What’s next for our church—and how will we get there together?
In a time when churches everywhere face challenges of connection, growth, and direction, we believe God is calling our church to step forward with clarity, courage, and purpose. That’s why we’re inviting you to a pivotal moment in our journey: An Interactive Visioning Event.
This isn’t just another meeting—it’s your opportunity to help shape the direction of our church in the months and years to come. We need your voice, your insight, and your faith at the table.
After sharing light refreshments, we’ll engage in creative, hands-on conversations focused on connection ministries, building opportunities, future goals, and the spiritual heartbeat of our community. Together, we’ll begin shaping a shared vision for what’s next—and how we can faithfully move forward as a church family.
Event Details:
Date: Sunday, July 13, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Matthias Family Life Center Gym
This interactive event marks the next step in our vision clarification process. Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible—registration closes on July 7.
We truly believe God is doing something new here—and it begins with all of us showing up. Don’t miss this evening of envisioning our future together!
We welcome you to join our Fall book study led by Barbara Thompson! We will study Jesus and John Wayne, the 2020 bestseller from author and Christian historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez. Jesus and John Wayne traces the consolidation and abuse of power within American Christianity, with an emphasis on how gender hierarchies influence Christian nationalism. As deeply concerned Christians, we recognize that strains of Christian nationalism are all around us—in our country, our churches, our families, and even within ourselves. We seek to lean into discomfort and learn in community in order to better exemplify the love of Christ with courage, curiosity, and humility.
This study will be offered virtually on Zoom from 7–8:30PM on alternating Thursdays. We welcome participants from around the country, but do ask that each new guest be invited by a participating church member (or previous book study alum).
Dates:3
July 31
August 14, 28
September 11, 25
October 9
Please register and secure your copy of this profound book today. The first assignment will go out on July 17th and include preliminary reading and video content. Please send any questions about this study to us at DEI@fumcwp.org.
Summer Sermon Series | Starting July 6
This July, journey with us down the Yellow Brick Road as we explore what it means to follow Jesus with heart, courage, wisdom, and hope. Inspired by the timeless stories of Oz and Wicked, each week uncovers spiritual truths about the journey of faith, the companions we need, the lies we face, and the redemption waiting beyond the curtain.
Join us in Worship at 9am & 11am on June 8th, Pentecost Sunday, as members of our church lead a mutual service of Pentecost and Juneteenth. Experience accounts of the baptism of the Holy Spirit which gave birth to the Christian Church, and the Juneteenth witness of resilience, faithfulness, and God’s liberating love.
Pentecost and Juneteenth declare that there is room for everyone in God’s family! We hope everyone will join this special celebration in Worship.
We encourage everyone to wear RED to honor both of these traditions!
Enjoy an interactive, guided group tour highlighting historical landmarks, while getting up close to how gentrification has impacted and transformed the identity of Winter Park’s Westside African American Community – Hannibal Square.
Tour begins at 9am sharp at Shady Park (721 New England Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789). Parking is available along New England Avenue or in a lot across from the park. Bring water and walking shoes as we will walk at least one mile around the community.
Presented in partnership between Barbara Chandler Productions and our church’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ministry.
The 2025 Florida Annual Conference is just around the corner! This is a time when lay members and clergy from all the United Methodist churches in the Florida Conference gather for worship, fellowship, and to conduct the business of the church. It includes reports on past and ongoing work, the adoption of future goals, programs, and budgets, as well as the ordination of clergy members as deacons and elders.
Learn more about this year’s conference and hear from Bishop Berlin at the link below!
Join us on July 20th for our Summer Family Movie Night: Wicked. All ages are invited to the gym at 5pm. Costumes encouraged!
Dress comfortably and bring blankets, pillows, camp chairs. Pizza, popcorn, and drinks will be provided, but please RSVP so we can plan accordingly.
Discover how to cultivate a humble heart and a curious spirit.
It’s not always easy to be gracious and loving, especially with people who are challenging for us. When we exhibit a posture of humility and curiosity, our tense relationships can be changed. But humility and curiosity don’t develop simply because we desire it. This workshop teaches concrete practices that will open your heart to the Holy Spirit’s work. You’ll leave with practical ideas and hopeful next steps.
Led by Colossian Forum facilitator Chase Stancle, our morning will feature large group discussions of how biblical values shape our imagination around conflict transformation. We will also discuss Leap of Faith in small groups and share a simple lunch together—a proven way to shape Christian community! Please join this rich opportunity and bring your questions. We want to explore together what it means to pursue unity beyond agreement or toleration.
The workshop will begin promptly at 9:30am, with doors opening at 9:10am for bagels and coffee. Lunch will be served at 11:30am and the workshop will end at 1:00pm. We do ask that participants attend the entire morning. Attending the Leap of Faith screening on May 16th is strongly encouraged, but not required for participation in the workshop.
This event is in connection with our Doc Night: Leap of Faith.
Can Christians be in community together when they disagree?
Join us for Leap of Faith’s Orlando premiere! Leap of Faith is a brand new, powerful film that explores this question and many more. Director Nicholas Ma and Producer Morgan Neville (who previously told Mr. Roger’s story in Won’t You Be My Neighbor) approached The Colossian Forum about independently filming the ways they were creating community across difference. The film follows twelve pastors who spent a year navigating their shared heart for God and their theological disagreements. The result is a profound testament to what can happen when Christians bring what’s on their hearts to one another.
We have the honor to be led by Chase Stancle, one of the pastor participants in the film and a trained facilitator with The Colossian Forum. Chase describes himself as “a fully devoted follower of Christ, an eagerly engaged husband, father of four, and Lead Pastor of Unison Christian Church, an intentionally multi-ethnic church serving Grand Rapids, MI.”
As the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ministry, we want to open spaces for authentic, courageous engagement with one another as Christians. We hope you will join us as we explore what church can look like when we pursue unity beyond agreement. Reserve your seat today—and bring friends!
MFLC 313 is on the third floor of the Matthias Family Life Center on our Winter Park campus (125 N Interlachen Ave). Parking available in large lot off Interlachen across from the sanctuary. Doors open at 6:15pm and program begins promptly at 6:30pm. Dialog will follow film screening, ending at 9pm.
For more about Leap of Faith, visit https://leapoffaithmovie.com/
For more about The Colossian Forum connection to the film, visit https://colossianforum.org/leap-of-faith/
For more about Chase Stancle, check out this episode of the Practicing Hope podcast https://colossianforum.org/the-art-of-slowing-down/
This event is in connection with our Christian Conflict Transformation Workshop.
Revisit the day when Jesus was crucified as the Chancel Choir and Orchestra present “Seven Last Words from the Cross,” a music-driven Service of Darkness. This experience will challenge you to reconsider your response to Jesus’ sacrifice.
