Deltona Cornerstone Church is hosting a Pumpkin Patch this year from Sunday, October 2nd through Monday, October 31st. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day.
Cornerstone Church is located at 2813 Howland Blvd. in Deltona.
1st Activities of the Christian Church
On Sunday, September 25, the Rev. Carlos Perez, soon-to-be senior minister of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in DeLand, will lead the 10:45 a.m. worship message. The disciples welcome all to the Lord’s Table, with the minister presiding and two elders handing out the items.
Music is an essential part of Disciples of Christ worship services. Organist and pianist Barbara Polomsky enhances each worship service with her professional performance. She is assisted by Donna Mozley as the song leader. Often John Parrish joins them on his violin.
At each service, Scripture is read and prayers are offered for those in need.
A dedicated group prays for those in need on Mondays at 3.30pm in the church library.
To support outreach, the Women Disciples host a bingo at 7pm every second and fourth Friday in the fellowship hall. For September, the proceeds, after expenses, benefit the Good Samaritan Clinic.
Mourning workshop at the Church of the Holy Presence
Holy Presence Church in DeLand is hosting a grief workshop starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. “Because You Were Here: A Grief Workshop with a Touch of Joy” will run for eight weeks.
A “Blessing of the Animals” will be on Saturday, October 1st at 11am in the outdoor chapel. Bring your pet!
The church will host an Arts and Crafts Festival from 8:30am to 3pm on Saturday, October 8th.
Holy Presence Church is located at 355 N. Kepler Road in DeLand. For more information, call 386-734-5228.
Autumn festival at the Catholic Church of Sant Pere
St. Peter’s Catholic Church in DeLand is celebrating its fall festival from Friday, October 7th to Sunday, October 9th. There will be bingo games each day, food trucks, a silent auction, bounce houses and games for kids and a pancake house. breakfast on October 9.
For more information, visit www.StPeterFallFestival.org.
Multifaith event in Blue Spring
We encourage you to join St. Johns Riverkeeper on Saturday, October 8 for a paddling pilgrimage to Blue Spring. Participants will meet at 9 a.m. at the boat launch on West French Avenue in Orange City, which is at the end of the dirt road. Everyone will paddle up to the spring run at Blue Spring State Park, then paddle down the trail to the main spring and slowly float back down.
On the way back, participants will meet at the confluence of Blue Spring and the St. Johns for a discussion and a spiritual blessing of the waters, fortunately in honor of the life-giving Creation of clean water.
This is a multi-faith event, and anyone’s belief system is welcome. You are invited to read a poem or a sentence that connects you to the earth and the waters.
Everyone will paddle back to the landing through the oxbow tributary in front of the launch. The entire paddle will be only 2 miles, unless you want to continue down the river, and will last approximately two hours.
Attendees should bring a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddle, drinking water, a hat, a personal flotation device, a whistle and any other necessities for safe paddling. No need to register. Please email gabbie@stjohnsriverkeeper.org with any questions.
Celebrate Christ, a multimedia concert, Saturday, November 5 in Orlando
Celebrate Christ, an inspiring night of music, hope, unity and celebration for people of all faiths, comes to the Addition Financial Arena at 7.30pm on Saturday 5th November. The arena is at 12777 Gemini Blvd. North to Orlando.
Tickets are on sale now and are available through Ticketmaster.com and the Ticketmaster app.
Celebrate Christ is a multimedia concert featuring stirring performances by some of Christian music’s most distinguished voices, including singer-songwriter Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts; Jordan Smith, winner of season 9 of The Voice; the best artist of Billboard Blanca; and the most award-winning a cappella group in history, Take 6. There will also be a pre-show performance by pop rock artist Ofi in the plaza at the Addition Financial Arena.
Concert guests are encouraged to support the Light Orlando Community Food Drive by donating non-perishable food and candy at the door for local charities as they prepare for the holidays.
A constant battle
This Sunday, September 25, the congregation of First Presbyterian Church of DeLand will focus on “A Constant Battle,” a sermon based on 1 Timothy 6:6-19. During the three Sunday morning services, including open Holy Communion, Pastor Michael Bodger will reveal that Paul’s letter to Timothy in Ephesus, so many years ago, has amazing relevance in our modern world.
Through in-person, recorded or live services, listeners will learn from Pastor Bodger’s seven-week series on “Pastor’s Letters.” This week, it focuses on the text “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
The battle between sufficient and beneficial satisfaction and foolish harmful desires, if lost to this evil, can “plunge people into ruin and destruction.” (1 Timothy:9) For example, among many others, the television show American Greed easily exposes over and over the evil that some people will exhibit because of the love of money.
Paul warns Timothy not to be tempted by the love of money, but to “put on the good fight of faith.” (v 11) Money, in itself, is not bad. Paul instructs Timothy to exhort the rich not to become arrogant, trusting in their riches, but to trust in God.
Christ’s followers, whether rich or poor, will do good, act generously, and share willingly. In this way, they will take hold of the valid life that God provides, and will not allow the worldly life to take hold of them.
The “Cookout Conversations” will take place at 5.30pm on Wednesday 28 September in the pavilion. The monthly event invites everyone to come together and enjoy a lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs and platters, brought by attendees, if they wish.
With a serious, but certainly interesting and informative approach for everyone, member or visitor, First Pres offers a “First Connections Class”. You can learn about Presbyterian heritage in general, as well as the organization and beliefs of DeLand’s First Presbyterian in a four-week series led by the Rev. Donna McClellan and Lynelle Tucker. The class starts on Sunday, October 2nd from 10:10 to 10:50 in the Eastminster Room.
“The Sacred Music of Schubert,” a concert by the Chancel Choir, will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the main sanctuary on Sunday, September 25, featuring several solo and choral pieces, conducted by Jane Christeson, director of music. in the church Dr. Boyd Jones, First Pres organist and Stetson University professor, will accompany the music on the Wicks Organ Co. pipe organ. Installed in the sanctuary in 1958, the organ occupies 17 ranks.
The concert will feature several solo songs with sacred or biblical texts and often unrecognized religious themes found in Schubert’s repertoire. To complete the program, the ensemble will present the complete Mass in G Major.
‘Through the Darkness’
The Mosaic Unitarian Universalist Congregation, while not meeting face-to-face, meets online at 11am every Sunday. The September 25th service is titled “Traversing the Darkness.”
Everyone, at times, has gone through darkness in their life. Join Minister Teresa Leary as she shares geek insight on her path through this battle. From goblins to dragons, come on this warrior’s odyssey back to the light.
Worship leader Tracy Lunquist will lead everyone through the service. All are welcome!
For information about Mosaic, visit the website at https://mosaicuuc.org. For instructions on joining the virtual service, please email mosaicuuc@gmail.com.
‘Church of Jesus’
Foundations and core principles are so important to defining who we are and what we stand for. In the “Foundations” sermon series, First United Methodist Church of DeLand has been exploring the foundations of what makes United Methodists who they are as a church and as Christians. The final sermon of this series, which takes place on Sunday, September 25, is “The Church of Jesus”.
Henry Ward Beecher wrote: “The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of the imperfect.” Part of the core fundamental beliefs is that people need Jesus to become more than they are and be the best they can be. The foundation of all that we are is established in the belief that our lives as Christians and as a church are built on the truth of Jesus Christ.
The church’s annual Pumpkin Patch will open this year on Sunday, October 2nd. Opening hours are noon to 7pm on Sundays and 9am to 7.30pm Monday to Saturday. Pumpkins of all sizes will be available and the Pumpkin Patch will be open until Monday, October 31st or until the pumpkins are gone.
On Saturday, October 22, the church will host its annual Fall Festival, which will be a great day of family fun. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
Dr. Rajni Shankar-Brown will talk about trauma and healing
Stetson University professor Dr. Rajni Shankar-Brown, will return to the First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 25, to present “Trauma-Informed Care and Healing-Centered Engagement.”
Masks are discretionary, but recommended at this time for those attending in person.
First Unitarian Universalist services are live on Zoom and all are invited. This starts at 10:30am, but we encourage you to come early for the 10:15am greeting. This is how the church includes those at home who are not ready to attend or cannot for whatever reason.
The Zoom Sunday Service ID is the same every week. ID: Feel free to contact the church for help connecting to www.uudeland.org.
On Sunday, October 2, before the 10:30 a.m. service, a meeting breakfast is planned for members and friends to celebrate the return to the meeting in the church social hall. Next Sundays, First Unitarian will be back for the regular hour of coffee, tea and conversation after church.
Unitarian Universalists are an open-minded, free-thinking, open-hearted spiritual community where all are welcome as all learn together. If time permits, a discussion may be included after each presentation.
First Unitarian Universalist is committed to being part of the community, and the congregation participates by helping with the Interfaith Kitchen, The Neighborhood Center, and other community projects.
Regular group meetings (discussion groups, book club, men’s group, and conversation groups) continue on Zoom and in person.
Special educational programs for children are available at the 10:30 a.m. service.
For more information about church groups, attendance and activities, contact the church at www.uudeland.org.
