“It is finished.” These are words attributed to Jesus from the cross. It is finished. What Jesus needed to do is completed. Horrific, yes, but over. It is finished.
For Jesus, any questioning or speculation is over. Anticipation has ended. Any trace of worry or fear is gone. Any unresolved wondering is laid to rest. It is finished. Jesus has done what he needed to do. Maybe there is even a sense of relief.
It is finished for Jesus. But for us, it is not finished. We will spend the rest of our lives trying to make sense of the mystery of the cross. Of the unaccountable, indescribable love. For us, this not finished.
We remain forever “lost in wonder, love, and praise.” [From the hymn “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.”]
Prayer How is it that pain, sorrow, guilt, betrayal, and denial culminate in love? Beyond our reckoning. Or our deserving. Thank you! Amen.
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!
Easter Sunday April 17!
The wonderful festival of Easter is just a few days away. Please note there will be a change in the service schedule. There will be two identical services at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The congregation is invited to meet and visit out on the lawn between services. Both services will be streamed on Facebook Live. Please make plans to be a part of this glorious celebration! Remember – come at 9 or 11.
The service will be in the sanctuary with the doors and windows open. Masks required.
Holy Week Observances
April 14 Maundy Thursday The Service of Tennebrae will be held at 7:00 p.m. remembering the Last Supper. This service includes the sacrament of Holy Communion.
April 15 Good Friday The observance will begin at noon with a reading out loud of the gospel of Mark. Those present will be invited to participate in the reading. This will be followed by a time of meditation around the cross and communion.
April 17 Easter Sunday There will be 2 services at 9 and 11 with refreshments and fellowship in between the services outside on the church lawn.
One Great Hour of Sharing Offering
On Palm Sunday LUCC received this special offering that is taken by churches throughout the UCC as well as other communions in the United States.
This offering helps people in the US and around the world in their hour of need – natural disaster, drought, war, famine, and other perils. The gifts are shared with partner churches around the world to offer the help that is needed. Thanks to the wonderful generosity of the congregation $467 was received for this tangible offering of love!
From Hilton about Singing in Church
It is nice to be singing again. It’s interesting: I can hear how people’s voices are unaccustomed to singing after almost 3 years of not singing! I hope people aren’t straining themselves. They can do actual physical damage to themselves if they sing incorrectly or strain, including nodes on their vocal chords. Maybe it would be best to encourage people to sing, but to take it easy and not strain, to be aware at all times of how it feels and to stop if there’s tension or roughness, soreness, or discomfort. Things are delicate in there. Even too much talking can have injurious effects . . . it happens a lot to actors and politicians (probably preachers too).
Former LUCC Member on Appalachian Trail
Yoko Nogami, a beloved LUCC member, moved to Kentucky several years ago. In March she began a through hike of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Please keep her in your prayers. Here’s a picture of Yoko on the trail
April Book Talk
Join in on Tuesday April 19 at 6:30 for an hour or so of engaging discussion about whatever folks are reading. You are sure to hear about something you really want to read! Everyone is welcome! Here’s the Zoom link:
In May, Book Talk will return to the usual meeting time: the third Thursday at 6:30.
Mask Policy at Church
For the past several weeks, there has been conversation at church about masking and updating the masking protocol at church. The advisors and staff have had conversations. The congregation has been invited to offer input. There has been consideration of the issues at hand from many perspectives. Many thanks to ALL who have contributed to the discussion. Your input is valued.
After careful consideration of all of the information that has been received and the views that have been expressed, the advisors and church staff have decided that masks will remain mandatory at church on Sunday mornings and that congregational singing will resume.
The decision has also been made that at the church during the week, masks will be optional depending on the sensibilities of those who are present.
There is much to take into consideration and the leadership of the church is concerned with being safe and protecting those who are most vulnerable.
These latest decisions regarding masking at church will be revisited as public health circumstances change.
If you would like to discuss this further, please speak with Advisors Malcolm Wells, Barbara Donohue, or Lucille Ruga.
The Sunday morning service will continue to be streamed live on Facebook and posted at the church YouTube channel.
OWL Training Offered
The United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Church have worked together to create a comprehensive curriculum on sexuality for all ages – preschool through adult – called Our Whole Lives (OWL). To offer this curriculum, presenters must be trained.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Clearwater is offering facilitator training for grades 7-12 the weekend of April 29-May 1.
This training could be used in a church setting as well as other settings involving young people. If you would like more information about the training for yourself or someone else, please contact Meredith Olson at learning@uuc.org or 727-531-7704 ext. 205.
There is a cost involved for the training. If you are interested in the training, LUCC can help to offset the cost.
Florida Conference Offers Anti-Racism Justice Devotions for Holy Week
The Anti-Racism Ministry Team of the Florida Conference offers Holy Week “Racial Justice Reflections 2022.” Rev. Mardie Chapman of LUCC is part of this ministry Team.
Four Florida Conference pastors (Rev. Dr. Sheila Harvey Guillaume, Pastor, Union Congregational Church, West Palm Beach; Rev. Harvey Lockhart, Pastor, First Church of North Miami Congregational; Rev. Dr. Guillermo Marquez-Sterling, Associate Pastor, Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church, St. Pete Beach; Rev. Dr. Bernice Powell Jackson, Pastor, First United Church of Tampa) authored the reflections, which can be used for: personal, congregational, and worship use.
The church has been contacted by USF about a research study called “Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT)”. They are currently enrolling older adult participants at the USF St. Petersburg campus to participate in the program. They are looking for adults 65 years and older to participate in this important study. For more information, click here. https://lakewooducc.org/2022/03/25/usf-st-pete-program-preventing-dementia/
How to Help Ukraine
The local Ukrainian Catholic Church is sponsoring humanitarian aid. There are more details at their website: https://www.epiphanyukrch.com
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.
Guided Labyrinth Walks
The guided walk is held weekly on Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. This provides an opportunity to be aware and deepen your spiritual journey. If it is raining, the walk is held on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
Also, the readings and prayers used on Wednesdays at the guided walk are put in the mailbox by the labyrinth each week 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.
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!
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.
PLEASE NOTE:
With the cooler temperatures, we will resume opening the doors and windows for morning worship as we continue efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Sunday services are being held at 10:30 a.m. Masks are required. There is physical distancing. Childcare is provided.
You can also join in on Facebook Live at 10:30. Please see the instructions below.
This is a week to remember the last days of Jesus’ life as well as his whole life and ministry. One of the key figures in the stories of the end of Jesus’ life is Judas. His legacy is significant. The kiss of death. Thirty pieces of silver. He is considered the traitor. The guilty party. Even the one responsible for Jesus’ death because in the gospel story he contacted the religious authorities who wanted Jesus killed. And betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver with a kiss.
Thirty pieces of silver. I was curious about just how much money that was. In the story before the betrayal to the authorities, a woman anoints Jesus with oil that was very costly. Maybe a year’s wages. The disciples think this money should have been given to help the poor. So, this thirty pieces of silver. Is it a lot? Is Judas going to use it to help the poor? Apparently, it is a paltry sum. Even a ridiculously small amount. Maybe like the wages that would be paid to a shepherd, at the bottom of the income (and social) scale. The amount is supposed to be a stark contrast to the value of the oil used to anoint Jesus.
So how is it that this character, Judas, is so remembered? So infamous? The 30 pieces of silver and the kiss of death iconic cultural references seen again and again in literature, the media, and the arts, as well as in sermons and speeches? Why is this so remembered when it was such a meager sum of money? And did Judas’ betrayal really lead to Jesus’ death? Probably not. Jesus was not hiding. The authorities would have found him one way or another. He was a public figure. So why is Judas so prominent? I don’t think it is because of his effect on the plot of the story.
I think it has to do with his character. The whole matter of his being one of the twelve and betraying Jesus has significance. One of the inner circle. One of those closest to Jesus. And he turns Jesus in. You really never know who you can trust. Including yourself.
And in the story, Judas does this for those thirty pieces of silver. It didn’t take much. To satisfy his greed? To make him feel worthy and valued? Like he was important? To express his opposition? How sad is that?
After all that time with Jesus. And he still didn’t get the good news of the gospel. He still didn’t see the reality of God. He still couldn’t accept the unconditional love.
And Jesus chose to give up his life – for Judas. And for us. The wildness of mercy!
Prayer May we be aware of the ways we betray the gospel, ourselves, and others. And may we be ever conscious of the power we give to money. The gospel offers us life, meaning, value, purpose, beyond anything that can be represented by silver or gold. May we say ‘yes’ to the wildness of mercy offered to us by Jesus. Amen.
The wonderful festival of Easter is just a few days away! Please note there will be a change in the service schedule. There will be two identicalintergenerational services at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The congregation is invited to meet and visit out on the lawn between services. Both services will be streamed on Facebook Live. Please make plans to be a part of this glorious celebration! Remember – come at 9 or 11.
The service will be in the sanctuary with the doors and windows open. Masks required.
Date: April 10, 2022 Palm Sunday Scripture Lessons: Luke 19:28-40 and Philippians 2:5-11 Sermon: Laying Down Our Cloaks Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells
People in Jesus’ day knew about symbolic prophetic action. They knew the story of Jeremiah buying the field and putting the deed in an earthenware jar and burying it. They knew of Ezekiel eating the scroll. So in the Palm Sunday story, here was this prophet coming down the road on a donkey, a beast of burden. And a young donkey, not even trained for work or transportation. There was no domination or threat in this parade. It was a parade of peace.
In their book, The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus’s Final Week in Jerusalem, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan tell of another parade. The Palm Sunday story takes place at the beginning of Passover week. At Passover thousands and thousands of Jews would come to Jerusalem for the celebration. So the Roman authorities made sure to have a large, public presence in Jerusalem as a sign of power and intimidation to keep the crowds in line. Crossan and Borg offer this description of what that parade may have been like: “Imagine the imperial processions’ arrival in the city. A visual panoply of imperial power: cavalry on horses, foot soldiers, leather armor, helmets, weapons, banners, golden eagles mounted on poles, sun glinting on metal and gold. Sounds: the marching of feet, the creaking of leather, the clinking of bridles, the beating of drums. The swirling of dust. The eyes of the silent onlookers, some curious, some awed, some resentful.” [p. 3]
And in another part of town, a parade with a peasant class religious figure mounted on a donkey being ridden for the first time.
The people, the commoners, the everyday folk, who had heard of the prophet Jesus, were ready for a spectacle. They would see the irony in the donkey parade in contrast to the yearly Roman spectacle. No, they did not have late night TV or social media, but they got the drift. They understood the contrast. Threat, intimidation, force, domination, violence, subjugation in one parade. And peace, justice, prosperity, and security with no threat of violence or empire in the other.
And at the Jesus parade, the people take their symbolic action. They lay down their cloaks. And they wave palm branches. They take on their part of this drama of peace. They are willing participants. As is Jesus.
In the reading from Philippians that we heard today, we are told that the Messiah, Jesus, is of God. Of the heavenly realm. And found in human form, Jesus choses humility. Not the pomp and majesty displayed by a royal ruler claiming divinity. No. Jesus chooses humility. The way of humus. Of earth. He is down to earth. Among the people. And he chooses to lay down his life. It is not taken from him. He gives it. Knowing his life was under threat, Jesus parades down the street on the back of a beast of burden making a dramatic entry. He is not cowering in the corner, hiding. No, he chooses to lay down his life. To give it away. For love.
And the people who cheer him on, who shout praises, lay down their cloaks, their garments. In this, too, we see a symbolic action. Laying down that which defines them in the eyes of society. Laying down their attachment to comfort and status, if they had any. Laying down the illusion of independence. Laying down their role in the community that may define them. Giving it all up. Laying it all down. And claiming as their only attachment, their attachment to God, to Divine Love, to God’s dream for humanity.
And as we process in the sanctuary this morning and offer our praises, we ask ourselves, will we lay down our cloaks and leave them there at the altar? Will we, like Jesus, choose humility? Choose to lay down the status and privilege that separates us from others? Choose to offer up the trappings that create the illusion of superiority over others? Will we lay down all that separates and divides? Will we lay down our attachment to comfort and status? Will we lay down the illusion of self-sufficiency?
Will we lay down our lives? And accept the life given to us, as one more human being, of inestimable value to God, beloved, even without a cloak, especially without a cloak?
Later in the week, we are told of Jesus being given a borrowed cloak, to impersonate a king, an illusion, for which he is mocked. But the cloak will be taken off. And the naked body will hang on the cross. No illusions. No delusions. Humble. Laying down his life. With dignity expressed through self determination. They can take nothing from Jesus because he gives it. In peace. He is free. Jesus shows us the fullest and highest expression of our humanity. We give it away so that there is no need for hiding or protection or pretense or violence.
You know, the military asks people to lay down their lives each and every day. At the other parade. And people line up and sign up.
The gospel invites us to lay down our lives. To choose the way of self emptying, of humility, of servitude. This path is life-giving when it is chosen not when it is forced or imposed. To be part of the new life, the hope, the healing, and the community that Jesus embodies, we must choose to lay down our lives. To embrace life, meaning, purpose, and joy in solidarity, we must lay down our other lives. Like the donkey, we have been chosen by Jesus to be part of the parade of peace.
Will we lay down our cloaks as a symbolic action of our humility and the laying down, giving up, of our lives; the lives we construct according to the dictates of the society around us, and instead accept our place, our identity, our citizenship, in the reality of God? In the beloved community? In the realm of peace with justice and security for all? Will we accept true freedom?
This is our question for this Palm Sunday. This is our question for Holy Week. And this is the challenge for our lives. To lay down our cloaks. And make way for Jesus. 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.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 