Author: lakewooducc

Sermon 7/24/2022

Date: July 24, 2022
Scripture Lesson: Luke 10:38-42
Sermon: At Jesus’ Feet
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

To start our sermon time together this morning, I I would like your help. I would like you to take a few moments to write down some of your favorite stories associated with Jesus. Some of your favorite teachings of Jesus. Maybe it’s something from the Beatitudes. Or a parable. Or a story of healing. Or the Easter story. So, take a moment to think about something from the life and teachings of Jesus that is important to you. And I’d like you to write that down.

Hand out pens and pads. . . .
Hilton plays “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus”
Collect papers

Last week we talked about the story of Mary and Martha, but there is more that we are going to reflect on today. In this story we are told that Mary was seated at the feet of Jesus. We know she was there as a disciple, a student, to learn, to hear his teachings. Men seated at the feet of a rabbi was the classic modality for teaching in that time.

So, as we think about the legacy of Jesus, let’s think about who would be seated at his feet. In the classic religious scenario of the time, those at the feet of a rabbi would be men, who were ritually clean, in good standing, current on their prayers and tithes.

But as we read the New Testament, and particularly the gospels, we see a different picture of who may have been seated at the feet of Jesus; who was interested in learning from him. It was a far wider group. More diverse. Including women. Like Mary. Like the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil. Or the woman caught in adultery. And there were probably people seated at Jesus’ feet wanting to learn from him who were not upstanding Jews. Like the Roman centurion who came to Jesus begging him to heal his servant. Or some Samaritans who were foreigners and enemies. Maybe the grateful leper was seated at Jesus’ feet. Or the man born blind. Or the Gerasene demoniac who was possessed and living among the graves until Jesus cast out the evil spirits within him. Maybe Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector, was seated at the feet of Jesus. Maybe there were children. Maybe Lazarus who had been covered with sores and was homeless and hungry sat at Jesus’ feet. Maybe the woman with 7 demons was seated at the feet of Jesus. And the woman with the flow of blood. Maybe the poor widow who put two coins in the Temple coffers. Maybe she was sitting at Jesus’ feet; eager to listen and learn.

So, as we think about listening at the feet of Jesus we are seeing a much more diverse group than just the respectable men of the day.

And there is a teaching in that. You see, everyone is welcome at the feet of Jesus. He turns no one away. When we think of Jesus teaching today, do we see him in a big, fancy, arched stone church with a gorgeous organ and a marble pulpit? Or in a white steepled building with wooden pews? Do we see good, respectable, well dressed, well spoken people coming to hear Jesus? I hope they are coming to hear Jesus, but I think there would be a much more diverse crowd at the feet of Jesus. Do we see homeless people? People who don’t speak English? Jesus didn’t speak English. People with holes in their clothes? People of varying shades and hues? Do we see people of varying identities? And more than that, people of many differing kinds of backgrounds and experiences? Tech execs and gas station clerks? PhD’s and people who mow lawns? People who are rich, rich, rich, rich, and people who are struggling to get by? I’ll never forget that moment in the presidential debates between Bill Clinton and George Bush, Sr. when they were asked about the prices of a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk. Clinton answered as if he had been in the grocery story the day before. Bush, not so much. But both of them, and those like them, are welcome at the feet of Jesus.

To people who have been downgraded, excluded, and sidelined, Jesus says, there is room at my feet. For you. Your place is waiting. I have a word for you.

To people who have been failed by the education system, who feel ill-equipped and inadequate to deal with life around them, Jesus has a place at his feet. And he has something to say, and it can be understood. It is meant for for them.

To people who have been failed by the economic system, and abused by the economic system, to people who have been taken advantage of to make others rich, and who can’t make ends meet, or scrape by. To people who are used up and throw aside, overlooked, and ill-treated because they cannot stay on top of their basic needs and that of their families. Society says, you are a failure. You just don’t work hard enough. You are lazy. You lack motivation. Jesus has a place at his feet. And a word of liberation and comfort and worth.

To people who feel abandoned by the health care system and by society. Deemed not competent to make their own health care decisions. Not able to pay for needed care or medication. Not given access to the full range of medical resources available including needed mental health services. Cast out. Ignored. Jesus has room at his feet. And a word of healing and hope.

To people who haven’t bathed because they don’t have access to a safe place to live and care for themselves. Dirty. Smelly, even. Jesus has a place at his feet.

To children who are hungry, who don’t have a safe place to live. Who are discounted and devalued and bullied in school. Jesus has a place at his feet.

To people who have been swallowed up by capitalism and taken the Koolaid about getting rich and being happy, to those who have been seduced by power and money, Jesus says come sit with me. I have a word of hope and joy for you.

And then there is the diversity of our activities and behaviors and politics. All welcome at Jesus’ feet. When you think about this, it is really extraordinary. When do all of these kinds of people come together? Maybe, just maybe at a ball game. Though the tickets can be costly. Or at the 4th of July fireworks. They’re free. But there is no interaction. No relationship building in those spectator settings. But at the feet of Jesus, everyone is welcome. And everyone comes. And they get to know each other. WE are welcome and we form relationships with people we would never have encountered otherwise.

There is something else about the people who are welcomed at the feet of Jesus in the gospels. Lots of them are, well, sketchy. Like thieves. Unscrupulous cheaters. People who have done bad things. Maybe drug dealers. Embezzlers. People who have been involved in abusive financial dealings. But there they are, at the feet of Jesus, because Jesus welcomes them, too. Not only whoever you are, but whatever you have done. There’s a place for everyone. And not only is there a place, but there is a teaching, a story, a message, to help all of us come back, be restored, have hope again.

In today’s world, who we are just dogs us. If you have a police record, God help you. Because it will come up again and again and again, even when it has nothing to do with the matter at hand. You just can’t get out from under it, thanks to the ubiquitous computer and the ever present spirit of vengeance.

Apply for a job. There is that dreaded section about a felony. Or any other legal altercations. No matter how long ago or what the circumstance.

Got into trouble somehow, made a bad decision, got into a harmful relationship, blew it at a job, it all stays with us thanks to social media and the internet.

To all of us dogged by the past, Jesus says sit at my feet. You are worthy of my teaching. I have a word for you. About a different kind of life.

Heather Cook was a suffragan bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. She was the first woman elected a bishop in that diocese. In 2014, she was involved in a traffic fatality in Baltimore. In addition to vehicular manslaughter, she was charged with drunk driving, texting while driving, and leaving the scene of a crime. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Cook.]

The person killed, Thomas Palermo, was a beloved husband and father of a 6 year-old daughter, Sadie, and a 4-year-old son, Sam. He was an avid cyclist and bike builder. He had many loyal friends and colleagues. He was a software engineer for Johns Hopkins. He was a kind, gentle soul and a good listener. [Obituary of Thomas Palermo, https://www.baltimoresun.com/obituaries/bs-md-ob-thomas-palermo-20141230-story.html.%5D

And he was killed by an Episcopal bishop driving drunk. Cook was convicted and spent 4 years in prison and 5 years under supervised parole and probation.

Can we imagine that Heather Cook, the ex-bishop, has a place at the feet of Jesus? One entrusted with spreading the gospel who instead spread grief and pain? After such a betrayal, does she still have a place at the feet of Jesus? Can we see that Thomas Palermo’s beloved family and friends also are sitting at the feet of Jesus?

So, when we think about this image of sitting at Jesus’ feet, first we want to see that no one is turned away. Jesus sees the sacred, the Divine Image in everyone. Jesus has deep and abiding love for every single soul. No matter who you are. No matter what you have been put through. No matter what has been done to you. No matter what you have done. Or haven’t done. There is lots of room at Jesus’ feet and Jesus has a message of love and hope for everyone.

Can you see all those people? That gathering? Can you find a place to sit down Do you notice those seated near you? Well, maybe 6 feet apart. And wearing a mask. Can we imagine that?

And what do we hear at Jesus feet? What is he teaching? He is giving each of us what we need. Forgiveness. Hope. Encouragement. A dream. Comfort. Love. Truth. Whatever it is that we need, Jesus offers it. And we are here because we have heard that good news. We have heard what we need from Jesus.

This is where you have helped with this sermon. You have contributed the stories and teachings that you have heard and that have stayed with you and shaped you and given you hope. The teachings that have informed your reality and taught you about the nature of universal love.

This is what we have heard at Jesus’ feet. These are the teachings that we need:

Early in the morning on the first day of the week when Mary Magdalene
went to the tomb –
Then not finding Jesus’ body. She was crying in the garden –
Jesus calls her by name “Mary”
She recognizes him – Jesus is alive
Her beloved!
Love is stronger than death!

The Sermon on the Mount is my favorite because it lays out the ethical framework for living which emulates the commandments to love God and others.

So if I don’t know any teachings, just that he is a forgiving person that always did the right thing to and for his fellow person.

Mary and Martha! Since covid this story of balance and priority has helped me use my time in more loving, thoughtful ways.

Psalm 121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills.
I learned this at 13 years old from my mother as she was dying.

Jesus and the Woman at the Well-

-He engaged her
-He accepted her as she was
-He challenged her
-He sent her to go and live her life –

This story helps me in my situation – whatever or wherever I am on the road of life.

When Jesus came down from the mountain and found his disciples asleep.

Healing the woman with the flow of blood – Moving beyond the expectations of his time and place. She reached out. With just a touch of his garment, he knew! Courage! Desperation!

Last supper. My body, my blood for you. Teaching??

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.

Parable of the lost sheep

-Every single person is valuable in God’s eyes.
-God will never stop pursuing us until we are back in restored
relationship with God.

Always interested in children. Come unto me – teaching them at his feet.
Beatitudes
Good Samaritan
Zacchaeus

Feed followers with fish and bread (loaves)

Jesus gives me
quiet and peace
and a friend when
needed

The Loaves and the Fishes made an impression when I was a lad. Preaching in the temple as a youth. (That’s in there, right? Or am I mistaken?)

At the tomb – Easter morning. Mary asks the gardener Where have you
taken my master? And Jesus says her name “Mary”
And she recognizes him and says Master – Rabbi
On the cross — Jesus says Forgive them for they know not what they do.
Jesus says he has not come to refute ‘the law’ but to fulfill it —
Love God with all you heart and soul
Love all others as I have loved you.

These are the teachings that we have heard at the feet of Jesus. These are the stories we have needed.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, our teacher, listening to him, we are given life. In Psalm 1, we are told of a tree beside the water nourished by the stream and how we are like the tree nourished by the love of God. Jesus is messaging to us a word that is life giving like the mycelium messaging under the soil to the roots of the trees to keep the trees alive, healthy, and safe. Like the oxygen emitted by plants and trees that keeps us alive, those who sit at Jesus’ feet are given life, sustained, brought back from despair, and kept alive. We are welcomed into the reality of God. At Jesus’ feet, we are nourished with life giving love. Not condemnation. Or retribution. Or threat. Or intimidation. Or judgment. No. At Jesus’ feet, we are given the word of life that sustains all of us and that does not judge or berate. No matter who we are. Or what we have done. Jesus has a life line for us. We just need to listen and let him save us. Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ

Bulletin 7/24/2022

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS

LIGHTING THE PEACE CANDLE                Christy Martin,liturgist

To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is itself to succumb to the violence of our times.

Thomas Merton, 1915-1968

PRELUDE                                   Feuilles Volantes 1                          Duparc

* OPENING SENTENCES                   Lal Ded, 14th c., Kashmir

I was passionate,
filled with longing,
I searched
far and wide.
But the day that the Truthful One
found me,
I was at home.     

* HYMN                     Come, O Fount of Every Blessing                  459

SCRIPTURE LESSON

Let us prepare ourselves for the word of God as it comes to us in the reading of Holy Scripture. Our hearts and minds are open.
           Luke 10:38-42
For the word of God in scripture, for the word of God among us, for the word of God within us. Thanks be to God.

MODERN READING        For the Parents of One Who Has Committed a Crime

John O’Donohue, 1956-2008

* HYMN                                        Give Me Jesus                                         409

SERMON                       At Jesus’ Feet                                Rev. Kim P. Wells

RESPONSIVE READING                                            Iona Abbey Worship Book

Hear now the words of Jesus spoken to each one of us.

Jesus says:
My peace I give to you.
Do not be afraid.
I call you my friend.
Abide in my love.
Even the hairs of your head are numbered.
Follow me.
I am the way for you.
I am the life for you.
I am the truth for you.
Blessed are your eyes for they see.
You are my witness.
You are my brother.
I am hungry, give me food.
I am in prison, come to me.
I am thirsty, give me drink.
I am a stranger, welcome me.
I am naked, clothe me.		I am sick, visit me.
Abide in me and I in you.
You will shine like the sun.
You are in me and I in you.
Ask and it will be given to you.
Seek and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened to you.
I am the vine, you are the branch.
I will give you rest.
You are the light of the world.
You are the salt of the earth.
You are my sister.
Give and it will be given to you.
Love others as I have loved you.
The truth will make you free.
Feed my sheep.
Watch and pray.
I am with you always.

INTERLUDE                             Morning                                               Edvard Grieg

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Lakewood United Church of Christ, as part of the Church Universal is to:

  • Celebrate the presence and power of God in our lives & in our world.
  • Offer the hospitality and inclusive love of Christ to all people.
  • Work for God’s peace and justice throughout creation.

MORNING OFFERING
Morning offerings may be brought forward and placed in the plates on the altar. You are invited to write your prayer requests on the sheets provided in the bulletin and bring them forward and place them in the basket on the altar. If you would like assistance, please turn to someone seated near you.

Offertory                      Ms Marple theme                             Goodwin                                   

* Time of Dedication                                                              Brigid Rees

O God, you claim me as your partner, respecting me,
trusting me,
tussling with me.
Support me,
as I dare to be vulnerable with you,
encourage me as I dare to take risks with you,
and together we can transform our world. Amen.

* PREPARATION FOR PRAYER                       Softly and Tenderly                            449

MORNING PRAYER – SAVIOR’S PRAYER

Holy One, our only Home, hallowed be Your name.
May your day dawn, your will be done,
Here, as in heaven. Feed us today, and forgive us
As we forgive each other. Do not forsake us at the test,
But deliver us from evil. For the glory, the power,
And the mercy are yours, now and forever.  Amen.

*  HYMN                                    Beautiful Jesus                                                             44 

* BENEDICTION                                                                   Iona Worship Book

*SUNG RESPONSE (please form a circle)          Rosemary Crow

Weave, weave, weave us together;  weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together;  weave us together, together in love.         

*POSTLUDE                  Golliwog’s Cakewalk                     Debussy           

Circle of Concern: Tony Larson, Emily Bell, Ann Quinn who is under Hospice Care, William Owen-Cowan, Jen Degroot, Carolyn Moore, Maggie Brizendine, Janet Hall, Yoko Nogami walking the Appalachian Trail, All those suffering from COVID-19 and all healthcare workers, Schools: Students, families, teachers, and staff.

   Announcements

Facebook Live The 10:30 a.m. service is being streamed on Facebook Live.

Operation Attack OA needs donations of cereal/oatmeal, mac and cheese, pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned meat, fruit, soup, and vegetables. Donations may be placed on shelf in hallway.

Toiletries for Celebrate Outreach Celebrate Outreach is a local ministry with people who are living without shelter in St. Petersburg. Needed: men’s and women’s underwear. (Men sizes 30, 32,34; and Women’s sizes 5,6, 7,8.) Also in high demand are socks of all kinds /sizes for both men & women.  Other needed items are Deodorant & disposable razors.

New Time for Weekly Labyrinth Walk For June and July, the weekly guided labyrinth walk will be onFridays at 9:00 a.m. instead of Wednesdays. All are welcome! In August, labyrinth walks will return to Wednesday mornings at 9:00 a.m.

UCC Events Ahead – Get Involved! There are several important events ahead in the wider UCC fellowship and it would be wonderful to have LUCC participation! Much can be learned from engagement with the wider church and people from other UCC congregations. ALSO, people from LUCC have much to contribute to the wider church and to other churches! Please see our weekly update for more details!

Will You Help With Facebook Live?

The church has expanded to offering the Sunday worship service live on Facebook. This has been very meaningful to those who are not able or do not feel comfortable coming to church in person. With two new recruits, each one  of our volunteers could serve one Sunday a month.

Barbara and Patti want you to know that it is very easy! There are clear instructions. A tutorial will be provided. Please contact the Church Office to express your willingness to help with this important outreach ministry. THANK YOU!

For the safety and comfort of all, please wear a mask. Thank you!

Lakewood United Church of Christ 2601 54th Ave. S. St. Petersburg, FL 33712
727-867-7961 lakewooducc@gmail.com Lakewooducc.org
On land originally inhabited by the Tocabaga

  

Weekly Update 7/21

This Sunday: This Sunday the service focuses on another aspect of the story of Mary and Martha:  Sitting at Jesus’ Feet.  What might we find sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to his teachings?  There will be an opportunity for congregational participation.  But, no, you won’t be asked to sit on the floor!   Take a look at Luke 10:38-42. There may be more going on than you think!

Childcare is provided at all Sunday services.

The service will be streamed live on Facebook and then posted on the church’s YouTube channel.

Masks are required at in-person worship.

Facebook Live Update

Sunday Facebook Live is now being streamed from a new iPad that the church was able to purchase with funds from a grant from the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ. The grant also provided for the purchase of a new microphone. With these two improvements, the sound on Facebook Live on Sunday mornings and on the videos posted to YouTube should be much better!

Housing Needed

There is a family in the church in need of housing in the St. Petersburg area. At least 2 bedrooms are needed. And the rent must be well below currently inflated rates. Please contact the church with any leads about suitable affordable housing for one parent with two high school-age children. Thank you!

UCC Events Ahead – Get Involved!

There are several important events ahead in the wider UCC fellowship and it would be wonderful to have LUCC participation! Much can be learned from engagement with the wider church and people from other UCC congregations. ALSO, people from LUCC have much to contribute to the wider church and to other churches!

Here are some opportunities:

JUST PEACE IN A SOUTHERN CONTEXT
A One Day Event for the Southern Region UCC
Saturday, August 27 | 10 – 4 PM EST

The Florida Conference of the UCC, with support from the Southeast,
South Central, and Southern Conferences and Justice and Local Church
Ministries, invites you to join “Just Peace in a Southern Context.” This
virtual event will offer a historical overview, theological grounding, and
current examples of why being a Just Peace Church matters today.
Guest Speakers will include: Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, Rev. Geoffrey
Black, Sandra Sorensen, and others. The UCC Washington Office and
members of the UCC Just Peace Network will share examples of how
together we can bring hope for a more just and peaceful tomorrow.
REGISTER NOW: bit.ly/jpinsoutherncontext

ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE UCC

Oct. 6-8, 2022 Vero Beach

Now is the time to gather the church and to celebrate and recommit to our shared covenant as The United Church of Christ in Florida. This year’s theme is “This is the Day! #Building Beloved Community”.

LUCC is entitled to send 2 delegates as well as a clergy delegate. Please contact Rev. Wells if you are willing to attend! The church can help with the expenses involved.

Discounted hotel rooms are unfortunately limited due to low availability.
https://uccfla-reg.brtapp.com/2022AnnualGatheringoftheFloridaConference

THE CHURCH IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD
September 19-21, 2022 | Online, and in person in St. Louis
Join the entire UCC as we envision what a vibrant, healthy church looks like as it emerges from the pandemic. Online participants will be fully engaged via Pheedloop, a virtual event platform. In-person sessions will be available, too, alternating between the Hilton—St. Louis Airport and Eden Theological Seminary. The program will include:

Keynotes by Jacqui Lewis and Laura Everett
Ted Talk-style “provocations” by Damayanthi Niles, Michael Malcom, Juan Carlos Huertas, Patrick Duggan, Jamesetta Ferguson, Cameron Trimble and David Vásquez-Levy
Play space for ingenuity and creativity – in plenaries and smaller clusters – as we discuss what we learned during COVID that will change what we do after COVID. A capture of ideas about what fits now, where we need to stretch ourselves, and how to build capacity to meet needs as the church evolves.

2022 UCC SOUTHERN REGIONAL WOMEN’S RETREAT

In Person: October 14 – 16, 2022
Camp Weed and Cerveny Conference Center 11057 Camp Weed Place Live Oak, Florida 32060
GOD OF MYSTERY – SPIRIT OF HOPE
Dyanne Edds of LUCC is on the planning team for this retreat! For more information: https://www.uccfla.org/floridauccwomen

Enrich LUCC and enrich the UCC by participating in these wider church events!

From the Florida Conference:  The Sabbatical: A Win-Win

What exactly does it mean when a pastor is “on sabbatical”? Well, it is more than just a long vacation away from the church building – and perhaps even cell phone connection. And for some, a “Do Not Disturb” sign is an appropriate trapping (and maybe even necessary).

We asked our Associate Conference Minister Rev. Leslie Etheredge to give us some idea of the basics of a pastoral sabbatical. She first cites our denominational publication, A Sure Foundation: Resources for the Relationship between Pastors and Congregations, and notes that a sabbatical ideally accomplishes the following:

Encourages longer pastorates
Refocuses ministry
Contributes to a pastor’s spiritual growth
Prevents burnout
Establishes new patterns for work and self-care
Promotes congregational self-sufficiency

The UCC standard Call Agreement suggests a three month sabbatical every five years. Some pastors divide it differently. Some pastors utilize this privilege but some don’t, and Rev. Leslie suggests that all should.

Rev. Wells will be on sabbatical for September and October this year walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain.  

Book Talk Ahead

Join in this month’s Book Talk on Thursday July 21 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss what you have been reading and to hear what others have been reading. It’s an informal gathering on Zoom. A very enriching conversation. All are welcome! No book banning here! Everything is open for discussion!

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2700683648
Meeting ID: 270 068 364

Will You Help With Facebook Live?

Yes, LUCC has intentionally been “high touch, low tech.” But given the reality of the pandemic, the ministry of the church has expanded to offering the Sunday worship service live on FaceBook. This has been very meaningful to those who are not able or do not feel comfortable coming to church in person.

This ministry has been provided by Patti Cooksey, Barbara Donohue, Bert Lee, and Michelle Cloutier. Bert and Michelle are away for the next few months. With two new recruits, each one could serve one Sunday a month.

Barbara and Patti want you to know that it is very easy! There are clear instructions. A tutorial will be provided. Please contact the Church Office to express your willingness to help with this important outreach ministry. THANK YOU!

Guided Labyrinth Walks Time Change

For June and July, the weekly guided labyrinth walk will be on Fridays at 9:00 a.m. instead of Wednesdays. All are welcome!

In August, labyrinth walks will return to Wednesday mornings at 9:00 a.m.

Also, the readings and prayers used each week at the guided walk are put in the mailbox by the labyrinth for use during the week.

The labyrinth is on the church grounds near the southwest corner of the church property. It is available for use at all times.

How to Help Ukraine

The local Ukrainian Catholic Church is sponsoring humanitarian aid. There are more details at their website: https://www.epiphanyukrch.com

The national United Church of Christ is also offering ways to support the Ukrainian people. Here’s a link: https://p2a.co/nGEvYVL?inf_contact_key=ad8269e3f149ec1ef1efd03de1e233aacc0558ed5d4c28cbfab114022b1ec50d

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. LUCC was asked to collect toiletries to be distributed to the community at the meals that are provided on Saturday and Sundays each week. This collection will be ongoing in addition to the food being collected for Operation Attack. All are invited to donate the following items:

Celebration Outreach has an ongoing need for men’s and women’s underwear.
Men sizes 30, 32,34
Women’s sizes 5,6, 7,8.
Also in high demand are socks of all kinds /sizes for both men & women.
Other needed items are Deodorant & disposable razors.

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, disposable razors, bar soap, wash cloths, deodorant, feminine hygiene items, travel size creams, shampoo, body wash, individual packets of Kleenex, hand wipes, toilet tissue, and paper towels are always needed as well.

Many thanks to Janet Blair and Jim Andrews for taking the donations to Celebrate Outreach.

Inkjet Recycling

The church is continuing to collect used inkjet cartridges. They are sent to a recycler and the church receives payment for the cartridges provided. So, don’t throw out your cartridges. Bring them to church. Not only do they get recycled but they provide income for the ministry of the church.

Operation Attack Update

OA needs donations of cereal/oatmeal, mac and cheese, pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned meat, fruit, soup, and vegetables. Donations may be placed on the shelf in the hallway at church.

Being Covid Safe and In-Person Worship

Please stay home if you are not feeling well.

Please wear a mask while in the church building. While most people have been vaccinated, this helps visitors to feel safe.

Additional masks will be available at church to use as needed.

Two hand sanitizing stations are available for use by worshippers.

There is well-ventilated, physically distanced indoor seating in the sanctuary.

Please know that your safety is of primary consideration!

Safe childcare is provided.

Sundays

Look for the bulletin posted on the church website on Friday: https://lakewooducc.org/category/bulletins/

Watch the service on Facebook Live Sundays at 10:30. https://www.facebook.com/LakewoodUCC

Or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LakewoodUCC/videos

Instructions for how to access Facebook Live: For additional assistance, please contact the church office.

Here are some instructions to watch our Sunday services live through Facebook:

Use the following link to visit our homepage: https://www.facebook.com/LakewoodUCC/

On Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. please use the link above to visit our homepage. There, after using the link, you will see a section labeled “Happening Now”. This is our Livestream of the Sunday Service.

To watch the live stream, locate and click the “watch video” button in the lower right corner of the screen.

If the link above is not working, there is also a link to our Facebook page on our website. Please try that link located on the Home page of our website.

USEFUL LAKEWOOD LINKS:

For the above church website links, please note the “Older Posts” button near the bottom of each page.

You can stream Hilton’s music and videos for free at hiltonkeanjones.com/look-listen/ as well as purchase his CDs and digital albums there.

July Birthdays: Ann Quinn 7/6. Someone missing? Contact the church office with birthday information.

Circle of Concern:

Emily Bell
William Owen-Cowan
Jen Degroot
Carolyn Moore
Ann Quinn is under Hospice care
Maggie Brizendine
Janet Hall
Tony Larson
Yoko Nogami walking the Appalachian Trail
All those suffering from COVID-19 and all healthcare workers
Schools: Students, families, teachers, and staff.

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Sermon 7/17/2022

Date: July 17, 2022
Scripture Lessons: Luke 10:38-42
Sermon: Martha and Mary
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

When we were in seminary, preparing for ministry, the United Church of Christ required that candidates go through psychological analysis and career counseling in order to be approved for ordination. This is still a requirement today. I did my counseling through the career development center at Lancaster Theological Seminary, a UCC school in Pennsylvania. In preparation, I had to do lots of questionnaires and psychological assessments. Then on the day I spent at the center, I met with several professional therapists and career counselors who had reviewed my materials. Frankly, it was very daunting. Maybe they would find something that would prevent them from recommending me for ordination. Maybe there would be a red flag. What would I do then?

At one point in the review process, my 24 year old self was in a wood paneled office with a middle aged white male authority figure kind of person who held my future in his hands. He was going over one of my assessments. And he said, So when you have a day off, you are likely to make a long list of things to do that could never actually be accomplished in one day. I was stunned. Nothing like that was asked on any of the questionnaires. How did he know that? I felt like I had been stripped bare naked. What should I say. Was it better to lie? Or confess? Guilty.

We have a code at our house. When I get home from work, someone asks, How was your day at church. And there are two possible answers. ED. Or NED. ED stands for Enough Done. NED signals Not Enough Done. And far and away, my response is NED. That is just who I am. So, you can line me up right behind Martha. Every time.

I know the need for balance. I have read the books about keeping Sabbath. About the Slow movement. About voluntary simplicity. And I know from Genesis that even God rested on the seventh day.

But I will be waving my hand for the Martha team every time. I might advise you to rest, to do less, to spend more time in silent reflection. But that’s because I am doing my job. You see, Martha always comes through!

Now, I know these matters can be personal. And we don’t want anyone to feel exposed here at church. So, I am not going to ask you if you identify more with Mary or with Martha. You know where you stand. And we’ll leave it at that.

In our time, we are witnessing the unraveling of society around us. We are seeing the implosion of the eco system. We are watching the erosion of civility and safety. These things are not unrelated. And we are being constantly bombarded with choices and activities clawing for our time. So many problems. So many things that need attention. And so little time.

There is competition even for our entertainment time. Which show to watch. Which movie to see. Never enough time to keep up on social media.

We live by our calendars – be they posted on the wall or on our phones or in a diary or managed by Alexa.

So, this story is fraught for us. Decades ago, we were told this would be the age of leisure. All those labor saving devices would give us oodles of free time. Wrong. Instead, we are in a season of famine, time famine. Even retired people don’t seem to have all the leisure they were led to expect. So this story of Martha and Mary glares at us. Reminding us of the need to be attentive to the spiritual life. And the importance of having that inform the rest of what we do and who we are.

But that message is embedded in this story in an even bigger way than the immediate contemplation and action drama between Mary and Martha. And because we are so caught up in the busy-ness eddy, and because we may have slight familiarity with first century Biblical culture, we might miss it. So let’s take a deeper dive.

To look deeper, we have to notice some details in this story. We are told that “a woman named Martha welcomed Jesus into her home.” This means that this is a female headed household. That is extremely unconventional for the times. And we’ll say more about that in a minute. And we are told that Martha’s sister, Mary, “seated herself at Jesus’ feet and listened to his words.”

Now, in the first century, when a rabbi taught, he sat down. And his pupils sat at his feet. To listen. To learn. For us, this happens with a professor behind the podium and the students in amphitheater seating. Or around a seminar table. Or when the preacher is in the pulpit and the congregation is in the pews. In the context of the story from Luke, the rabbi sat. And the students sat at the rabbi’s feet. And what do we know about the students sitting at the rabbi’s feet in the first century? They were men. Always men. Only men. Never women. So, the sentence, “She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at Jesus’ feet and listened to his words,” — this would trigger alarm bells, red flags, stunned shock and loud contempt. There’s a big issue here.

And there’s more. Next, Martha drags Jesus into what at first glance appears to be a sister’s spat over who is going to do the dishes. “Rabbi, don’t you care that my sister has left me all alone to do the household tasks? Tell her to help me!” To our ears, this makes Martha seem so petty compared with Mary who appears so holy. We are told that this is Martha’s house. Why is she dragging Jesus, her special guest, into this domestic squabble? Shouldn’t the sisters be in the kitchen with the door closed and voices lowered to have this conversation? But Martha calls on Jesus to mediate. Why? Because Jesus is a man. Yes, it is Martha’s house, but as soon as a man present, his authority trumps that of any woman present, even the home owner, the head of household. So, with Jesus there, Mary, and even Martha, must defer to him because he is a man. He has the authority. So Martha needs Jesus to set Mary straight. Mary does not need to listen to Martha with Jesus there because she is under Jesus’ authority, the man, not Martha’s authority, a mere woman, albeit the head of the household.

So, the real drama here is not about the division between action and contemplation, a false split anyway because we all know they are related and both are important and needed. But the real drama here is about being liberated from the constraints of society, even around gender roles and authority. Jesus is springing us from gender roles and the dictates of sexual identity. Jesus is cutting us loose from societal and cultural constraints, expectations, categories and definitions. Of every kind. Including class, ethnicity, educational attainment, race, all of it. Jesus is confronting patriarchy head on. Martha is still enmeshed and embedded in patriarchy – the woman’s role, and deferring to the authority of a male guest even though she is the head of the household. She is not supportive of Mary casting off her assigned gender role. While it is comfortable for us to see this story as a commentary on action versus contemplation, Jesus is going far deeper with a critique of the fundamental organizing principles of society. He is removing the categories and definitions that create barriers and limits for people in society. That’s about as revolutionary as you can get. He is cutting down the tree and grinding out the stump. He’s liberating us from the labels and definitions that mould and shape us as well as limit us.

Jesus is taking it all away. And replacing it with one thing. Really only one thing is necessary. Not the coffee. Not the napkins. Not the food. Not the dishes. One thing. God. Love. Being a child of God created in the Divine Image. Beloved. Created to love. One thing. The reality of God.

After that, you’re free. To love. To serve. Every which way. Busy. Contemplative. Using mind. Body. Heart. Outside. Inside. However you are called. Whatever you are suited for. However you are needed. No restraints or constraints. Free.

I am listening to an audio book, The Time of Our Singing, by Richard Powers. The story is about a family. The mother and father meet at the Marian Anderson concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Easter Sunday in 1939. The Daughters of the American Revolution forbid Anderson from singing in Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. and Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady, arranged for the free outdoor performance at the Lincoln Memorial which was attended by some 75,000 people. The father in the book is a Jewish scientist whose family was all killed in the Holocaust. And the mother is an African American woman from Philadelphia. They marry and have three children. They raise the children as individuals, not as part of the racial caste system. It’s the 1960’s. The one son becomes a professional singer. At one point, he auditions for the Metropolitan Opera. A wild stretch for someone with his background. But he has the voice. He is offered a part. A bit part in an obscure opera. He turns it down. Then he is offered another part. In a new opera. The story: “A young sensualist university student is arrested and forced to stand a surreal trial for mysterious crimes he has no knowledge of committing. He’s found guilty and then lynched. The man is never named. Throughout the score, he’s identified only as ‘the Negro.’” [The Time of Our Singing, Richard Powers, p, 390.] Jonah is offered that lead. And he turns it down. He wants to be hired for his voice, not his perceived race. This young black man, in the 1960’s turns down what would be any singer’s dream – the Met. You see, he refuses to be limited by perceived racial identity.

That is what Jesus is showing us in this story of Mary and Martha. He is telling us to refuse to be defined, limited, by the constructs of the society around us. Including gender roles. And certainly racial casting. Mary and Martha is a story about freedom. Being free to love. The one thing.

And when we devote ourselves to the one thing, we are free. And then we are not restricted by the messaging of the world around us about what we can and can’t do. Who we can and can’t be. Who are are and who we are not. We can give ourselves freely in service to Love. And more gets done. And more people are happier. And more people live with dignity. And there is less need and suffering. And the one thing, the reality of God, emerges in our midst.

You won’t be surprised that the Martha in me wants to have the last word.

During the pandemic, there was an article about the division of labor in the household with both partners confined to the home. The article happened to feature Japan. Aki Kataoka gave her husband, Susumu, a spreadsheet that listed her 210 household chores. We can only wonder what would be on his spreadsheet. [“During Pandemic, Japan’s Men See the Real Meaning of Domestic Bliss,” May 17, 2020, New York Times.]

We still have a lot of work to do. On gender roles and justice and equality of every kind. Because we are devoted to the one thing. The better part. The reality of God. Proclaimed by Jesus.
Amen.

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