All Around the District

On Sunday I preached at First UMC Sarasota (where the district office is) for both of their worship services for the second Sunday of Advent. Everything was so beautifully decorated for the season. Their 8:30am service is in their chapel. 

And their 11am service is in their sanctuary. 

Grateful to partner this morning with their Children and Youth Minster Laura Ross. Laura is a candidate for ministry (deacon) in our district! 

Monday I traveled down to Naples for the annual Cabinet retreat. First stop was lunch at the famous Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe in Ochopee, deep in the heart of the Everglades. Our guest at lunch was author and theologian Brian Maclaren who lives in Marco Island. He's good friends with Rev. Roy Terry who arranged the visit. 

Then we traveled even further into the Everglades across the street from the detention center there at the Dade-Collier Transition Airport, otherwise known as Alligator Alcatraz. We had permission from the Miccosoukee Nation to be there to pray and hear stories from people whose loved ones have been detained in the facility. It was s somber solemn time. Especially as we watched some people pull up to the site to take their "excited celebrating selfies" with the Alligator Alcatraz sign. 

South West district representation: myself with Rev. Roy Terry and Rev. Mike Butler from Cornerstone Naples along with Brian Maclaren. 

Our Cabinet and spouses were joined by the Rev. Audrey Warren from the South East district who has been organizing the protests weekly with Rev. Roy Terry and others. 

After that I needed a bit of a mental and physical break. I found a labyrinth to walk near our hotel - at Naples United church of Christ - the original site of the North Naples UMC. 

And then for dinner a big group of us ended up at one of my favorite Naples restaurants - True Food Kitchen - and I even was able to get a gluten free dairy free chocolate chip cookie and ice cream! Delicious! 

Tuesday morning we spent time as a cabinet in a work session at North Naples UMC and got a wonderful tour of their church and facilities. Their senior pastor is Dr. Mark Caldwell. 

In the afternoon, we had some time off and I went to the Botanical Garden and walked a labyrinth. 

Then we regrouped at Shula's in the hotel for our Cabinet Christmas party dinner. This was me with the Caldwells at dinner. 

Afterwards a group of us went out to see Christmas lights around town in this fancy neighborhood called Victoria Park. It was SO much fun! 

We wrapped up our time in Naples at East Naples UMC hearing all about their One Church in Three Languages Model. It was a lovely and meaningful morning together with their pastor Rev. Dwayne Craig and several of their laity. And the bishop shared a devotional and we celebrated communion together. 

And when I got back to Sarasota, I walked the labyrinth at one of the Presbyterian churches. 

Thursday was a day of all kinds of Zoom meetings and I managed to just use my lap labyrinth to keep up my streak of "walking" them in Advent.