The Sun /Saturday, December 28, 2013 RELIGION NEWS www.sunnewspapers.net C OurTown Page 7 Sermon of the Week: The times and season "But concerning the times and the season, brethren you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant wom- an. And they shall not escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) e long to see peace in our world and be safe from trouble in the Faithl Spiritualitil coming year. We often think of peace as being the absence of war. Yet Jesus said in Matthew 24:7-8: "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earth- quakes in various places. All these are the begin- ning of sorrows." The world we live in is not the world God intended for man. God created a perfect Garden of Eden for Adam to live and reign in. How could anyone ever be dissat- isfied with total peace and safety? Adam did not recognize his perfect completeness in God and chose to listen to Satan over God's word. Who are you listening to in this world? Even as we sit comfortably in our church pew, there is always a voice of the world that tries to get us to see many things as important and on our must-do list that have no relevance to God or His will for us. In this letter, Paul told the church that they did not need to discuss the times or season; that the second coming of Christ was inevitable and would happen when it was least likely to be expected. The return of Jesus Christ should be something you are very much aware of and looking for. It does not put our life on hold; in fact, it should be an underlying factor in our work for the kingdom of God. Putting things off that we know we should do may result in missed op- portunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your life on this Earth is short, whether it is eight years or 80. Each day is a gift from God, and we are to use it wisely. When the world speaks of peace, usually the absence of war; or safety, because of our technol- ogy, do not be deceived. Only God can provide safety and lasting peace. Jesus is returning soon. Those who are hidden in Christ will escape the wrath of God on those who do not know Him and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Judy Onofri is a church elder at Father's House Fellowship in North Port. Email her at onofrijudy@ yahoo.com. RELIGION FROM PAGE 6 woodworking, jewelry, quilting, ceramics, clothing, handbags and more. Beverages, snacks, and lunch will be available. Vendors will be inside, outside, on the porch, and everywhere else organizers can squeeze them in. For more information, contact Barbara or Art at 941-697-1414, or visit http:// gulfcovechurch.com. Pig Pickin' & Bake Sale Come to Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 1100 McCall Road (State Road 776), Port Charlotte, from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, for a Pig Pickin'& Bake Sale. Just $10 will get you a generous portion of North Carolina-style pulled pork, or half smoked rotisserie chicken, plus the extras. People can dine in, or use the EZ Drive-Thru to pick up takeouts. Employers who want to treat their employees, or any group of people, can purchase 10 or more dinners, and organizers will deliver them if you're located within 15 miles of the church. For dessert, folks can purchase a choice of baked goods. People can get tickets from anyone who attends the church, or from the office. For more information, call 941-697-1747, email gulfcoveumc@ centurylink.net,or visit http://gulfcove church.com. Charlotte Chorale presents concerts The Charlotte Chorale invites the public to welcome its new artistic director, William Dederer, as the chorale celebrates its 25th anniversary season. Dederer and the group's more than 65 singers have the following remaining concerts planned this season: Saturday, Feb. 15: "An Elixir of Love"at First United Methodist Church of Punta Gorda, 507 W. Marion Ave. love songs for the Valentine's weekend. Saturday, April 5:"Music From the Stage" at Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 24515 Rampart Blvd., Port Charlotte selections from Broadway and beyond. Tickets are $20 per concert (students, $10). There also will be a special benefit concert with The King's Brass Saturday, Jan. 25, at First United Methodist Church of Punta Gorda. (the chorale will not perform at this event). Tickets for the benefit are $20 (students, $10). More information about the King's Brass is available at www.kingsbrass.org. All concerts, including the benefit, begin at 4 p.m. For tickets or more information, call 941-204-0033. More information about the chorale also is available at www.charlottechorale. net. Breakfast, health check Punta Gorda Seventh-day Adventist Church's Health Ministries department plays host to a free breakfast and health screening to the public between 9 a.m. and noon the fourth Sunday of most months. The next planned date is Jan. 26. The church's Community Service Center also will have a yard sale that day, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The church is located at 1655 Taylor Road (on the corner of Cooper Street and Taylor Road). For more information, call 941-629-5388. Food pantry Discipleship Driven Ministries offers a food pantry and has partnered with Harry Chapin Food Bank and Feeding America to help make sure that no one in Charlotte County is without food. The agency is located at 4040 Tamiami Trail (at the end of the U.S. 41 Access Road at Gardner Drive), Port Charlotte. The pantry has a variety of food -including baby food to put in people's cupboards. All who have a need are welcome. The pantry is open 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday. For more information, call 941-764-8458. Free food package, breakfast New Vision Fellowship of Port Charlotte offers a free food distri- bution from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. the second Saturday of each month at the Woman's Club of Port Charlotte, 20271 Tappan Zee Drive. Each recipient is given a large bag of food with items suitable for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A free breakfast, with coffee and juice, also will be available during distribution hours. Any family that can benefit from this program is eligible. New Vision Fellowship is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church. Worship Services also are held at the Woman's Club and start at 10 a.m. Sunday. For more information, call 941-457-5153 or 941-743-4999. Food pantry Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2565 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, offers a food pantry from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The pantry now is connected with the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Fort Myers, which will expand the inventory, so the pantry will be able to serve the community better and more efficiently. The pantry is open to the public. For more information, call 941-625-5262. Food ministry The Community Outreach Center at Trinity Baptist Church, 11234 Royal Road, Punta Gorda, provides food from 9 a.m. to noon every Tuesday to help needy families or individuals. The ministry is an equal-opportunity provider. For more information, call 941-575-1211. Food pantry Punta Gorda Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1655 Taylor Road (on the corner of Cooper Street and Taylor Road), offers its food pantry to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of each month. For more information, call 941-629-5388. 'Horn of Plenty' First Baptist Church of Punta Gorda, 450 Gill St., provides a year-round ministry titled "Horn of Plenty."lt now is open from 9 a.m. until noon Saturdays, and includes free nonperishable food items and incidentals. Clothing needs are met on a limited basis from September through April each year. The ministry is an equal opportunity provider. For more information, call 941-639-3857 or visit www.fbcpuntagorda.org. Closet of Hope The Closet of Hope at Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 1100 McCall Road (State Road 776), Port Charlotte, offers free clothing for individuals of all ages. It is open from 9:30 a.m. to noon the first and third Saturday of every month. Recipients must show a photo ID card (such as a driver's license) upon entering the closet. The ID card should reflect residency in Charlotte County, or in Englewood, North Port or Venice in south Sarasota County. For more information, call 941-697-1747, email gulfcoveumc@centurylink.net, or visit www.gulfcovechurch.com. Free lunches offered Trinity United Methodist Church of Charlotte Harbor offers its Free Lunch Friday and food pantry programs to the public from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday at 23084 Seneca Ave. (on the corner of Parmely Street and Seneca Avenue, behind KFC). The programs serve those in need and those qualified for the USDA food-distribution program. For more information, call 941-625-3372. Homeless dinners North Port Cares for the Hungry will hold a free dinner from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of each month at Lutheran Church of the Living Waters, at North Port Boulevard and Chancellor Boulevard in north Port Charlotte. The menu includes an entree, a drink and dessert. All those in need are welcome. For more information, call Kris Dines at 941-625-8090. Spiritual quote: "New Year's Eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another 12 months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights." -Hamilton Wright Mabie Marion Putman is handling religious news for the Charlotte Sun. You can contact her by phone: 941-206-1183; fax (to her attention): 941-629-2085; email: marion mputman@gmail.com; or write (to her attention): c/o the Charlotte Sun, 23170 Harborview Road, Charlotte Harbor, FL 33980. TYPE or PRINT submissions, each of which MUST include the church's NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE and the name of a contact person. Don't forget the TIME, DATE and LOCATION of the event. Email is the preferred method for communi- cating this information. Email photos, in .jpg format, as file attachments. Submissions will be edited for length. Information must be received NO LATER than NOON WEDNESDAY for inclusion in the upcoming Saturday's column; announcements will run on a space-available basis. Ifyou would like to purchase an ad to guarantee a spot in the paper for your event, call 941-206-1000 and ask for Display Advertising. ~I 1 -NS H --!^ ! ^KmIlLC !--p 'U_J T *I 13"0"110 DEEP CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH 1500 Cooper St., Punta Gorda 941-235-REAL Sunday Services 9:00am & ll:00am www.dc3.TV Real Love, Real People FAITH LCMS Punta Gorda "Welcome Home!" Contemporary Sat. 5:30 Traditional Sun. 9:30 941-639-6309 4005 Palm Drive 1/4 mile west of US41 on Rio Villa HOLYTRINITY LUTHERAN, ELCA 2565 Tamiami Trail, Pt. Charlotte 625-5262 Traditional Service 7:45, 11:00 AM Celebration Service 9:00 AM Sunday School 9:45 AM Rev. Ken & Andrea Barrios Co-Pastors Food Pantry Open Mon, Wed & Thurs 9am-12pm Email: office @htlchurch.org We are an equal opportunity provider 9"-- --UTERA LIVING WATERS LUTHERAN CHURCH & PRESCHOOL, ELCA "The Little White Chunch In The CountIy" 12475 Chancellor Blvd. (North Port Blvd. & Chancellor) North Port 941-625-8090 SundayWorship 8:15 am & 10am Sunday School 10:00am Rev. Dr. Dell Shiell We Welcome Snowbirdsl www.LivingWatersLutheran.com LUIHERAN LHURCKLH OF THE CROSS LCMS 2300 Luther Road, Port Charlotte 627-6060 Sun. Worship 7:45 & 10:15 a.m. Christian Education Hour Sunday 9:00 a.m. Rev. Kenneth Redmann Pastor Rev. Richard P. Wertz Winter Assoc. Pastor Email: i www.lccross.org OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH LCMC Meeting in the El Jobean Community Center 14344 Jamison Way, Port Charlotte 10am with Communion i I.,,,,. Clyde W. Kaminska, Ph.D- Pastor Preaching Grace, Faith, Scripture "No Warmer Christian Fellowship Anywhere!" For further information phone (941) 766-7567 or (941) 764-8646 CHRIST COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN HARBOUR HEIGHTS 27000 Sunnybrook Road 629-1593 Pastor Duane Waters Sunday Worship at 10 am Communion first Sunday of the Month Covered Dish Dinner First Sunday of the Month at 11:30 am Membership Sunday last Sunday of the Month Hall available for Rent CLEVELAND UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 28038 Cleveland Avenue Punta Gorda, FL 33982 941-639-2775 Traditional Service 9:30 am Contemporary Service 11:00 am Reverend Thomas Moore, Pastor EDGEWATER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 19190 Cochran Blvd. (At the corner of US 41 & Cochran Blvd.) www.edgewaterchurch.com 625-3039 Pastor Dan Prine Services: Saturday Night Contemporary Worship Service 6:00pm 8:00am Traditional 9:30& ll:00am Contemporary ll:00am Sunday Bible Study Class Sunday School: 9:30 Nursery Provided FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 507 W. Marion Ave. Punta Gorda, FL 33950 639-3842 Rev. Michael Loomis Sunday Worship 8:00 & 11:00 a.m. Contemporary Service 9:15 a.m. Adult, Teen & Youth Sunday School Nursery Provided www.puntagordamethodist.com FRIENDSHIP UNITED METHODIST 12275 Paramount Dr. Punta Gorda 637-1717 Pastor Bruce Antle 9:45 -10 am Fellowship Time 10:00 am Worship ^RT CHARLOTTE UNITED METHODIST 21075 QuesadaAve 625-4356 Brian James, Pastor Worship Services 8:00 a.m. Traditional Service 8:00 a.m. Radio Broadcast on WVIJ FM91.7 9:30 a.m. C service e 11:00a.m i .... rvice Sunday School 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. www.ncumc.info IL IL Ifl TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 23084 Seneca Ave. Charlotte Harbor, FL 33980 625-3372 Pastor Marion R. Sortore Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m. Nursery Provided Sunday School Adults & Children 9:00am-9:45am Friday Food Pantry & Lunch: 11:00am-l:00pm USDA is an equal opportunity employer. Freedom Bible Church New Location: Port Charlotte Cultural Center Theater 2280 Aaron St., Port Charlotte Powerful Bible Message. Praise & Worship Full Nursery & Children Classes Sunday Services 10:30 am CASUAL DRESS, NO RELIGIOUS PRESSURE (1 Thess. 2: 3 & 4) For directions or questions, call 255 5613 or visit us at: www.FreedomBibleChurch.comrn Ne- me- rD-i -17777 3j i Atwater St., Pon Clanrotte Rev. Dr. David Blood Contemporary Service 9:30 Coffee 9:00 Welcome Hope Children's Home Casual Dress Nursery Provided www.onlinenewhope.com 866-717-3946 Blessed Assurance Bible Chapel Worship Service with Meaningful Bible Message Sunday Mornings 10:00am A different speaker each week. 1435 Collingswood Blvd. Port Charlotte, FL 33948 www.swfbi.org 941-625-3255 A muinistryof the SouthWest florinda Bi'e Institute, Inc. Refreshments after every service FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PORT CHARLOTTE SUNDAY HOURS 9:00am Christian Ed 9:45am Opening Praise 10:00am Worship Service Coffee Fellowship 8:30am & 11:00am Rev. Kathleen Dain, Interim Pastor 2230 Hariet St.-Between Midway & Gibralter 625-5045 www.fpcpc.com FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PUNTA GORDA 25250 Airport Rd., Punta Gorda 639-1959 Rev Stephen Mock Sunday Worship N ew .,... ... .. . Trade .i... I ,... , Watch Services Live viaWebsite ECOA Covenant Order Of Evangelical Presbyterians www.fpcpunta.org Living & Learning God's Word Sun. Traditional Uplifting Worship 10:30 a.m. 10548 Kings Hwy., 4 mi. N.E. of 1-75 941-743-7971 gracelakesuzy.com Presbyterian Churchl in America PRESBYTERIAN BURNT STORE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 11330 Burnt Store Rd., Punta Gorda (2 miles south of US 41) S941.639.0001 wwwJi lupoierg Traditional 8:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Contemporary Come As You Are 9:40 a.m. Nursery and age specific activities for preschoolers for all Sunday morning actvites. ASPIMTUALHOME WHERE RELIGION AND REASON MEET () UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF CHARLOTFE COUNTY Rev. Amy Kindred Worship Sun 10:30 AM Welcoming and inclusive www.uufcc.org wwwfacebook.confuufcc 1532 Forrest Nelson Boulevard Port Charlotte 941.627.4303 A I I I. CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 1201 Aqui Esta Drive, Punta Gorda www.puntagorda-ucc.com 637-8443 Worship at 10:30amn Rev. Bill Klossner PILGRIM UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 24515 Rampart Blvd. Pt. Charlotte 629-2633 Rev. Matthew L. Neumann, Sr Pastor Sunday Traditional Service 8:00am Contemporary Service 10:00am Nursery & Children's Church Provided during all services. To Place Your Ad In Our Worship Directory Please Call (941) 429-3110 U II II El 0 b - h Ah., O