• Pastor Kirt: Jesus Born to Save, Not Change
• Member Spotlight: Wayne and Willi Pederson - Using Voice to Move Hearts and Minds
• An Interview with Author Jack Tymann
• The Miracle of Christmas
RICK BOB WALTER VICKI DON GENE BECKI DONNA MARY HENNY LINDA BILL CLIFF
WILLIS
ED RHONDA JOHN BILL GRACE IAN LYNN RBECCA JOHN CAROL LUCILLE WILLI
STEVE LINDA LYNDA CHERYL BARBARA JOHN PETER ELLEN BILL JULIE MARY FRAN WARREN
BARBARA JOHN ANNE JOANNE JILL FRANCES LARRY CLIFFORD PAT DOUG
If your name and birthday are not listed above, call the NCC office at 239-213-1325.
Every Other Monday –Bible Study with Dawn Birch12 Noon – everyone welcome 6 p.m. – women only If missed, look for Dawn Birch voice memo RECAP e-mails with easy click on audio, not blue icon, to hear a recap of the Bible Study
Every Wednesday – 11 AM Issues Hour, Sunshine Room and ZOOM
Every Wednesday – 4 PM Bible Study with Pastor Kirt, Sunshine Room and ZOOM
Every Sunday – 9:30 AM
Prayer Time with Dawn Birch, Sunshine Room and ZOOM
Every Friday – 12-1 PM Time of Prayer, NCC Sanctuary. All invited!
First and Third Wednesdays – 12:30 PM Mens’ Lunch after Issues Hour, Blueberry’s Cafe, 3350 Tamiami Trail North
Thursday Evening, December 15, 5:00 PM F3 Christmas Trolley Event Dessert by Santa’s Elves after the Ride
Saturday December 24, 5:00 PM Christmas Eve Service
Saturday December 25, 10:00 AM Christmas Service
Sunday January 1 “Undeck” the Halls after service
Wednesday January 11 Movie Night, Paragon Theatre Gather at 6:15 PM, Movie at 7:00 PM
Wednesday January 18,12:30 PM F3 Luncheon, Deep Lagoon
Saturday January 14, 8:30 AM Blue Zones Project Walk, hosted by Ken and Corrine Brandle at their Isles of Collier Preserve
Sunday January 22
Member Spotlight after the Service Wayne and Willi Pederson
Save the Date! - Thursday February 2 All NCC “More than Hors D’oeuvres” Sunset Cruise aboard the Naples Princess 4:15 PM - Boarding 6:45 PM - Return to Dock Tickets on Sale January 1 after the Service
NEW: Look for the Icons in the NCC emails to be connected to the NCC Zoom Room when it’s time for the event to begin: the blue icon (for Dawn’s Bible Study), the black icon (for Pastor Kirt’s Issues Hour), the orange icon (for the Wednesday afternoon Bible study with Pastor Kirt), and the purple icon (for the Sunday Prayer time.)
The world into which Jesus was born was a mess. Rome was a brutal totalitarian regime. If a conquered territory had a belligerent population, down came the iron fist and the installation of ambitious jack boots from Rome. More relaxed regions were under ring-kissing native rulers. What appeared to be “freedom of religion” was Rome’s ambivalence and apathy toward religion. As long as they didn’t rustle Roman feathers, okay.
No idea why it stuck As a little kid I was watching TV in the living room maybe because we had just visited Hollywood or because it was getting close to Christmas but Charlie McCarthy (that puppet with a top hat and spectacles) was interviewing W.C. Fields.
darkness and the darkness did not o light of the world. Sounds like Jesu
Religious leadership defined community life. The Sadducees were the cultural elites, ensuring right worship and civic order. The Pharisees were the rock-ribbed conservatives watching and ruminating over strict adherence to law as they defined it. And the Essenes were the granola-eating, dope-smoking radicals who plotted the overthrow of the post-Eden world.
“Is it true, Mr. Fields, that you were standing on the corner of Hollywood and Vine and cars were lined up waiting for your nose to turn green?” “That’s like Rudolph!” I thought. I didn’t get the joke but I did think about the story of poor Rudolph who didn’t get to play with the others in their reindeer games.
Frosty the Snowman, because of “m silk hat “came to life” bumpety at him go but he’ll be back Newness of life? Resurrection? either magical or it is not!
That was then and this is now? People are people, life is messy, and there’s nothing new under the sun.
The world that God entered on Christmas night was not so different from the world on any night. Jesus came into a world of burdensome taxes, stupid government, obnoxious politicians, crooked clergy, rowdy kids, and wandering eyes.
We in churchland can be dismissive of such “secular” songs at Christmastime, ‘cause ours tell the real story! Rudolph, Frosty, rockin’ around and jingling just don’t measure up to Mary, Joseph, Magi, shepherds, and pear trees
The themes carried through v Christmas songs are drawn, if not story itself, then from the deep human heart of memory, fami falling in love, children, warmth in the dark, redemption and hope from one to ninety two hope fo or any teeth at all
And when Jesus came, grew, carried out his ministry, prayed in Gethsemane and went to the hill to die, nothing changed. Nothing. The world was as it was and remained as it is. That’s why we should not be surprised that all the events displayed on our screens show no improvement, even 2000 years later.
Rosacea nosed Rudolph was different from all the rest but provided light to guide them through the night They used to call him names But when Rudolph finished his work they all loved him and shouted out with glee His light shone in the
So, is Christianity a failed enterprise, and Christmas more about Dickens than the Didache?
Christ makes His way into Christm more obvious songs get canceled continues to stump the secular, the love in Christ, of Immanuel, of the being born into those vile circu broken world, continue to make th hearts. It’s been said many times, m the Savior is born!
God took on flesh in the world where he was arrested, convicted, flogged, and crucified. That flesh bore the sin, nastiness, brutality, and demons of this world, past, present and future. All were crucified together, and everything rotted away. Except the flesh.
And life for us goes on as life has gone on. As W. H. Auden reminds us,
There are bills to be paid, machines to keep in repair, Irregular verbs to learn, the Time Being to redeem from insignificance.
And we try. But nothing changes because everything is changed: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Jesus didn’t change the world. He saved it.
From small rural Midwest towns where they grew up on farms to national and now international work, they both have shared a common thread – using their voices and personality in media, particularly broadcasting, Wayne in radio and Willi on TV. Theirs is a compelling story of how the Lord brought them together. Married for just seven plus years, they have become a dynamic duo in their consulting and non-profit work. They are also ardent in their mission to bring others to know the love and redemption that Jesus offers all. And they have a particularly interesting way of showing their love and their guidance in faith to each of their nine grandchildren. (Their story made me think about the importance of my grandmother in my life and how I love to use her Bible.)
This feature could have been named, “From Pasture to Palace” – Wayne grew up and learned what it means to work hard on a dairy farm in northern Minnesota. As a graduate of the University of Minnesota in Broadcasting, he considered going into pastoral ministry and earned his MDiv degree from Free Lutheran Seminary in Minneapolis. This proved a perfect background for his 35 years of radio broadcasting in the Twin Cities; as Willi put it, Wayne was the “voice of Minneapolis.” This stint with KTIS was followed by five years of career progression to VP of Broadcasting in Chicago with Moody Bible Institute’s radio network; then it was on to 8 years
with HCJB Global, working across five continents and 100 countries, putting in 500 radio stations to spread the Gospel to those who’ve never heard. Now with Wayne’s international consulting and advising opportunities, they have had exciting adventures and meetings in “high places.”
While Wayne became a radio announcer at 20, Willi at age 20 became a flight attendant for
Delta Airlines. Growing up with three siblings in a strong Lutheran home in the rural town of Greeley, Colorado, she wanted to “spread her wings” to see the world. From there, she returned to college and received a degree in dental hygiene, doing her clinical work at Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. She leveraged that into working for Sonicare and Colgate, doing infomercials for them and providing dental expertise for them on air with QVC, otherwise known as “the shopping channel.” Then she went on to work as a real estate broker in Colorado Springs. Willi met Wayne and his late wife Norma in Ghana while she was part of a mission team. After marrying Wayne she became Global Ambassador for HCJB. Note the broadcasting similarity.
God had a plan for them both in their individual lives and now together. You have heard how they moved to Naples in 2021. Wayne filled in for Kirt one Sunday in late January, and then again in October. They came back because of the love that NCC put on them early this year and are now an active part of the NCC family. In their Member Spotlight event on January 22, you will hear more about their background and their experiences as a couple joining forces in Colorado in 2015 and now traveling the world in their work together. We are very pleased to have them kick off our 2023 Member Spotlight program.
As I mentioned at our Annual Meeting in April, a new initiative was undertaken to recruit an associate pastor to complement Pastor Kirt and help shoulder the pastoral duties of our ministry. To facilitate this process, a search committee was formed and have been diligently looking for the right person whom God has ordained to come to Naples Community Church. The search committee consists of Nanette Finkle, Eric Bartsch, Ian McKeog, Mike Lyster and Pastor Kirt Anderson.
To aid in our process, we have retained a firm that specializes in matching pastors and churches. Please add this initiative to your prayer list, asking God to prepare the person that he has already identified and to give our team the wisdom and judgement to discern His will. While we have not found the right candidate just yet, we are excited about what God has in store for us.
by Chris PettingillAs we go to publication of this issue, we are still in the season of Thanksgiving – particularly this year as so many of us are thankful for the amazing and loving help given by our NCC family after our beautiful Naples was ravaged by Ian. In this issue, we have more letters of gratitude, more evidence in photos of the high and uplifting spirit of our NCC family and even an interview with an author of our own, Jack Tymann, as he talks about his new book and his gratitude for his faith, family and NCC church family.
Further reason for gratitude: Juliann Thomason has given us the unexpected gift of her article, The Miracle of Christmas; Kathia Miller has joined our editorial team and we have more people, particularly Nancy Thomas and Kathy Letarte participating in the development of our content. Plus, we have an exciting Member Spotlight event with Wayne and Willi Pederson that will kick off our 2023 NCC event season in January. Life is good as we celebrate the reason for the season – our Savior’s birth, God’s gift of his Son to the World for our redemption. Hallelujah! May each of us find peace and joy from God’s love and the Holy Spirit’s embrace.
On behalf of the editorial team, we wish you, our dear NCC family, a wondrous Christmas season and abundant blessings in the New Year!
“As I sat dazed and confused in my half-mopped mud-covered ground floor condo, three angels from my new church, NCC, suddenly burst in with hugs and helping hands. Nancy Thomas, and Billy and Dawn Birch were such a welcome sight it brought tears to my eyes. “How can we help?” they asked. Surrounded by garbage bags full of filthy dirty towels and wet stinky clothes, I could only think of asking maybe would they mind washing them? They gladly grabbed those bags and slung them into their cars. “What else can we do” they asked. We stood around my bed wondering if the box spring needed to go. Yes, we agreed, and once again they helped me drag it to the curb. Dawn and Billy came back the next day to do some heavy lifting as some of my furniture was also destroyed. I am so grateful for this church and the wonderful people who inhabit it! Praise be to God for their loving spirits! “
“Horrified about the ravage of Ian on our neighborhood and hearing about the devastation of Lynn and Ed Wilcox’s and Kathy Letarte’s properties in Olde Naples, our loss seemed minimal. Once interior demo was planned and the last and only storage unit nailed, Tom Miller quickly volunteered with his truck to help move items that would fit. Hearing our house was flooded, Dawn Birch appeared with packing supplies and more fans to dry out the house – when seeing our unlivable interior, she and Billy plus Tom, and then Lynn and Bud Darby helped us with packing and moving items to storage. Jill McCuan, a 40+ year friend and NCC member was our first Angel – with Ian imminent, her call offering her home for evacuation provided relief! We are still there.
All mentioned, plus dear NCC friends who have kept in touch, invited us for dinner, outings or to just drop by if a break is needed, have uplifted us. With Ian, God humbled us, yet He has saved us! We are thankful for these NCC friends, the embrace felt by all, and our God who never forsakes us.”
“Ken and Corinne Brandle, Billy Birch and Tom Miller were the good Samaritans to help the Zimmerman’s in time of need. The Vistas building is without electricity and elevators are still not running due to hurricane Ian.
They climbed 16 floors in the dark with no AC. They filled suitcases with clothes and walked down all those stairs with full suitcases!
Bless their hearts.”
Not only were our NCC family members affected by Ian. Our tenant, Seventh South Craft Food and Drink had water damage and closed for a month. Kathy Letarte surprised everyone with a gift of her painting of the owner to him at a recent NCC Brunch, held particularly at his restaurant to show our congregation’s support. Kathy received love from her NCC family after Ian and passed it on to Barry with this gift on behalf of NCC.
GB -What was the initial inspiration or purpose for writing a book?
My book is my way of giving back – by sharing lessons learned in my much-blessed life journey. It’s my legacy for my children and grandchildren—while hopefully reaching many others who might benefit from what I’ve discovered on my life journey.
As an author, I was and continue to be inspired by the words of the greatest book ever written, the Holy Bible. This is the foundation of my faith – and of all I have come to understand about life and the individual mission each of us is created to fulfill.
In writing this book I have discovered much about myself and my purpose in writing. I attempt to touch the reader through invoking enjoyment and learning. ‘Adam in Taoland’, while a story of self-discovery, is also a story of seeking truth. I do my best to shine a clean light into the dingy corners of eroding values and a disintegrating human society – to expose truth, mostly in a playful and inspirational way.
GB-What led you to write it as fiction vs non-fiction?
I could have written My Memoires as non-fiction but chose fantasy fiction in the hopes of sharing lessons learned over a lifetime with a broader audience.
GB-Is there someone you are writing to in this book?
I focused while writing on Drew – one of my 12 grandchildren, 24 years old – with whom I have frequent deep conversations about life and one’s purpose in life. By extension, I see my target audience as all who are searching for purpose in a world shackled with chaos, deceit, inequities, and despair. I write to new adults, torn between a desire for social justice and the appeal of individual success in free market capitalism. Adam will also appeal to those in mid-life crisis. And to those heading into retirement years, asking “what now?” To
GB-How long has this first book of yours been in the works, i.e. when did you first put “pen to paper?” Or thought to digital document?
My manuscript has been a three-decade-long process starting with pen to paper on a writers’ retreat on Kauai back in 1987. It was on the back shelf for most of the subsequent years. Then finally – as I became fulltime caregiver to Lucille, the love of my life, I became serious about writing this book and focusing on finishing it.
Many, even some here in Naples, including Karna Bodman and April O’Leary, helped me in the process. It was a real learning experience for me. In the past year, after dusting off 30 years of scraps and beginning ‘Adam in Taoland’ in earnest, I’ve polished and honed new style-skills with the help of my amazing Developmental Editor and my Beta Readers. These folks have helped me immensely in transferring my own voice and personality (to Adam), and to my characters, the voices of others I’ve met on my journey.
With Nine Beta Reads completed, and much polishing of the book, I am now pre-releasing on Amazon on Thanksgiving Day and am excited to share this book with my NCC family.
As Christians, we believe that Christmas commemorates the most supernatural event in the human narrative: the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us that He stepped into history, becoming for us Immanuel: “God with us.”
The gospels of Matthew and Luke relate the story of Christ’s birth, although each book presents different perspectives. Nonetheless, both proclaim the birth of Christ with historical significance and richly theological relevance.
In Isaiah 43:19, the Lord declares, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” While its immediate application was to assure deliverance from the Babylonian oppression, the more profound message this verse proclaims is that of Christ’s advent on earth and His subsequent pivotal role in fulfilling His Father’s will for our salvation.
Why was such an unprecedented act of grace needed? To restore us to the Lord; to “fit us” anew to live in His presence; to know His peace. By virtue of His birth, Christ bestows the most divine corrective measure possible: reconciliation with God. Christ’s perfect, atoning sacrifice was accepted in our place, making possible our redemption—“being made right with God.” Such a gift, given by such a Giver!
Christ, the Light of the world, accommodated His divinity to this spectacular degree for one thing: to provide a way to redeem and reconcile mankind to God.
That is the miracle of Christmas.
May the Light of Christ shine brightly in your lives and in those of your loved ones throughout this season and the coming year.
“In the early seventy’s my husband and I were in Germany visiting a college friend. A side trip took us to Oberamagau in search of both the site of the Passion Play as well as hoping to find a local woodcarver. We were directed out of town to a family woodcarving business where we encountered an incredibly professional family of carvers selling around the world. Upon our return we ordered individual pieces to add to our own Nativity which has been displayed in our homes since then. It is my honor to donate these beautiful pieces of art to the Naples Community Church to be enjoyed by many future generations. The Eder family in Oberamagau continues the family woodcarving tradition today.”
Thank you Kathy from your NCC family!
Angels
*Words can go in any direction. Words can share letters as they cross over each other.