Woodburn Presbyterian Church in Leland, NC, offers a welcoming and traditional worship experience. Here are a few reasons you might consider becoming a member or attending:

1. Community:  Our church fosters a strong sense of community and fellowship. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with others who share your faith and values.

2.Worship Services: We offer traditional worship services that celebrate the love of Jesus Christ. Services are held on Sundays at 11:00AM, plus there are opportunities for those interested in Bible Study sessions, participating in our church choir, and helping our Pastor with bringing people together to worship as a whole, unified church congregation.

3. Mission and Ministry: Our church is actively involved in various ministries and missions, such as serving as a base for Manna Food Ministries to distribute food to needy families on a monthly basis, supporting our local schools with providing school supplies for them, and also serving as a home base for our local Boy Scout Troop. With their help, we have recently collected warm clothing, jackets, gloves, blankets, and other supplies for the Hurricane Helene victims in Western North Carolina.

We also have a dedicated group of parishioners who plan and prepare monthly fellowship gatherings in our Fellowship Hall. We celebrate with food, refreshments, and special activities commerating seasonal holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

We also provide opportunities to serve and make a positive impact in the community. We are always looking for volunteers to help out with our Building & Grounds staff in maintaining  our grounds, church, and our own church cemetary on site.

4. History and Tradition: Our church was originally established in 1922 and we have a rich history of bringing families, friends, co-workers, and neighbors together over the past 100 years! We recently celebrated our 100 year centennial in October of 2024. We have been a cornerstone of the area for over a century!

5. Church membership: Are you looking for a small parish with not too many members who are eager to meet and welcome you to our church family? Well, look no further, you have found what you are looking for in a small, but growing parish such as ours! Come in and check us out. Our parishioners and Pastor “T” are eager to answer any questions that you may have! 

We are looking forward to meeting you next Sunday! Welcome home!

     The answer to this question touches on theology, philosophy, and personal beliefs. in many religious traditions, God is often beyond human catergories like gender. For example, in Christianity, while God is sometimes referred to with masculine terms like “Father,” it’s also understood that God transcends human characteristics and limitations, including gender.

     The phrase “In His own image” from the Bible is often interpreted symbolically to mean that humans reflect certain divine attributes, such as creativity, reason, and the capacity for love, rather than a physical likeness.

     Different faiths and philosophies offer various perspectives on this. Some describe God as embodying both masculine and feminine qualities, while others view God as entirely beyond such definitions. Ultimately, how one understands this concept often comes down to individual beliefs and interpretations. What do you think God really is…..man, woman, both, or just a superior spiritual entity? Actually, it really doesn’t matter because God is everything to everybody!

     Mana, often described as “bread from heaven”, was a miraculous food that the Israelites depended on during their 40 years in the wilderness, according to the Bible. It is said to have appeared like small white flakes or wafers on the ground each morning, and it tasted like honey or fine pastry. The Israelites would gather it daily (except on the Sabbath) and use it to sustain themselves.

     Its exact nature has sparked curiosity and discussion for centuries. Some scholars have suggested natural explanations, such as a type of resin from desert plants or secretions from certain insects, while others view it as as a purely divine provision. Regardless, mana represents a powerful symbol of sustenance and faith in the biblical narrative.

     Likewise, we should be grateful for the food that God provides for us everyday on earth and thankful for the hands that it prepared it for us as well. This is why many Christians say a short prayer of grace before they eat their daily meals.

     The concept of being reunited with our bodies in heaven is a topic that varies across religious beliefs and interpretations. In Christianity, many believe in the resurrection of the body, as described in the Bible. This belief holds that after death, the soul goes to be with God, and at the end of time, the body will be resurrected and transformed into a glorified, eternal form. This idea is often tied to the second coming of Jeus Christ, when believers are said to receive their new heavenly bodies.

     The specifics of what these resurrected bodies will be like are often debated, but they are generally described as free from pain, sickness, and mortality. Some interpretations suggest that these bodies will be similar to Jesus’ glorified body after His resurrection.

     This is really good news for us Christians because now we when die and are reunited with our bodies, we will never have to worry about losing our excess weight, flabby skin, or the bags beneath our eyes!

     Mother’s Day is closely tied to the work of Ann ‘Reeves Jarvis, a community organizer during the mid-1800’s. Concerned with issues like unsanitary living conditions and high infant mortality – especially in war-torn, divided communities during and after the Civil War – Ann organized “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” to help improve public health and promote unity between former Union and Confederate families.

     After Ann’s death in 1905, her daughter Ann Jarvis took up her mother’s cause with heartfelt dedication. Determined to honor her mother’s legacy and the broader role of mothers in society, Anna campaigned tirelessly to establish a national day of remembrance and gratitude. Her groundbreaking efforts led to the first official Mother’s Day celebrations in 1908, held simultaneously at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia and in Philadelphia. The idea struck a chord with many, and by 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day – a day meant to celebrate the sacrifice, nurturing spirit, and immense contributions of mothers.

     So, in the spirit of celebrating Motherhood throughout the world, let us espcially celebrate the personal sacrifices that Jesus’s mother, Mary, made for us so that we may experience eternal life with God after we leave this life on earth. May you have a blessed and a joyous Mother’s Day !

1. “There are no “I’s” in TEAM, but there are two “I’s” in WINNING. “

2.  “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

3. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend .”

4. “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

5. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

6. “Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God.”

7. “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life.”

8. “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. “

9. “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

10. “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. “