enewsletter

OnLine Enews Nov 11-18, 2026

Pastor, Tom Willetts

WORSHIP TIMES

9:15am Sunday School

Sunday Worship 10am - Traditional Worship

Thursday Choir Rehearsals @ 3pm

Saturday Worship @ 4:45PM

Thanksgiving Prayer for Families

By Lia Icaza-Willetts

Loving Creator, on this Thanksgiving Day

We come with grateful hearts

to give you all honor and praise.

We thank you for the many blessings we have received

We thank you for gathering with family, friends and neighbors to share love, forgiveness and reconciliation.

We pray for who are hurting, grieving, and alone, Lord have mercy.

We thank you for the gift of SHALOM and

to believe and receive the love of God,

in Jesus our Saviour. Amen

UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS

Wed, Nov 11th - CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED- Honoring Veteran's Day

Wed, Nov 11th at 8:30am - Sip'n Scriptures - Perkins

Wed, Nov 11th at 9am - Lunch Ladies

Wed, Nov 11th at 10am - Alzheimer's Caregivers

Thur, Nov 12th- 9am - Laundry Love

Thur, Nov 12th at 10am - GriefShare - Conf B

Sat 14th & Sun 15th - Membership Weekend/ Altar of Bounty- Blessing of Green Food bags/start collecting Toys & Angel Tree Gifts

Mon, Nov 16th at 10am - Veterans Benefits - Conf B

Mon, Nov 16th at 11:30am - LUNCH OUT - Mel's Diner

Tues, Nov 17th at 10am - Caring mtg - Conf B

Tues, Nov 17th at 1pm - Finance - Conf B

Tues, Nov 17th at 3pm - Trustees - Conf B

Wed, Nov 18th at 1pm - MOVIE DAY-Left Behind

Thur, Nov 19th at 10am - Surviving the Holidays/GriefShare

Sat & Sun, Nov 21 & 22 - Envelopes for Residing Hope

Mon, Nov, 23 at 9am - Lunch Ladies

Mon. Nov 23rd at 10am - Veteran's Benefits mtg - Conf B

Tues, Nov 24th at 9am - Laundry Love

Thursday, Nov 26th - OFFICE CLOSED THANKSGIVING DAY

Fri, Nov 27th at 9am - Hanging of the Greens

Fri, Nov 27th at 10am - Alzheimer's Caregivers

Helen vacation 12th & 16th

DEVOTIONAL

OPENING PRAYER

Our Lord, you prove that your witness is faithful and true. Help us discover in your example the determination we need so that our witness, in public and in secret, will also be faithful and true – a clear word spoken and lived without compromise. In your faithful name. AMEN.

INTRODUCTION

Jesus is speaking to the disciples on the Mount of Olives. He continues his Eschatological Discourses (talks of the end of time). God gives a mission to all believers and gifts to all believers to accomplish that mission. Jesus is preparing the disciples for their mission, but is also referring to the failures of Israel led by the Jewish Temple Priests, religious leaders, and Pharisees in accomplishing their mission from God – to be a light to the nations. Let’s read the scripture.

SCRIPTURE LESSON

Matthew 25:14-30 NIV

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

REFLECTION

This is a parable so there are many layers of meaning. “The Man” is God – “the servants” are Israel or the disciples and “the bags of Gold” are the word of God – the Law of Moses given to Israel and to us through Jesus. The amount is not the issue – the use of the bags of gold is the key. Two servants invested their bags of gold. One servant hid the bag of gold. Two servants were faithful in sharing and using the gold faithfully and they received a return. The one was afraid and hid the gold so as not to use it and risk losing it. The one kept the gold from others. The one disobeyed the fundamental purpose or mission of the gold – the man entrusted his wealth to them while he was away.

Israel had hidden the investment of God in them by hiding and excluding others from receiving God’s presence – God’s gifts. They were given a mission to be the light of God to the world and to proclaim God’s Kingdom presence. They hid God’s light – they kept God’s presence to themselves.

Jesus came to demonstrate God’s presence to Israel and to the world. Jesus came to save the world from sin and darkness by making God’s light plain. This is about the larger context of Jesus’ mission and our faithful response to him. As disciples we are to invest all that God provides to make God’s Kingdom known. This is even bigger than simply “use it or lose it” theology. Remember, Jesus would also be cast into the outer darkness and suffering in his crucifixion, but would triumph over death and bring the Resurrection power and light of God out of the grave for all to see. Be God’s light and life in the world. Invest all that God has provided and experience his blessings.

CLOSING PRAYER

Today walk in the power and presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Blessings,

Pastor Tom

How I became a tither.

My background as the youngest of four children, born at the end of the Great Depression, then losing my father's 3-generation farm in Iowa and moving to 400 acres of rented land shaped my early life.

I saw my mother respond by raising chickens to sell enough eggs and hatchlings in 6 years to save $1,000 to make a down payment on 160 acres. Research of the abstract revealed her great-grandmother had been born on the eastern parcel of the farm. The next 3 generations of our family still live on this land. As a child I lived the scripture promise "God will restore what the cankerworm has stolen." (Joel 2:25)

As an adult this verse came into my life again as concern about having enough money to keep a roof overhead and food on the table, through a divorce after irreconcilable differences was allowed but only after he had imposed bankruptcy which caused the loss of the household furniture I had bought with the exception of 1 car and 1 horse (old law). I sold two businesses where I had incurred a debt, that I could not repay until bankruptcy closed. At which time I did repay them as I'd promised.

I feel a sense of honor that God allowed me two years later as a single, divorced, WOMAN who'd gone through bankruptcy to obtain a home loan since historically women couldn't have a bank account without a husband's name on it. I started my life again as a single head of household with my first intended employer, getting paid every other week. One paycheck went for the mortgage and the other for all other living expenses. I lived paycheck to paycheck, many times with more month than money.

I prayed that I might be able to marry and now have a better life, but God said no until I got myself back in the church my parents carried me into when I was 3. I joined a Lenten Bible Study in 1979 from which grew a Christmas Day lunch that still continues. After 15 years of growing through Sunday School, 5 years as President of UMW, and discipleship training as a Certified Lay Speaker, I married a United Methodist Chaplain.

Shortly before that marriage, our church leadership decided to do a $1.3 million dollar renovation of our 100-year-old church. We were not asked for equal giving, only sacrificial giving. I thought I could sell some of my no longer needed (not sacrificial) household items to meet my pledge. I was almost in tears to realize I was paying an auctioneer to sell things for 1/10th of their value. This was the turning point that God used to show me He didn't want my leftovers as a sacrifice. Proverbs 3:9 says we are "to bring the first fruits into the storehouse" not what is left. God wants to be of first importance in our lives.

Thinking that my father, who served on UMC Finance Committee probably tithed, I prayed for discernment if that was what I was to do. I stepped out in faith and still as I tithe 32 years later, God has been faithful. I always have money at the end of every month. I learned how God wants our first fruits of offering, not what, or if any is left, at the end of the month.

Even with the experiences of losing property and the sense of security money provides must be dismissed before it becomes a higher priority god and a stronghold again. I live a disciplined and mostly frugal life that is so full and blessed I am able to do many things but always try to make sure it's what God wants me to do. If I honor God with my first gifts that is all that is needed.

If you've not experienced living this Proverb, prayerfully consider if this is what God would want to bless your faithfulness.

Blessed to be a blessing,

Joyce Russell

Many have gone to the VA for benefits and have been denied. They went away disappointed and never followed up. This does not mean you did not qualify, it means you did not understand the process of the VA claims system. Join us every Monday morning at 10am and gain knowledge needed to process your claim and the appeals process. Go to Ministry Center - Conf Room B. David Jackson at 239-826-0893.

SAVE THE DATE

CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

Thursday, Dec 10th at 11:30am

HERON'S GLEN CLUB HOUSE

Tickets $38.00 cash or checks

payable to Donna Michel.

Menu available in Narthex

NATIVITY SETS NEEDED FOR NATIVITY FESTIVAL

ON DEC 4 & 5th.

We need several more Nativity Sets this year than last year for our Community Nativity Festival.

Display forms are available.

For more information contact Charlene Clark or the church office.

We will be putting up our Angel Tree soon with names of individuals from various nursing facilities in our area. We also include the shut-ins from our congregation. if anyone knows of a small facility or a shut-in that would like God's Blessing at Christmas, please let me know.... Louise Meehan, Outreach Chairperson