View this email in your browser THIS SUNDAYThis Sunday: This is the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Labor Day was a time to honor all who work by giving everyone a day off. Now it has become a day off for some and a day on for many especially those who work in retail and restaurants. What would a godly economy look like? What can we learn from scripture and from nature? Take a look at Deuteronomy 5:12-15 and I Timothy 6:6-10. Looking forward to Sunday! The service is at 10:30 a.m. and Childcare is provided. The offertory Sunday, in honor of workers, are these three Woody Guthrie tunes. Here are YouTube links to Guthrie singing them in case you’re not familiar with them. The Banks are Made of Marble Which Side Are You On? There’s a Better World a Comin’ Alligator Alcatraz Vigil There were over 250 people at the vigil at Alligator Alcatraz last Sunday. Many thanks to the 10 people who went from Lakewood and to the many others from the congregation who donated to offset the cost of the bus. Rev. Kim Wells and Rev. Dr. Angela Wells-Bean were among the speakers. Here is a reflection from one of the participants, Lucille Ruga: I didn’t know what to expect of this trip to what has always been to me a national treasure, a home to the wild things of nature and the people who for generations have considered it their home, a sacred place. I just knew I had to be there as a witness and perhaps to learn. To think of it being used to hold children of God in cages, an egregious sin against humanity, angered me. What could I, any one of us, do? What would it take to remove the stain of evil from this beautiful place? To stand at the side of the road with many dozens of others as angry, as frustrated as I, was in some small way a healing. We were told we might hear angry words shouted at us but the few were greatly outnumbered by people honking horns as they drove by, reading our signs, and reacting with thumbs up, peace signs, yelling thank-yous shouted at 50 miles per hour. We had the chance to yell too (which helped release some of the tension and yes, anger inside me), to loudly chant in hopes that we might be heard by the hundreds enduring the pain, the hunger and thirst, the separation from loved ones. “We care, we want you free.” For more about the vigil, see this post on the church website: PostsVigil at Alligator Alcatraz    Black Business Month August is National Black Business Month, a time to celebrate and support Black-owned businesses. It was created to address systemic barriers and amplify the contributions of Black entrepreneurs. The month encourages consumers to actively patronize and promote Black-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment and community development. Here are a couple of websites that promote Black-owned businesses:Take a look at this list of black owned businesses from St. Petersburg and Clearwater coffee, to dog grooming, and more – Black-Owned Businesses in St. Pete-Clearwater This website gives a list of businesses that are 100% black owned – The Best Black-owned Businesses in St. Petersburg Rated By Past Clients. Outreach Thanks to the generosity of our congregation, we were able to deliver over 1,750 period pads to Lakewood High School last week! The school social worker Erika Dickerson, who’s pictured here along with another Lakewood HS staff member, was so grateful for this donation and says there’s not a day that goes by when a student doesn’t come to her needing one of these products. Many thanks to all of you for making this donation drive such a success. This was a beautiful way to meet a genuine need in our neighborhood!    Celebrate Outreach Every year from September 1-30, Pinellas County Libraries in Largo, Palm Harbor and Pinellas Park host a Welcoming Week Donation Drive to help our newest neighbors, local immigrant and refugee families. We will be collecting items at Lakewood to contribute to these welcome baskets. You can choose to bring items to the church, donate online (indicate in Notes that it is for Welcoming Week), or buy items directly from the Amazon wish list. Links are provided below for a complete list of needed items. All items must be brand new, unopened, and in their original packaging. Baskets will be put together by theme (kitchen, bathroom, baby, child, teen) at the library and distributed to families through local refugee/immigrant serving organizations. Welcoming Week Info: https://largopubliclibrary.org/welcomingweek/Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/35EM3QP5IFW7M?ref_=wl_shareOnline Monetary Donations: Donate Now — Greater Largo Library Foundation  Demonstration Opportunity On the morning of Labor Day, September 1st, we will continue the movement, standing in solidarity with all our communities under attack and fighting for real wins for all our people. Joining thousands of communities around the country, we will take a stand with a visibility event organized by the St. Pete League of Women Voters, Pinellas NOW, and other allied organizations. We will create GIANT HUMAN LETTERS to create an aerial-viewed art installation. Together, we will demand a world that works for all of us. On Spa Beach at the St. Pete Pier, promptly at 10:00am, participants will spell out our message UNITE & RISE with our bodies. A photographer will record the event with a drone flyover. Photos will be posted, with participants agreeing to post widely on their own social media channels. The organizers request participants to:● wear bright blue clothing● bring a blue towel to sit upon● bring your own water in refillable container● bring an umbrella to protect yourself from the sun until the drone arrives Register: https://www.mobilize.us/mayday/event/824640/More info: https://tinyurl.com/StPeteSept1Facebook event page: Giant Human Letters for #SolidaritySeptember St. Pete  Choir Starting in September The 2025-26 Lakewood UCC Choir fall season starts with its first rehearsal, 9am, Sunday, September 7th. It is open to anyone who would like to sing. There’s no audition. ANY level of proficiency is acceptable. All that’s required is a desire to sing in the choir. There are practice tracks to use at home to learn your part. You’ll find your fellow singers in the choir helpful and encouraging. The choir practices every Sunday, but doesn’t always sing in the service. This is particularly true at the beginning of the season when we’re learning new music. Sometimes, when the choir doesn’t sing in service there may be a solo singer that Sunday instead. If this sounds like fun to you, see you Sunday, September 7th, in the church sanctuary, 9am sharp! WEEKLY LABYRINTH UPDATE Weekly guided labyrinth walks are held every Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. The focus is on the scripture reading from the previous Sunday. For those who do not feel comfortable walking, a finger labyrinth is available. Please bring your own chair if you can. The labyrinth is on the southwest corner of the church property, beyond the bike rack. You are welcome to walk it any time.  Care ClosetNeeded for Refugee and Migrant Women’s Initiative, Inc. This is a local group that assists migrants and refugees. The following brand new items are needed: full-sized hygiene items, soap (laundry, dishes, hand), bedding, utensils (cups, plates, baking and cooking supplies), trash cans, laundry baskets, cleaning products, towels, toys, babycare items, school supplies for K-12. Good Samaritan Food Pantry The food pantry has requested pet food and breakfast cereal. Donations may be placed in The Caring Closet here at the church. Plastic Bags for Missio Dei Missio Dei is in need of plastic grocery bags for the homeless and needy. Please place bags in The Caring Closet at church. Operation Attack in Need of Volunteers O.A. is an ecumenical food pantry at Lakeview Presbyterian Church. LUCC was a founding partner in this ministry in the 1960’s. Volunteers are needed and nonperishable food is always in demand. Contributions can go in The Caring Closet at church. Toiletries for Celebrate Outreach Celebrate Outreach is a local ministry with people who are living without shelter in St. Petersburg. An average of 135 people are served each week. Here is a list of donations needed: towlettes travel size, socks and underwear. Please leave your donation in The Caring Closet at church. Clothes for Those Released from Jail Along with Pilgrim UCC, we are collecting clothing for Pinellas County jail inmates to wear upon release from the jail. T-shirts, shorts, sweat pants, socks & underwear M/F. Please no suits, dresses, or dressy clothes. Just comfortable used clean clothing placed in The Caring Closet at church. USEFUL LAKEWOOD LINKS PostsLakewood UCC YouTube ChannelLakewood UCC Bluesky accountYou can listen to Hilton’s music and videos for free at https://hiltonkeanjones.com/.View  August Birthdays!4- Barbara Donohue7- Mardie Chapman11- Claire Stiles13- Kay Rencken14- Vita Uth22-Dana Cosper27- Dave Ogdie28- Barbara Walburn 28- JoAnne Reid  Circle of Concern Laveina GeigerClaire StilesTina AllenMarti HafnerJason RiddellCathy GieseyVictoria LongMichelle Cloutier Ann Cloutier, Michelle’s mother JoAnne Reid Shelly Wilson Paula and Tony Pelletier Deb Kenneda Barbara Walburn Yvonne Riesen Leslee and Holly Van Ranst Sorenson Denise Williams Vita Uth Dot Thrush Chip and Dana Cosper Cate Colgan & Marty Seyler’s dog, Trinity Jackie Shewmaker All school students, families & staff Caregivers The 280 women and men on Florida’s Death Row 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 Wednesday. Please provide the information in paragraph form with pertinent details and links. THANK YOU! Subscribe to Church WebsiteYou are invited to subscribe to the Lakewood UCC Church website. When you subscribe, every time something is posted at the website you receive an email about the post. This is a great way to keep up on what is happening with the church community and beyond!Here’s a link to subscribe: Subscribe RECENT WEBSITE POSTS Vigil at Alligator AlcatrazSermon Text, Enlighten Up, 8.10.2025Sermon Text- Twisted and Crooked- August 3, 2025Sermon video 7.27.25 Rev. Ann Wynne-Phillips July 27, 2025Sermon video 7.20.25 Rev. Ann Wynne-Phillips July 20, 2025 Credits: Images of birthday cake and books from Freepik.comOur mailing address is:Lakewood United Church of Christ2601 54th Ave S St Petersburg, FL 33712-4709On land originally inhabited by the Tocabaga on the Gulf of Mexico Copyright (C) 2025 Lakewood United Church of Christ. 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Lakewood United Church of Christ 