Church Happenings: Don’t Miss Out on This Week’s Highlights!
TUESDAY TIDINGS
YOUR CHURCH’S NEWSLETTER * Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Dear Church Family,
I hope this email finds you well. I am currently on a brief family vacation, but we’ll be back in time for worship on Sunday, and I look forward to being back in the pulpit! This Sunday, we will continue our series, “Six Decisions That Will Change Your Life.” This past week, I shared my testimony about how, for many years, I followed Jesus with my mind and my words, but I didn’t always feel it deeply in my heart.
As emotional, spiritual, and physical beings, God has created us with complexity, yet true healing comes through Jesus’ shalom. Shalom means deep and abiding peace. It also means salvation in a holistic sense (here and in the future). That was the heart of last week’s message: the decision to truly follow Jesus.
But once we make that decision, what comes next? What will we do with the rest of our lives? That’s the focus of this upcoming week. Many of you are exploring this question in small groups, Bible studies, and personal devotions. If you’d like to follow this study on your own, Amplify Media provides video resources related to the book we’re using. The first 100 households in our church can sign up for a free account using the special code listed below in this email.
A Message of Gratitude from Waterman Hospital
I would like to share a heartfelt note of appreciation from Chaplain Sabine Vatel at Waterman Hospital:
“Thank you for making time to minister to our Waterman team members, visitors, and patients on Ash Wednesday. May God continue to bless your spiritual leadership.” It is always a joy to serve, and I’m grateful for the ways we continue to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community.“
Important Upcoming Events + SHAPE Class – Tuesday, March 18 at 7 pm in the Chapel + Church Retreat – Saturday, March 22 – A time of renewal, fellowship, and deepening our faith together. If you haven’t signed up yet, now is the time! + Starting Point – Sunday, March 23 + Confirmation Sunday – March 23 – Join us in celebrating and supporting our confirmation students as they take this important step in their faith journey. + Additionally, Josh Collins and I have enjoyed teaching young people about the essential doctrines of the faith, and we want to expand this for the whole congregation on Sunday evenings from 7 to 8 pm, especially for our young adults.
Since many of you prefer to engage with content on your own schedule, we’re planning to record these sessions as a church podcast. I encourage you to watch, listen, and grow with us!
I also hope some of you will consider joining one of the two upcoming Wednesday Bible studies. More details are available below.
That’s all for now, but I pray you have a blessed week. If you’re traveling for spring break, may God grant you safety and renewal. I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday as we explore what it means to have a new life in Christ.
Blessings, Pastor David
Click the picture above to download the 2025 LENT DEVOTIONAL. Prefer a hard copy? You can pick one up in the office or the Sancturary.
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!! Join us every Wednesday (just not tomorrow) from 6:00 to 8:00 pm for an evening of fun and adventure!
Footprints: For our awesome kindergarten through fifth-grade explorers!
Barefoot: For our cool sixth through twelfth-grade adventurers!
Come and be part of the excitement!
WONDERFULWEDNESDAY!
Children on Sunday mornings
Childcare – Available from 9:15 am to 12:15 pm
Kids’ Church – Children begin in worship at 9:30 and then depart for Kids’ Church
Bible Fun – Available during the 11:00 traditional service
Join a Sunday Bible study!
Bible Explorers – Sundays at 9:30 am in the chapel –6 Decisions
Carpenter’s class – Sundays at 9:30 am in the CEC classroom –6 Decisions
Upper Room – Sundays at 9:30 am in the choir room – Chronological study of the Bible
11:00 Bible study – Sundays at 11:00 am in Friendship Hall – 6 Decisions
Join a mid-week Bible study!
Wednesdays at 9:30 am in the chapel with Janet Westlake – The Final Days: A Lenten Journey Through the Gospels
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in Friendship Hall (and on Zoom) with Pastor David Averill – 6 Decisions That will Change Your Life
Thursdays at 6:30 pm in the chapel (and on Zoom) with Paul Lane – The Book of Daniel
Your church has provided you with this service to get access to recommended Bible studies, and more for the first 100 households in the church.! There are Bible study videos for ALL ages!
Description: A famous theologian, Saint Anselm of Canterbury, once defined theology as “faith seeking understanding”. Do U feel perplexed about some of the terms you read in the Bible or hear in sermons? Do U want a more in-depth way to approach faith that appeals to mind as well as spirit? Then, TheologyU is for U! TheologyU is the newest addition to our studies at First United Methodist Church of Mt. Dora. TheologyU focuses on classical teachings of the Christian faith — presenting, explaining, and interpreting them in a way that U can understand, using words, symbols, and hymns. Over 30 weeks, U will examine the writings of ancient and modern Christian commentators and view video presentations by leading Bible scholars and discussions led by Pastor David. No books are required for this study. Participants can come and go as they’d like from the study. Like worship, missing one week does not mean U will be lost the next week. Each week covers a topic independent of other topics. For those who would also like to follow along with readings and daily reflections, the study is based on the “Christian Believer” series by Abingdon Press.
Experience ACTS of Worship at Our Early Traditional Service
March 9 – April 13
Our 8am service will feature ACTS worship with:
Holy Communion: Weekly intinction with grape juice and Biblical wine.
Rite of Anointing: Weekly anointing with oil to encourage prayer.
Want to better understand how you can serve God? Our SHAPE profile helps you understand your spiritual gifts, your heart, your abilities, your personality, and your experience. Together, these five factors help you find the place where God wants you to serve. Join us on Tuesday, March 18 at 7:00 pm in the chapel as we explore our SHAPE profiles.
Our Book Club meets on Tuesday, March 18 at 2:00 pm in Sanctuary Hall. March’s book is The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters. New readers are always welcome!
Lake Cares has a mobile distribution site on Friday, March 21 at the King Center, 803 Florida Avenue. Volunteers of all ages are needed from 7:30 to 9:30 am.
🌟 Join Us for an Unforgettable Churchwide Day Retreat! 🌟
Join us for an inspiring Churchwide Retreat on Friday, March 22nd, from 10 AM to 3:30 PM at the beautiful Warren Willis Camp & Conference Center! Kim Quinn will lead workshops on “Cultivating Connection Through Faith & Understanding.” EXCITING NEWS!!! A generous donor paid the way for 15 people to attend for free! A few people already took advantage of this magnanimous gift, but there are still a few spots left. If you haven’t registered yet, do so today! Call the office or send an email to register.
Starting Point meets on Sunday, March 23 from 4:00 to 5:30 pm in the chapel. If you want to know more about what it means to be a Christian, a United Methodist, or a member of this congregation, contact the church office to reserve your place.
Dress a Girl in the World meets on a new date – Tuesday, March 25 at 10:00 am in room 103 on the Children’s Wing.
The Widowed support group will meet Thursday, March 27 at 9:30 am in the chapel.
Are you looking for a way to reach out to your neighbors during Lent this year? Pick up a “Love Your Neighbor” kit at the Fifth Avenue entrance. It contains resources to help you have meaningful faith encounters with the people in your life.
Our Hometown Nazareth Vacation Bible School: Where Jesus was a kid is June 9-13 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. New for 2025 is Stay & Play after VBS. For $125, children can stay after VBS from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. The time will include games, crafts, and movies. Families should book early as Stay & Play will fill quickly. To be a part of all the excitement at Hometown Nazareth VBS and Stay & Play, register at www.mtdorafumc.org/families.
Dear Families,
Join us for an unforgettable week at Warren W. Willis United Methodist Camp from June 23-27! Your child will enjoy worship, Bible studies, crafts, games, and outdoor adventures while growing in their faith and friendships.
Camp Details:
Elementary (3rd-4th grade)
Middle School (5th-7th grade)
Senior High (8th-12th grade)
Register at wwumccc.org/summer-camp. A deposit is required. Scholarships are available; please contact us for details. Active Footprints or Barefoot students receive up to $275 towards camp costs. Friends can join for $575.
Students from FUMC will be grouped together in cabins and small groups, supervised by college students and adult volunteers.
Hope to see you there!
IT’S EASTER LILY TIME!
Easter Lilies have been ordered! If you would like to contribute $10 towards an Easter Lily, please find the special envelopes at the ushers’ table starting this Sunday. You can specify if you would like your lily to be in honor or in memory of someone special. Kindly drop your envelope, along with your payment, in the offering box or at the church office.
MONDAY: 09:30 AM – 02:30 PM TUUESDAY: 09:30 AM – 02:30 PM WEDNESDAY: 02:00 PM – 06:30 PM
ADDRESS: in the CHAPEL – 333 E 5TH AVE, MOUNT DORA, FL, 32757-5660
CONTACT: 352-717-4125 or click AARP above to go directly to scheduling!
Join our workouts, they’re a blast, Fitness fun that really lasts! Thrills and fun, we motivate, Challenge, commit, it’s all so great!
No floor work here, just lots of glee, And guess what? There’s no fee! Push those limits, feel the cheer, With friends beside, there’s nothing to fear.
Let’s conquer goals, one by one, Together, we make fitness fun!
Come join our exercise class which meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 9:00 am in Friendship Hall. No fees, no floorwork—just FUN, stretches and fitness!
