WHAT IS GOING ON AT CHURCH –
This Sunday There will be a church family Zoom in honor of Mother’s Day. Everyone is invited to participate. This will be a time to share stories about our mothers or those who have been mothering figures in our lives. Please give this some thought and participate in the Zoom gathering and share your story. Please feel welcome to be part of the Zoom and listen to the stories shared. This is an important time to consider all we have to be grateful for and how we may be inspired on our life’s journey. So, plan on Zoom this Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Money Matters
The church is working on instituting additional ways to receive financial support. There is a PayPal donate button on the website. There is an exploration of receiving donations through FaceBook and YouTube.
In addition, you can arrange for your financial institution to manage your donations to the church on a regular basis. A number of people from the church family have their monthly tithes and offerings sent directly to the church through the bill pay services of their credit union or bank.
The church has applied for funds through the small business/payroll protection loan fund offered by the government. No action has been taken on the application and no funds received to date.
Please know that your financial support of the church is critical in this time as we seek to be a witnessing community while physically distancing. It is also important for the voice of the church to be heard as society transitions to a new normal that is hopefully more compassionate and just for everyone in the community.
One last note: Deposits at church are being made once or twice a month, not weekly, so there may be a delay in the depositing of checks. This is to reduce risk for those who are involved in doing the banking.
LUCC’s Jim Andrews Featured in Article about Area ChaplainsJim Andrews, director of Spiritual Care for Suncoast Hospice, was quoted in an article about the challenges facing chaplains as they seek to provide spiritual support in the context of COVID-19. Here’s the link to the article: https://www.tampabay.com/news/community-news/2020/04/27/always-on-the-front-lines-tampa-bay-chaplains-find-new-ways-to-connect/
Father Adrian
During our Christmas celebrations 30 years ago, LUCC had a special guest in our midst from St. Petersburg, Russia. Father Adrian was the main priest from the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Job, a church that was paired with LUCC in a program that was promoting peace and friendship. He stayed with members of the church, participated in church activities, became acquainted with life in America, and was interviewed by the local newspapers and TV stations. He also welcomed groups from St. Petersburg (an Eckerd College student group in 1989; a visit by our pastor, Phil Smith, in 1990; a city delegation in 1991; and a UCC delegation in 1993 headed by Kim Wells) to his Church of St. Job in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was a man of faith, compassion, and humor, and an excellent example of a cultural ambassador for the Russian Orthodox Church.
It is with sadness that I report that Father Adrian passed away on October 8, 2019, at the age of 82. Kay and I had visited with him in 2016 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and he was already semi-retired because of poor health. He remembered well his trip to Florida, and recalled meeting many of our LUCC people, both in Florida and in Russia. Вечная Память! Eternal Memory!
Bill Parsons
The (NEW IMPROVED) LIST OF FABULOUS LINKS:
Sermon videos: https://lakewooducc.org/category/online-devotional/
Sermon texts: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/sermon-texts/
Posts containing music: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/music/
For all links, please note “Older Posts” button near bottom of page.
Corona Sabbath Posts
Each Friday, the church will post a devotional with readings, video from Kim, and music from
Hilton. You are invited to access these at the website and observe the sabbath according to
your schedule over the weekend. There will be a new one posted each week. The post this week will include the pictures of mothers and mother figures that were contributed by the church family.
Please use the link below to view last week’s Corona Sabbath Post –
https://lakewooducc.org/2020/05/01/corona-sabbath-7/
In addition to the weekly Corona Sabbath devotions on the website every Friday, Hilton is also posting music, mainly hymns, on the website daily. These are also posted on the church’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. You may find links to all the music posts on the website at https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/music/ — note the “Older Posts” button down the page.
Daily Corona Prayer
https://lakewooducc.org/2020/03/20/lucc-corona-daily-prayer/
Labyrinth Walks
Labyrinth Walks are being held as scheduled on Wednesday mornings at 9:00. We feel given current information and restrictions that it is safe to hold this activity. It involves less than 10 people, it is outside, and the people can be at least 6 feet apart. Bring your own chair and wear a mask if you wish.
Assistance AvailableIf you need help of any kind – something from the store, someone to talk with, support managing during shelter-in-place, parenting concerns – please know that the church is ready and willing to help in any way needed. This situation is trying for everyone. You are not alone. We’ll make it through together. Please contact the church office (lakewooducc@gmail.com or 867-7961 or Rev. Kim Wells at wells.kim.p@gmail.com).
Miss someone from church? Give them a call or send a note. Personal contact is so important when physical contact is limited.
Music Ministry
About Hilton’s music. . . If you would enjoy hearing Hilton play more Irish folk songs, you can
listen for free at either https://hiltonjones.bandcamp.com/album/irish-
tunes or https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/irish-tunes .
May Birthdays: Mark Gibson 5/2, Angela Wells-Bean 5/7, Emily Gibson 5/8, Julian Micheal Ricciardi 5/9, Colleen Coughenour 5/11, Jen DeGroot 5/12, Christy Martin 5/15, Bill Parsons 5/16, Danielle Hintz 5/25, Someone missing? Contact the church office with birthday information.
Circle of Concern: JoAnn Reid, Dee Dee and Lynn Young and family, William Owen, Wilbur Reid, Martha Lamar, Jen Degroot, Carolyn Moore, Ann Quinn, Maggie Brizendine, and Ann Rogers. All healthcare workers and essential workers. All those suffering from COVID-19.
Please keep LUCC member, Olivia Gibson, in your prayers. She is a nurse on a COVID-19 unit in a local hospital. We are grateful for her ministry!
Recent Posts:
- Corona Sabbath 7 Reflection text May 1, 2020
- Corona Sabbath 7 May 1, 2020
Weekly Update: If you are involved with an activity or event that you would like to share with the LUCC family, please send the information to the Church Office by Tuesday since the Update usually is sent out on Wednesday.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 