First United Methodist Church

  • Winter Park, FL | Sunday Worship 9am & 11am
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9am Contemporary | 11am Traditional

Month: January 2019

Shoulders of Spiritual Giants

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We stand on the shoulders of spiritual giants. For the past 134 years, generations of leaders have made this church what it is today. This year our church family will continue to embody our call to make disciples of Jesus by working through the pillars and ministries to embrace these three goals:

  1. Live in Christian community and witness to our Orlando neighbors through small groups.
  2. Renew our commitment to serve others and extend Christ’s grace to the Colonialtown North community.
  3. Identify a tool that enables us to manage information and support of our church family.
As we face challenges and changes in 2019, let us stay focused on our mission and pray for God’s direction

Reeves Campus Update

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We received our certificate of occupancy and completion for our renovations for the Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) at Reeves in early January. Our DCF inspection was completed the end of January and we are looking forward to TCA moving to Reeves in the next 30-45 days. We also completed a new ADA compliant sidewalk with landscaping along the west border (Spokane St.) as a part of that project.

We are excited about the new ministries that will begin and are looking forward to working with the local community to serve their needs.

Welcome Chevalier Lovett!

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We are pleased to announce that Chevalier Lovett has agreed to serve as our Interim Contemporary Worship Leader as we conduct a search for a permanent replacement. Many of you remember Chev as one of the band members under the leadership of John King. He has worked in the non-profit sector for the past 10 years and is currently the Sr. Vice President & Managing Director for Organize Florida. He also serves on several boards throughout the Central Florida area and proudly serves as the Vice President of Development for Opera Orlando. In his free time, Chev loves to read countless books, travel the world and spend time with his given and chosen family (which happens to be the most amazing and supportive family in creation)!

Chevalier Lovett – baritone, conductor & pianist, is a native of Winter Park, FL – and has been a lifelong lover of the classical art form. In the past some of the leading roles that Chev has performed has been in: The Merry Widow, Orpheus in the Underworld, The Magic Flute, Ragtime, Dido & Aeneas, Hansel and Gretel, & Trio Baritone (Trouble in Tahiti) prompting one critic to write that Chevalier “…possesses an attractive light baritone voice and dispatched his roles…with verve. His easy way with Bernstein’s syncopations was especially enjoyable”.  Chev has been heard as the baritone/tenor soloist in several major works including Handel’s Messiah, Schubert’s Mass in G, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore & Coronation Mass, and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass to name a few.  As a conductor, some of his conducting highlights include Don Giovanni, Man of La Mancha, Madama Butterfly, Messiah and Verdi’s Requiem.  Former artistic director of Opera North, Ron Lushinger said that Chevalier is “…a promising young man…(who) brings a youthful enthusiasm to any task!”  Chev has also been an active pianist, accompanying solo recitals for well-accomplished singers and choruses throughout the country, most recently performing at Carnegie Hall as the Associate Director & Pianist for the Jones High School Choral program in the Spring of April 2018.

In the 2017 – 2018 performance season Chev was a special guest judge for Connecticut Opera’s American Opera Idol national voice competition. Chev made his stage debut with Opera Orlando as King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors where one critic wrote “Perhaps one of the most impressive things about Amahl is its local cast…A highlight among a stellar cast was eponymous night visitors [the Three Kings]…The virtuosity of the trio was matched by the three as soloists, as each brought his own amusing levity in solo passages, which highlighted the fantastical absurdity of the narrative.” As a conductor, Chev played a major role in Opera Orlando’s Spring production of Cinderella as Assistant Conductor to the extraordinary cast and the productions Conductor, Music Director of the Orlando Philharmonic, Maestro Eric Jacobsen. He has also given countless recitals across the eastern US.   

A Christmas Eve Choice:  A Shiny New Candle or a Gently Used Candle?

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Thank you to our Vibrant Family Members and their guests who were willing to take a gently used candle and holder.  For the first time members of our community were offered a choice of being good stewards of the God’s creation by being willing to re-use candles and holders during the Christmas Eve services.

This re-use/re-cycle endeavor involved some effort on the part of many volunteers.  The candles had to be moved at the end of the services at the lakefront, sanctuary, and Mathias Family Life Center in garbage bags and sorted and re-stacked to be ready for the following services.

A few days following Christmas, another volunteer team sorted used candles and holders and determined which could be used next year.  Candles and holders were separated for storage.  Team members wiped each used holder with alcohol to remove the smoke and some of the wax from the inside of the holders.  The SSTs separated the new candles and holders.  There are 19 boxes of candles and holders that will be stored for next year’s candlelight services.

A total of 3000 new candles and holders were purchased for the 2018 Christmas eve services.  Half of the candles and holders were not used, thus leading us to believe that at least 1000 people took a gently used candle.  Next year we hope that more family members will take a previously used candle demonstrating our care of the environment and financial stewardship as well.

 

Socks & Underwear Advent Collection = A Huge Success!

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Thanks to our church family who helped give all these “unexpected gifts” to the Health Care Center for the Homeless! We collected:
  • 1,030 pairs of socks
  • 556 pairs of undies
  • 2,300 diapers
  • 52 sweatshirts & hoodies
All of this will be delivered to help homeless families seeking services in our area. We will also distribute more than 100 pairs of men’s & women’s athletic shoes collected through Colin Urbina’s Eagle Scout Project.

Meet Our New Pillar Leader!

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Dear Church Family,

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says to those gathered, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

With that scripture in mind, I’m excited to lead the Passionate Seekers pillar in 2019, supporting the ministries of New Members, Kinfolk, Connect Groups, and Discipleship. One thing I love about being a United Methodist is our focus on living out the greatest commandment, that we love God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind. We know that it’s important to use all three; heart, mind, and soul working together.

Since joining FUMCWP 16 years ago I’ve learned to ask questions, to seek God, and to wrestle with the Scriptures. I’ve found that when we do, we transform our lives so we become Christ-like people who live Jesus’ way of life. That way of life, of course, is the way of love. I’ve also learned that following Jesus can sometimes be difficult, because the second greatest command is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t always come naturally to me! Fortunately, there’s a question I’ve learned to apply as I approach the workday, family time, or any part of life. It’s simply, “What does love require of me?” When I answer that question honestly and sincerely, I know what to do.

No matter where any of us are on our faith journey, we can all come together as passionate seekers, and as one family. I look forward to seeing the exciting things ahead for our ministries as we continue on the journey at First United Methodist Church of Winter Park.

– Bob Atchison, Passionate Seekers Pillar Leader

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Winter Park 125 N. Interlachen Ave Winter Park, FL 32789

407-644-2906

Reeves Center 1100 N. Fern Creek Ave. Orlando, FL 32803

407-894-2237

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