Weekly Update 6/10

WHAT IS GOING ON AT CHURCH –

Summer Sundays

The theme for the Corona Sabbath posts this summer will be ‘GROUNDED.’ Yes, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, many are not taking expected summer trips and vacations.  Feeling grounded.  And with the demonstrations going on, many do not feel safe to venture out because of the pandemic and feel grounded.  And with a global pandemic, a global recession, and global demonstrations against racism, it is a time to lean on our faith to help us feel grounded.  Each week’s presentation will explore a different dimension of our faith which helps us to feel grounded in these uncertain times.  When we are grounded, we can grow and flourish and bear fruit!  So, look for the Corona Sabbath post each week to help you be grounded!

This Sunday

The church will be open from 10:30 to 11:30.  The peace candle will be lit.  It will be a time of prayer and reflection as a witness that the church is still open and ministry continues even though we are not able to gather in person for worship.  

Look for a Corona Sabbath post on Friday.  Check for it at the website – lakewooducc.org
Also, please subscribe to the website so that you receive regular updates about church life. 

Father’s Day:  Pictures RequestedFather’s Day is June 21.  Hilton would like to do a music video with pictures of fathers, grandfathers, and such submitted by the LUCC church family.  Please email your pictures to hilton.kean.jones@gmail.comThe pictures are needed bySunday, June 14.

A Farewell from Bill and Kay

Dear Church family, Bill and I are about to leave for our summer sojourn in Tucson – where the heat is high and the humidity is low.  We shall miss you all and are more than a little hopeful that you all will be well and safe during the summer.  We will join our Rincon UCC church family for some very interesting discussions – which we know you will be having here also! Take care…..gra agus slan agus beannachts…….Kay Rencken and Bill Parsons  

YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED:  Church Family Feedback

In thinking about how the ministry of the church will adapt and change in light of new circumstances, your perspective is needed. The church has sent out a feedback form.  This information will be helpful as the church looks to the future.  Your thoughts are important to the process. Please return the form by June 15.  If you did not receive a form with the cover letter, you can find it on the church website:  https://lakewooducc.org/2020/06/03/church-family-feedback-requested/

  So far, the church has had 6 forms returned.  Please take a few moments to fill out the form and return it.  The advisors will be VERY grateful!   

Pentecost Zoom On Sunday May 31

There was a wonderful faith community gathering on Zoom last Sunday in honor of Pentecost, the birthday of the church.  Participants met in small groups to talk about their church experiences.  And then the whole group generated a list of 50 things they love about LUCC.  Check out the post!  https://lakewooducc.org/2020/06/08/50-things-to-love-about-lakewood-united-church-of-christ/ 

George Floyd Solidarity Nightly at LUCC

It has been wonderful to have people with a candle/flashlight/cellphone at church each night, along 54th Ave. S. on the sidewalk, 6 feet apart, with masks on, from Tuesday June 2 – Tuesday June 9.  The request was to take the knee at 8:00 p.m. for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Many thanks to all who have participated:  Patti Cooksey, Bob Bell, Emily Bell, Sue Sherwood, Danielle Hintz, Kay Rencken, Bill Parsons, Earl Waters, Ron Spivack, Kim Wells, Malcolm Wells, Claire Stiles, Ruth Pettis, Victoria Long, and Gary Long.  There are posts from each day.  Much support was expressed by passing cars!  May LUCC’s witness continue in support of an anti-racist society. 

Witness for Racial Justice to Continue

Knowing that achieving racial justice in our society will take a long time, those who have been coming to the witness on behalf of George Floyd at the church for the last week want to continue calling attention to this issue.   Beginning on Sunday, June 14, people from the church are invited to gather, with masks and signs, in front of the church along 54th Ave. S. from 7:30 – 8 p.m.  Please bring signs with a positive message.  No overtly political messages, please.  This witness will continue weekly on Sunday evenings.  All are welcome!

Masks to be distributed in St. Petersburg

If you’re a St. Petersburg resident, Restart St. Pete has cloth masks for you. The locations below have them during their regular business hours

To see more information please use the link below:
https://lakewooducc.org/2020/06/10/masks-to-be-distributed-in-st-petersburg/

 Adult Day Care Coming Soon

After a year of fits and starts, including the interference caused by the pandemic, the church and the Neighborly Care Network have signed a lease.  The next steps include some adaptations to the Fellowship Hall building including the construction of 3 accessible restrooms.  Once the building is ready the program will begin offering day care to seniors in the community.  Many thanks to church leaders for their work on this important ministry and to Advisor Patti Cooksey for signing the lease!

Racism. 

What can we do? Here is one small idea that may help you take a step forward.  Talk with someone you know whose skin is of a different hue than yours and bring up what is going on.  Start a conversation.  Listen. Share with honesty.   See what opens up.  And what might come next.  

As followers of Jesus, we follow his lead and are committed to creating an anti-racist society.

UCC’s  next webinar is entitled “Protest during a Pandemic.” Instead of becoming suppressed by the pandemic, the spirit of justice has arisen with fierce determination and become embodied in countless ways. This webinar will reflect upon how protest has manifested itself during this time and the lessons that can be learned for communities of faith dedicated to answering the unrelenting call of justice. Our three featured panelists will be:  

From Atlanta to Minneapolis, these three panelists will share lessons from the struggle for justice:
• Sophia Benrud, the environmental justice organizer for Black Visions Collective, which has been a leading force for justice in Minneapolis
• Lindsay Harper, the national coordinator for Arm-in-Arm which centers economic and racial justice in addressing the climate crisis
• Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick, a researcher identifying the numerous ways nonviolent actions have become manifest during the pandemic


Use the link below to register for the webinar: REGISTER

WHEN: June 24, 2020 at 1pm – 2pm

https://www.ucc.org/protest_during_a_pandemic

Labyrinth Walk Open to All

For some, the weekly labyrinth walk has provided needed grounding and spiritual support.  There is a theme for each week.  The gathering includes readings, scripture, prayer, reflection, and group sharing.  And, yes, there is the walking of the labyrinth.  If you would like to see an outline of what goes on, there are copies in the mailbox near the labyrinth or contact the church office and it can be emailed to you.  

You are welcome to participate on Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m.  This gathering is outside and physical distancing is maintained.  Bring a lawn chair if you have one.  

LUCC CREATION JUSTICE TASK FORCE update

Free online Viewing of the Film The Human Element, previously only available on Earth Day,  followed by a webinar with renowned filmmaker James Balog is now available for all of you to watch!

View the film at your leisure between June 8 and June 17. Then join Interfaith Power and Light for a 45-minute webinar with filmmaker James Balog on June 17, 8pm Eastern/7pm Central/6pm Mountain/5pm Pacific.

Click here to view a preview, sign up to view the film, AND register separately for the webinar.

You can also Download a free screening guide at the same link with faith-based discussion questions, promotional images, sample newsletter article, and more.  If enough interest among all the LUCC family develops, we can schedule a Zoom discussion of this film. In this riveting and visually rich drama, blending art and science, we follow environmental photographer James Balog of Chasing Ice fame as he explores the impact of wildfires, hurricanes, sea level rise, a struggling coal mining community, and our changing air.  With rare compassion and heart, The Human Element highlights Americans who are on the front lines of climate change, inspiring us to re-evaluate our relationship with the natural world.  See premier of new film 2040 online to be inspired about the real possibility for change in our climate and environment.

Award-winning director Damon Gameau (That Sugar Film) embarks on a journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them rapidly into the mainstream.

Structured as a visual letter to his 4-year-old daughter, Damon blends traditional documentary with dramatised sequences and high-end visual effects to create a vision board of how these solutions could regenerate the world for future generations.

Go to link https://togetherfilms.org/2040-screenings 
to book a virtual screening on your own computer. First available screening is this Friday, June 5th, World Environment Day but other screenings are available over the weekend. Cost is $12 and you have options of when to book streaming of film.

Creation Justice Task Force Update: Permaculture Report 

On Sunday, June 7 at 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall, the Permaculture Design Team students, Scott and Sarah, presented their ideas for transforming our church property into an inviting and sustainable natural environment for our community and beyond. The Creation Justice Task Force met with them multiple times over the past few months and were ready to see how our dreams and desires for an environmentally friendly, attractive, and useful transformation of our natural environment might translate into a reality. We were thrilled with their slide show and well researched presentation of possibilities divided in three phases for implementation over the next few years.
The Creation Justice Task Force is planning for the Permaculture Design Team to share this slide show and information with more of you in the near future in either a zoom or in person meeting. Stay tuned for further information!

Advisors At Work

The advisors met last Sunday.  On the agenda were several finance matters including insurance coverage and follow up on stimulus money from the federal government.  Many thanks to the advisors for their steady leadership in these uncertain times!

Spiritual Direction Offered by LUCC Clergy Member.

In these troubled times, it is important to find ways to tend to our spiritual lives. In the Christian tradition, Spiritual Direction is one of the ways of paying attention to the spirit in our lives. A Spiritual Director is someone to talk with about what is going on in our spiritual life and in our relationship with God however we may conceive of God.

Rev. Sally Purvis, Ph.D., a member of LUCC, is a retired clergy person with training and experience in Spiritual Direction. She is offering her services as a Spiritual Director to the community. The sessions would be held on Zoom and there is no fee to be paid. Church leaders are pleased to have the ministry of the church expand in this way.

Spiritual Direction with Sally is open to anyone, not just the congregation. And it is offered to everyone whatever their spiritual or religious background or affiliation or lack thereof. Sessions are generally held once every three weeks. Spiritual Direction is not a mode of therapy. It is a process for understanding and deepening your relationship with God/Spirit in ways are authentic and life-giving.

Sally was trained by Henri Nouwen, a noted spiritual guide of the 20th century, and did Spiritual Direction as part of her professional ministry before retiring in 2015.

If you would like to explore Spiritual Direction with Sally, please contact her at
sallybpurvis@icloud.com or contact the church (867-7961 or lakewooducc@gmail.com ).

The church is very grateful to Sally for offering this avenue of support to the congregation and the community.

DayStar Donations 

Grocery donations given to the church were donated to DayStar Life Center this week.  Daystar is taking grocery donations as well as adult clothing on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To drop off donations, drive around to the back of the building to the open bay area. 

DayStar Life Center
1055 28th St. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

We encourage you to take your donations to them rather than leave them at the church.  However, if you are unable or don’t feel comfortable going to DayStar, please do leave donations at the church and we will deliver them once a month to DayStar.  Thank you.

QUICK LINKS TO OUR RECENT POSTS DURING THE CORONA CRISIS:
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 those links, please note the “Older Posts” button near bottom of page.

FOR JUST THE MUSIC: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood 

Daily Corona Prayer

https://lakewooducc.org/2020/03/20/lucc-corona-daily-prayer

Assistance Available

If 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 .

June Birthdays: Genie Terrell 6/10, Tony Rogers 6/21, and Shirley Locke 6/30. Someone missing? Contact the church office with birthday information.

Circle of Concern: JoAnn Reid, William Owen, Wilbur Reid, Martha Lamar, Jen Degroot, Carolyn Moore, Ann Quinn, Maggie Brizendine, and All healthcare workers and essential workers. All those suffering from COVID-19.

Please Keep Ann Rogers in your prayers as she has been in the hospital and has now been moved to rehab. 

Please keep LUCC member, Olivia Gibson, in your prayers. She is a nurse in a COVID-19 unit in a local hospital. We are grateful for her ministry!

Recent Posts:

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.

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