Worship at 9 and 11 a.m.

Joining Sunday | Sunday, April 28, 2024.

Join us on Sunday as Rev. Dr. Mark Williams will be preaching his sermon titled Known By Our Fruit, based on Luke John 15: 1-8.

Join in person or online!

Our heartfelt thanks to all of the now more than 400 donors who filled out an Estimate of Giving for the 2024 Stewardship Campaign. With a total of nearly $1.8M we are short of our goal, but want to acknowledge those of you who faithfully give each and every year to Naples United Church of Christ without an Estimate of Giving. Your contributions are equally important and we count on them to support all that we do. Your gifts will allow us to reach our goal this year. We will continue to keep you informed of the budget on both the income and expense side as the year unfolds and you can trust that Rev. Dr. Mark and the Trustees are constantly monitoring the fiscal well-being of the church. We are grateful to all of you who have supported stewardship over the past four years while we have been chairs and look forward to whatever new ventures God and this church have waiting for us.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bob & Candy Nordland 

The Board of Trustees is committed to providing information on NUCC’s financial situation on a regular basis for this year and beyond. The January and February financial statements were both published in the bulletin. We are now undergoing an update to the accounting software, preparing the documentation for the upcoming financial audit by the external auditors, and closing out the first quarter. As a result, the publishing of the March financial report will be delayed a few weeks after which the statements will return to the planned cadence. 

This Sunday, April 28 at 11 a.m. we will have Joining Sunday, a wonderful opportunity for those interested in becoming a member of NUCC. You may join as a full member or associate member (for those who wish to maintain their membership in a northern church). You may join in a private ceremony or publicly during the Sunday services.

If you are interested in joining or have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Membership Coordinator, Chelsea Godwin, at

Chelsea@NaplesUCC.org or by calling our church office at (239)261-5469.

You may also sign up in the Gathering Place following either service. Our next Joining Sunday will be on Sunday, May 12. 

As of this Joining Sunday, we will have welcomed a total of 66 new members by the end of the first four months of 2024. This compares to a full-year total in 2023 of 68 new members. The truly wonderful news is not simply the numbers. We’ve been so fortunate to attract over 130 caring, talented and energetic new members in just the last 16 months. And thanks goes to all in the congregation who have helped bring this about. 

If you're here in Naples for the season and are part of a church "up north" as well, we'd love to have you become an associate member of Naples UCC. You can be a member of Naples UCC and your church up north. In fact, as an associate member, you will have the same voting and participation privileges as any other member of our church family. To become an associate member, sign up in the Gathering Place on Sunday between services, or contact Chelsea Godwin.

This Sunday, April 28, Between Services, N-207

Join us for Intersections this week and learn more about NUCC’s work with refugees. John Bachman will interview fellow church members Barb Bachman and Bob Nordland in Nelson Hall 207 today between services. We hope to see you there! 

Come and meet up with old friends...or make new ones!!

We are excited to share that we will have a Social Soirée on Monday, April 29 at 4:30 p.m. at Giuseppe and the Lion (formerly Noodles Cafe, 1585 Pine Ridge Rd). Join us for an evening of fun, fellowship, and live music (beginning at 6:00 p.m.). Please sign up in the Gathering Place or by contacting the church office. If you have any questions or updates to your attendance, please contact Susan Melick at (239) 293-8446. We hope to see you there!

Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., N-101 and Zoom

All men are invited to be part of the weekly men’s ministry group here at NUCC. This Wednesday, they’re beginning a new book Jesus and the Powers by N.T. Wright. Come for coffee, donuts, and stimulating conversation. The group is organized by Rich Kirschner, please email him for the Zoom link. 

Thursday, May 2, 10 a.m.,

N-104 & Zoom

Join our WISE for Mental Health Taskforce as we support one another and work on our programming for the wider congregation. WISE stands for Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged. The WISE Taskforce aims to make our church WISE for people who struggle with mental health concerns, and their families. All are invited to join our meetings!

Please email Pastor Angela if you have questions or if you’d like the Zoom link.

We are celebrating our 9th year of having a Caregivers’ Support Group at NUCC!! Come and join us for cake. We will have our regular support meeting also. Our Caregivers Support Group will meet on Friday, May 3 at 2 p.m. in N-101. All are welcome! For more information, please reach out Joan Millon at joanmillon6@gmail.com. We hope to see you there. 

Our next Prospective Member Luncheon will occur on May 5, following the 11:00 a.m. Service, in Nelson Hall, room 104. This is an opportunity to meet our clergy, hear about our theology, and ask any questions you may have. Our seasonal visitors are especially welcome and we have a category of membership, Associate Member, which allows for full membership privileges here while recognizing your commitment as a member of your northern church! Please sign-up in the Gathering Place following our Sunday services!

You may also get in touch with our Membership Coordinator, Chelsea Godwin, or by calling our church office at (239)261-5469. Kindly RSVP by Wednesday, May 1. 

Join members and friends for fellowship, prayer and walking in nature. The Walk and Wonder group eagerly welcomes family members, friends and especially newcomers to the NUCC community. On Wednesday, May 8, enjoy the variety of walkways and picturesque views of the Gordon River at Baker Park. The Park is located on Riverside Circle off Goodlette-Frank Road just north of downtown Naples. Park in the upper parking lot on your left. Meet the group at the top of the stairs between the two playgrounds at 8:30 a.m. Anticipate our return to the parking lot by 10 a.m. Contact Merrill Noble at mwnoble56@gmail.com if you have questions plan to attend for the first time or would like to carpool from the church parking lot. 

Play Mahjong or want to learn? Join Mahjong on Mondays from 1 - 3 p.m. in N-101. Free and all are welcome!

It is that time again to get church members and church friends together for golf season! Our first outing, courtesy of Bob and Candy Nordland, will be at LaPlaya Golf Club on May 15. Reserved tee times start at 9:30 a.m., the cost will be $65.00 for golf and cart. Lunch following is on you. Sign up in the Gathering Place, by calling the church office, or by contacting John Ballew (732)598-2796 or Ron Sanson (239)860-8034. As always we are looking for new courses as well as old favorites this summer and fall, so if you are a club member and would like to sponsor your club, please contact us. 

There will not be a Teen Youth Group Meeting on Sunday, May 5.

The next Teen Youth Group Meeting will be on Sunday, May 19 at Buff City Soap in Mercato from 4-6 p.m. The NUCC Youth Group gatherings focus on fostering relationships through fun, faith-based activities and meets on the first and third Sunday of the month at 4 p.m.

Nursery childcare for infants through 4 years old is available each Sunday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. in Nelson Hall room 203 (the building across the Gathering Place). Please sign in with our nursery staff. Our current space located next to the sanctuary is still available to you as a Wiggle Room. Feel free to utilize that space if you wish to stay with your child. 

Holy Communion Sunday, May 5 • 9 and 11 a.m.

Cans for Communion Collection 

Rev. Dr. Mark Williams, preaching

“Joy Together”

John 15:9-17



Askar Salimdjanov, violin

Dr. Alexandra Carlson

Sanctuary Choir 

We have numerous roof repairs which will be ongoing for the next few weeks. These were much needed and will help protect our buildings during the rainy season. We are so grateful for the generous gifts that were able to make these repairs possible.

View the online calendar for NUCC here.

The Bargain Box will be holding a focused donation drive on the last Sunday of every month. This month it will be this Sunday, April 28 and we are looking for gently used purses, wallets and totes. A table will be set up under the portico and donations should be dropped off before and after both services. You may reach out to Mary Robinson at (239) 298-3496 if you have any questions. Thank you for your support of the Bargain Box!

With funds provided by Bargain Box revenues, a grant was given to the STARability Foundation by the Board of Mission and Outreach. STARability works to transform the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through social, vocational and educational community connections. With the help of their Vocational Services team, participants learn job skills, explore career opportunities and find employment with businesses that believe in their abilities. Our grant will be used to expand their Vocational Services. Meet Judith Irigoyen, Development Director, on Sunday, May 5 and learn more about their work. Additional information will be available in the Gathering Place between services, and you may visit their website: www.starability.org

A HUGE thank you to all of the people who have so joyously donated their time and talents to the Habitat for Humanity communities!! Jobs well done!! We will hold our FINAL (!) season Build Day on Saturday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to noon. Our team will be working on homes in the Whitaker Woods Project, directly across from Youth Haven, at 5825 Whitaker Road, Naples. There is a variety of work for all levels of ability...painting, caulking, hanging doors, installing windows, and framing for those with more advanced skills! We like to arrive around 7:50 and then wrap it up at noon. If you are interested, please sign up in the Gathering Place after the service. If you are a first-timer, please register with Habitat at: tinyurl.com/NUCCbuild.

All registrants will receive confirmation on site location and additional helpful safety information and will avoid needing to complete a release form at the job site. If you have any questions please contact judyvarty@gmail.com. Join us for a fun day of service! 

The current school year is not

over but already Grace Place for Children & Families is planning for the 2024-25 school year. NUCC will once again be collecting filled backpacks for Primary Grades (K-2). A list of the needed supplies can be found in the weekly e-blasts or in the Gathering Place after worship. Please stop by and sign up. Filled backpacks can be dropped off at church starting Sunday, May 12. There will also be a box in the narthex for drop-off during the week. The deadline for donations is Friday, July 12. Their “Back to School Bash” is scheduled for Saturday, July 20 this year. Thank you for helping us support the children of Collier County!

May 13, 7 p.m. & May 14, 4 p.m.

Discover Grace Place firsthand! Join their guided group tours to explore our programs, volunteer opportunities, and impactful work in Naples. The tours will be on Wednesday, May 13, at 7 p.m. and on Thursday, May 14 at 4 p.m. at 4300 21st Ave SW, Naples, FL. No need to sign up, just show up! These tours offer insight into their mission and community-driven efforts. We hope you can join us!

Friday, May 17, 12:00 p.m.

Join NUCC volunteers from 12:00-2:30 p.m. to help at the Grace Place Food Pantry. Volunteers help set up and distribute canned and fresh food to the clients. You may sign up in the Gathering Place or call the church office. Grace Place currently serves 300 families weekly. To learn more about our mission partner, visit their website at https://graceplacenaples.org 

Candy and Bob Norland are joined by Pastor Mark as they lead

the celebration of 400 giving units - a record!

Thank you to all who graciously submitted their pledge cards.

We are grateful to you!

Mission Statement: To love God and all our neighbors as God loves us.

Open and Affirming • Mission-Driven • Powerful Worship • Continuing Generosity

Caring Ministry• Hospitable Fellowship