Naples UCC Family,

What a joy it is to share a campus update with all of you!  

I bet you would agree that our church campus is so much more than just "buildings and grounds." Our church campus is sacred. The divine beauty of our campus at Naples UCC and the memories of God at work in our midst in the space we call our spiritual home is of utmost importance to all of us.

Since arriving at NUCC, I've been partnering with our Board of Trustees and our Development Committee to help raise funds for numerous different campus projects. Last spring, we completed an extensive roof project that encompassed a new roof for McSpadden Hall as well as roof repairs to our administrative building and sanctuary. In addition, our oft-used Nelson Hall will be receiving a new roof with work beginning on our campus in upcoming weeks.

In a few months, a major painting project at NUCC will also commence. In recent days, our Trustees approved a comprehensive plan to paint all the buildings on our campus. Aesthetically speaking, the paint will communicate the light and hopeful spirit of our church. From a preservation standpoint, the paint will ensure a future for our buildings that must withstand the challenges of the aggressive Southwest Florida climate.

Our Trustees also initiated some essential improvements to our gathering space. In upcoming weeks, new drains will be installed in this space, landscaping will be adjusted, and a structurally unsound trellis will be removed so as to facilitate our paint project.  

The funding for these aforementioned roofing, painting, and gathering space projects ($260,000) has come from seven different gifts from seven different church members and/or couples whose faithful generosity has made it all possible. Their investment in the future of our church and the future of our campus will most certainly bless our congregation and our community for many years to come.

But the work on our campus that needs to get done is far from complete. Very soon, we want to embark on a vitally important project related to our steeple that will ensure the long-term integrity of Gates Chapel. In addition, our Trustees envision major improvements (as identified by our Facilities Task Force) to our gathering space. If you are interested in being part of the contagious generosity that is happening at Naples UCC, I would love the opportunity to meet with you personally to discuss giving opportunities toward these projects, including opportunities to give in ways that honor or memorialize loved ones. Kindly call or email, and we'll get together for conversation.

Finally, there is a certain enthusiasm that comes from being part of a church "under construction." For a church under construction is a church that is alive, a church that cares, and a church with dreams of an exciting future. That is Naples UCC. Praise be to God for these campus improvements, for the generosity of God's people, and for the exciting future into which God will lead us.

In Christ,

Pastor Mark

Worship Service at 10 a.m.

Prayer Shawl Blessing | Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Join us on Sunday as Rev. Angela Wells-Bean will be preaching her sermon titled The Company You Keep, based on Mark 9: 38-50.

Join in person or online!

Sunday, September 29 | During Worship

If you are going through a difficult time or know someone who is; whether it is grieving a loved one, facing health challenges, or experiencing life’s hardships, our Prayer Shawl Ministry would like to extend God’s caring love and warmth through a hand-crafted prayer shawl. If you are currently working on a prayer shawl or have any completed at home, we invite you to bring them to church on or before Sunday, September 29. The shawls will be blessed and made available to those who are in need of them. If you have any questions, please call Evlyn Bickford at (239)293-3965. As a reminder, the Prayer Shawl Ministry meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 2 p.m. in the Parlor. The next meeting is on October 1st, and all are welcome to join.

A special thank you to all of you who have crafted these prayer shawls, and to all who support this caring ministry.

The Bargain Box will be holding a focused donation drive. We are overjoyed by the overwhelming success of our focused drive in past months. Thank you for your participation and generosity. We are looking for gently used men's and women’s casual and dress jackets and will be collecting them on Sunday, September 29. A table will be set up under the portico and donations should be dropped off before and after the service. You may reach out to Mary Robinson at (239) 298-3496, with any questions. Thank you for your support of the Bargain Box!

You are invited to our next Social Soirée, a wonderful opportunity for fellowship, fun, and delicious food. Join us on Monday, September 30 at 4 p.m. at Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar, located at 9118 Strada Pl, Ste 8155, Naples. All are invited and are encouraged to bring a friend along! Please sign up in the Gathering Place or by contacting the church office. If you have any questions or updates to your attendance, please contact Susan Melick at (239) 293-8446. We hope to see you there!

Join Pastor Mark on October 10, at 9 a.m. in Nelson 207 for a book review and discussion of John Pavlovitz's If God is Love, Don't be a Jerk: Finding a Faith that Makes Us Better Humans. John will be one of our distinguished speakers in our upcoming season! View the book discussion questions here.

Wednesday, October 2 at 9 am | Nelson 207

Life on earth is far from easy. When life presents challenges and heartaches, our response is authentic communication with God who never turns from us—no matter how we may feel on any given day. A collection of raw and prayerful emotion, the Psalms offer to us ways of expressing to God our human condition and fragility. That God hears these expressions speaks of God’s unconditional love. This fall, come join Pastor Mark and other congregants for discussions on selected Psalms that might just resonate with your life right now! Pastor Mark will teach one session of this Bible Study in Nelson 207 on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. from October 2 to November 20.

View Flyer

Further your understanding of Christian Nationalism by attending a special gathering and book discussion offered by the Justice Committee. The event will be facilitated by Rich Kirschner, and will take place on Wednesday, October 9, at 10 a.m. Here is your guide to participation:

· Add one or more of the books below to your summer reading list.

· Attend the program either in person (Nelson 104) or on Zoom.

· Enjoy coffee and pastries while you engage with others about the book(s) you have read.

· If your summer reading list is already full, don’t be deterred – stream a movie instead. Suggested titles are God & Country and Bad Faith (both streaming on Prime Video). For those who want to see a quick description of Christian Nationalism, check out James Talarico delivering a Sermon Against Christian Nationalism. A 16 minute summary of why Christian Nationalism is not Christianity.

For more information regarding this event, kindly contact Bob Selby at bselby5186@aol.com. Happy reading!

Wednesdays at 3 pm | Nelson 203

SPLASH! and our Children & Youth Choir rehearsals will continue on Wednesday. Children can join Ms. Jeanne for fun, faith-filled activities, games, snacks, and music as they learn about our faith. The Children & Youth Choirs rehearse during this time from 4:15-5:00 p.m. with Dr. Becky in Beverly Hall. Pick-up for Seagate Elementary students is available. Splash is offered on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. We have participants arriving at different times from various schools in our community, so come at the time that works best for your schedule and hop right in!

Caregivers Support Group meets every other Friday to provide support for those who are caring for a loved one. Join us on October 4, at 2 p.m. in Nelson Hall, room 101 as Naples attorney, Lorna Scharlacken will return as our guest speaker to educate us on estate planning, trusts, and wills. There are legal ramifications for everyone when planning ahead, especially for caregivers. All are welcome to join us, we encourage you to bring someone who might also benefit. For more information, please contact Joan Millon at joanmillon6@gmail.com. All are welcome! Bring a friend!

Our next Prospective Member Luncheon will occur on October 6, following the service, in Nelson Hall, room 104. This is an opportunity to meet our clergy, hear about our theology, and ask any questions you may have. Please sign-up in the Gathering Place following our Sunday service! You may also get in touch with our Membership Coordinator, Chelsea Godwin, at Chelsea@NaplesUCC.org or by calling our church office at (239)261- 5469. Kindly RSVP to Chelsea by Thursday, October 3.

Entering its 15th year, the NUCC Book Club is open to all NUCC members and friends. The Book Club will meet on Monday, October 28 at 2:00 p.m. in person in N-104 and via Zoom. Our exciting read this month is The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. The book tells the story of a Malayali family living in southwest India, in the Kerala state, with the narrative spanning three generations, from 1900 to 1977. In each generation, some members of the family die by drowning because of an affliction they refer to as “The Condition”.

(Zoom ID: 838 2027 0433 | Password: book) 

All men are invited to be part of the weekly men’s ministry group here at NUCC. The group will meet on Wednesday, October 2, at 10:30 a.m. in Nelson Hall Room 101. Come for coffee, and stimulating conversation, as we will be reading and discussing select essays. The group is organized by Rich Kirschner, please contact Rich Kirschner for Zoom credentials and study materials. We hope you will join us!

Thursday, October 3 at 10 & 11 am | Nelson 104 & Zoom

10 a.m. - The WISE for Mental Health Team Meeting

11 a.m. - Educational programming is offered by WISE Team member Kathleen Devitt, who will share her wisdom about Alzheimer’s and dementia with us.

If you want to be part of the WISE ministry at NUCC, please join us for the 10 a.m. meeting. All are invited to join us for the 11 a.m. educational program. As a W.I.S.E. congregation, we aim to be Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged with those who have mental health challenges, and their loved ones. Please be in touch with Pastor Angela at Angela@NaplesUCC.org if you’d like to learn more about this ministry. (Zoom ID: 843 4648 4094 | Password: WISE)

FCGU choirs will perform, Sunday, October 6, at 3:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The choirs will be led by conductors Dr. Trent Brown and Dr. Bryan Ijames. We invite you to come show your support and enjoy this free concert.

Centering Prayer will not meet in September, but will resume in October. Please refer your questions to Rev. Thomas Coates

at (769)798-4697. Thank you. 

Beginners and pros alike, join us for Mahjong on Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m. in Nelson Hall, room 101. Totally for free!

Sunday, October 6, Before Worship

Donations of nonperishable food items for the Grace Place Food Pantry will be collected next Sunday before service. A list of food items needed is available at www.graceplacenaples.org/food-pantry/. Though we are grateful for your donations please NO GLASS, as carefully as we try to pack the boxes,

glass containers can break. Grace Place currently serves 300 families weekly. Volunteers who wish to help unload donations from arriving cars can sign up by calling the Church office.

Beginning Friday, October 11, 12:30 - 4 p.m, groups of NUCC members and friends will be volunteering at the Grace Place Food Pantry. Join a group and see where our monthly Cans for Communion collection goes! Sign-up at the table in The Gathering Place. Future dates are November 8 and December 13, always on a Friday. There will be more dates in January through May.

Grace Place needs your help in achieving its motto, “Education changes Everything”. They are looking for mentors for high school students; teachers for their Adult Education classes (training provided); classroom assistants for their pre-school program as well as their afterschool programs for elementary, middle and high school students; and tutors for their adult Beginning Literacy program. For additional information or any questions on these volunteer opportunities please contact Volunteer Coordinator please contact Melisa Mast and visit Grace Place for Children and Families.

Cans for Communion Collection

World Communion | Sunday, October 6 • 10 a.m.

Rev. Dr. Mark Williams

“Dependant"

Mark 10: 13-16

Miguel Coates, clarinet

Children, Youth, & Sanctuary Choirs

To view all our upcoming events and ways to connect,

visit our online calendar here.

Tuesday, October 15 at 3:30 pm | Nelson 203

The November 2024 election will have an impact on all levels of our lives. National, state, and local governments are on the ballot, and Florida Constitution amendments are to be considered. Join us as our speaker, Sandy Parker, much-honored author of the nonpartisan, factual Sandy’s Soapbox blog, walks us through everything that will be on the ballot. This program is co-sponsored by the Justice Committee and Greater Naples Leadership (GNL). Also available over Zoom. (Webinar ID: 862 7782 6743 | Passcode: 432322)

Friday, October 18 at 10 am | Off Campus

Golden PAWS Assistance Dogs offers specialized service and assistance dogs to support injured Veterans, first responders, and children facing transformative disabilities. The guided tour commences with a detailed PowerPoint presentation in their Community Education Room, followed by a comprehensive walkthrough of their cutting-edge service dog training facility. The tour concludes with a visit to one of the training classes for observation purposes. Kindly note the location at 3645 Gateway Lane, Naples, FL. Free will donation. RSVP by 10/10.

A common pattern in a lot of churches is that more conversations about what’s happening in the church – good or bad – occur in the parking lot. In an effort to bring those conversations/thoughts/opinions forward to healthy dialog, the United of Church of Christ denomination encourages congregations to create Pastor Support Teams for every called minister. One of the primary functions of a PST is as an advisory group to the minister to share ideas, expectations and concerns of the membership – that’s you, that’s us! The other primary function of a PST is to serve as a support group for the pastor’s leadership: interpreting roles, boundaries, opportunities, and needs of the pastor to the congregation.

Both Mark and Angela have a team (members listed below) and welcome hearing from you. There’s a feeling, an energy, that we are hitting our stride, growing even, so we encourage you to bring that thought, opinion, conversation or question to a member of the appropriate team as we want to promote faithful, shared ministry between the pastor and the congregation. We look forward to hearing from you!!



8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday



Mission Statement: To love God and all our neighbors as God loves us.

Open and Affirming • Mission-Driven • Powerful Worship • Continuing Generosity

Caring Ministry• Hospitable Fellowship