Category: Announcements

Congregational Meeting Notes Jan. 24, 2016

Congregational Meeting Notes Jan. 24, 2016
Lakewood United Church of Christ, St. Petersburg, FL

11:45 Call to Order – Mary Weber

Opening Prayer – Adrien Helm

Introduction of new advisors for 2016: Charlie Lewis, Dana Cosper, and Jim Andrews

Gratitude expressed to out-going Advisors: Earl Waters, Vita Uth, Bob Bell

Proposed 2016 Budget was presented by Bill Parsons

Q and A about the budget

Call for the vote on the budget – Claire Stiles

The vote was unanimous affirmation of the 2016 Budget

For the good of the church – Comments from Claire

Meeting closed with the singing of “Weave, Weave, Weave Us Together” led by Claire

Those present: Mary Weber (Sarah Weber), Bill Parsons, Kay Rencken, Dana Cosper (Jackson Cosper), Charlie Lewis, Mary Beth Lewis, Adrien Helm, Claire Stiles, Yoko Nagami, Preston Poe, Bob Bell, Yvonne Riesen, Don Ritchie, Ron Huff, Wilbur Reid, Genie Terrell, Gordon Terrell, Victoria Long, Fran Whitney, Mark Gibson, Colleen Coughenour, Lucille Ruga, JoAnne Reid, Jeff Wells, Patti Cooksey, Emily Bell, Kim Wells.

The budget is posted separately on the church website.

Legacy Luncheon: Our History, Our Health and Our Hope

Dr. Forrest Harris

You are invited to join others from Lakewood United Church of Christ in attending the Legacy Luncheon. This celebration will be held on Saturday Feb. 6, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at Empath Health (Hospice) at 3050 First Avenue South in St. Petersburg. The speaker, Dr. Forrest Harris, Sr., is President of the American Baptist College, Nashville, TN, associate professor in the practice of ministry at Vanderbilt University, and Director of the Kelly Miller Smith Institute on Black Church.

Tickets are available from the church for a suggested donation of $25. Ten tickets are available.

Dr. Harris will be preaching at Lakewood UCC on Sunday Feb. 7.

You may click on the link below to see the impressive, inspiring Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Harris:

http://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/cvs/Harris%20CV%20Aug%202015.pdf

Sand Mandala at the Museum of Fine Arts

 

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The Venerable Losang Samten is creating The Medicine Buddha Mandala out of sand at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg (255 Beach Drive NE).

The mandala is being created in the Museum lobby and there is no charge for going in to see Losang Samten at work.  He may be seen working on the mandala Jan. 4-10 and 12-15 from 10:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The sand mandala will be dismantled on Saturday Jan. 16 at noon.

This is a beautiful artistic and spiritual process to witness.  You are encouraged to stop by and take in this special experience.

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Florida Conference UCC Gathers Around a Green Faith

The sun was shining as the Florida Conference met on October 25, 2015 to discuss: Facing the Crisis: Sustaining a Green Faith. And, yes, there was a lot information shared about solar energy and the issues in Florida related to solar power. But the day included much more. There was a keynote presentation highlighting several green initiatives that churches can tie into. There were workshops including how to save money at your church by being green and the Biblical and faith imperatives that call for environmental action. There were ideas shared about how to be green advocates for policies that protect creation.

The Fall Gathering was a chance to connect with old friends and make new ones. And in the midst of the wonderful hospitality offered by the First Congregational Church of Winter Park, the Conference even did some business. A budget was endorsed for 2016 and the finishing touches were put on a plan to restructure the finance ministries of the Conference. Conference initiatives include a process for applying for grant funding for special projects, the continuation of Disaster Ministries with a new funding model, creating a new center at 9300 University that is a green build rehabilitation project which is becoming a model for others, and a soul feeding retreat ahead for authorized ministers of the conference.

​LUCC is grateful to Carol Shores and Lucille Ruga who attended the day long gathering as lay delegates from the congregation. Rev. Kim Wells was a clergy delegate and also serves as the moderator of the Florida Conference. ​
The enriching, energetic day ended with worship which included installing the Rev. Leslie Etheredge as the Western Regional Minister of the Florida Conference and an inspiring sermon by the Rev. Meighan Pritchard, UCC Minister for Environmental Justice and pastor of Prospect UCC in Seattle, WA sharing inspiring stories to sustain our hope and calling upon us to support one another in sustaining a green faith.