As part of our Early Readers Future Leaders Pinellas Grade Level Reading Campaign, we have worked with Tampa Bay Rap Artist Corey Thornton to create a song/video, Finish Strong. The song is designed to motivate Pinellas County students to finish the school year strong, and to carry their digital learning into summer for those attending Summer Bridge. CLICK HERE to view the video on JWB’s YouTube channel. JWB is promoting this far and wide, and we ask that you please help us get this out to parents, students, and the wider community ASAP, as we are in the last two weeks of the school year!
As you are aware, the COVID-19 pandemic caused all Pinellas County public schools to move to distance learning, creating new challenges for student attendance and achievement. The song’s positive attendance message urges students to “log-in, sign-in, and be present” to make the most of their online learning experience, and the music video brings the song to life. The project is a collaboration between Pinellas County Schools, JWB, and Tampa Bay Rap Artist Corey Thornton, who uses catchy beats and memorable lyrics to inspire, motivate, and educate our next generation through music. Promoting positive school attendance is one approach under the Early Readers, Future Leaders: Pinellas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, led by JWB and supported by dozens of Pinellas County partners.
Danielle Hintz | Community Projects Manager Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County
Last Sunday, the Care Team took to the road. The group, all in individual cars, went to Westminster Suncoast and parked outside and gathered, 6 feet apart with masks, near the old entrance. Folks from the church that live in the Suncoast community gathered on the other side of the fence. It was a shady spot.
Warm greetings were shared from the two sides of the fence. The Care Team had signs and cheers to offer. After catching up with everyone and glorying in being able to actually see one another, the gathering ended in prayer.
The Care Team had a wonderful time and was so happy to see the faces of some of our beloved community!
National Council of Churches to Hold Virtual Ecumenical Memorial Service to Mourn the Lives Lost to COVID19
Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to join other faith leaders in remembering those who have died in global pandemic
The National Council of Churches USA (NCC) will hold a public online memorial service on Sunday, May 24, 2020 to mourn the more than 300,000 people worldwide who have lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 90,000 of whom were in the United States. The NCC is comprised of 38 member communions ranging from mainline Protestant to historic African American and Orthodox churches.
This service, A Time to Mourn: An Ecumenical Memorial Service for Lives Lost to COVID19, will be broadcast on YouTube and Facebook Live.
The plans grew out of a profound concern by faith leaders that, due to the lock-down and other restrictions surrounding the coronavirus, people have been unable to properly grieve the passing of loved ones. The nation has not had a public moment of collective grief to acknowledge and mourn the impact of losing so many lives in such a short period of time.
The memorial will include a sermon offered by the presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, the Right Reverend Michael B. Curry, known as the “Love Preacher” after he spoke at the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Meagan Markle. Many other clergy from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, some of whom have been personally impacted by COVID-19, will offer prayers, readings and songs during the observance, including, among others:
Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, NCC Chair and President and General Minister of the United Church of Christ
Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Eddy Aleman, General Secretary, Reformed Church in America
Rev. Dr. Teresa Hord Owens, President and General Minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chair, Conference of National Black Churches
Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, NCC Vice Chair and Presiding Prelate, Fifth District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Bishop Minerva Carcano, California-Nevada Conference, United Methodist
Nicholas Kazarian, Greek Orthodox Church.
The National Council of Churches planned the ceremony as a way for the country to join together to grieve the passing of family, friends, and even strangers we hear about in news reports. A list of names of those who have lost their lives to COVID-19 is being collected and will be scrolled during the service. Names may be added by clicking here.
Noting the pain and suffering felt by so many Americans whose loved ones died alone or were not able to conduct normal funeral services for them, church leaders offered the following statements:
“Religious rituals provide unique ways for us to express our feelings and close emotional wounds,” said Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, leader of the United Church of Christ and chair of the NCC Governing Board. “There are gaping needs for this right now. Our hope is that by taking part together in this observance, healing will follow in the hearts and minds of those who are grieving.”
“We are all in need of consolation during this very distressing time,” stated Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). “We will gather together to give thanks for the lives that have been lost, to commend the deceased to the love and mercy of God, and to hear the proclamation of God’s victory over death in Jesus Christ.”
“Every life deserves to be remembered and properly acknowledged in the most meaningful way possible,” said Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches. “Religious ritual is an incomparable way to do just that. We’ve planned a program we hope Christians of all traditions will feel comfortable joining in—as well as those of other religions and no religion at all. This is as much about human dignity as it is about faith.”
“I am honored to be a part of this service. It is a beautiful idea, as so many are grieving without the usual rituals and gatherings,” said Rev. Dr. Teresa Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church/Disciples of Christ. “Our prayer is that this service will minister to individuals, families, communities and the nation as a whole. Together, as the body of Christ, we will begin to meet some of this deeply felt need.”
Details:
A Time to Mourn: An Ecumenical Memorial Service for Lives Lost to COVID19
Add names to the list of those who have died from COVID19, by clicking here.
For more information or interviews with participants of the Ecumenical Memorial Service, please contact: Rev. Steven D. Martin, 202-412-4323 or sm@natcc.us
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Serving as a leading voice of witness to the living Christ in the public square since 1950, the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) brings together 38 member communions and more than 40 million Christians in a common commitment to God’s love and promise of unity.
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 those you live with. 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.
There is a scripture reading and a brief meditation by Pastor Kim Wells followed by music offered by Music Director Hilton Kean Jones. We appreciate your suggestions and feedback.
Find a quiet place, inside or outside. Light a candle. Take a look around you. If you are inside, pay attention to the room you are in. Breathe. Be present.
You may begin by offering this reading:
“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”
–Albert Einstein, 20th century
As you listen to the music video from Hilton which follows, you are invited to notice the thoughts and feelings and that arise for you.
After viewing the video, you are invited to offer the following closing –
Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.
–attributed to Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ 1907-1991
Breathe. Extinguish your candle and engage whatever may come with a sense of peace and a desire to serve.
Greetings and welcome to Corona Sabbath. This is one of the ways the church is endeavoring to offer spiritual support during these challenging days of COVID-19. We plan to continue to post these weekly until we are able to meet again in person for worship. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions.
[pause]
We start by listening to a scripture lesson from the Gospel of John, chapter 14:
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God;
have faith in me as well.
In God’s house there are many dwelling places;
otherwise, how could I have told you
that I was going to prepare a place for you?
I am indeed going to prepare a place for you,
and then I will come back to take you with me,
that where I am
there you may be as well.
You know the way that leads to where I am going.”
[pause]
You may have heard the version, In my Father’s house are many rooms. Many rooms. I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to see another room. One with my grandson in it, if you don’t mind!
Yes, I live in a wonderful home. With many rooms. Filled with many interesting things to do. And two beautiful family members. And three entertaining dogs. And our home has a spacious yard where I can work in the garden and watch the hummingbirds on the firebush plants. And the hawk that likes the panama cherries. And the squirrels chasing each other along the neighbor’s fence. And my house is in a lovely residential neighborhood near two parks where I can bike and walk. And I can still go to my comfortable office at the church with the wonderful windows that look out on the trees and birds and the neighborhood. Oh yes, many rooms!
But there is a mask in my purse that I put on when I go anywhere besides my home or office. There is hand sanitizer in my bag that I use several times a day when I can’t wash my hands. There are Zoom meetings on my calendar each day. And then there is that little twinge when I see an image of people eating close together in a restaurant, or sitting shoulder to shoulder in a pew, or standing pressed together in a crowd – that they are doing something wrong. They shouldn’t be doing that. Oh yeah. That was before Corona. Already I feel rewired to keep my distance. In only a few weeks. How did that happen – so fast?
In God’s house there are many rooms. And here we are in this Corona room. Who expected that? Not the President. And it doesn’t look like there is an escape route. No trick hinge or optical illusion or incantation that will let us out.
So, here we are. In this room. Essentially on lock down. And we will be here for months to come. The CDC is saying no group singing in the schools for up to 2 years. Gulp. Other sources are saying no communion, no hugging, no shaking hands, no passing the peace, no passing the offering plate, no holding hands for the closing circle. World without end. Amen? There is a sense of grief and loss, but there is also opportunity. To minister in new ways. To learn. To grow in faith. To find joy in new ways. To experiment. To connect and build community.
The advisors of our church met this week to talk about ministry opportunities going forward. The advisors will be inviting conversation with the congregation. Since we won’t be going back to the way we were doing things, for a long time, if ever, we are embracing the opportunity to try new things. New ways to be a supportive faith community. New ways to serve the community around us. Why? Here’s my answer: Because life is better with church. For many reasons, life is just better with church (or a faith community).
While I may not like being in the “Corona” room, and I certainly don’t believe in a God that put us in here, I do know that Divine Love is here with us in this Corona time. Suffering. Serving. Sobbing. With us. And there are things we can discover, things that can emerge, things that we can learn, things to be thankful for, and things that spark joy and wonder in this Corona room. While I want to leave this room and see other rooms in God’s house, I know that I can flourish and thrive in this room. And that we as a church, as people of faith, and as a species, can benefit from this time in this space.
I think of the children’s book, The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. The little bunny wants to run away from home. It comes up with all these ideas about where to go. But everywhere the bunny suggests hiding, the mother figures out a way to join the bunny. The bunny considers becoming a fish and swimming away. The mother says she will become a fisherman and catch the little bunny. The bunny thinks about becoming a flower. But the mother says she will become a gardener and find the little bunny. The little bunny imagines going off to join the circus and become a trapeze artist. The mother bunny says then she will become a tightrope walker and find the little bunny. The mother simply won’t let the bunny escape from her love. This is how it is with God. With Divine Love. We may try, but we can’t get away from it. We are always in God. No matter what. In those many rooms. Even during these trying days of this worldwide pandemic.
So, maybe I don’t like this Corona room. I want to see that grandchild. More importantly, I want people to stop dying of this virus, and I want healthcare workers and essential workers to feel safe again. I want to see the end of the racism fueled by this virus. Yes, I want to be done with this, but I know God is here, even in this room, especially in this room, and we will make it through.
I am hopeful that this room will lead to another room, a room where we can live and not be afraid. Where people are healthy and have healthcare. Where every life is sacred and valued. And where we can hug, especially our grandchildren! Amen!
[pause]
As you listen to the music from Hilton which follows, you are invited to notice the thoughts and feelings and that arise for you.
(Click HERE if you wish to see the post containing the video of this text.)
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 those you live with. 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.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 