Category: Updates

This Sunday This Sunday: This Sunday is the Sunday after Easter. It is traditionally called ‘low’ Sunday because attendance is usually much lower than it was the week before on Easter. This 50 or so member congregation had 64 people in worship for Easter. What a marvelous celebration. In the early church, every Sunday was considered a celebration of the resurrection, so please know that you are welcome to be part of celebrating the resurrection again this Sunday! The service will involve the echoes of Easter themes and the beautiful story of Thomas whom we remember for his faith (and doubt). Take a look at John 20:19-31. SPECIAL GUESTS THIS SUNDAY This Sunday, the congregation of Trinity United Church of Christ of St. Petersburg will be worshipping at Lakewood with the LUCC congregation. This is an opportunity for the two congregations to begin to get to know one another as conversations begin between Trinity, Lakewood, and Pilgrim UCC in St. Pete about how the three congregations can work together and support each other. The Trinity folks are bringing refreshments for after worship. Childcare is provided at all Sunday services.

Grandma’s Lentil Soup At the Maundy Thursday observance, lentil soup was served for dinner along with a mulberry crumble made with mulberries from the farm where Malcolm Wells works. Several people asked for the soup recipe.

It was also mentioned that lentil soup has become a staple sustaining the people of Ukraine as the sourcing of their food supply has been disrupted by the war there. Here’s the recipe for lentil soup from Kim’s Italian grandmother, Grandma Angie. 3 tbsp. olive oil 1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic 1 cup lentils 1 8 oz. can Del Monte tomato sauce (or whatever brand is available) 1 tbsp oregano 2 tbsp vinegar (red balsamic is an option) salt and pepper to taste 1 cup elbow noodles water (or vegetable broth) Brown garlic in olive oil in a 3 quart pot. Put aside until cool. Examine lentils and remove any foreign particles. Wash well under cold water. Add tomato sauce to garlic and oil. Then add lentils, oregano, salt, and pepper. Fill pot 3/4 full with water (or vegetable broth can be used). Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Then add vinegar and noodles. Cook an additional 10-12 minutes. Serves 6. [For ceci bean soup, replace oregano with rosemary.]

LUCC Book Talk For almost two years a small group has been meeting each month via zoom. Each member shares the book(s) they have been reading…fiction, non-fiction, current or classics. There is always a wide variety of books shared and discussion is lively. We usually meet on the third Thursday of each month. Rev. Kim issues the zoom invitation. We would love to have you join us!!! NEXT BOOK TALK: Thursday April 13 at 6:30. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2700683648

Florida UCC Women to Host Retreat LUCC Dyanne Edds is involved in the women’s ministry of the Florida Conference. She can share more information about this upcoming retreat. 93rd Annual FL UCC Women’s Conference – All women belonging to a UCC church are invited to attend the 93rd Annual FL UCC Women’s Conference, May 5-7 2023 at San Pedro Conference Center in Winter Park, FL. Registration deadline is April 1, 2023. More information as well as registration forms can be found on the FL UCC Women’s website: Register here: https://www.uccfla.org/floridauccwomen

Religious Leaders for Reproductive Choice

LUCC pastor, Kim Wells, has been recruited to participate in a demonstration on Monday morning April 17 in Tallahassee. The rally is a gathering of religious leaders witnessing to the Florida Legislature that there are people of faith, faith leaders, in fact, who fully support the rights of women to access the full spectrum of reproductive health care options, including abortion. A woman deserves to have the right to make her own health care decisions. This is a personal matter that should not be fraught with interference from the state or national government. While the laws may not be changed any time soon, we must make sure that our voices are being heard.

https://www.ucc.org/history-will-grind-you-into-dust-ucc-gmp-blasts-desantis-appointees-as-new-college-faces-authoritarian-takeover/

St. Petersburg Museum of History Offers Civil Rights Exhibit

Rev. Wells was part of a clergy tour of a new civil rights exhibit at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. The display, “Civil Rights in the Sunshine State” provides history and information about the civil rights movement in Florida. We often hear about Mississippi and Alabama but there was also a vibrant civil rights movement in Florida. Learn about it at this new exhibit. Feb. 25-June 8.

Guided Labyrinth Walks Wednesday Mornings at 9:00 a.m. Each week there is a guided labyrinth walk on the outdoor labyrinth at the church. It is a time of prayerful faith sharing, and a time to listen more deeply to our spiritual lives. In case of rain, the walks are held on Thursday morning. 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.

Family Promise NeedsA New List This Week Family Promise, a local ministry to houseless families with children, is in need of the following items: Liquid detergentPull Ups size 5 and size 1Baby wipesSmall bottles of waterEasy carry snacks (please no granola bars or mac and cheese cups)Garbage bagsCleaning supplies (Fabuloso, toilet bowl cleaner, Windex, etc.)Women’s deodorantBar soapRazorsShaving creamHand soap Please bring items to church and place them on the shelves behind the curtain in the hallway.

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.

Celebration Outreach has an ongoing need for men’s and women’s underwear.Men sizes 30, 32,34Women’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. Many thanks to Owen Blair-Catala for seeing that the donations are received by Operation Attack.

USEFUL LAKEWOOD LINKS Sermon and Reflection TextsLakewood UCC YouTube ChannelLakewood UCC on TwitterLakewood on FacebookLakewood on Instagram 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 http://hiltonkeanjones.com/look-listen/ as well as purchase his CDs and digital albums there.

April Birthdays April 16 Zachary Blair-Andrews Are any church family birthdays missing? Please contact the Church Office!

Circle of Concern Samantha Wassmer and familyThe family and loved ones of Lorne PalmerErik JohnsonAnn Quinn is under Hospice careJanet Hall

All those suffering from COVID-19 and all healthcare workers, Schools: Students, families, teachers, and staff

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 Wednesday. Please provide the information in paragraph form with pertinent details and links. THANK YOU!

RECENT WEBSITE POSTS

Easter at Lakewood music playlist April 10, 2023Easter at Lakewood April 10, 2023Sermon 4.2.23 Palm Sunday April 5, 2023Weekly Update 3.31.23 March 31, 2023

Copyright (C) 2023 Lakewood United Church of Christ. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is:Lakewood United Church of Christ2601 54th Ave S On land originally inhabited by the Tocabaga St Petersburg, FL 33712-4709 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

Credits: Images of soup, stack of books, birthday cake, and printer from Freepik.com

Copyright (C) 2023 Lakewood United Church of Christ. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Lakewood United Church of Christ2601 54th Ave SOn land originally inhabited by the TocabagaSt Petersburg, FL33712-4709

This Sunday: This Sunday is the third Sunday of Lent, a season of 40 days of preparation for the festival of Easter. Lent is a time to be intentional about having Love at the center of our lives. This Sunday the focus is on water. How do we open ourselves to the flow of love in our lives like water gushing from a spring?

Childcare is provided at all Sunday services.

DON’T FORGET THE TIME CHANGE SATURDAY NIGHT!

Spring forward!

Stewardship Materials Available

A letter, pledge form and additional materials are available offering the opportunity to make a commitment of financial support to the church for the year 2023. If you have not gotten a packet and would like one, please contact the Church Office.

The packet includes a collection of quotes from several people in the congregation commenting on what LUCC means to them. This piece is very inspiring! Don’t miss it!

New College Demonstration

Many thanks to Bill Parsons, Dyanne Edds, Emily Bell, and Kim Wells for being part of the demonstration at New College on Tuesday. New College was founded in 1960 by the United Church of Christ.

There were about 300 people at the demonstration, many of them from UCC churches. Did this rally change the Governor’s mind about policies regarding higher education? Probably not. But it certainly let the students, staff, and parents of New College know that the wider community is paying attention and cares about what is happening.

To see more about the demonstration including pictures, click here: https://lakewooducc.org/2023/03/02/lakewood-ucc-supports-new-college-rally/.

Advisors Meeting Sunday

The LUCC advisors will be meeting this Sunday, March 12, following worship, in the Fellowship Hall. All are welcome to attend. There is much to discuss as church leaders seek to support the vibrant life of this congregation!

IFTAR Dinner Ahead

The church received this invitation to the annual IFTAR dinner. Please contact the Church Office if you would like to attend. The church can provide transportation. Please indicate that you would like a ride: lakewooducc@gmail.com

Dear Beloved Community Members,

We invite you, family, and friends to join us at our 5th Annual Iftar Dinner.

Each year we host a free community Iftar dinner at the St. Petersburg Coliseum for over 800 fellow community members from various faiths with an interest in human life, in order to break down barriers.

Please join us, and let’s “break bread together with peace, love, and compassion for all humanity.”

When: Tuesday, April 4th. Doors open at 5:30 with the program beginning promptly at 6:30. Dinner will be served at sunset with the breaking of the fast (approximately 7:40 PM).

Where: St. Petersburg Coliseum: 535 4th Avenue North

How: Please RSVP to the Church Office at lakewooducc@gmail.com or 727-867-7961.

Abdu K. Ali

Tampa Bay Area Muslim Association, Inc.

IFTAR, Chair

UCC General Minister and President Nominee a former member of LUCC

This past week, the search committee for the next General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ announced the candidate to be elected at the General Synod this summer. It is the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson. Many years ago, Karen lived in St. Pete and was a member of LUCC. Congratulations to Karen and to the UCC!

Click here to see the official announcement from the national UCC: https://lakewooducc.org/2023/03/02/rev-dr-karen-georgia-thompson-next-ucc-leader/

Book Talk Ahead The monthly Book Talk will be held on Thursday March 16 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. This is a Zoom gathering. All are welcome to participate. Share what you have been reading lately if you would like to. Hear about what others have been reading. Meeting ID: 270 068 3648

Volunteers Needed

There are still several ways for volunteers to be helpful at church particularly involving basic tech skills. Please speak with Kim Wells if you can help out. Many thanks to all those who have taken on new responsibilities in recent weeks!

From Lakewood Church Leaders following the Congregational Meeting

As we enter the Lenten season we can be thankful for our church community deciding to move forward boldly at the Congregational Meeting on Feb. 19, 2023. By a unanimous vote with 23 people present, a 6 month budget was approved that keeps our full-time Pastor and accepts the challenge to meet a $12,500 deficit for the first 6 months of the year. A significant amount of that was pledged at the meeting.

There were two realities that were clear at the meeting. The first is the realization that expenses are going up for individual households and for the church. The second is that there is a strong sense of community and a special appreciation for the leadership of our Pastor and our church leaders. We simply have to find additional income.

We hope that you will seriously consider increasing your regular giving to the church this year. It is easy to say that we will do the same as last year, or that we will give when we attend on Sunday. But it will help in our planning if we know what we can count on to support our on-going expenses.

Another possibility is to consider a one-time gift to support this year’s shortfall. Perhaps you have planned to leave the church a bequest when you are no longer able to participate as part of the Lakewood family. Maybe you could use a portion of that bequest now to help Lakewood continue to thrive in this critical year of our life as a congregation. Eight to ten individuals contributing an additional $1,000 and 8-10 contributing an additional $500 would go a long way toward meeting our needs for the coming year. And for those who are not in a position to make this kind of commitment, please know that every gift is valued and significant to our life together.

In addition to increasing our financial giving, there is also the need to increase our participation and volunteering at the church. There many ways to be of assistance so that the ministry of the church can remain vibrant. Those who would like to become more involved are encouraged to contact Pastor Kim Wells to discuss ways to be helpful.

Working together, and the God’s help, we can meet this challenge.

Pledge forms will be available soon.

Many thanks for your support of this beautiful faith community!

Your Lakewood Church Leadership Team

Guided Labyrinth Walks Wednesday Mornings at 9:00 a.m. Each week there is a guided labyrinth walk on the outdoor labyrinth at the church. It is a time of prayerful faith sharing, and a time to listen more deeply to our spiritual lives. In case of rain, the walks are held on Thursday morning. 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.

Family Promise Needs Family Promise, a local ministry to houseless families with children, is in need of the following items: Women’s underwear sizes S/M/LWomen’s socksWash clothsBath towelsPull Ups sizes 2T-3T, 3T-4T, 4T-5THair conditioner (no shampoo)Women’s deodorantCerealCups, forks, platesSnacks to go (not granola bars)Please bring items to church and place them on the shelves behind the curtain in the hallway.

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.

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. Many thanks to Owen Blair-Catala for seeing that the donations are received by Operation Attack.

USEFUL LAKEWOOD LINKS

Sermon and Reflection Texts

Lakewood UCC YouTube Channel

Lakewood UCC on Twitter

Lakewood on Facebook

Lakewood on Instagram

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 http://hiltonkeanjones.com/look-listen/ as well as purchase his CDs and digital albums there.

March Birthdays! March 1 Carol ShoresMarch 3 Claudia RodriguezMarch 13 Yvonne RiesenMarch 19 Ron Huff Are any church family birthdays missing? Please contact the Church Office!

Circle of Concern Samantha Wassmer and familyTony and Jim LarsonEmily BellAnn Quinn is under Hospice careMaggie BrizendineJanet Hall

All those suffering from COVID-19 and all healthcare workers, Schools: Students, families, teachers, and staff

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 Wednesday. Please provide the information in paragraph form with pertinent details and links. THANK YOU!

RECENT WEBSITE POSTS

• Update March 2, 20March 3, 2023
• BULLETIN 3.5.23March 2, 2023
• Rev Dr Karen Georgia Thompson next UCC leaderMarch 2, 2023
• Pinellas Remembers Community Remembrance Project CoalitionMarch 2, 2023
• Lakewood UCC Supports New College RallyMarch 2, 2023
• Bulletin2.24.23February 25, 2023
• Bulletin 02.19.23February 17, 2023
• ANNOUNCEMENTS – 2.19.23February 17, 2023
• Sermon text 2-5-23February 16, 2023
• Sermon text 2-12-23February 15, 2023
• UCC appeal for Turkey and SyriaFebruary 14, 2023
• Vigil to Mark the Anniversary of the Lynching of John EvansFebruary 14, 2023
• Demonstration Against Upcoming Execution 2/23February 14, 2023
• Bulletin 02.12.23February 10, 2023
• ANNOUNCEMENTS – 2.12.23February 10, 2023

Copyright (C) 2023 Lakewood United Church of Christ. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.

Our mailing address is:

Lakewood United Church of Christ2601 54th Ave S On land originally inhabited by the TocabagaSt Petersburg, FL 33712-4709
Add us to your address book

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

Credits:

Images of stack of books, birthday cake, and printer from Freepik.com

Copyright (C) 2023 Lakewood United Church of Christ. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe