Sacred Stories

Janine, one of NCUMC's newest staff members, shares her faith journey. Janine found out she had spots on her lungs after a doctor's visit, and she had the choice to rely on her faith or panic. She decided to stay faithful!

She again faced another health challenge when she had to undergo a full knee replacement. Being able to rely on her 'village' in Tallahassee, she experienced the surgery and healed being surrounded by so many who cared for her.

Having caught COVID-19 in May, Janine is still feeling the side effects on her heart. Janine has decided to rely on her faith and follow Peter 5:7 "Cast all your worries on Him because He cares for you."

Carolyn is sharing her spiritual journey and begins with meeting her husband when they were in high school.  They dated in college, married, and soon after, moved to Atlanta.  While in Atlanta, Carolyn and Jim met a pastor who began to lead them on the path with God. They started getting more and more involved in this church through leading bible studies and working with youth.

At the age of 30, she began nursing school. Soon after, she learned about Steven Ministry at her church. With her nursing background, she felt a calling to be involved. 

After moving to The Villages, she continued her involvement as a Stephen Minister at New Covenant. With a heart for caring and healing, she can connect with those who need prayer and someone to “walk” with them on their journey. 

A little over a year ago, Jim was in a serious accident and three months after that he felt like he was having a stroke. Then the pandemic struck.  Spending so much time together, they realized something was wrong with  Jim. This past year for Carolyn has been an unusual one, but Carolyn continues to lean on her faith!

Tom and Joanna were connected since birth. Their story does not begin then, however; they didn't meet until the second part of their life. Introduced after being divorced, neither was looking for a relationship. But friendship turned to romance, and they were married.

Joanna began her journey being raised with Catholic parents. Her parents supported her through a bitter divorce, child kidnapping, and a lengthy custody battle. Continuing her Catholic faith with Tom, they were very involved in their churches. Due to her parents' health issues, they were brought to The Villages.

Tom also grew up in the Catholic Church but not by choice. Once he was able to choose, Tom no longer attended. During his 23 years of marriage, he only attended church to please his first wife. Once he met Joanna, they began attending together. Tom still was not invested.

Together they went to New Covenant for the first time to see Don Piper. Still not fully believing, Tom was skeptical about Don's story. But Pastor Harold announced his new sermon series after Don's testimony, and Tom chose New Covenant. They have since made New Covenant their place to call home!

Judy knows that God loves her! Judy shares her journey with and without God. In her story, she discloses how a traumatic childhood experience led her to a “rock-and-roll” lifestyle.  She continued down that path until she was in her 40’s.  

Finally, Judy was finished running. She stopped and examined her life and where she was headed.  It was at that point that she met her future husband, Charles.  He helped her get back on her feet and offered a new, positive direction.  

The miracle of Judy’s mother's survival following a near-death experience was truly a “wake up call” about her priorities in life and her relationship with God. After that event, Judy was blessed to experience eight more years with her mother and began attending a small, nearby chapel. 

Watch this story to understand how God never gives up on us, especially when we are open to His calling. Judy continues to be open to God's whispers!

Kathy is very excited to share some of her faith journey! After struggling with alcoholism, incarceration, and depression, she began to search for a more positive path. After attempting several non-Christian religions and philosophies, Kathy began to look at Christianity again.

Following many failures, her neighbors persuaded her to attend a Saturday night worship service at New Covenant.  The Holy Spirit led her to finally say “yes.” Kathy continued to participate in Saturday night services. A few months into attending, she became a member of NCUMC's staff. 

Despite years and years of alcoholism, Kathy was finally able to get on her knees and surrender her whole life to Christ.  She now lives a life being the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus! Watch now and listen to her amazing recovery story, and learn how Kathy has been saved by His amazing grace.

Pat has been a member of New Covenant for over 15 years. She is a believer in miracles. Her profound belief in God came back in 1961 when her four-month-old son spiked a fever. Living out in the middle of nowhere, and with no doctors close at hand, as a mother, she became very concerned. Her story reflects the power of prayer, and miracles actually do happen!

Since that night, Pat has experienced numerous miracles in her life. Watch her testimony on a few of her most meaningful miracle stories.

Rebecca shares about the three most influential men in her life. Raised in Ohio, she met her future husband, Bill, in elementary school. Not many people can say they ended up marrying their childhood “Sweetheart.” They started dating shortly before graduating from high school, which eventually led to marriage and a life together.  

Rebecca and Bill were blessed with two children — both athletes — and they traveled everywhere for their kids’ sporting events. Rebecca described their daughter as a carbon copy of herself.  Both children are now married with children. 

Later in her life, Rebecca’s mother had health issues. She was not ready to retire and move to The Villages until her mother was taken care of.  Dealing with her mother’s health issues was a struggle, and challenged her faith.  

Upon moving to the Villages, they began searching for a new church home. They found it at New Covenant, and felt an instant connection to the church and Pastor Harold! They love their church and appreciate the opportunity to worship Christ in the New Covenant community.

Dave and Sandy share their fifty-two-year journey together! They have continued to base their lives on Jeremiah 29:11. “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

Sandy’s faith in Christ began at an early age. She transitioned from the Catholic church into becoming a “lifelong” United Methodist at the age of thirteen. Dave developed his personal relationship with Christ when he was thirty-four years old. Prior to his conversion, he considered himself a “C & E” (Christmas and Eater) Christian.

Only eight hours older, Sandy and Dave, bonded over having the same birthday, even the same year. Meeting in high school, they were married soon after. They began their journey going to church together, but Dave's work schedule only allowed him to attend once a month. With only one Sunday off, the priority of attended church soon faded.

As a police officer, Dave struggled with his relationship with the Lord. Seeing the worse in society, he spoke with a pastor about his faith and the presence of God within his police work. With his wife’s nudging, Dave renewed his faith in Christ through the help of their church and the Holy Spirit.

Throughout their marriage, they had many struggles - Sandy had surgery, and, due to an error, suffered for months. At one point, Sandy’s mother moved in with them. They also faced the tremendous challenge of a ‘prodigal son.’

God showed them that out of personal struggle comes light! They found hope and Christian love in their small groups. Remaining faithful to a small group was an anchor in their lives and carried over to their move to Florida. They found not a new small group, but “a place to call home” at New Covenant. Dave and Sandy are involved in various ministries at New Covenant, but their greatest passion has been assisting with Saturday evening worship and Holy Communion.

Scott shares his walk with Christ through his most recent difficult season. He begins his story with battling and   surviving COVID-19. Being a survivor of this terrible virus, Scott has a deeper   appreciation for life, along with abundant gratitude for the nurses and doctors that helped save his life. But, most importantly, he is grateful to Christ who led him through this challenging time.

Endurance, miracles, persistence are a few words Scott and Pastor Harold shared together in a recent conversation that helped Scott persevere. He feels God provides us with these attributes. Through this near-death experience, Scott has a renewed commitment to Christ and a stronger faith.

Not only does Scott have a powerful story, but he has an inspiring message through song. Following his testimony, Scott plays a piano piece relevant to his story!

Jeff Vermilya, the Director of Congregational Care, and his wife, Paula, share their journey and where their paths joined. Paula was ready to get married at age 23.  During their first meeting, she asked Jeff to marry her, and he said YES! Engaged on their third date, then married shortly after that — they have celebrated 43 years of marriage.

The birth of their daughter was challenging. She was post due, breach, and her heart had stopped for five minutes. Doctors predicted many developmental issues in her future, but God answered their prayers for a healthy baby.

They shared other examples in their story of times when God answered their prayers and when he did not. Prayer is at the center of their relationship, not only with each other, but also with God. Even with the unanswered prayers, they continue to have a strong faith and belief.

Bonnie shares a snippet of her walk with Jesus. She reflects upon difficult times, but clearly sees how her faith has given her strength and perseverance. Bonnie recognizes the fact that Christ has always walked with her.

She shares how she became ‘mom’ to her husband’s adopted children and moved from a small town to a large city. Through all this transition, Christ was ever present and continues to guide her.

Throughout her life, she has dealt with great loss. She lost a child, her mother, and her mother-in-law. Despite facing her own health challenges, she continues to focus on her musical ministry and staying busy. She recognizes the presence of Christ even in the highs and lows of life.

Music is one of Bonnie’s gifts. She plays the piano at New Covenant and continues to feel God through her playing. Please listen to the end of her testimony as Bonnie shares one of her favorite hymns.

Kayla, New Covenant’s Family Minister, tells her story about her spiritual journey. She shares how becoming the youth and family minister has enhanced her faith and helped her mature as a Christian. As a child, she memorized Philippines 4:13, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Paul’s words have been inspirational and proven throughout her life to be an anchor of her faith. She believes through her ministry she has found her purpose!

Karen has been a member of New Covenant since 2007. Growing up in a small town of Iowa, Karen and her husband attended churches across the street from each other. Because of her husband’s job, they had the tendency to move around often. Yet, at each stop along the way, they found a new church. Their experiences at various churches were mixed. At some churches they felt warmly accepted and engaged, while at others they just attended worship.

Retiring early, they bought a campground, and owned it for ten exciting years. Attending church has always been a part of Karen’s life, but she is extremely grateful to find New Covenant “A place to call home.”

Romans 8: 38-39 has always been Jan’s favorite scripture. This piece of scripture is just the right place to begin. Jan was born into a dysfunctional family and lived with her aunt and uncle and their family. They instilled in her the importance of faith. With a house full of hungry mouths to feed, God always provided for them. In   eighth grade, Dorothy, her incredible Sunday School teacher, helped her begin her faith journey. Jan met her husband in high school, and they were married shortly after.

After her husband was drafted, she began attending a Methodist church in her town. She attended but was not connected. Years go by, practicing the same routine, until they began their own bible study class. Then she began trying to ‘buy’ God’s love doing any job given to her in the church instead of volunteering out of gratitude. For the third time, she accepted God into her life, but this time she meant it! Follow Jan on her journey of forgiveness, hope, loss, and love.

Peggy has felt the presence of the Holy Spirit her entire life. At the beginning of her journey, she went to church with her father, then was led to a Lutheran church where she was mentored by the Pastor and his wife. She learned early to give to God first and He will provide. Even when she was resisting her path, she felt God’s hand on her shoulder, leading her.

Peggy is a breast cancer survivor! Wrapped in God’s love and comfort, she was able to find a surgeon, hospital, and all the many doctors needed to fully recover! God has continued to open doors for Peggy. When she and her husband, Dick, retired to the Villages, they found New Covenant. The church has been a source of strength, hope and peace. Peggy shares her experience of losing two of the most important people in her life — her husband and brother. The presence of Christ has given her assured hope, even during challenging times.

Cindy is truly a walking miracle! Listen to her sacred story as she shares about her complete by-pass surgery, multiple heath issues, and five-month stay in and out of numerous hospitals. Cindy connects with Pastor Harold and his story of almost losing his life. Still, she remains optimistic, and describes how she finds peace in her art. Her message is “just have faith.”

Shirley begins her sacred story with her son Troy, who is battling a form of Leukemia. Unfortunately, this is not where her struggles stop. More challenges were on her horizon as her husband’s son became ill as well. She pulls strength and comfort from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Shirley now uses the loss of her son as a testimony to help others persevere. Christ provides strength in the midst of personal tragedy.

The Hawks share their journey of over 50 years of marriage. George got his draft notice right after high school, and Candy soon followed him, getting married quickly after. Then, along the journey of having three children, their youngest became extremely ill, slipping into a coma. The virus that caused the coma attacked her brain, beginning their journey of caring for a child with a mental illness. Over time, they became isolated from their church and had to make tough decisions for their child’s care. With a new journey to New Covenant, they connected with Sean Pollock’s testimony, Pastor Harold’s son’s struggles, and the “Help for Hurting Parents” support group. The Hawks truly found a place to call home.

Jennifer’s story is one of overcoming. She shares her tragic story, but reveals an uplifting testimony of faith, trust, and belief without proof. Her story is one that weaves through death, overcoming her husband suffering a stroke, and trying to support her family’s needs after losing her job. Through these difficult experiences, she kept asking God, “Why are things so hard?” Eventually, she and her family found a new home at New Covenant where God helped her find answers to many of life’s difficult questions.

Steve, Donna, and Jake share their testimony of peace, inspiration, and faith. Steve shares his personal journey to New Covenant and accepting Christ, and how this led to meeting Donna on “match.com.” They share the story of Donna’s son Jake’s journey from being in the hospital for most of the year, his adoption story, and his ongoing health issues. Donna tells of her journey of being a single parent, meeting Steve, and how she embraced Jakes near-death experience. Listen closely to how Christ continues to give this family hope in their daily journey with God.

Joan continues to overcome mountain-size obstacles in her life. She beat cancer while being the primary caretaker for her husband Steve, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Handling one of these problems would be challenging but juggling both simultaneously is almost inconceivable. Yet, she did. Even during a pandemic when she was not able to see Steve, she never lost hope. Joan’s story is one of courage, optimism, and perseverance. She takes us through Steve’s death and her reoccurrence of cancer. Joan continues to remain positive, hopeful, and faithful during personal crisis.

Betty shares her testimony of how she and her husband boarded a 29-day cruise looking forward to an eventful vacation. Heartbreakingly, their pleasure cruise turned into tragedy. Betty reveals how God continued to work in mysterious ways for her to survive this journey. The vacation they started together; Betty would finish alone. Her powerful story reveals that we are always in the grip of God’s amazing grace.

Yvonne’s testimony leads us on a journey of faith, hope, and forgiveness. She forces herself to ‘do the things you fear to do.’ After 20 years of marriage, her husband began to suffer from a mental illness. From experiencing her own panic attacks to her husband’s mental illness, she testifies how her relationship with God has continued to evolve through her life. Yvonne now tells her story of how she has survived something completely out of her control.

Both Dave and Judy Johnson have a powerful story that dates to the Vietnam War era. Dave is a war survivor, and his close brush with death left a perpetual mark on both   on both of their lives. His powerful heroic story is of epic measure. As they reflect on Dave’s wartime experiences, they have come to recognize, appreciate, and honor the “Hand of God” sparing Dave’s life. Their story is one you will not forget and inspires all of us to be grateful for all those who have served our country.

Mark and Suzanne McCandless, together for over 40 years, share their testimony of how their lives changed as 20-year-old newlyweds. They reveal how Suzanne’s minor surgery turned into a life-changing experience. Mark, who assumed he could “think his way through any problem,” soon realized their dilemma was beyond his ability.