Dear Lakewood United Church of Christ Family and Friends,
Greetings! This is definitely a year to remember! And one of the things we remember and give thanks for in this season is the faithfulness, constancy, and generosity of the Lakewood Church family.
When we left the sanctuary after worship and a congregational conversation about the corona virus on Sunday March 15 we did not know that we would not be returning the next Sunday or the next or the next.
And yet, the ministry of the church has flourished and grown this year:
-The Care Team has expanded to the Care Team Plus and everyone in the church family is included in the ministry of the Care Team.
– There have been special mailings to children and youth for holidays.
– There have been ‘drive bys’ to those homebound, the sick, the dying, children, youth, teachers, and healthcare workers.
– There have been weekly anti-racism demonstrations which have brought us new partners: The Friends Meeting and the Social Justice Committee of Westminster Suncoast.
– There has been the expansion of the music ministry of the church. Music posted by Hilton on a regular basis has helped to soothe our souls. The church gets more comments on social media about Hilton’s music than anything else. This ministry is reaching well beyond the in-person LUCC family.
– Weekly Corona Sabbath posts have brought spiritual support to many including people beyond the in-person congregation.
– There is a team actively revamping the church library to offer greater enrichment and enjoyment.
– Spiritual Direction is being offered through the church.
– The labyrinth ministry has grown from a seasonal offering to a weekly year round gathering providing spiritual support and insight during these challenging days.
And there are many in the church who work in helping professions, social service, education, healthcare, and chaplaincy. They have seen their job responsibilities mushroom with the increasing need created by the pandemic. The church has endeavored to provide them with spiritual support so that they might minister to the community.
Because of your generosity, the ministry of the church has grown during these covid days. Because of your giving, the ministry of the church has been ‘pressed down and shaken together’ and is ‘running over.’
Please know that Lakewood Church is grateful to you, grateful to be a part of your life, and grateful for your generosity.
YOU make this a Happy Thanksgiving for your LUCC family. Thank you!
With love,
Rev. Kim Wells and the Advisors Patti Cooksey, Jane Diven, Lucille Ruga, Malcolm Wells, and Olivia Gibson
These weeks when we cannot gather in person for Sunday worship, Lakewood United Church of Christ is providing brief weekly sabbath programs for you to listen to on your own or with others in your social isolation group. They will be posted on Friday so that you can schedule your sabbath time to suit your schedule and your spiritual inclinations. We hope these programs are of spiritual support to you in these difficult times.
The post this week focuses on the spiritual discipline of Thanksgiving.
This post includes a scripture reading done by Jim Andrews, a reflection from Rev. Kim Wells and a music video created by Hilton Jones featuring pictures submitted by the congregation of things to be thankful for. We hope this post helps to feed your spirit in these difficult times.
You are invited to find a quiet space, inside or outside. Light a candle. Take a look around you. Breathe. Life-giving breath. Be present.
You may begin by reading this poem:
i thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and of love and wings:and of the gay great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any—lifted from the no of all nothing—human merely being doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
The following video is a collection of pictures submitted by some of the parishioners of Lakewood UCC accompanied by a soundtrack of Hilton playing Great is Thy Faithfulness.
You are invited to offer the following closing –
When each day is sacred
when each hour is sacred
when each instant is sacred
earth and you space and you bearing the sacred through time
you’ll reach the fields of light.
–Guillevic, French poet
Breathe. Breathe again. Be filled. With thanksgiving. Extinguish your candle and engage whatever may come with a sense of peace and a desire to serve.
Yes, there is a pandemic. Yes, that means for many of us life is restricted. Yes, some have lost loved ones and had dear ones contract the virus. Yes, the COVID 19 crisis has had a devastating economic impact on many. BUT – there are still things to be grateful for. Cultivating a spirit of gratitude can help us to maintain our spiritual health especially in times of trial.
Your LUCC faith community is providing many ways to give thanks this season of Thanksgiving:
In Person Worship Sunday Nov. 22 at 10:30 a.m.
There will be an in person worship service, outdoors, with masks, physical distancing and no singing, on the church grounds Sunday Nov. 22 at 10:30 a.m. You may bring something that represents what you are thankful for to add to the altar. All are welcome! There will be childcare.
As part of the service, there will be a Ritual of Thanksgiving. You are invited to bring something that represents what you are thankful for and place it on the altar during the service.
Virtual Worship Thanksgiving Sunday Nov. 22 at Noon
The church will offer the same service that is being held in person virtually via Zoom/Facebook Live on Sunday Nov. 22 at noon. Participants will be able to watch the live streaming service taking place in the sanctuary and comment to each other in the chat space provided. Hopefully this will help to meet the needs of those who are not able or do not feel safe participating in person. Go to the church Facebook page and click on the ‘live’ button on the lower left. Or use this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2700683648.
Offerings for Thanksgiving
Show your gratitude by extending generosity to others. Giving helps you to be aware of your abundance.
In addition to regular church offerings, this Thanksgiving there will be a special collection for the Special Needs Fund of the church which helps people in the church and in the community with basic needs such as rent, utilities, and prescriptions. The pandemic has increased the needs of our neighbors. Make your gift in person at the service or send it to the church marked Special Needs, or use PayPal at the church website. There will also be a special food collection for Operation Attack. Cereal, peanut butter, pasta, pasta sauce, and canned meat are needed. Bring donations to church and place them in the grocery cart at church.
OUT OF REGARD FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY THIS EVENT IS BEING CANCELLED
Sharing a Meal
What is Thanksgiving without food? And yet many will not be joining family and friends this year because of the health and safety issues involved. The LUCC Care Team is sponsoring a get together for people from the church to eat together on Thanksgiving. This gathering will be outdoors with masks and physical distancing. Participants may bring their own food or have food provided. Each will bring their own plates, utensils, and drinks. Those who would like to participate are asked to contact Patti Cooksey so that adequate arrangements can be made for the number of people who will be attending. More details will be forthcoming. You can reach Patti at cooksepa@eckerd.edu
Thanksgiving Corona Sabbath
For those who have built the Corona Sabbath posts into their devotional routine, there will be a weekly Corona Sabbath post featuring the Thanksgiving music video with the pictures submitted by the congregation. This will be posted on Friday Nov. 20th.
In Person Services and Gatherings Ahead!
In the next two months, the church is going to experiment with a ‘soft’ re-opening. There will be in person gatherings and services outside, with masks, and physical distancing. There will be no singing. Participants are encouraged to bring their own chairs. Some will also be available at the church.
Here’s what’s coming:
In addition, the weekly guided labyrinth walks will continue on Wednesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. and weekly anti-racism demonstrations will continue on Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m. All are welcome.
For those who want to remain engaged with the church ‘remotely’, the church will continue to post a weekly Corona Sabbath with a scripture reading, reflection from Rev. Wells, and music from Hilton Jones. Paper copies of the Corona Sabbath and the Update will continue to be sent to those who do not use the internet.
After this period of experimentation, there will be a discussion about how to proceed into the New Year.
Leadership Selection Process
Each year the congregation is invited to offer names of people that they would like to serve as advisors for the church for the coming year. Church members are also welcome to volunteer to serve.
Advisors are charged with seeing that the life and ministry of LUCC is an embodiment of the mission statement of the church. In addition, the Advisors function in an administrative capacity regarding budget and finance, property, program, and personnel. They serve as the pastoral relations committee fostering a positive relationship between the congregation and the pastor.
The advisors have been meeting at least once a month, sometimes in person and sometimes virtually. This depends on the will of the group.
Please suggest names of those you think would serve well as Advisors for the coming year. You may email lakewooducc@gmail.com
Corona Sabbath Ahead
The theme for this week’s Corona Sabbath post is Thanksgiving. This post includes the music video featuring pictures submitted by the LUCC church family.
If you missed last week’s Corona Sabbath here’s the link:
Weekly demonstrations to end racism continue in front of the church each Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Bring a sign or use one of the signs provided. Regardless of the outcome of the election, this witness is an important demonstration of Christian values and moral values. All are welcome to join in!
And use the following link to see pictures from the last demonstration.
In case of rain, the demonstration will not be held that week. Know justice, know peace!
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 Corona Sabbath of the week 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.
November Birthdays: Lucille Ruga 11/9, Emily Bell 11/15, Rev. Susan Sherwood 11/15, Ed Kaspar 11/21, Lorne Palmer 11/21, Bert Lee 11/22, Bill Lindsay 11/23, Wally LeBlanc 11/23, Kai’Lyn Washington 11/27, and Jane Diven 11/29, Someone missing? Contact the church office with birthday information.
Circle of Concern: JoAnn Reid, William Owen, Wilbur Reid, Jen Degroot, Carolyn Moore, Ann Quinn, Maggie Brizendine, Dave Radens, 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!
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.
