In-Person and Livestreamed

Worship Service

First United Methodist Church of Naples

Sunday Service 10:15 am

~

15th Sunday after Pentecost

September 18, 2022

From the Pastor

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

Praying that all are well and safe. I am continuing to ask for prayers for my health as I had diagnostic surgery this past week and still no answers. I will not be there tomorrow, so please welcome Aaron Thayer, who is stepping in to preach. He preached here this summer, and you all really liked him, so he will surely be a blessing to you once again tomorrow. I know you will make him feel loved and welcome here with us.

We have the exciting news that work on our sanctuary roof replacement will begin next week. We will keep you posted on progress, but we still need your help. Please scroll down for more information. 

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a member here at FUMC, I am still scheduling meetings to talk about this with anyone who is interested. Just leave a note on your Connect Card on your seat as you depart and when I get better, and am able, I will give you a call.

A reminder to pray for the prayer needs of this faith community.  Let me know if I, or the church, can be praying for YOU for anything specific. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. I'll be watching online.

Love and Blessings,

Pastor Nancy

[email protected]

IMPORTANT NOTICE! DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that you may not be getting a portion of your Eblast because Gmail and some other email programs are cutting off the bottom? You may be missing important articles, photos and our Prayer List! How to find out? If you get to the bottom and have not seen the Prayer List or our MDS Preschool photos, then you know there has been a cut-off. After you reach what looks like the end, you may see a little note down at the bottom that says something like: “Click here to view all” or “Click here to continue.” Press that and you will see what you are missing that has been cut-off!

 This Sunday's Online Worship Service

If you aren’t able to make it to in-person worship on Sundays, you can watch it online “live” at 10:15 am or you can watch the “recorded” version anytime that is convenient for you by clicking on the box below. We generally start showing announcement slides at 10:0 as people are coming into the sanctuary and then the actual worship service starts at 10:15. 

You can also find this link by going to our web page, our Facebook page, or directly to www.youtube.com In the Search box at the top of the YouTube page, type "First UMC Naples" and press enter. On the next screen go down until you see "First UMC Naples - Sunday Worship - Rev Nancy Mayeux - 09 18 2022". Click on that title, or the picture next to it, to see the “live” broadcast. 

Blessings as you watch and participate. Be sure to share the link for live or recorded versions of our service with your friends and family, so they can join you in worship!

Life & Faith Lesson

Rev Aaron Thayer

The Best Wrestling Match Ever

In July, we were blessed to have Aaron Thayer fill-in for me as your preacher. He preaches regularly for Pastor Roy Terry at Cornerstone UMC. Afterwards, I asked all of you if you would like to have him back sometime and received applause for an answer, so that tells me you are looking forward to having him again this Sunday! Aaron serves as laity at Cornerstone UMC.  He also serves as the youth leader there and is also a Middle School teacher. I know that you will make him feel loved and welcome, and that his message will be a blessing to you. 

Scripture: Genesis 32: 22-30

Masks Are Optional but “Highly Recommended”

 

Because of the high number of COVID cases, including people from our own congregation, we are “highly recommending” masks be worn indoors at church, but not mandating it. If you still want to feel safer, please sit in our “Comfort Zone” where masks ARE required. Ask an usher to take you there (the back, East section of sanctuary seating). We will have extra masks at the door if you need one. Please try to social distance indoors in our sanctuary, and stagger your departure so everyone does not bunch up in the aisles as you are exiting. Let’s forgo indoor hugs and handshakes for now. Please try to save your congregating and chatting for outdoors, where it is safer for everyone. Let’s continue to show love to our neighbors.

Altar Flower Dedication

Our altar flowers this morning are given and dedicated by Jim Merrifield in honor of loved ones. They will be donated to a local organization to show appreciation to staff and volunteers who serve others and brighten their day. Photo coming next week!

Altar Flower Ministry

Every week, you have the opportunity to purchase Sunday worship altar flowers and dedicate them to the memory of someone who was special to you or to honor someone who presently needs to be recognized! The cost is $40. All future dates are presently open through November. Purchase and dedication can be arranged by sending an email to Jaimie Dandridge at [email protected]. Then you can either pick up your flowers after church or donate them for us to take to organizations in our community, bringing a ray of sunshine to workers and volunteers.

Update on Roof Replacements

IT'S HAPPENING! Our sanctuary roof replacement begins on Monday! We’ll begin with our high-pitched main sanctuary roof and work our way back to the flat roof behind this. We will continue to give you regular updates on the replacement of our roofs through the Eblast.

We can use your help! THANK YOU for all those who have sent in donations to help us with the cost of replacing our Hurricane Irma-damaged roofs. The sanctuary roof will cost us just over $200,000 and we expect the parlor/admin roof to be close to $100,000. We have received generous donations and have other capital funds set aside, but will not have enough to cover everything. Your donations would be appreciated. Please designate donations to the “Roof Fund.” Donations can be made online or directly to the church.

United Methodist Women October Meeting

United Methodist Women will be meeting on Tuesday, October 4 at 10:00am at the Village Green Clubhouse on 12^th Avenue. Directions will be forthcoming. Our speaker will be Kris Clemmensen from the East Naples UMC and she will give us an update on Cuba.

 Would You Like to Join Us at our

Next Membership Sunday?

If you’re thinking about formalizing your relationship with this congregation, we will have another “New Member Sunday” soon.   If you are interested in knowing more about what it means to be a member here and to be a United Methodist, just send me an email at: [email protected] . I will get in touch with you, and we can meet and explore this together. After we meet, if you think you’d like to join, we will make this happen at one of our upcoming Membership Sundays. If nothing else, our meeting will help us to get to know each other better! Keep in mind, that you can still keep your regular membership at your United Methodist Church up north (or even another denomination) and join us here in Naples as an Affiliate or Associate member.

How Can You Financially Support

the Ministries of This Church?

Thank you once again for your faithful financial support of your church. Please remember that your giving is a form of worship. Your gifts allow us to help people to know Jesus, to grow in their faith, and to serve Him as we help those in need.

At this time, in addition to funding for our regular operating budget and special needs as they pop up, we are requesting donations for our “Roof Fund.” As you read in the article earlier in this Eblast, we are moving forward with replacement of the leaking sanctuary roof (just over $200K), followed by the roof over the parlor and administration building (almost $100K). We don’t’ have enough to do everything, despite a number of generous donations, so we really need you help. These two buildings allow so much ministry to happen in this church. Please support our efforts to make them viable and safe.

Donations should indicate if they are for the “General Operating Budget” or for the “Roof Fund” and may be brought to worship on Sunday, dropped off during the week or mailed to: 

First United Methodist Church of Naples

388 First Avenue South

Naples, FL 34102

OR you can click on the box below to make an online donation. If you have any questions regarding the finances of this church, please send an email to our Treasurer, Jeffrey Currier: [email protected]

Last Sunday's Service

Did you miss worship last week? Click on the link below to view the video of last week's complete online service, with a sermon entitled Each One, Reach One which was preached by Rev Flo Scott and based on Psalms 133:1 and Acts 2:46-47

We’ve Packed 255,000 Meals!

Help Feed Hungry People in our Community

Thank you for helping to feed hungry families. Food insecurity has been a major challenge for families throughout the pandemic, and especially now, with food prices soaring. During the last 20 months, we have packed 255,000 meals for families in need! Help us be Jesus’ hands and feet in the world and show the love of Christ to others by participating:

1. Bring in food or financial contributions earmarked for “Food Ministry” and we will deliver to either Grace Place or St. Matthew’s House for their food pantries.
2. Volunteer to come help pack food for 1.5 hours on an upcoming packing day. To sign up, contact Wendy McKee, our food-packing coordinator, at [email protected]. She will schedule you. It’s lots of fun!

Need to Reach Us? Here’s How!



We are available to you! Our church office is open Monday-Thursday, 9:00am to 2:00pm.  Food can be dropped off during office hours or on Sundays when you come to worship. The church phone will be answered during office hours. For pastoral emergencies, when the office is closed, just call the office and you will hear the Pastor’s personal cell number listed on the message you hear. The pastor is off on Mondays, as her Sabbath day, but will respond to pastoral emergencies. 

Call the church office: (239) 262-1033

Email us: [email protected]  or

Mail contributions to:

First United Methodist Church, 388 First Ave S, Naples FL 34102

Make online donations by clicking the link below:

Please Pray!

Please continue to pray for all of those who are on our prayer list below and scroll down for the “Special Prayers” link for additional important prayers. Prayer is powerful and God loves to hear from you.

Got a prayer request of your own? You can email it to me directly by responding to this Eblast (just press “reply” and it comes to me). You can also fill out a blue prayer card from the pews on Sunday. Just let me know if you want it public (person’s name and no other details) or if you would like private prayer from me.  If I have missed anyone this week, my apologies.

Urgent Prayer Requests

From our FUMC Church Family

We want to remind you that this section is for “urgent” prayer concerns only: (in the hospital, on Hospice, recovering from COVID-19, recovering from surgery, receiving radiation or chemotherapy for cancer, recent deaths, etc.) If you have a private prayer that you do not want published below, just email me and I will pray for that person and that need privately: [email protected].

• Nancy Mayeux (your Pastor)
• Shirley Atwood (Mother of Pam McDonnell)
• Mo Pierzchala (Regular attender)
• Lidia Rodriguez (Pastor's daughter of our sister-church in Cuba)
• Dick Evans (Member)
• Pam McDonnell (Member)
• John (Ivan) Woronchuk and family (Brother of Walter Jaworsky)

• Baby Abby Joy and parents (Family of Lisa Passeri)
• Sue ReBell (Sister in law of Marie and Dick Evans)
• Beth Tatman (friend of the Mayeux family)
• Norman Lambert (Requested by Judy Margrey and Leo Poisson)
• Chris Grimshaw (Member and husband of Christine Grimshaw)
• David Adkins (Brother of Karen Parry)
• Wendy Moyer (Member)
• Tom Headley (Nephew of Pat Schanke)
• Stephen MacTurk (Son of Mary Lou Riccio)
• Diane Langley (Friend of Norine Tempelman)

• Family of Valya Staruchin, Januk, Orysia and family, Irina and family (Three families of the Jaworsky's in Ukraine)
•  Gary and Glenn (Friends of the Emory’s)
• Sam (brother-in-law of Karen Bach)
• Ann Boren (Member)
• Joseph Halizak (Friend of Marie and Dick Evans)
• Karen Kirk (Cousin of Marie Evans)
• Rosa Fogle (Family of Thelma and Al Johnson)
• All the many unspoken requests and needs of our congregation and their loved ones.

 Special Prayer List 

(Updated August 28) 

 Wondering what else to pray for each day? Here are some suggestions!

Another Fun Week of Learning

at our MDS Preschool!

Our MDS preschool and VPK children had another great week. They learned to make delicious orange juice which they enjoyed both making and drinking, along with some collaborative play in the VPK class. They are having fun learning!

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Church Office is open Monday – Thursday, 9:00am – 2:00pm. Outside of office hours, please call the church office and leave a message. For pastoral emergencies, you will be given a number, in the message, on how to reach the pastor.