5 per golf cart or $10 per car. We are continuing our express lane for golf carts this year. Please let your friends and neighbors know about this event as well.

Pastor Appreciation Month

Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20, after Worship Services

We will be serving cake to celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month on Saturday, October 19 after the 5 PM worship service and on Sunday, October 20 after the 9 AM and 11 AM worship services. Baskets will be available for you to drop a card or note to our pastors expressing your appreciation for their service.

Any time after October 20, you may drop off a note at the Church Office.

Blessing of the Animals — Date Change

Sunday, October 20, from 4-6 PM in the Parking Lot

Due to Hurricane Milton, we rescheduled this event to accommodate our local partners! There is still time to register your beloved pet. Whether your pet is large or small, furry or feathered, bring them along to receive a blessing and join us for a morning of community and celebration. We will have hot dogs and chips for our human companions along with special treats for both our furry friends and our human friends. Don’t miss the ice cream truck and our gourmet coffee selections and pup cups for the dogs. Photographers will be available to take photos so make sure you take the opportunity to take a photo with your special pal.  

You may bring your animal friends in costume to partake in this festive event! We ask that you bring a donation item for an area shelter, who are overloaded with animals due to the recent hurricanes (shelter items could include: pet food, blankets, towels, toys).

Please ensure that all animals are leashed and under control at all times. We kindly ask that you register for the event to help us prepare plenty of goodie bags for your pets.

Night to Shine – Final Call for Volunteers

New Covenant United Methodist Church is thrilled to announce that we will once again host the unforgettable Night to Shine event on February 7, 2025, from 5 PM – 9 PM.

This annual event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, celebrates people with special needs and provides them with an unforgettable prom night experience centered on God’s love. We had so much fun last year, and we are beyond excited to bring this incredible event back to our community! The joy and smiles that filled our church last year were nothing short of amazing, and we can’t wait to see what this year has in store.

Volunteer registrations are open. Whether you’re interested in helping with decorations, or serving in another capacity, we would love to have you join us.

If you are interested in volunteering, please click the Night to Shine button to learn more about the different opportunities and sign up for our volunteer newsletter to stay updated on all things Night to Shine.

Giving

A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. (Proverbs 18:16)

The most charitable among us are welcomed into the “presence of the great.”  An important part to note in this proverb is the fact that it says “gift.” Singular.

Every single act of charity or giving is just as important as the next. You don’t have to give 24/7 to be in the presence of the great. A single gift that can help improve someone’s life is a powerful act – and the more often you give back, the more lives you’ll positively impact.

Legacy Giving

Re-evaluate your insurance needs – life insurance beneficiaries can be changed to include your church.

Christmas Wish Tree

New Covenant's Christmas Wish Trees allow us to share and give love to children in our local community. Please join us in meeting the needs or desires of these children by selecting a gift tag from one of the Christmas trees in the Narthex. A sign-up sheet is provided to ensure that we can keep track of the tags and gifts. Please return your gifts by Thursday, October 31.  

You can participate in this giving opportunity by:

• Purchasing the items listed on the gift tag.
• Purchasing a gift card from a local department store (Walmart, Target, Marshalls, etc.) in the amount of $25, $50, $75 or $100, and drop them off at the church administration office no later than Thursday, October 31.
• Sending a check made out to NCUMC with "Christmas Wish Tree" on the memo line.

We are sharing the love of Christmas with children from the following ministries and organizations: 

Wildwood Middle High School Mentor Program: A partnership between New Covenant and students at Wildwood Middle High School that provides mentoring for 35 students, and focuses on the spiritual, physical, academic/career, and behavioral well-being of each student.  

Kids Central: Provides support services to children and families in Sumter, Lake, Marion, Citrus and Hernando counties to promote well-being, safety, and health. 

Shepherd’s Lighthouse: Shepherd’s Lighthouse provides temporary, transitional housing for homeless, single teenage mothers and their children.  

The Refuge at Jumper Creek: Provides emergency housing for homeless families, and dedicated housing for veterans.

Voices for Children: Voices for Children meets the basic, financial, and critical needs of the children, such as clothing, shoes, specialized medical or dental treatment, psychological evaluations and counseling through the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program.

Hospitality Highlight

Here are a few reasons why wearing your name badge is so important.

• Names are difficult to remember. Whether clergy, staff, or member, we want to know everyone’s name; but few of us have the gift of perfect recall. This is especially true for people with memory loss or battling neurological disorders. Name tags work, providing reminders, visual cues and memory triggers.

• Few people know everybody at New Covenant. Even in a small group, it’s sometimes difficult to meet and remember everyone, in a larger group, it’s almost impossible. Name tags allow us to admit to and overcome this challenge, and they give us permission to reveal ourselves to each other quickly, openly and honestly.

• Name tags invite friendliness and conversation. Knowing another person’s name breaks down one significant barrier. It’s simply easier to talk with others when you are on a first name basis. The minute you know someone’s name, you immediately feel closer to that person. Studies show that knowing first names reduces the psychological distance between people.

• Name tags save embarrassment. We’ve probably all called someone by the wrong name, only to realize it later (or perhaps even within the same conversation). Sure, you feel silly when wearing a name tag. But think about how many people whose lives you just made easier, from the person you met 20 minutes ago, who already forgot your name, to the nice couple you met a few years ago.

• Life is richer in a thriving community. A name tag says “Please let us know you.” People who come to New Covenant as members or guests are often looking for a connection. Knowing their names is the first step to personalize and humanize them. Now we’re just not strangers who happen to be in the same room. We begin to know each other, and doing so fosters a greater sense of connection and community.

In the end, name badges promote fellowship and help to welcome, and connect, guests. So please, wear your name badge! If you don’t have a name badge and need help ordering one, please contact Ashley Hill.

New Covenant Virtual Store is Now Open!

Please visit our brand new virtual store to get all your New Covenant merchandise needs! Includes the newest “Do Unto Others” shirts in multiple options! If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Hill.

The Repurposed & Upcycled Life

When God Turns Trash To Treasure

Mondays, through December 2, from 9:30 – 11:30 AM

Ladies’ of Light (LOL) Small Group invites all women to join this upcoming class facilitated by Gunta Nies. Discover the repurposed and upcycled life. This is a life where no experience is wasted. Like the best trash-to-treasure decorating project, it’s a life where God repurposes our junk experiences. It’s where he upcycles – turns hopeless situations into something so much better than we ever imagined – when we let him work with the trash. When we surrender to His leading, God demonstrates His creativity in revealing how our greatest disappointments, mistakes, and painful experiences can be priceless treasures.

Through humor and stories, Michelle Rayburn addresses how to unpack emotional baggage and let go of the past. We will learn how to confront perfectionism and negative attitudes, change perspective on circumstances, and let go of regret and shame. It’s an opportunity to learn how to build positive healthy relationships and dream big and live with purpose. Through inspiration from God’s Word and examples from everyday life, readers will discover the job-filled, hope-rich way of viewing their past, present, and future.

Each lesson in this study is independent so participants can come each week and/or whenever they are able. No registration required. For more information, contact Pat Hill.

Blood Drive

Monday, October 21 from 12 PM – 6 PM in the West Parking Lot

New Covenant is hosting a Blood Drive with OneBlood. There is an urgent call for additional blood donations due to the hurricanes. All blood types are needed, however there is an urgent need for O Negative and O Positive blood, as well as Platelet donations. One pint of blood can save up to three lives.

If you’re able to do so, participating in this Blood Drive is another way for us to love our neighbor and be Christ’s hands, feet, and voice in the world. All donors receive a $20 eGift card, a Halloween t-shirt, and a wellness check.

Appointments are encouraged!

Warren Willis Camp Needs Help With Clean-up

Saturday, October 26 from 9AM – 5 PM

Warren Willis Camp in Fruitland Park needs our help cleaning up after Hurricane Milton. They have set next Saturday as a clean-up day for the campgrounds and properties. Warren Willis is a United Methodist camp, used by groups, families, and children for years in Florida. Rev. Corey Jones is the executive director of Warren Willis; if you are able to help, please bring gloves and a rake. 

Below is a link to a short video with what camp looks like after the storm. If you want to let them know you are coming, please contact Mike Carmine.

Women's Monthly Gathering November 2024

Thursday, November 21 from 10 – 11:30 AM (with lunch to follow)

Let’s celebrate the freedom we enjoy in our United States of America and the women veterans who served to create that freedom. We’ll sing several patriotic songs, listen to stories from those who served, and offer prayers to God for our freedom and future peace. We’ll gather in the Christen Life Center for the program and eat lunch in the East Narthex. We encourage you to wear red, white, and blue. 

Lunch Menu: TBD

Registration is required ($10). If you need assistance registering, please contact Pat Hill.

MOAMI 2025 Class

Thursdays, January 16 – March 27, 2025 from 1 PM – 4 PM

MOAMI (Moving on: Always Master Inspired) is a 11-week, faith based program open to all women looking for joy and purpose in the second half of their lives. MAOMI uses biblical principles to help each woman strengthen her relationship with God, develop supportive friendships with other women, learn strategies to successfully move through changes, discover her unique gifts, explore her purpose, and have fun with like-minded women.

The first class (January 16) is a Kickoff from 11 AM – 4 PM and the last class (March 27) is a Celebration from 11 AM – 4 PM (all other classes are from 1 – 4 PM). If you have any questions, please contact Barb Dougal.

Registration opens November 1.

We “Care”

Recently we have had several hospitalizations or procedures that we found out about after the event. Our Care department truly wants to care for our congregants and extended community, but we cannot do that without your help! Please contact the church if you or someone in your household is having a procedure, surgery, or hospitalization. We would also appreciate you having a good friend or neighbor designated if you encounter an emergency.

Ramon Chavez

Jack D

Rick and Bonnie Haney 

Syl and John Hanna

Madelyne Raskins

Paul Shirey

Sharon Simpson

Carol Ward & Family

Prayer Quilts

Ari, who was shot and is now paralyzed.

Madelyne, who fell and broke her hip.

Prayer quilts are made by a dedicated group in our church who envision the quilts being a special gift of love for people facing difficult situations. If you would like to order a prayer quilt, please click the button below.

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

The Cook family on the passing of Rosemary Cook.

For upcoming Celebrations of Life at New Covenant United Methodist Church, please click the button below.

Altar Flowers

Celebrating William T. Hall (Bill)’s birthday.

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