The Season of Lent
The season of Lent has begun. Like a seed in the ground during the winter months, Lent is a time of preparation for the new life that we celebrate at Easter. The Lenten season began on Ash Wednesday and lasts 40 days not including Sundays. It is traditionally a season of repentance; a time to turn your life back toward God, Spirit, Divine Love, however you envision that. The Lenten season at LUCC this year will be a time to reflect with several mystics of centuries past and consider the wisdom they offer for our walk of faith today.
In Person Indoor/Outdoor Services
There will be another indoor/outdoor set up this Sunday to try to mitigate some of the problems last week. There will be well-ventilated, physically distanced indoor seating as well as outdoor seating on the sidewalk adjacent to the sanctuary. Masks are worn by all. Please know that your safety is of primary consideration!
Childcare provided.
This Sunday the service will focus on the mystic Julian of Norwich. Rev.Dr. Sally Purvis will be sharing about Julian with the congregation.
The bulletin and text of the Sunday sermon will be posted at the website early in the week and there will be regular posts of music and music videos from Hilton Jones.
Here’s the link for last Sunday’s service: https://lakewooducc.org/2021/02/25/sunday-service-2-21-2021/
Watch the service on FaceBook Live Sundays at 10:30. https://www.facebook.com/LakewoodUCC
Dollie Pettis Memorial Service
Sympathy and condolences are expressed to Claire Stiles and Ruth Pettis and family over the death of Ruth’s mother, Dollie, on December 31. Dollie was a resident of Westminster Suncoast.
There will be a memorial service held over Zoom tomorrow, Friday the 26th, 2021 from 11:30-1:30p.m. The Dollie Pettis Memorial & Celebration of life starts at 12 noon.
We’ll look forward to seeing you there!
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Eckerd College Environmental Film Festival, Virtual
Eckerd students, faculty and staff have turned to the natural world for study, recreation and conservation efforts. Our campus wide immersion in concern for the health of the planet shines through many of our endeavors, including the return of the Visions of Nature/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival. The reimagined festival will feature online access to Viktor Kossakovsky’s Gunda, a black-and-white documentary about a sow and her piglets, from February 26 to 29, and a virtual discussion of the film with Assistant Professor of Animal Studies Erin Frick on February 27 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Almost every moment at Eckerd is a chance to engage with the environment. We’re proud to share the ways our community continues to excel at positive interactions with nature.
Please use the following link to view this post: https://lakewooducc.org/2021/02/16/ec-environmental-film-festival-virtual/
New Locks on Breezeway Bathrooms
Many thanks to Bert Lee for putting new locks on the breezeway bathrooms. The new locks are combination locks. Please speak with Bert and he will be happy to give you the combination! The bathrooms will be open as usual for all church events. Thank you so much, Bert.
Rev. Wells Away
Kim has gotten clearance from her doctors to go to Massachusetts on Grandma duty. She will be gone from Wednesday Feb. 24 – Friday March 12. Many thanks to all those who will be serving in her absence! If you are in need of pastoral care, please contact Patti Cooksey at cooksepa@eckerd.edu.
Want to make a difference? Represent LUCC on the Pinellas Coalition for Immigration Justice!
To remain part of the PCIJ, Lakewood needs a representative to replace Sue Sherwood. Please contact the Church if you can attend the PCIJ monthly meeting (currently on Zoom the first Tuesday of the month at 7 PM) and serve as a liaison, reporting to the church on actions taken and encouraging LUCC participation in activities such as contacting elected representatives and promoting educational events. With the new Administration in Washington talking of reopening the private Homestead facility for immigrant youth and the FL legislature’s committee work starting, there is much at stake. You are needed in making a difference!
He does do windows!
Many thanks to Rick Carr for working on the windows above the cupboards in the Sanctuary. Rick cleaned the windows and the tracks and removed the plates and screws which kept them locked. Now the windows can be opened to allow more circulation of fresh air in the sanctuary to help the church be covid safe. These windows have not been opened in at least 30 years and probably more like 50! Thank you so much, Rick!
Adult Daycare Update
The inspections are underway so that the licensing can be finalized and the center can open. Hopefully it will be soon!
Operation Attack Needs
There was another successful OA Food Distribution Drive Thru in December due to caring volunteers, thankful families, and all of you. We fed 91 families with 2 bags of non perishables, fresh produce, meat, and dairy products. We also gave extra food to large families (over 6 people), diapers and wipes, 50 referrals to Clothes to Kids, and 120 Christmas Goodie Bags. The goodie bags were donated and made by E.L.F.S., The Elected Ladies For The Savior. Each beautifully decorated Christmas bag was filled with a juice box, chips and candy. We were grateful to be asked to distribute these gifts to children.
The next Food Distribution Drive Thrus will March 13. Listed below are ways you can participate in our future Drive Thrus:
Volunteer to pre-bag food before the Drive Thru. Purchase baby wipes and large/family size nonperishable food Donate plastic grocery bags Pray for the people/groups making this event happen Pray for the people we are serving
Thank you for your faithfulness to the people in the community who need our support right now. Yours in Christ!
Anti-Racism Demonstrations Continue
Weekly demonstrations to end racism resumed Sunday January 10 at 4:30 p.m.. Many thanks to all who are participating. While there was a break in the demonstrations, we know that there is no break in the systemic racism that is harmful to everyone. Add your presence to this weekly demonstration making a witness to your commitment to anti racism.
Weekly Labyrinth Walks Continue
Each Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. a small group gathers at the outdoor labyrinth for a time of devotion, discussion, and meditative walking of the labyrinth. The theme for the week is taken from the Sunday before, so it is an opportunity to go deeper in the spiritual exploration of that theme for your life. This devotional gathering is outside and physical distancing is maintained. All are welcome!
If there is rain on Wednesday morning, the gathering will be held on Thursday morning at 9:00.
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 that 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.
Music from Hilton
You can watch 5 videos Hilton made as lead-ups to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUn2RmCFhW2uAVwKQLfqJnzNmZhEK_TK5.
If you want to just hear they soundtracks, without the videos, you can hear those at https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/mlk-day.
USEFUL LAKEWOOD LINKS DURING THE CORONA CRISIS:
- Corona Sabbath Posts
- Sermon and Reflection Texts
- Music at Lakewood
- Lakewood UCC YouTube Channel
- Lakewood UCC on Twitter
- Lakewood on Facebook
- Lakewood on Instagram
- Daily Corona Prayer
For the above church website links, please note the “Older Posts” button near the bottom of each page.
February Birthdays: Jim Andrews 2/6, Jeff Wells 2/15, Joyce Lee 2/28, Someone missing? Contact the church office with birthday information.
Circle of Concern: To the family and loved ones of Wilbur Reid. Marg and Dave Radens, Victoria Long, Edward Jones, William Owen, Jen Degroot, Carolyn Moore, Ann Quinn, Maggie Brizendine, Joyce Lee, Wally LeBlanc, teachers, students, and school personnel, and 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 in a COVID-19 unit in a local hospital. We are grateful for her ministry!
Church Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9:30-noon.
Recent Posts:
- Valentine Sunday February 19, 2021
- Outdoor Ash Wednesday Service 2021 February 18, 2021
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 