OurTown Page 6 C www.sunnewspapers.net RELIGION NEWS The Sun /Saturday, December 28, 2013 The Fabric of Our Faith: The carols of Christmas, part 5 rovidentially, our Florida move in August 1988 ini- tiated my return to the church of my baptism in 1990. I'd attended the Methodist church through the age of 15, when I "fell from grace." God mended my spir- itual vessel's cracks at my ordination in Flor- ida's United Methodist Church in June 2004. As Advent season winds down and Epiphany rounds the corner, I'm reviewing the carol, "We Three Kings of Orient Are." The lyrics and music were written in 1857 by Episcopal composer, the Rev. John Henry Hopkins Jr. It first was printed in his 1863, "Carols, Hymns and Song." The source of 80 percent of its lyrics is Matthew 2:1-18. A casual reader comparing that text with Luke 2:1-20 may see these passages as parallel accounts. But careful studies of each story's Greek text confirm that shepherds visited the manger two years before the Wise Men's journey to Bethlehem. Conjecture views the Wise Men as astrono- mers who saw Jesus' birth prophesied in Numbers 24:17 "A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel." Matthew 2:1-2 says, "They came from the east to Jerusalem asking, "Where is the one ... born king of the Jews? We saw his star ... and have come to worship him." These verses support the carol's longer title, crediting the theory of three Wise Men to Matthew 2:11 naming their gifts for Jesus - "gold, frankincense and myrrh." Hopkins' stanzas two through four beautifully symbolize the illumination of each gift's significance. Gold recognizes Jesus' royalty: a king reigning over us forever. Frankincense, incense of our ascending worship, presents our praise of Jesus' deity. Myrrh's costly perfume projects grief gracefully anointing Jesus for his burial. Stanza five glories as Jesus' resurrection de- stroys death; our alleluias resonate to Him who is King, God and Sacrifice. Our carol's refrain repeats a wise man's prayer: "Star of wonder, Star of night, ... guide us to thy perfect Light." Jan. 14, 2014, First United Methodist Church of Punta Gorda opens a I RELIGION BRIEFS Pancake Brunches This is the 41st season of the Men's Fellowship Pancake Brunches, held from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. select Saturdays in season at the Englewood United Methodist Fellowship Hall, 700 E. Dearborn St. Remaining dates include: today; Jan. 11 and 25; Feb. 8 and 22; March 8 and 22; and April 5. A cost of $5 ($3 for children) buys unlimited pancakes; orange juice, and bottomless coffee or tea; plus egg and sausage, biscuits and sausage gravy, or quiche and fresh fruit as side choices. Enjoy live music. Buy nuts, grapefruit, honey and Creative Workshop handcrafted gifts. Proceeds benefit local charities. For more information, visit www.englewoodumc.net, or call 941-474-5588. Community HU Song Come sing HU, a love song to God as a nondenominational, uplifting spiritual exercise. The Community HU Song will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Mid-County Regional Library, 2050 Forrest Nelson Blvd., Port Charlotte. It will be followed by light refreshments and conversation. The Community HU is for people of all faiths to come and experience the reality of God in their daily lives. This event is sponsored as a community service by local members of Eckankar, the Religion of the Light and Sound of God. Sunday Message Series Cleveland United Methodist Church, 28038 Cleveland Ave., east Faith Spirituality of Punta Gorda, continues to offer its Sunday Message Series emphasizing the Christian's response to the issues of our everyday experiences that can hinder our living abundantly. The public is invited to join in as members examine"God Speaks"- God calls us family! Traditional worship is at 9:30 a.m., and contemporary worship is at 11 a.m. For more information, call 941-639-2775. Breakfast offered Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2565 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, offers breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. the first Saturday of most months. The next offering will be Jan. 4. Hot breakfast is made to order, and costs only $6 per person; children younger than 12 eat for free. There are new items each month. For more information, call 941-625-5262. Hard Rock Casino-Tampa Trip The St. Charles Borromeo Knights of Columbus 5399 is sponsoring a Hard Rock Casino-Tampa Trip Monday, Jan. 13. The trip is open to the public. Bus patrons will have a chance to win $1,000. Play booklet discounts will be given to each patron on the bus. The bus ride will include games and snacks. The trip will depart from the St. Charles Borromeo Parish Center in Port Charlotte. Check-in is at 9 a.m., and the group arrives back at approximately 6 p.m. The cost is $27 per person paid reservation only, which must be reserved by Thursday, Jan. 9. For reservations and information, contact Dave Sloma at 941-624-0550. Winter Concert Series Peace River Baptist Church, 478 Berry St., Punta Gorda, will offer a Winter Concert Series. The schedule includes: Friday, Jan. 10: The Jonathans. Parker Jonathan is the master of ceremonies for the group, and also served in that role for the Kingsmen quartet for more than 10 years. Friday, Jan. 24: The Old Paths, returning for the second time. Friday, Feb. 21: The Rob Mills family, back for a return engagement. Friday, March 7: The Skyline Boys. Friday, March 21: The Taylors, back for the third time, bringing their family harmony with them. Friday, April 4: New Ground. The group hails from Alabama, and brings a close-knit harmony. All the concerts will begin at 7 p.m. Each concert is free, but a love offering will be received. For more information, call the church office at 941-637-6768, or Jim Reuter 941-628-9789; or visit www. peaceriverbaptistfl.org. 2014 Winter Concert Series Sunnybreeze Christian Fellowship, 7049 S.W. Liverpool Road, Arcadia, will play host to the first concert event of its 2014 Winter Concert Series on Friday, Jan. 10, with an evening of music, drama, monologue and mime performed byTrevor"Mr. Drama" Thomas and his wife Sawyer from Plant City, Fla. The second concert will be held Saturday, Jan. 25, featuring the Ministers of Music, a mellow, harmo- nious quartet from Pennsylvania. The third concert, to be held Saturday, Feb. 22, will feature family quartet The Taylors from North Carolina, sharing their passion for the Gospel through music. The final concert of the season will be held Saturday, March 8, featuring family trio, The Hyssongs from Tennessee, sharing their music through song, trumpet and trombone. Each evening, the music begins at 7. The public is welcome. Since these groups are not sponsored, a generous love offering would be appreciated as it is taken each evening. For more information, call 863-494-3273. Pancake breakfast and more The United Methodist Men's Fellowship of First United Methodist Church of Punta Gorda, 507 W. Marion Ave., welcomes everyone to enjoy a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. the second Saturday of each month in the church's Bryant Life Center, adjacent to Lenox Hall. The next date is Jan. 11. Fare includes all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage patties, eggs and applesauce. Coffee, decaf, tea and orange juice also are available. Attendees get all this for a "love offering"to the Men's Fellowship; proceeds go to benefit its many ministries, ranging from food for the homeless to youth to foreign missions. The Care Ministry also will have a Seek and You Will Learn session the same day at 9:30 a.m. in Lenox Hall. For more information, call 941-639-3842, or visit www. puntagordamethodist.com. The church's Bargain Boutique thrift store also will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day. Using donations, the boutique carries a houseful of affordable treasures, including clothing, shoes, kitchenware, linens, jewelry and home decor goods. Sales proceeds are used to support church missions and community outreach programs. For more information, call 941-505-0794. Annual concert series Burnt Store Presbyterian Church, 1330 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda, announces plans for its 2014 Concert Series. The Bay Street Brassworks will kick off the series on Jan. 13. This nationally acclaimed versatile brass quintet performs a wide variety of musical genres ranging from Dixieland, show tunes and classic rock to swing, big band and everything in between. The show includes a patriotic tribute. The second offering will be Phil Dirt & The Dozers, performing Feb. 10. The band will transport the audience to another time and place ... namely, the '50s, '60s and '70s of rock 'n' roll. The series finale, set for March 10, features a tribute to John Denver. Jim Curry presents the music in a way that has to be seen and heard to understand the pure honesty of his performance. All performances will start at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. There is no reserved seating. Special entry for guests with wheelchairs or walkers is available by informing the parking attendant upon arrival. A season ticket for all three concerts is $50. Single-performance tickets are $20, and will go on sale Monday, if available. Seating is limited, so purchase tickets early. For more information, call 941-639-0001, or email bspc83@ embarqmail.com. 12th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair Vendors of handcrafted items are invited to apply for a spot at the 12th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair at Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 1100 McCall Road (State Road 776), Port Charlotte. The show, to which the church's Men's Club will play host, is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, and Saturday, Jan. 18. According to the church, your handcrafted items will be exposed to hundreds of potential customers. Snack vendors also are invited (no main-meal items and no beverages). Each site costs $100; the Men's Club uses the proceeds to help with small community projects and church expenses. More information, require- ments and an application form can be found at http://gulfcovechurch.com/ events.html. For more information, call Art or Barbara at 941-697-1414 or 941-276-7281. Those planning to visit the show can expect to find art, photography, RELIGION 17 A14 Aah1' 1i W 01 1, ................................. S H !l 1l .KJIhLL ' L _-I- Trinity AnliCdii Church 1928 Book of Common Prayer Worshipping at McDonald Hall Sunday, 10am 2230 Hariet St., Port Charlotte For Info Contact 941-235-9307 Eastside Baptist Church Pastor Mike Mowry 6220 Golf Course Blvd., Punta Gorda 639-1648 Sunday Worship 11 lam & 6pm Sunday School 9:45am "AWANA" Wednesday 6:00-7:45pm Wed. Discipleship & Prayer Service 6:45 pm Nursery & Children's program provided eastsidebaptist. co First Baptist Church Port Charlotte 20035 Quesada Ave. Jim McCarty, Pastor SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:30 AM & 11:00 AM WORSHIP -8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM 12:30 -Hispanic Service Call for information on weekly activities and special events. 24-HOUR INFO LINE 629-0444 ., 9 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF PUNTA GORDA 459 Gill St., Punta Gorda 639-3857 www.fbcpuntagorda.org Barrett Hardin, Pastor Sunday School -9:15 a.m. Worship Services 10:30 a.m. Team Kid Wednesday- 6:00 p.m. Prayer/Bible Study 6:15 p.m. NiT..qerv,., nPr ,.;iced Peace River Baptist Church 478 Berry Street, Punta Gorda www.peaceriverbaptistfl.org Jim Stultz, Pastor 637-6768 Sunday School 9:45am Sunday Worship 8:30am, 11:00am, 6:00pm Tuesday AWANA & Youth Group 6-8pm Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study 6:30pm 11.1 .1d10 I UD0 UDO You are Invited to Berean Baptist Church An Old Fashioned Country Church 17377 Godwin Avenue (Located off Collingswood Blvd) Port Charlotte 941-629-7053 ii. 1.i 9:30am Sun. Worship Service 10:30 am, 6:00 pm vI. .. ... Service- 6:30 pm Tri-City Baptist Church 24058 Heritage Place, Port Charlotte, FL 33980 941-625-7412 Jay Sheppard, Pastor website: tri-citybaptistchurch.com Sunday School 10am, Sunday Worship 1 lam Sunday Eve. Worship 6pm Wed. Bible Study/Prayer Meeting 7pm Nursery Provided & Children's Program tricitybaptist@comcast.net SAN ANTONIO CATHOLIC CHURCH 24445 Rampart Blvd. Port Charlotte, FL 33980 (941) 624-3799 sanantoniorcc.org Weekdays- 8AM Saturday's 8:30AM Saturday-9:OOAM & 3PM Confessions Saturday Vigil- 4PM & 6PM Sunday- 7AM, 9AM, 11AM XXle P ^h F) 1-NI N SAN PEDRO CATHOLIC CHURCH 14380 Tamiami Tr. North Port, FL 34287 Sat. Vigil: 5:00 pm (May -Nov.) 4:00 pm & 5:30 pm (Dec. Apr.) Sun.: 7:30 am, 9:00 am & 10:45 am Weekdays: 8:30 am Daily Holy Days: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 7:00 pm Welcome to S ST. CHARLES BORROMEO \, CATHOLIC CHURCH 2500 Easy Street, Port Charlotte 941-625-4754 Mass Times: Weekdays- 7:00am & 8:30am Sat. Vigil: 4:00 pm& 6:00 pm (Jan. Apr.) Sun: 7:00am, 9:00am, 11:00am, l:00pm (French Creole) & 6:30pm (Youth Mass) www.stcharlespc.org NSIFMAXIMILIAN KOLBE CATHOLIC CHURCH 1441 Spear Street Port Charlotte, FL 33948 (941) 743-6877 Em ail: .. 1 ... . W ebs. i .. , Summer Mass Schedule Mon.-Fri. gam tulr .'"igil: 4:00pm, I .... i, 6:00pm ) Sunday Mass: 7:00am, 9:00am, 11:00am Confessions on Saturday 3:00-3:45pm and by appointment MURDOCK CHRISTIAN CHURCH 17500 Elmwood Ave., Murdock 255-1858 Minister Keith Sergent Sunday Worship 10:30am Sunday School 9:30am FIRST ALLIANCE CHURCH 20444 Midway Blvd. 625-7435 Sun. 8:00am, 9:20am and 11:00am Youth Ministries 6:00pm Wed. 6:30pm (Life U) Rev. W. Scott Borden PUNTA GORDA ALLIANCE CHURCH Pastor Clint Stasney 7500 Florida Street, PG 33950 (Corner Airport Rd/Florida St. near Edison) 941-637-6444 9:30am Adult Sunday School 10:30am Sunday Worship Wed. 10am Prayer & Bible Study www.pgachurch.org CHRISTIAN SCIENCE SOCIETY OF PORT CHARLOTTE LaPlaya Plaza Unit LI 2811 Tamiami Trail 10:00 am Sunday Service 3:00 pm on 1s' & 3 dWed. 941-625-2765 Reading Rm. 1-3 pmWed. www.christianscienceportcharlotte.org ENGLEWOOD EAST CHURCH OF CHRIST 9600 Gulfstream Blvd Englewood, FL 34224-9256 (941) 475-4973 Evangelist: Jim Ratliff Adult Sunday School 10:00 am Worship Service 11:00 am Youth Service 11:30 am Wednesday Eve Fellowship 5:00 pm Wednesday Eve Bible Study 6:00 pm www.engchurch.com SOULS HARBOUR| CHURCH OF GOD 451 West Helen Ave. Punta Gorda 941-639-1048 Welcome Sunday School, 10:00 am Morning Worship, 11:00 am Midweek Service, Wed., 7:00 pm Pastor, Phil Keaton THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 401 W. Henry St., Punta Gorda 639-2757 The Rev. Roy W. Tuff, Pastor "All Are Welcome" Sunday 8 & 10 am Holy Eucharist Nursery Available at 10am Svc. Email: church@goodshepherdpg.com www.goodshepherdpg.com ST. NATHANIEL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 4200 Biscayne Dr, North Port 426-2520 Priest-In-Charge the Rev. Jean Hite Sunday 8 & 10 am - Holy Eucharist Sunday School 10:45 am www.stnathaniel.org St. James Episcopal Church 1365 Vizcaya Dr., Port Charlotte 627-4000 The Very Rev. Cesar Olivero, Pastor Sunday 8:00AM & 10:30AM -Holy Echarist Sunday School 11:00AM Wednesday 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist healing service Praise and worship 1st Sunday of each month @ 5:30 PM Adult BibleStudy Sunday @ 9:30AM &Wednesday @ 3:OOPM www.stjamespcfl.org I I p- To Place Your Ad In Our Worship Directory Please Call (941) 429-3110 10-week Alpha Course that sheds light on spiritual life. To register, call course administrator Peter Gillen at 941- 661-8367, or visit www. whatis 1 st.cornm/alpha. (Source: http:// communities. washington times.corn/neighborhood! civil-war/2011/dec/7/ we-three-kings-story- christmas-carol.) The Rev. Larry Armbrust, a retired United Methodist Florida Conference pastor, lives in Port Charlotte. Email him at pastorlwa2@ embarqmail. com.