TUESDAY TIDINGS for May 13, 2025

Dear First United Methodist Church of Mount Dora,

For the last week or so, many have been talking about the Church all over the United States due to the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope. Indeed, there are significant differences between Catholics and Protestants. However, nominally religious people, like those who have grown up in the church, don’t know the differences.

I am glad the conversation across the country is shifting to spiritual matters. Having spent most of his ministry in Peru, he seems poised to be a bridge-builder. I believe the Holy Spirit works through human processes like the election of a new pope, even if I have doctrinal differences with the Roman Catholic Church.

Similarly, the United Methodist Council of Bishops met last week and approved a new vision statement for the denomination. That vision statement reads:

“The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.”

As a local church, we adopted a new mission, vision, and values statement in March 2024, over a year ago. Since then, the Church Council and Vision 2030 have been guiding us in embracing and living out this mission statement, which is as follows:

“We are called as a church to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with Mount Dora and the surrounding communities with our heart, hands, and head. We will become an intergenerational and intercultural community that loves God through vital worship, life-changing small groups, and life-giving friendships. In response to our love of God, we will love our neighbors by helping and hosting in Jesus’ name.”

In all of these local and global instances, I see the Holy Spirit at work, inspiring us to move forward as the people of God with faith and courage to heal the world in the name and way of Jesus.

As the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah, God speaks to us now:

See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19 [NIV])

Grace and Peace,

Pastor David

Join Us for Student Sunday, May 18, 2025, during all worship services. We will be congratulating our Graduates, recognizing our Scholarship Recipients, and highlighting our Barefoot Youth Ministries. Come be a part of this joyous worship experience!

Understanding the Supply Board
Each folder on the supply board represents a specific item needed for VBS. Here’s how to read and use it:

1. Folder Label: The label on the front of each folder indicates the name of the item.
2. White Slips Inside: Inside each folder, you’ll find white slips of paper. Each slip corresponds to one unit of the item.

Example:

• A folder labeled “Wipes” with 3 slips inside means 3 packs of wipes are needed.

• Removing 1 slip from the “Wipes” folder means purchasing 1 pack of wipes.

• One slip = one item or package.

Organizing Borrowed Items (e.g., Hammers, Baskets, etc.)
These items are listed on white paper and attached to the board. (NO NEED TO TAKE THESE SLIPS OFF THE BOARD) We need as many as we can collect of these items. 
Storage & Labeling:

• Designated Borrowed Items Bin: Place all borrowed items in a specific bin labeled “Borrowed Items.”
• Individual Labels: Attach a label to each item with the owner’s name and contact information.

Managing Craft Donations (e.g., Gatorade Bottles)
Collection & Storage:

• Craft Donations Bin: Set up a bin labeled “Craft Donations” to collect items like Gatorade bottles.

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