What's Happening: FCCWP April 2026 Newsletter
This class is hybrid so you may attend in person (in the Conference Room) or via Zoom.
225 S. Interlachen Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
Office: 407-647-2416
Mobile: 321-333-0092
Maunday Thursday Service
April 2nd ~ 7:00pm - FCCWP Sanctuary
APRIL 3RD GOOD FRIDAY
You are invited to a live stream of The Seven Last Words of Christ, on Good Friday, April 3. Rev. Nayiri Karjian, the Transitional Conference Minister of the Florida Conference will be one of seven Conference Ministers offering a Good Friday reflection. Please save the date and check the Florida Conference UCC Facebook page for the live stream.
Join in a service of the 7 Last Sayings of Christ Rev. Shawn Garvey will be one of the seven ministers
Macedonia Missionary
Baptist Church
412 E. Kennedy Blvd
Eatonville, FL.
APRIL 5th GOOD FRIDAY
As we head into the final days of Holy Week ~ we invite you to Easter Sunday's Sunrise Service & Brunch.
Join us at Rollins College - 1000 Holt Avenue at 6:50 am for our Sunrise Easter Service. Plus following the service a delicious Easter Brunch will be served from 8:00 am to 9:30 am back at Fellowship Hall provided by our Board of Membership.
FCCWP Easter Sunday Services
10am
Sanctuary
Bring your cut flowers to help decorate the cross just outside the main entrance to the Sanctuary
Fellowship, coffee and snacks will be in the courtyard after worship.
Be sure to stay for the annual butterfly release!
Celebrate Easter morning with us! Please mark your calendars and RSVP to enjoy a hearty continental breakfast on April 5 from 8:15–9:30 AM. Join friends and church family for fellowship
after the Sunrise Service and before the 10:00 AM service.
We’ll be serving bagels with cream cheese and jams, muffins, fresh fruit, a yogurt parfait bar, coffee, tea, and juices. We hope you’ll join us!
Kindly click the link below to RSVP
Connections a group for women who have lost a spouse, living alone, caregivers or just feel like you need to connect.
Join us 3rd WEDNESDAY of each month
April 22nd @ FCCWP 10am - 12pm
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP
Neighborhood Groups FCCWP Summer Kick Off
The Neighborhood Groups are taking over this years
Summer Kick Off!
Join your Neighborhood Group for a fun Progressive Lunch in Fellowship Hall
following worship
Watch your emails from your group leaders to find out how you can be involved and join in on this very fun day.
Have no idea what your neighborhood group is?
No problem!
May 17th, 2026
11am - 1pm
@FCCWP
Fellowship Hall
Supervised Water Fun Outside for the Children!
Guests welcome!
The Board of Membership has one big message: THANK YOU!
Our FCCWP Family Continues to Grow
Because of you, our church continues to grow in meaningful ways. New faces are joining us, friendships are forming, and our FCCWP community keeps expanding. Thank you for inviting others to experience what makes our church special. Thank you for your faithful presence each week. And thank you for the energy and heart you bring to everything we do together. Your involvement truly makes a difference in the life of our church.
Our 2026 Board is hard at work, and our team is strong! On March 15, we welcomed three new members and after church enjoyed a special Lunch Bunch with 23 people at The Imperial restaurant. In addition, several more have expressed an interest in joining in May. Maybe you know someone else who has been thinking about it. It’s always a joy to see how God continues to bring people together here at FCCWP. Thank you for welcoming our new members in such a warm and meaningful way.
Do you know someone who might be looking for a church home? We would love to connect with them. Simply let the church office know, and someone from our team will reach out right away. We will be holding our next membership conversation on April 26, followed by New Member Sunday on May 17.
Have ideas to share? Know a visitor you’d like to introduce? Stop by the Welcome Table on Sunday mornings or connect with someone from our team before or after worship. We would love to meet you, hear your thoughts, and continue building a welcoming and vibrant community together.
There’s a place for everyone here — and we’re so glad you’re part of it.
Have you ever thought about teaching
Sunday school?
*schedule is flexible
*curriculum and guidance provided
*children and youth are so much fun
*Sunday school provides a safe, loving space for youth and children to ask questions and begin their own journey.
April 5th March 1st - EASTER - Sunday School
and Butterfly realease
April 12th - ALL Children WILL STAY IN CHURCH FOR
COMMUNION SUNDAY - Fun bags for all.
April 12 & 19 - Sunday School
April 12th - 5:30 - 8pm - W.I.N.G.S. youth group - rehearsal
April 26th - YOUTH SUNDAY! The service where the youth takes over!! ALL Children WILL STAY IN CHURCH FOR
COMMUNION SUNDAY - Fun bags for all.
April 26th - 8:30 am W.I.N.G.S. all call rehearsal
April 26th - 6pm W.I.N.G.S. youth and families graduation celebration dinner
The Stewardship Committee
With Grateful Hearts — Stewardship Giving 2026 Update
Dear Church Family,
We are so grateful to share that for Stewardship Giving 2026, we have received 103 pledges totaling $452,037. Our current pledges account for 80% of our 2026 Stewardship budget of $565,000. Thank you. Truly. Your faithfulness and generosity are what make ministry, outreach, worship, and care possible in our church community.
For comparison, in 2025 we received 116 pledges totaling $420,496 along with additional non-pledged giving that brought us to our final giving total of $542,196.
While we have not yet reached our original 2026 giving goal of $580,000, we are encouraged by the strong foundation already in place. If you are still prayerfully considering your pledge, we warmly invite you to submit it. Every commitment helps us plan faithfully and move forward with confidence.
It is truly a privilege to serve alongside such a generous congregation. Thank you for your continued support, your prayers, and your faithful giving.
With gratitude,
The Stewardship Giving 2026 Team
David and Lisa Rotenberger
Anne Thomas
Lil' Dab
FCCWP supports Ward Chapel and its food pantry which helps to feed our neighborhood families. Your donations to our Lil' Dab Box are sorely needed, especially while school is back in session. Please consider bringing in non-perishable food items and placing them in the box in Fellowship Hall. Don't forget that BOGOs at your favorite grocery store are perfect opportunities to stretch your donation dollars! Thank you!
Please no perishables.
Please check and make sure all food items are in date! (no expired food items, please)
THE CARING COOKS
The Caring Cooks: Serving with Love in Times of Loss
The Caring Cooks is a compassionate ministry dedicated to supporting families during one of life’s most difficult times—the loss of a loved one. This faithful team lovingly prepares, serves, and cleans up after receptions following church member funerals, offering hospitality and comfort at no cost to the family.
To help continue this important ministry, we invite you to support The Caring Cooks by donating toward supplies such as food, tablecloths, plates, cutlery, and more. Your gift ensures that we can keep showing up with love, warmth, and a good meal when it’s needed most.
Want to join the team?
We’re always looking for more helping hands! If you’d like to be part of this meaningful ministry, please contact Barb Brostrom at bjbrostrom@cfl.rr.com.
Thank you for helping us care through cooking.
Come Alive! | Women’s History Month Gathering at Rollins
We recently received this lovely note from Cari Rotenberger following our Women’s History Month gathering at Rollins College:
Dear Women of Come Alive! ~
Thank you so much for joining us this afternoon for our Women’s History Month gathering at Rollins. Your presence brought such warmth and joy to the
Wuz Happening with the Spirit Keepers? (Spoiler: A Whole Lot of Good Stuff!)
Hey brothers (and anyone brave enough to hang with us), glad you asked! The Spirit Keepers have been on fire all March long—serving like it's our cardio routine!
We kicked things off with the legendary Men on a Mission Who Cook extravaganza, feeding the congregation like we were auditioning for a cooking show (spoiler: the food was better than the drama). No one left hungry, and a few folks even asked for seconds... and recipes!
Then we turned the tables and served ourselves at our monthly TRIPLE T (Tasty Tuesday Tradition—because who needs fancy names?). We rolled into Jimmy Hula's for some epic tacos and burgers. Let's just say the vibes were beachy, the portions were generous, and the conversation was even better. (Pro tip: Never challenge a Spirit Keeper to a wing-eating contest unless you're ready to lose.)
We kept the momentum going by serving up dinner for our friends at the Orlando Coalition for the Homeless—because nothing beats showing up with hot food and bigger hearts. Those smiles? Worth every minute.
And we're not done yet! One final March mission: A crack crew of us is hitting the grounds and walkways to make everything spit-spot clean before Kerry Weisner's epic Birthday and EGGSTRAVAGANZA! We're talking Mary Poppins-level perfection—practically supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. (If you see us with brooms and good attitudes, give us a wave... or a cold drink.)
Looking ahead to April: We're already scouting our next TRIPLE T spot (because traditions this delicious don't quit), and we're locking in a date for our annual service project at Camp Boggy Creek—that magical place where kids with serious illnesses get to just be kids. Count us in for making memories and lending a hand (or two... or ten).
Stay tuned, fellas—more food, fellowship, fun, and faithful service coming your way. Who's ready to keep the good vibes rolling? Let's do this!
In Him and with high-fives, The Spirit Keepers
We’d love to see your smiling face at the next one! If you’re not getting our event emails and want in on the fun, just shoot me a message at w.martinwareing@gmail.com or text 407-383-0190.
Life is Sweet at FCCWP!
See you soon. And until then—
Strength and Courage to Carry the Light,
Marty Wareing
Elizabeth Hooker Book Club
Elizabeth Hooker Book Club-April 2026 Update:
We had a great discussion in March when we gathered to discuss “Happy Wife” by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores. Thank you to all who attended!
On Sunday April 26, Ann Masters is leading the discussion on “Absolution” by Alice McDermott.
Absolution is a 2023 novel by Alice McDermott that centers on the lives of American military wives in Saigon during the Vietnam War, focusing on the experiences of two women, Tricia and Charlene, and their reflections decades later on their roles, their attempts to "do good," and the unintended consequences of their actions. The book explores themes of folly, grace, obligation, and the quest for absolution, shifting the traditional Vietnam War narrative to the periphery of the women's lives, and won the 2024 Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award.
All are welcome to attend our meetings, and regular attendance is not required. We meet in the Parlor on the fourth Sunday at 6:30 pm every month (except June/July summer break and December holidays). Please call (407) 832-0348 or e-mail
abwareing@gmail.com to be added to our list. I hope to see you there!
Prayer Shawl Ministry At FCCWP
Do you like to help others during a time of need? Then come and join our Prayer Shawl Ministry group. We extend an outreach of compassion to individuals who need our warm prayers and hugs of compassion due to illness, death of a loved one, or other difficult circumstance happening in their lives. We meet on the 3rd Monday of the month, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the church Parlor.
We will meet on Monday March 16
Even if you have never knitted or crocheted, we would love to have you participate. It’s a fun and relaxing time together. We have members who can help teach you these crafts. We also have yarn and patterns to help get you started. Just bring your own knitting needles or crochet hooks.
We knit and crochet prayer shawls and create and give baby shawls to infants when they are baptized at our church. In addition to prayer shawls, you may knit or crochet scarves and hats.
Questions: contact donnaborko@gmail.com
Donna Borko, Prayer Shawl Ministry Coordinator
Church Calendar
Hello Church members! I want to ensure that all events are scheduled smoothly and efficiently. To help me manage our facilities and avoid any scheduling conflicts, please remember to contact the church office before planning any events in the church’s
rooms.
Due to the nature of some private events, not all reservations are listed on our public calendar. By reaching out to the office first, you can ensure that your event is properly booked and avoid any potential conflicts with other activities.
To schedule an event or book a space at the church, please contact the church office: Phone: 407-647-2416
Email: mtaylor@fccwp.org
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for helping us keep our scheduling organized and efficient. We appreciate your cooperation!
Warm Regards,
Megan Taylor
Church Office Administrator
The Visitation Committee
Visitation Committee: Reaching Out with Love and Care
At the heart of our church is a deep commitment to caring for one another. The Visitation Committee lovingly connects with members who may be going through difficult times—whether they’re in the hospital, grieving, or unable to attend church.
If you know someone who could use a visit, a call, or a kind word of encouragement, please let Megan (mtaylor@fccwp.com), or Sally Schott, Chair of the Visitation Committee (sarahpschott@yahoo.com), know.
Together, we can make sure every member of our church family feels seen, supported, and surrounded by love.
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
"Praise be to the God… who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
Ways to Volunteer: Click Here
What more can you do?
I will do more than belong – I will participate.
I will do more than care – I will help.
I will do more than believe – I will trust.
I will do more than dream – I will work.
I will do more than teach – I will inspire.
I will do more than earn – I will enrich.
I will do more than give – I will serve.
I will do more than live – I will grow.
I will do more than be friendly – I will be a friend.
I will do more than talk – I will listen.
I will do more.
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Acolyte Ministry
Please sign up for Acolyte service. You can Call Jenni Franz at 407-810-2261 or:
All active FCCWP Members are invited to join the Facebook page titled Member Group of the First Congregational (UCC) of Winter Park.
LIVE STREAMING OF CHURCH SERVICES
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