WHAT IS GOING ON AT CHURCH –
Zooms Ahead!
It’s almost Christmas Eve in July! Join in an all church Zoom gathering on the evening of Friday July 24 at 7:00 p.m. Look for the invitation email on Friday. The celebration will include the Christmas story and many Christmas carols. The choir has recorded a special selection that will be part of this Zoom. The theme is around Christmas gifts. Give some thought to a memorable Christmas gift that you have received or that you gave to someone. There will be a time to share these stories. You might even want to bake some Christmas cookies to get in the Christmas spirit! Wear something Christmas themed. Have a Christmas decoration out to set the mood. Maybe have a candle to light. We are grateful for the birth of Jesus 365 days a year!
There will also be an all church Zoom gathering on Sunday morning August 9 at 10:30. The theme is Back to School. It is the Sunday before school starts and it will be a celebration of learning and a time to share memories of teachers who have made a difference in our lives.
Christmas in July Zoom
5 posts are scheduled for the church website as leap-ups to the Christmas in July Zoom the evening of July 24. These 5 posts are scheduled for the 20th through the 24th. Here’s a playlist of all those pieces: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/christmas-in-july should you wish to listen to them all at once, any time you want. They are all pipe organ pieces composed by Lakewood music director, Hilton Kean Jones, recorded at Tampa’s Bayshore Baptist Church in 1993, and published by Concordia Press.
July 20 – Come, O Come, Emmanuel
July 21 – God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
July 22 – Angels We Have Heard on High
July 23 – O Come, All Ye Faithful
July 24 – What Child is This
Remembering Ann Rogers
There will be a virtual remembrance of Ann Rogers on Friday July 24 at 5:00 p.m. For an invitation to this Zoom event, please contact Rev. Kim Wells at wells.kim.p@gmail.com. All are welcome to participate in remembering Ann’s beautiful, spunky life!
Music Video to Feature Pictures that Represent Hope
For the Corona Sabbath post on Hope, Hilton is preparing a music video featuring pictures that represent hope. How do you see hope around you? Where do you see hope in the world? Please send pictures directly to Hilton at hilton.kean.jones@gmail.com by Tuesday July 28.
Summer Sundays
The theme for the Corona Sabbath posts this summer is ‘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! The theme for this week is Trust.
Hymnals for All
While we might not be able to recite many scripture verses, we can probably sing the words to many hymns. Singing is one of the things people miss most about not having in-person church services at this time. Hymns are a source of inspiration. We have associations with certain hymns. The tunes and the words help us to feel grounded.
Music Director, Hilton Jones, would like to use more hymns in the devotional posts provided by the church. If you have a hymnal and sing along, there are no copyright issues and problems.
To that end, please know that the church hymnals are available to be checked out like a library book but with no due date and no fines!
You may pick one up at church on Sunday mornings (10-12) or Wednesday mornings (9-12) or Sunday evenings (7:30-8:00). There is a clip board to sign your name indicating that you have taken a book.
If you would like a hymnal delivered to you, please contact the church office and we will try to do that.
When we can worship in person again, the hymnals will need to be returned.
‘God respects me when I work; but God loves me when I sing.” Rabindranath Tagore
Rev. Wells on Vacation
Rev. Wells will be on vacation from Monday July 27 through Saturday August 8. For pastoral care, please contact the church office by email (lakewooducc@gmail.com) or phone (727-867-7961). Corona Sabbaths, labyrinth walks, anti-racism demonstrations, and Sunday mornings will go on as scheduled.
Rake Needed
The church is in need of a rake, a regular yard rake for leaves, etc. If you have an extra one or see one at a yard sale, please consider donating it to the church. Many thanks!
Black Lives Matter Sign
The church has a Black Lives Matter lawn sign to give away. Please contact the Church Office if you would like the sign.
Moving Boxes Needed
Wally LeBlanc is in need of moving boxes. If you have any to donate please contact Wally or the Church Office. Thank you!
Sunday Evening Demonstration for Racial Justice
This Sunday 18 people gathered to make a witness to anti-racism along 54th Avenue South in front of the church. Along with people from LUCC, there were people from the Social Justice Committee at Westminster Suncoast and folks from the St. Petersburg Quaker Meeting.
With so many participants, there can now be some people on each side of 54th so that the message is shared with cars going east and west.
There were several new signs made by Ruth Pettis honoring John Lewis.
All are welcome Sunday evenings from 7:30-8:00 p.m. at the church. Know justice, know peace!
Here are pictures from last week’s witness: https://lakewooducc.org/2020/07/21/weekly-anti-racism-demonstration-3/
Corona Sabbath
In addition to the material from Hilton and Kim, we hope to include contributions from the congregation each week. You are invited to send a picture, a poem, a quotation from a book or article, an image, a work of art, a song, a video of you doing something or reading something, anything you would like to share with your church family. Hilton and Kim will try to incorporate the contributions into the Corona Sabbath Devotional on the related theme.
The themes coming up are:
Hope for the Future
Forgiveness
Compassion/Justice
Service/Generosity
Peace
Healing
Wonder/Awe
Please email contributions on any of these topics to the church at lakewooducc@gmail.com. Or use the “regular” mail.
Many thanks for the contributions so far. Please keep them coming!
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.
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!
In recent weeks, the labyrinth has been restored and refurbished with some trimming, raking, and new hay. Please know that this spiritual path is open for your use any time.
https://lakewooducc.org/2020/06/23/labyrinth-has-been-refurbished
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.
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 .
July Birthdays: Ann Quinn 7/6. 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 Elinor Ross and family in your prayers. Elinor has moved in with her daughter, Cheryl, and is under Hospice care
Please keep Yvonne Riesen and family in your prayers. Yvonne has moved to the Memory Care unit at Westminster Suncoast. Calls and notes are a way to show your concern and support to Yvonne.
Maggie Brizendine has been in the hospital and should be moved into rehab soon. Please keep her in your prayers.
Please remember the family and friends of Ann Rogers in your prayers, especially her dear caregiver, Gene.
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:
- Church Sign July 21, 2020
- Weekly Anti-Racism Demonstration July 21, 2020
- Lead-up #2 to Christmas in July: God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen July 21, 2020
- Lead-up #1 to Christmas in July: Come, O Come, Emmanuel July 20, 2020
- Corona Sabbath 18 GRATITUDE July 17, 2020
- Corona Sabbath 18 GRATITUDE Reflection Text July 17, 2020
- Labyrinth Walk 7/15/2020 July 16, 2020
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 UCC’s website posts also appear on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Especially during this time when its cyber presence is of vital importance to the church, getting the word out about Lakewood’s posts is critical.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 