Community Outreach

A Special Invitation for...

You, your family, friends, and neighbors to attend all our free Community Outreach events.

We Care About You!

Outreach to our neighbors, community, and world is a significant and dynamic aspect of Church. We seek to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those in our congregation and community. Our mission is to help others and to demonstrate Christ’s unconditional love through words and deeds.

Building Faith, Family, & Friends

We want to help you live a full life - a life full of hope, grace, faith, and love for God and others. We invite you to become part of our Church family and to join in our ministry of serving and praising God.

Venice-Nokomis United Methodist Church Presents Scenes from Around the Town

Snake Island

Downtown Gazebo

Venice Aveune

Nokomis Beach

Click on the individual thumbnails to view a full size version of each painting. Paintings by Ilse Kern © Copyrighted. Used by Permission

Easter Egg Hunt Our Easter Egg hunt is always held on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. The event is designed for preschool children of age 2 through 5th grade. Our Youth Group fills and hides up to 1,500 eggs and supervises the different activities. In addition to the Easter Egg hunt the children also learn about Jesus and the Easter Story. Bring your camera for a photo with the Easter Bunny, and enjoy our award-winning Puppets. It is a fun time for everyone!

Additional Pages

Instructions to Make a Palm Cross

Resurrection Cookies

The Jelly Bean Prayer

Vacation Bible School VBS is a free weeklong program from 9:00 a.m. to Noon focusing on Bible Study, worship, fellowship, food, games, craft’s, music, theatre, and movies. All denominations are welcome! We encourage the children who attend our Church to bring along their friends and neighbors. We view our efforts as not just nurturing our own but a chance to evangelize and serve our community. VBS is offered every year in June, however, the week is subject to change.

Past themes have included a Bug Safari, Holy Word Studios, a Polar Arctic Expedition, SCUBA (Super Cool Undersea Bible Adventure), and Lava, Lava Island (where Jesus’ love flows). The crafts and food coordinate and reinforce the theme and Bible lessons.

In addition to the fun we incorporate a mission project into our VBS program. School supplies are collected for the Homeless Orphanage Outreach, Inc. located in the Dominican Republic. This gives the children a hands-on experience in giving to someone who needs help.

All Saint's Day Festival All Saints Day is our annual October festival that includes games, food, prizes, a puppet show, moonwalk, and occasionally a petting zoo. The event is hosted in the Fellowship Hall and surrounding Church grounds. The United Methodist Women provide the food for the event, which always consists of outstanding chili, hot dogs, brownies, and soft drinks. Tickets can be purchased with cans of food that are donated to the South County Food Pantry, or cash. All ages are welcome to attend. We do ask the children to wear only fun, non-violent costumes.

Living Nativity VNUMC issued in a new tradition on Christmas Eve of 2001 by celebrating the birth of Jesus with a dramatic Living Nativity. Members of our congregation pose as Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Wise Men and Angels against a background of special illuminating lighting, bales of hay, and costumes that make the scene look impressive and feel authentic. Members of our congregation created the costumes under the guidance of a professional costume designer. There are no speaking parts or movement by the characters. The Nativity scene is displayed in the courtyard adjacent to the Sanctuary.

Concerts Our Sanctuary Choir accompanied by our Hand Bell Choir, a brass ensemble and, chamber orchestra, annually presents a Lent/Easter and Advent/Christmas concert. These concerts are two of our most popular events.

Bethune Cookman Chorale performs each year in January, which has been a tradition since 1979. The concerts are unique and the music ranges from Bach to Gospel. The Chorale has a membership of more than 150 students and has traveled more than 500,000 miles throughout the United States and 5 foreign countries.

Additional Outreach Programs

The Bargain Center Bible Study Boy Scouts Child Care Center Nokomis Historical Trail

Library We have a well-rounded collection of books including Religious, Spiritual Growth, Fiction, Inspirational, Biographies, Self-Help, and a Children’s section. The library is open every Sunday during all worship services, and for general Church functions including our Wednesday night programs. It is located between the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall. We welcome and encourage everyone to take advantage of all the different resources available in our library. A separate Children's Library is being developed. It will contain a large selection of Disney movies, Veggie Tale movies, religious, and educational books.

Fellowship Dinners Potluck Fellowship Dinners are scheduled throughout the year along with different special events. An “All You Can Eat” Pancake Breakfast is prepared and served by the United Methodist Men the first Saturday of each month from October through April. The cost is $3.00 and is available from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The pancakes are delicious and the recipe is a well-guarded secret! The money raised helps the United Methodist Men to support different missions within our Church and community.

Salvation Army Ringers During the Christmas Season members of our Church volunteer as Salvation Army Ringers at the Nokomis Village Publix in Nokomis, Florida.

Flu Shots Flu, Pneumonia, and a combined Tetanus and Diphtheria Booster are now available at Venice-Nokomis United Methodist Church in the Fellowship Hall several times per year. The medical staff of Sarasota Health Services distributes the shots. Volunteers from our congregation assist in setting up the operation and helping with the necessary paperwork. Medicare is accepted for those who qualify. Please being your Medicare card. The Tetanus and Diphtheria Booster requires payment at the time service is rendered. No appointments necessary. The dates are advertised in the Church Newsletter, Sunday Bulletin, the Venice Gondolier, and the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

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