New pastor takes over at Pine Island First United Methodist
So far, Pastor Kaylee Vida says she loves her new post at Pine Island United Methodist Church.
She moved to Pine Island with her husband, Vence, and daughter, Mo, from Indiana, after receiving the new assignment. The family, she said, has not felt at all like outsiders or newcomers, but rather as though they were immediately a part of the community.
“My family has been overwhelmingly welcomed,” said Vida. “The island is wonderful. We love it. The island felt like home, from almost before we even moved here, so that’s been nice.”
Having never heard of Pine Island, Vida said the first thing she and her husband did was to look it up on the Internet. They had been wanting to move to Florida for more than 15 years, she said, so it seemed like fate when Vence’s boss moved to Fort Myers. At that point, she began asking if a Florida church appointment might be possible.
“When I found out I actually had an appointment and it was in Southwest Florida near Fort Myers, that was very exciting and then as we started to research the island, watch videos, read articles and Blog posts about it, we got very excited. It sounded like such a wonderful place.”
Vida said they began attending the Pine Island Methodist services online, and the people seemed like the kind of people they would like to know. Like many other non-profits and businesses, Vida said, COVID-19 has made it a necessity to re-think priorities. The church, she explained, had to decide what the picture looks like for them, and she is very excited to be a part of that big picture.
Having spent the first 20 years of her life in the Methodist Church laid a foundation from which she never departed. The challenge, she admits, in a community such as this, where people have a deep affection for one another, is “not becoming a silo,” but staying connected to everyone in the community who are doing similar work, in order to have an even greater influence.
“People-departments-organizations can become these silos, just doing everything themselves and trying to meet needs themselves instead of joining together with other people and other organizations. I see that as a challenge,” Vida said.
Vida said she is working hard to become involved in the community. She plans to join the Matlacha Hookers, is working toward getting connected to the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce, as well as the F.I.S.H organization and Friends of the Library. Linking arms with many of the island resources, she said, is a great way to identify the needs within the community and stay informed.
The biggest difference between the island and where she came from, is the people, Vida said.
“The people here aren’t pretentious,” said Vida. “They’re just accepting of everyone. When they say, ‘You be you,’ it seems like they really mean it. I think that’s become a catchphrase in many places, but it’s not always the truth. But here, it’s genuine.”
Vida would like people to know that her door is always open. She makes it clear that she means that toward everyone, not just people from the Methodist Church.
“Pine Island Methodist Church really wants to be here for you — for everyone,” Vida said. “I want people to feel that, to know that they are welcome here.”
Pine Island United Methodist Church is at 5701 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia. For additional information, call the church at 239-283-2386 or visit www.pineislandmethodist.com.