Posts

Corona Sabbath 17 TRANSFORMATION

Picture by Emily Bell

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 others in your social isolation group. 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.

During these summer weeks, the theme being used in “Grounded.” Some of us feel that shelter-in-place feels like being grounded. Some would normally have travel plans and feel grounded. With the many challenges facing our society, it is important to feel grounded. So these Summer Sundays will focus on key concepts in Christianity that provide grounding. So, welcome to “Grounded.” This post focuses on transformation.

There is a scripture reading offered by Barbara Donohue and a brief meditation by Pastor Kim Wells as well as music offered by Music Director Hilton Kean Jones.

You are invited to find a quiet space, inside or outside. Light a candle. Take a look around you. Breathe. Life-giving breath. Be present.

You may begin by offering this reading:

Out beyond ideas
of
Wrong-doing and Right-doing
There is a Field
I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that
grass
the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase
each other
doesn’t make any sense.

–Rumi, from The Illustrated Rumi, translator Coleman Barks
This poem was submitted by Emily Bell.

When you are ready, start the video below.

(For written text of the above video click HERE.)

As you listen to the music 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 –

We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes,but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers and sisters.

–Martin Luther King Jr., 20th century, adapted

Breathe. Breathe again. Be filled. With life-giving breath. Extinguish your candle and engage whatever may come with a sense of peace and a desire grow and serve.

detail of the Black Lives Matter mural painted on the street in front of the Carter Woodson Museum in St. Petersburg

LAKEWOOD UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

The mission of Lakewood United Church of Christ, as part of the Church Universal, is to:

  • Celebrate the presence and power of God in our lives and in our world;
  • Offer the hospitality and inclusive love of Christ to all people;
  • Work for God’s peace and justice throughout creation.

QUICK LINKS TO OUR RECENT POSTS DURING THE CORONA CRISIS:
Online Devotionals: https://lakewooducc.org/category/online-devotional/
Sermon Texts: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/sermon-texts/
For above links, please note “Older Posts” button near bottom of page.
Music: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood

Corona Sabbath 17 TRANSFORMATION Reflection Text

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 appreciate your feedback and suggestions.

In this summer series on the theme “Grounded” we turn to one of the foundations of our faith – transformation.

We listen to a Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 read by Barbara Donohue, a scripture lesson that speaks of transformation.

Barbara’s video

Scripture Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Later that day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the lake shore. Such great crowds gathered that he went and took a seat in a boat, while the crowd stood along the shore. He addressed them at length in parables:

“One day, a farmer went out sowing seed. Some of the seed landed on a footpath, where birds came and ate it up. Some of the seed fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. This seed sprouted at once since the soil had no depth, but when the sun rose and scorched it, it withered away for lack of roots. Again, some of the seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. And some of it landed on good soil, and yielded a crop thirty, sixty, even a hundred times what was sown. Let those who have ears to hear, hear this!” . . .

“Now listen to the parable of the sower. When people hear the message about the kindom of God without understanding it, the Evil One comes along and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. Those who received the seed that fell on rocky ground are the ones who hear the word and at first welcome it with joy. But they have no roots, so they last only for a while. When some setback or persecution comes because of the message, they quickly fall away. Those who receive the message that fell among the thorns are the ones who hear the word, but then worldly anxieties and the lure of wealth choke it off, and the message produces no fruit. But those who receive the seed that fell on rich soil are those who hear the message and understand it. They produce a crop that yields a hundred, or sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

[pause]

Reflection from Kim

Yes, Sam Cooke was right. Change is gonna come. And it is well overdue. We know that change is needed – in many ways in our lives and in our world. And we know that change happens. It is inevitable. Change happens in society – just look at all the changes we are dealing with due to the Covid pandemic. And change happens in technology. Look at all the things we are constantly adapting to there. Change is real and it is happening. But what is the nature of the change around us? Is that change indicative of transformation toward justice, toward compassion, toward understanding?

One thing that surprises me is that I don’t think people tend to associate religion with change. Actually, I think many people associate religion with the opposite of change. They associate it with the status quo, with holding on to the past, with resistance to change. And there are valid reasons for having that impression about religion.

But fundamentally, Christianity, the way of Jesus, is about change. It is about transformation. Jesus wanted to help people see that they could be part of the commonwealth of God, here and now. It could be experienced in this life, among us, in community. Jesus is known for telling his followers who were struggling and living under occupation, that he came to give them abundant life. Those who followed Jesus left everything because they experienced a different kind of life with him. They were transformed.

And of course there is story after story in the New Testament about people being transformed through an encounter with the Divine Love that was embodied in Jesus. Zacchaeus goes from being a greedy tax collector to a generous philanthropist. Mary Magdalene is freed of demons. She is transformed. The Gerasene demoniac is also freed of demons. Again, transformed. A man born blind sees. Paul is blinded by the light and goes from persecuting Jesus followers to planting churches. There is simply story after story about people having their world turned upside down by Jesus. In Jesus we see that Love is an agent of transformation in people’s lives and in the world.

The way of Jesus is about transforming individuals and it is also about changing social arrangements and religious structures that diminish life. That take advantage of people. That create victims. So the gospel of Jesus is about social and individual transformation. It is about creating justice, the social aspect of transformation, as well as healing and wholeness, the more individual side of transformation.

Of course these two dynamics work together. For society to change, people need to change. When people change, they change society. So transformation happens in many ways that interact and blend.

People were attracted to the way of Jesus because they experienced new and vibrant life. If it was about maintaining the status quo, they would not have felt compelled by his witness and his words. Jesus offered transformation. He was about change.

So, that is what the church is about. It is an agent of change in the lives of individuals and in society. The church is about making transforming love real here and now in this world. No person, no situation, is beyond the transforming power of Divine Love. Not a murderer, not a drug addict, not a rapist, not a racist, not a president. No one is beyond the power of transforming love. And no system or institution is beyond the transforming power of love – not a justice system, not a religious system, not a caste system, not an economic system. Every system and institution, our social arrangements, all have the capacity to be transformed.

The story we heard this morning uses the imagery of seeds and plants. For plants to grow, transformation is involved. You put soil and seed and sun and rain together, and through a process of transformation food emerges. Nature is a beautiful teacher about the power of transformation. Change and adaptation are necessary for growth, for survival, for life. And Jesus is about offering people life in its fullest. So with our faith, we expect change and transformation. We never give up on anyone or any circumstance. Transformation is always possible.

But while plants and nature are largely controlled by genetics and external conditions, human transformation is largely controlled by inner conditions, by choices, by will. What Jesus shows us is that we have a lot of power over how we change and grow and are transformed. Remember the story about the rich young man who comes to Jesus seeking eternal life? In the story, Jesus tells him to sell all that he has and give to the poor and come and follow Jesus. Jesus offers him everything he was seeking. But the man cannot do it. He chooses not to be transformed. He does not embrace change and growth and abundant life. There is much choice involved in human transformation.

To choose to follow Jesus is to choose to engage in a lifelong process of transformation through love, mercy, service, and grace. And this process is usually not a direct route, as the crow flies. It is a process that happens in fits and starts. One step forward, two steps back. Just look at the disciples – they are repeatedly backsliding! Transformation is often a process driven by external circumstances that confront us with new challenges. And we must decide how we will meet them. We may move ahead in one area of our lives while lagging in another. We may make great strides only to back track. We are not always the fertile soil of the parable. Sometimes we are the path, the rocky soil, the shallow sand, the thorns. And sometimes we are a mixed environment!

And this is the case in society as much as in our individual lives. Many different conditions. Many different stages of change and openness to transformation. Right now with Covid 19 and the increased focus on racism, we are in a wonderful moment ripe for transformation on the social front. Hopefully we will collectively choose to seize this moment to make needed changes moving us toward justice and human rights for all.

Our faith calls us to embrace the process of transformation in the direction of love. It is about our becoming more loving, living the love within us. And that takes a lot of growth and change. It is a lifelong journey.

If you just want a friend group, you can join a bridge club or a golf club. And that can be wonderfully enriching. That kind of significant social interaction doesn’t ask you to submit yourself to a process of radical transformation.

But church, faith, that is about drastically changing your life. Your values. Your use of time, talent, and treasure. Your world view. Your actions. Your commitment to the common good. Your self care. All of it. When we find ourselves on the path of following Jesus, we are opening ourselves to growth and change and engagement that is transforming.

And that can be scary and threatening. I have seen people who have come to church for a while and then left. Why? There may have been all kinds of reasons given. But I suspect that the one common thread is transformation. The church was fomenting transformation in their lives, encouraging growth and change in the direction of universal, unconditional love. The gospel was working on them. And that was coming into conflict with some other attitudes and views and the person was not willing to change. The social and internal programming was very strong, and they resisted transformation.

I have seen others who have come to church and opened themselves to the transformation that can happen in the context of Jesus’ love, and they have grown and blossomed and flourished. And it is beautiful to see the glorious transformation.

Faith is about change. It is about growing toward the light of love, compassion, reconciliation, and justice. It is about being the change you wish to see in the world, as Gandhi put it. If we want to see an anti-racist society, we need to work on ourselves as well as the policies and systems that perpetuate racism. It’s a both/and. But it is about change.

If you don’t feel like your faith is engaging you in the process of transformation, then examine how you are engaging with your faith and the church. Maybe you need to go deeper in your faith practice to experience the transforming power of love that we see in Jesus. Maybe there are things that you are letting get in the way of the transformation process. Look for those things and work on removing them.

From “Behold I make all things new,” [Rev. 21:5] to “Your faith has made you well,” [Mark 5:34] our faith promises us change. I heard Tom Power on the radio program, ‘Q’ refer to an Instagram post: “Normalize changing your mind.” Yes, that is what Christianity teaches. Normalize changing your mind, and your heart, and your spirit. All of it. Transformed by love, for love, for ourselves, each other, and this precious world. 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.)

Weekly Update 7/10

WHAT IS GOING ON AT CHURCH –

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 Transformation

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

Trust

Gratitude

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. 

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 

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!

In Memoriam

The Care Team scheduled a visit to Ann Rogers complete with signs of love and support from her church family.  Just 5 days later, Ann was admitted to the hospital where she died on Thursday July 2.  Ann was a lifelong church musician, a quilter, a gardener, a cat lover, an avid baseball fan, and a dear friend to many.  Whenever people from the church visited her, she had a bag of groceries ready to donate to Operation Attack.  Ann will be sorely missed!  Please keep her friends and family in your prayers in this time of loss.  No memorial plans have been made yet.

 Neighbor Graduates

A neighbor of the church is graduating from USF.  The family asked to use the church parking lot to stage a drive by celebration.  Even with the pandemic, the church is continuing to serve the community!

Helping the Homeless

A homeless neighbor asked to have a package delivered to the church.  The package was then taken to the person at their place of work.  
There are also homeless neighbors who regularly “shower” at the church using the outdoor hoses.  And a homeless neighbor is storing things on the patio outside the nursery.  
This is an important time to offer whatever support we can to others!  The church is embodying our commitment to ‘love your neighbor.’

Are You Counted?

With all of the upheaval in society, it might be easy to forget about the census.  But responding to the census is a way to respond to all that is going on around us.  The census is very important to the allocation of resources in our society.  And it effects our representation in government.  If you have not already done so, complete the census!  

https://2020census.gov/en.html

Sunday Evening Demonstration for Racial Justice

Last week there were 10 people participating in the demonstration for racial justice along 54th Ave. S. in front of the church from 7:30-8:00 p.m.  In addition to folks from LUCC, there were people from the Social Justice Committee at Westminster Suncoast, and a friend of a church member.  There were many expressions of support and a few expressions of opposition from passing cars.

This public witness will continue in coming weeks.  Everyone is welcome.  Bring a sign or use one of the signs provided.  The intent is to send a positive message about racial justice.  No political or partisan signs, please.

Here are pictures from last week’s witness:  https://lakewooducc.org/2020/06/23/sunday-evening-demonstration-for-racial-justice/

Zooms Ahead!

There will be another all church Zoom gathering on the evening of Friday July 24.  This will be a Christmas Eve in July celebration complete with Christmas carols.  And maybe even Christmas cookies!

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.  

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.

DayStar Donations 

Daystar Life Center announced Wednesday that the facility will suspend all services except for mail until further notice, after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, according to a post on the nonprofit organization’s Facebook page.

Staff members and volunteers in the St. Petersburg facility, which serves the poor and homeless, last week were advised to test for coronavirus, and people who had close contact with the staff member who tested positive have been urged to self-isolate for 14 days, the Facebook post reads.

The Facebook post does not state when the staff member tested positive, how they came into contact with the virus or their role at Daystar.

Daystar will be open for mail service from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. In observance of Independence Day, the facility will be closed July 3.

Daystar is a nonprofit organization that provides a host of services to local people facing poverty or homelessness, including assistance with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program authentication and local transportation. The facility also offers a food pantry, free clothes and personal hygiene items.

The organization did not provide an estimate of when it will reopen, except to say it would “as soon as it is safe to do so.”

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 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 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:

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.

Weekly Anti-Racism Demonstration

Each Sunday evening from 7:30-8:00 p.m. people from the church community and beyond are gathering on the sidewalk in front of the church to send a message to the coummunity in support of an anti-racist society.  There are many positive responses from passing cars.  And a few negative ones, too!


To practice health safety, people stand at least 6 feet apart and wear masks.  Everyone is welcome!  

Corona Sabbath 16 COMFORT

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. . . I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” –Anne Frank, 1929-1945

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 others in your social isolation group. 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.

During these summer weeks, the theme being used in “Grounded.” Some of us feel that shelter-in-place feels like being grounded. Some would normally have travel plans and feel grounded. With the many challenges facing our society, it is important to feel grounded. So these Summer Sundays will focus on key concepts in Christianity that provide grounding. So, welcome to “Grounded.” This post focuses on comfort.

There is a scripture reading offered by Jim Andrews and a brief meditation by Pastor Kim Wells as well as music offered by Music Director Hilton Kean Jones. This week there is special music from Bill Parsons.

As an opening for today’s devotional, you are invited to watch the following video and sing along on the medley of familiar hymns it presents.

You are now invited to find a quiet space, inside or outside. Light a candle. Take a look around you. Breathe. Life-giving breath. Be present.

You may begin by offering this reading:

The world will give you that once in awhile, a brief timeout; the boxing bell rings and you go to your corner, where somebody dabs mercy on your beat-up life.

–Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

When you are ready, start the video below.

(For written text of the above video click HERE.)

Today’s guest musical offering is In the Garden, performed by founding church member and retired professor of Russian studies at Eckerd College, William Parsons.

In conclusion, as you listen to the music 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:

The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another, when we are there in the most attentive and caring way.

–Jack Kornfield, A Path with Heart

Breathe. Breathe again. Be filled. With comfort and assurance. Extinguish your candle and engage whatever may come with a sense of peace and a desire to serve.

LAKEWOOD UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

The mission of Lakewood United Church of Christ, as part of the Church Universal, is to:

  • Celebrate the presence and power of God in our lives and in our world;
  • Offer the hospitality and inclusive love of Christ to all people;
  • Work for God’s peace and justice throughout creation.

QUICK LINKS TO OUR RECENT POSTS DURING THE CORONA CRISIS:
Online Devotionals: https://lakewooducc.org/category/online-devotional/
Sermon Texts: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/sermon-texts/
For above links, please note “Older Posts” button near bottom of page.
Music: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood