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November 8, 2026
24th Sunday After Pentecost
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A Grateful Heart Is a Ready Heart
This past Sunday was a beautiful reminder that the Christian faith is never something we experience alone. As we celebrated All Saints Sunday, we remembered those who have gone before us, those whose lives helped shape our faith, and those whose love continues to influence who we are today.
I am especially grateful to Rev. Dr. Debbie Allen for bringing God's Word to us and helping make our time of worship so meaningful.
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There is something powerful about remembering. When we look back at the people God has placed in our lives, we begin to recognize just how faithful God has been. Some of those people taught us about Jesus. Others showed us what following Jesus looks like without ever saying a word. And some simply loved us through seasons when we needed it most.
That kind of remembering does something to us. It reminds us that the God who was faithful yesterday can be trusted with tomorrow.
And that brings us to this Sunday.
As we continue our series, Overflowing Gratitude, we turn to one of Jesus' more intriguing parables in Matthew 25:1–13. It's a story about ten bridesmaids waiting for a wedding celebration. All ten have lamps. All ten are waiting for the bridegroom. But when the moment finally arrives, only five are ready.
I've been thinking about how much of our lives is spent waiting. We wait for answers to prayers, for circumstances to change, for healing, for direction, and sometimes simply for the next chapter of life to begin.
But Jesus challenges us to consider something beyond the waiting itself.
Are we living faithfully while we wait?
I believe gratitude has much to do with the answer. When we remember how God has carried us through yesterday, we find the courage to trust Him with whatever tomorrow may bring.
That's why our message this Sunday is called Gratitude for Readiness in Hope.
A grateful heart remembers God's faithfulness and remains ready for God's future.
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I hope you'll join us Sunday at 10:15 a.m. as we explore what it means to keep our lamps burning and our hearts ready.
See you Sunday!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Scott
| | This Sunday, our choir returns to worship! In keeping with our sermon series of Overflowing Gratitude, the choir’s anthem and our closing hymn will both be “Blessed Assurance.” Written by Fanny Crosby, this much-loved hymn reminds us to be thankful not only for the blessings in our lives, but also for the faithfulness and love of God. The words, “This is my story, this is my song,” capture the joy and confidence we find in Christ and remind us that God’s unfailing love is always a reason to give thanks. | |
Advent Bible Study — The Redemption of Scrooge
Begins December 2 | 10:30 am
Can Ebenezer Scrooge find redemption? Join us for a four-week Advent Bible study based on Matt Rawle's The Redemption of Scrooge. Through Charles Dickens' beloved A Christmas Carol, we'll explore Jesus' teachings, the power of second chances, and what it means to live with love and generosity.
Sign up at the Welcome Center!
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Altar Flowers
This week's altar flowers are given by Sally and Jimmy Jones in memory of their son Troy Goode.
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Dedicate Sunday altar flowers to someone special! Sign up in the church lobby or email Karen in the church office. After worship, take your flowers home or donate them to a local organization to brighten someone's day. The cost is $40.
Last week, Ken delivered altar flowers to St. Matthews House, an organization that is fighting hunger, homelessness, addiction, and poverty in Southwest Florida for over 35 years.
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Volunteers!
Be Part of Our Worship Team!
Help make Sunday worship special by greeting, reading Scripture, lighting candles, collecting offerings, or assisting with Communion and anointing.
Interested? Contact Pastor Scott or Judy Margrey to get involved.
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Meal Packing at Meals of Hope
Help Pack Meals of Hope!
Join us Tuesday, November 17, at 10:30 AM to help pack meals and make a difference in our community!
📍 Meals of Hope
4176 Mercantile Ave, Naples, FL 34104
Contact Wendy McKee for more information or to volunteer!
| | MDS Trunk or Treat Was a Huge Success! | | | | |
Our MDS Trunk or Treat was a spooktacular success!
The children had an amazing time enjoying all the Halloween fun, treats, and festive activities. We are so grateful to all of our wonderful volunteers who generously gave their time, creativity, and support to make this special event possible. A very special thank you to Judy, Margrey, and Leo Poisson for participating and helping make the event extra special for our children! We are so blessed to have such a wonderful and supportive MDS community.
Thank you all for helping us create such sweet Halloween memories!
| | Ms. Angela & Ms. Audrey's VPK Class | | |
Our VPK students had a wonderful week filled with exciting learning and discovery!
The Letter of the Week was M, the Number of the Week was 10, and their Shape of the Week was an octagon. In literacy, the children practiced segmenting syllables in words and combining syllables to create words. They enjoyed reading fun fall-themed books while building their early reading and language skills. In math, they explored AB and ABC patterns, learned to recognize repeating units, and reviewed numbers 1–20. During science, they learned about living and non-living things and discussed how all living things grow, change, and go through life cycles. We are so proud of our VPK learners and all the progress they are making!
It was another fantastic week of learning, exploring, and growing together!
| | | Mrs. Ledbetter’s 3 Year Old Class! | | | |
What a fun-filled week in Mrs. Ledbetter’s class!
The Letter of the Week was H, and the Number of the Week was 7! The children explored the shape rectangle and our color of the week, yellow. The children enjoyed learning about the Thanksgiving story and had fun counting colorful feathers while practicing their counting skills. One of their favorite activities was Musical Letters and Numbers, combining music, movement, and learning!
It was another wonderful week filled with learning, laughter, music, and special memories!
| | A Week of Animal Adventures in Ms. Margie’s Class! | | |
This week, our little learners explored the wonderful world of animals that hibernate!
The children had fun using Play-Doh to make animal tracks and learning about the different tracks animals leave behind. They also enjoyed creating an adorable squirrel craft using paper towel rolls and acorns. And, of course, everyone loved exploring the colorful feathers on a turkey!
It was a fun-filled week of learning, creativity, and hands-on discoveries in our two-year-old classroom!
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| Thanksgiving Fun in Ms. Evie’s Toddler Class! | | | | |
This week in Miss Evie’s class, they celebrated all things Thanksgiving!
The children enjoyed creating their very own handprint turkeys decorated with colorful feathers, reading fun Thanksgiving stories, and exploring hands-on sensory activities. They had a wonderful time with music and movement, singing and dancing to some of our favorite Thanksgiving songs! Through art, stories, music, and play, our little learners explored creativity, practiced fine motor skills, and enjoyed new sensory experiences while learning about the spirit of Thanksgiving.
We are so thankful for all the fun and learning shared together!
| | A Thanksgiving Week in Ms. Miha's Toddler Class! | | |
Our little learners had a wonderful week celebrating Thanksgiving!
The children enjoyed making adorable handprint turkeys with colorful feathers, exploring Thanksgiving-themed sensory bins, and discovering different textures through hands-on play. They enjoyed reading festive Thanksgiving stories, singing cheerful holiday songs, and moving along to fun music and movement activities. The children practiced their fine motor skills through fun art projects, explored colors and textures, and used their imaginations during play. They talked about turkeys, feathers, and things we are thankful for.
It was a week filled with smiles, creativity, and lots of Thanksgiving fun!
| | | Soccer Shots with Coach Brandon! | | |
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It was a great Thursday of soccer!
This week, our little athletes explored an ocean-themed adventure while learning the importance of our character word, Determination. The children had fun playing the game “Go Fish” while practicing teamwork, listening skills, and following directions. They also worked on their soccer skills by learning the Outside Chop, helping them build coordination and ball control.
They had a fantastic day filled with learning, movement, and lots of soccer fun!
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Please continue to keep our brothers and sisters in Cuba in your prayers. The difficult situation in the country has forced us to pause our travel to Cuba for the time being, but our relationship and commitment to our ministry partners there remain strong.
These are incredibly challenging days for the people of Cuba, with shortages and hardships affecting everyday life. We currently have funds designated to support our ministry partners, and we are hopeful those funds will be safely delivered soon.
Even when we cannot be physically present, we can continue to stand alongside our Cuban brothers and sisters through prayer, encouragement, and faithful support. Please pray for strength, provision, and hope for the churches, pastors, families, and communities we have come to know and love.
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Please let us know if you or a loved one is in the hospital so Pastor Scott can visit and pray with you and your family.
We are always in prayer for our church family, those around the world living in poverty, our leaders, and our country. Please join us in prayer.
Intercessory prayer is a blessing God has given us to pray for others. If you have a prayer request for someone that we can pray for specifically, or even if you have a private prayer that you do not want published below, email us and we will pray for that person and that need privately: pastor@fumcnaples.org
- Mike Santalla (former member)
- Charlotte Schrand (MDS 2 year class member)
- Paul Breelke (brother of Lynda Hurd)
- Mark Humphries (son of Jean Humphries)
- Paul Peterson (friend of Tom Bach)
- Ingo Zacher (cousin of Wendy McKee)
- Mark A. Frederick (Barrie Conley's son)
- Devyn Morones (daughter of Amy and Pastor Scott)
- Sharon Caliguri (friend of Amy and Pastor Scott)
- Emma Wolf (friend of Amy and Pastor Scott)
- Mary Lou Riccio (member)
- Claire Mac Turk (daughter in law of John & Mary Lou Riccio)
- George Japak (Mark Japak's brother)
- Gene Eenigenburg (friend of Norine Tempelman)
- Jean Miller (daughter of David and Dottie Brennan)
- Joseph Courtez (father of Courtney Williams)
- Jill Stephen (mother of Brooke Stephen)
- Jean Smith (friend of Marie Evans)
- Ron ReBell (brother of Marie Evans)
- Maria Cedillo Toma
- Will Carpenter (brother-in-law of Al Johnson)
- Evelyn Johnson (sister-in-law of Al Johnson)
- Rosa Fogle (family of Thelma and Al Johnson)
- Cathy (friend of Gina Holsinger)
- Chiharu Grossman (daughter-in-law of Debbie Grossman)
- Peace in our country
- Jake Powell
- John and Nancy Mayeux (former members)
- Christy Gifford (niece of Judy Margrey)
- Marilyn Kaye
- Teresa Toma Manoquin
- Nicole McNamara
- Susan Tarantino (friend of Pam Kennedy)
- Slavka Pehar (friend of Pat Hamann)
- Jessica Rich (friend of Pat Hamann)
- Ross (cancer)
- Julia Barnard
- Paul Burfoot (son-in-law of Lee Kraus)
- Emily Cundra (granddaughter of Gail Jaworsky)
- Jane Briscoe (daughter of Betsy Ard)
- Chris and Christine Grimshaw (members)
- LeeAnne Merrifield (daughter of Jim Merrifield)
- Family of Valya Staruchin, Januk, Orysia, and family, Irina and family (three families of the Jaworsky's in Ukraine)
- All the many unspoken requests and needs of our congregation and their loved ones.
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| | Your Giving Is a Form of Worship | | | |
For your information:
If you are paying through your bank’s online bill pay, your bank writes the checks, which are then mailed to us. If you can make an online contribution directly from your checking or savings account through our website giving link, we can receive the money more quickly than the US mail can deliver it. Also, if you can pay directly from your checking or savings account rather than a credit card, it can help us avoid credit card fees. Between January and December of 2025, the church has had to pay close to $2000 in credit card fees ($1,998.73). We would far rather use this money for ministry than give it to Mastercard or Visa.
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Need to Reach Us? Here’s How!
We are available to you! Our church office is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. After hours, for pastoral emergencies, call the office, and you will hear how to contact Pastor Scott, who will respond to all pastoral emergencies.
Call the church office: (239) 262-1033
Please email us: admin@fumcnaples.org or
Mail contributions to:
First United Methodist Church, 388 First Ave S, Naples, FL 34102
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First United Methodist Church of Naples
388 1st Ave S
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 262-1033
www.fumcnaples.org
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