Lakewood United Church of Christ

Weekly Update 11.09.22

This Sunday: This Sunday, the scripture lessons invite a celebration of the beloved community. Jesus invites us to invest in justice and to leave a legacy of love. Take a look at Isaiah 65:17-25 and Luke 21:5-19.

Childcare is provided at all Sunday services.

The service will be streamed live on Facebook and then posted on the church’s YouTube channel.

The church continues to be concerned about health and safety. There are several stations with hand sanitizer in the church. Masks are optional. Seating is arranged for safe spacing.

Advisors to Meet

The advisors will be meeting after church on Sunday. Please let one of them know if there is something that you would like them to discuss: Lucille Ruga, Malcolm Wells, Barbara Donohue, Christy Martin. All are welcome at the meeting!

Choir Rehearsals Resume

The staff and lay leaders of LUCC have determined that the time has come for the choir to resume once again adding to the ministry of music in Sunday worship. Rehearsals are held Sunday Morning in the sanctuary at 9:00 a.m. All are welcome! For more information, please contact music director Hilton Jones at

hilton.kean.jones@gmail.com

Memorial Service for Carolyn Moore

In Memoriam,

LUCC member Carolyn Moore passed away on Friday October 28th. She was under the care of Hospice at Menorah Manor.

There will be a memorial service for beloved Carolyn this Saturday, November 12 at 2:00pm at Lakewood United Church of Christ for whomever would like to attend. All are invted to celebrate the life of dear Carolyn. The service will also be streamed live on Facebook on the church’s Facebook page.

Harvest Forms Available

Each year the church celebrates the abundance of God by tabulating our giving for the year past. This is a wonderful way to give thanks for all we have been given by celebrating all we have given away! You are encouraged to fill out a Harvest Form which asks about your giving of time and money for the year. In addition, there is a space to list the organizations and activities and settings that you have contributed to. You are welcome to estimate your giving! There will not be an audit!

The Harvest report with a summary of the giving of the LUCC congregation provides an occasion for inspiration and celebration! Please fill out a form and return it to the church by Friday November 18.

You can download the form or pick up a copy at church. Return it in paper form, email it, or take a picture and send it to the church email – lakewooucc@gmail.com

Thank you for your help with this important witness to the ministry of LUCC!

Harvest form Link: https://lakewooducc.org/2022/11/02/harvest-form-for-2022/

Election Day

Election Day has passed and now our work continues. As Christians, we know that elections are important for promoting our values of justice and equality and concern for the least of these. But no matter who is elected, we know that we still have work to do. So in the aftermath of these midterm elections, think about what you can be doing to extend the love of Jesus where it is most needed in the world today. May we continue to be agents of change and hope in the spirit of Jesus!

Healing Through the Holidays

The holiday season is just ahead. We had our prologue with Halloween. Now we gear up for Thanksgiving, the Christmas season, and New Years. Whew!

This time of year can be fraught – and not only because we are busy celebrating. It can be a time to remember those who will not be with us this year. It is a time to negotiate difficult family relationships. It is a time requiring us to be with people who may have different values than we do. And it is a time when many of the activities and customs don’t necessarily align with what is good and healthy for us or for the earth. There is a lot to consider and to navigate.

The holiday season can also provide a wonderful opening for healing, for reconciliation, for understanding, and for transformation. In a three part discussion oriented workshop, we will look at some of the stresses and opportunities that may come with the holiday season. We will think about ways that this time of year can be a time of healing and restoration instead of a time of depletion and conflict.

This workshop will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays November 15, November 29, and Dec. 13 from 7-8 p.m. All are welcome! The Zoom number is: 270 068 3648.

Thanksgiving Sunday Ahead – Service outside weather permitting

The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 20, the service will focus on giving thanks. As part of the worship experience, the congregation will be involved in creating an altar of gratitude. Please think about what you are thankful for, and bring something that represents that to church on Nov. 20. During the service, there will be an opportunity to mention what you are grateful for and to place the representation on the altar. In the context of a 24 hour bad news cycle, expressing our gratitude is more important than ever! Come to church Nov. 20 ready to give thanks and praise no matter what life is dishing out to you at this moment!

There service will be held outside on the lawn, weather permitting. Please bring a chair if you can.

Giving Season

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become known as Giving Tuesday. Some organizations match gifts on that day. Last year, some church members experimented with donating to the church from the church Facebook page to see if the giving was matched. And, yes, the gifts were matched in part by Facebook. As you consider your expressions of gratitude this season, you may want to consider giving to the church through Facebook so that the church receives additional matching funds.

This year, Facebook is sponsoring a Season of Giving from Nov. 15 – Dec. 31. Here’s more information about Giving Season and matching funds: https://www.facebook.com/help/332488213787105

For more information please speak with Bill Parsons, Mark Gibson, or Rev. Wells.

Annual Buy Nothing Day

This ‘holiday’ created in Canada in 1992 and now celebrated world wide is a day of protest against consumerism and impact of over consumption on the planet. It is traditionally observed on the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Instead of facing hoards of shoppers or sitting at your computer shopping, think about planning a day at the beach or in a park. Think about taking a bike ride or getting together with friends or family to play games or look at vacation pictures. Continue the celebration of Thanksgiving appreciating all that you have without having to go out and buy something new. The values of Buy Nothing Day reflect the teachings of Jesus who, we are told, did not own a home and perhaps owned only a cloak, some sandals, and a shirt. Jesus extolled the virtues of relationships, service, and generosity but not the amassing of possessions. Consider expressing your faith by observing the annual Buy Nothing Day the day after Thanksgiving.

Stewardship Season

In the fall season, the church traditionally invites the congregation to make a financial pledge for the year ahead. And this will be happening in the weeks to come. The Sundays while Rev. Wells was away, the speakers each referred to how much LUCC has meant to them on their faith journey. It was a beautiful revelation of the significance of this congregation! On Thanksgiving Sunday, there will be a celebration of the Harvest of giving by the congregation. Again, a beautiful expression of the impact this church is having on people’s lives and on the world.

The ministry of this congregation is very much needed by the church family and the world. In the face of rising prices and decreased dividends, it is more important than ever to make the church a priority in your financial planning. Please begin to give prayerful consideration to your call to generosity in the year ahead. You will hear from the Stewardship team soon!

The UPS Pods

Yes, the pods on the church property look like they fell off of the truck as it was going down Caesar Way. The church is working on getting the pods moved to the north side of the parking area where they have been in past years.

Sabbatical Speakers Shine

While Rev. Wells was away on sabbatical, different people from the congregation spoke in church each week. Great appreciation has been expressed by the congregation for each speaker and their message. Many thanks to all who offered their spiritual reflections.

All the services were recorded, so if you missed any of the speakers, you can hear them on YouTube. Here are the links. Be blessed! Enjoy!

Date: 9.4.22

Speaker: Barbara Donohue

Link: https://youtu.be/1Mc7lBqE8m8

Date: 9.11.22

Speaker: Claire Stiles

Link: https://youtu.be/gh-q69VpqOw

Date: 9.18.22

Speaker: Mark Gibson

Link: https://youtu.be/y682sW8kmoA

Date: 9/25/22

Speaker: Danielle Hintz

Link: https://youtu.be/ECvUbZeJbyk

Date: 10.02.22

Speaker: Kay Rencken

Link: https://youtu.be/btiOAGxo6kk

Date: 10.09.2022

Speaker: Christy Martin

Link: https://youtu.be/V2F1Nm2t27I

Date: 10.16.22

Speaker: Jim Andrews

Link: https://fb.watch/gyniCpWrdC/

Date: 10.23.22

Speaker: Sherry Santana

Link: https://youtu.be/YXcytrrwIC4

Date: 10.30.22

Speaker: Michelle Cloutier

Link: https://fb.watch/gyniCpWrdC/

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.

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. 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.

Operation Attack Update

News from Operation Attack: Making a Difference

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.

Sundays

Look for the bulletin posted on the church website on Friday: https://lakewooducc.org/category/bulletins/

Watch the service on Facebook Live Sundays at 10:30. https://www.facebook.com/LakewoodUCC

Or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LakewoodUCC/videos

Instructions for how to access Facebook Live: For additional assistance, please contact the church office.

Here are some instructions to watch our Sunday services live through Facebook:

Use the following link to visit our homepage: https://www.facebook.com/LakewoodUCC/

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.

USEFUL LAKEWOOD LINKS

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

November Birthdays

11/9- Lucille Ruga

11/15- Emily Bell

Rev. Susan Sherwood

11/21- Edward Kaspar

Lorne Palmer

11/22- Bert Lee

11/23- Bill Lindsay

Wally Leblanc

11/27- Kai’Lyn Washington

11/29- Jane Divens

Circle of Concern

Barbara Donohue

Erik Johnson

Colombian Family

William Owen-Cowan

Family and Loved ones of Carolyn Moore

Ann Quinn is under Hospice care

Maggie Brizendine

Janet Hall

Tony Larson

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 POSTS

Bulletin 11.06.22November 4, 2022
2022 Burchenal Lecture: “Life After Perfect”November 3, 2022
Harvest Form for 2022November 2, 2022
Bulletin 10.23.22October 20, 2022

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Sermon 11.06.22

Date: Nov. 6, 2022 All Saints Sunday
Scripture Lessons: Luke 6:20-31 & Matthew 11:28-30
Sermon:What Makes a Saint?
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

What is a saint? It’s All Saints Sunday and shortly we are going to name those we consider saints. So, what makes a saint?

I have been in Spain going in and out of countless churches and they are were filled with saints. Statues and paintings and carvings and stained glass windows portraying all kinds of representations of saints. We were also in museums that displayed one work of art after another depicting saints.

We saw many renditions of one particular saint, San Roque, always portrayed with a dog and a loaf of bread. I finally caved in and had to find out about the dog and the bread. At one point, we asked someone about San Roque but she was from England and was a bit vague about the whole thing. Turns out he was from France but died in Italy. He lived in the 14th century. He was a Franciscan. Evidently, during a time of plague, he worked helping the sick and infirm. He ended up getting sick himself. He went off into the woods to live in a hut made from branches. Apparently, a hunting dog found him and brought him bread and licked his wounds which helped him to get better and that explains why he is depicted with a dog and a loaf of bread. [Maybe the dog should be named a saint?]

When it comes to saints, the Catholic Church has a very careful definition of a saint. There is a burdensome process for the naming of a saint. It can take decades or even centuries for a person to be designated as a saint.

But we are Protestant. We did not continue the saint tradition of the Catholic church. But we still talk about saints. I grew up singing the hymn, “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” which we will sing a bit later in the service. It was one of my favorite hymns as a child. Who was a saint? A doctor, a queen, a shepherdess in the old version, a prophet, a priest, someone slain by a fierce wild beast. Where do you find saints? You can meet them in school, on the road, or at sea, in a church, in a train, in a shop, or at tea. Hm. So saints can be anyone, anywhere. That is the message I got. But faced with the many saints in Spain, I pondered, what makes a saint a saint?

Everyone in life faces adverse circumstances, heartache, tragedy, grief, sickness, and loss. And everyone faces the challenges, injustices, and pain of the world around them. These things characterize the lives of all people, of every time and place. So I don’t think it is the circumstances that make a saint. I think what makes a saint is the response to the circumstances. To the human condition.

We heard those beautiful words from Luke’s Sermon on the Plain today:

“To you who hear me, I say: love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. When they slap you on one cheek, turn and give them the other; when they take your coat, let them have your shirt as well. Give to all who beg from you. When someone takes what is yours, don’t demand it back.

“Do to others what you would have them do to you.”

Jesus doesn’t say, that we know of, do these things when it is convenient. When it suits you. When you are in the mood. When there is no risk or cost to you. When there is no threat. When it is popular. When you have plenty. No, Jesus is outlining an approach to life that is rooted in love and generosity – self-giving – no matter the times, the circumstances, the conditions, the cost. And I think a saint is someone who lives that way, from those other-centered values of love, regardless of the situation or setting.

When we think of ‘love your enemies,’ well, if you think of Putin as an enemy, there is little risk or cost to loving Putin. Maybe that means praying for him and not badmouthing him. Maybe it involves expressing pity for the man. Pretty low risk. But what about when ‘love your enemies’ means the white supremacist who lives next door? And makes racist slurs against your brown children or grandchildren? And the kids down the block? Or the spouse who is leaving you for another partner? That’s a completely different kind of challenge. And we know the ravages of those challenges in our deeply hurting world right now.

So I think that being a saint has something to do with living out the teachings of Jesus regardless of the circumstances. Or choosing the way of Jesus because of the challenging circumstances.

Maybe when we name our saints this morning, someone will mention Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He certainly made a witness to Divine Love in his life. He truly endeavored to live the way of Jesus and to bring the love of Jesus to bear on the movement for civil rights for all people in this country. Earlier this year, I read several books about King. Apparently, with degrees from Cozier Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and a doctorate in theology from Boston University, King accepted the call to serve Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. There had been some problems at the church. He was focussed on bringing the congregation together, strengthening the congregation, improving the financial status of the church, and other internal issues. He was, as he should be, serious about taking responsibility for the health of the congregation and the church as an institution. When the bus boycott was developing, he was paying attention out of the corner of his eye but his focus was on his church. Other pastors in Montgomery saw King’s potential as a leader in the emerging movement and they wanted him not only involved but helping to lead the effort. So they scheduled some of the first strategy meetings at his church. So he would have to be there. And get involved. And it went on from there. King was definitely not seeking out a prominent role in the nascent bus boycott let alone a full blown national civil rights movement. He was concentrating himself on the ministry and leading the church in the way of Jesus. But the way of Jesus led him directly into the civil rights movement.

Another person I think of as a saint, and she has even been named a saint by the Catholic church, is Mother Teresa. Now Mother Teresa of Calcutta was not from India. She was not of Indian ethnic heritage. She was from what is now North Macedonia. Her ethnic background was Albanian. Now she could have stayed in Skopje and taught school which is what she first did as a nun. But instead she went to where there were the poorest of the poor and devoted herself to serving those abandoned and forgotten as they lay dying. She later founded the Sisters of Charity and they started programs to serve the poor in countries the world over including the United States. There are questionable aspects to the work of the Sisters of Charity, but basically they try to help those who are poor and forgotten to feel loved and cared for.

In the face of life’s challenges and the problems of the world, we can gripe. We can put our heads in the sand and ignore the realities around us. We can numb ourselves with drugs, alcohol, and money. We can become hardened and apathetic. We can choose anger and fear as our response.

When we are faced with life’s challenges and the troubles of society we have many choices about how we will respond. I think a saint is someone who chooses to respond in the way of Jesus. I think saints are people who see the struggles of life, and the pain, and they choose to respond in love. Embrace the pain, the suffering. Be in solidarity. Offer consolation. Trust in the power of love for reconciliation and healing and transformation.

Being a saint is not about being perfect. Never making a mistake. Or about doing something specifically heroic. It’s not about gaining fame or fortune. It’s not even about being devout. I think it’s about living, making choices, based on love. Letting the image of Divine Love that is within you come out.

Now, when we were on the Camino, we carried backpacks. We were careful to bring only the essentials to keep the weight of the pack down. To be honest, I carried my pack for the first week or so, and then my knee started to complain so I used the bag carrying service provided by the post office in Spain and I did not carry my pack much after that.

But the way the pack is designed is really amazing. You put 20 or 25 pounds of gear in it and it really doesn’t feel like much. You strap it on and forget about it and off you go, up and down the steep hills of Spain, through the mud, across the fields, mile after a mile, with little thought about the load on your back.

Now, if you had that same gear in, say, a draw string bag, slung over your shoulder, boy, you would know you were carrying it. It would be unwieldy and inconvenient. The rope would be cutting into your shoulder and the load would be swinging around getting in the way and making you lose your balance – something you don’t want happen especially somewhere like on a narrow bridge without a railing or on the narrow shoulder of a busy road. That kind of bag with that weight would not only be a burden but a hazard. But the backpack, with the padded straps and waist belt and ventilation for the back, it makes carrying that load a breeze. [Show back pack and filled draw string bag.]

Now we all face trying times in life. We all go through struggles and trials. We all have our burdens to bear. And the world around us confronts us with pain and misery and suffering. So how are we going to deal with the conditions we face? I think of the way of Jesus like the backpack. The way of love helps us to carry the load. It brings us into relationship with others who share the weight of trying times. The way of Jesus, the way of love, helps to get us through and get us through with relief, joy and celebration.

We heard those familiar lines from Matthew,

“Come to me,
all you who labor and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon your shoulders
and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble of heart.
Here you will find rest for your souls,
for my yoke is easy
and my burden is light.”

Jesus didn’t call us to the way of love to make our lives harder but to make the burdens of life easier to bear. He didn’t teach unconditional love to weigh us down but to lift us up. He didn’t show us the way of sacrificial love to make us miserable but to help us find joy in life.

All Saints Day is a time to celebrate all those who show us the truth of the gospel and who inspire us to live fully and freely the way of love – no matter the circumstances of our lives and the nature of our historical times. These saints show us the goodness and blessing of the way of Jesus. They teach us how to manage our load with grace and joy.

Jeff and I followed the yellow arrows and the scallop shells mile after mile after mile in Spain. Today we celebrate that we are blessed with all the saints who have gone before us and those who are among us showing us the way. Leading us on. Inviting us to community and joy whatever the circumstances of our lives. As Dr. King put it, “Jesus is not an impractical idealist; he is the practical realist.”

Let us celebrate the saints that bless our lives and show us the way. Amen!

Bulletin 11.06.22

LAKEWOOD UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

A Just Peace Church

An Open and Affirming Church

A Creation Justice Church

10:30 am

November 6, 2022

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS

LIGHTING THE PEACE CANDLE Kay Rencken , Liturgist

If there is a divine spark

that is in me,

let it flame;

that I might be

consumed

for peace.

Erice Fairbrother, Aotearoa/New Zealand

PRELUDE

* CALL TO WORSHIP The Iona Community, adapted

With the whole church

We affirm

that we are made in God’s image,

befriended by Christ, empowered by the Spirit.

With people everywhere

We affirm

God’s goodness at the heart of humanity,

planted more deeply than all that is wrong.

With all Creation,

We celebrate the miracle and wonder of life;

the unfolding purposes of God,

forever at work in ourselves and the world.

* HYMN What a Covenant 471

SCRIPTURE LESSONS

Let us prepare ourselves for the word of God as it comes to us in the reading of Holy Scripture. Our hearts and minds are open.

Luke 6:20-31 and Matthew 11:28-30

For the word of God in scripture, for the word of God among us, for the word of God within us. Thanks be to God.

SERMON What Makes a Saint? Rev. Kim P. Wells

NAMING OF THE SAINTS

This morning we celebrate the lives of persons we name as saints – those who give us a closer glimpse of God.

Some of them may be living, others have completed their

physical lives here on earth.

We honor these saints with love and appreciation.

The saints are standing row on row

engulfed in light and peace,

standing face to face with God

whose love will never cease.

unknown author

LITANY We Remember Them Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn, 1910-1995

In the rising of the sun and in its going down,

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,

In the opening of buds and in the rebirth of spring,

we remember them.

In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer,

In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn,

In the beginning of the year and when it ends,

we remember them.

When we are weary and in need of strength,

When we are lost and sick at heart,

When we have joys we yearn to share,

we remember them.

So long as we live, they too shall live,

for they are now a part of us,

as we remember them.

Sharing of Names and Prayer of Thanksgiving

* HYMN For All the Saints 299

MISSION STATEMENT

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 & in our world.
Offer the hospitality and inclusive love of Christ to all people.
Work for God’s peace and justice throughout creation.

MORNING OFFERING and COMMUNION OFFERING

Morning offerings may be brought forward and placed in the plates on the altar. You are invited to write your prayer requests on the sheets provided in the bulletin and bring them forward and place them in the basket on the altar. If you would like assistance, please turn to someone seated near you.

Offertory

* Prayer of Dedication Cesar Chavez, 1927-1993

When we are honest with ourselves,

we must admit that our lives are all that really belong to us.

So it is how we use our lives that determines

what kind of people we are. Amen.

* PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION What a Friend We Have in Jesus 506

CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation

Communion Prayer – Savior’s Prayer

Our Creator in heaven, hallowed be your name, your

kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us

from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For

the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now

and forever. Amen.

Blessing the Bread and Cup

Sharing the Meal

Giving Thanks

* HYMN I Sing a Song of the Saints of God 295

*BENEDICTION

Trusting in the love of Jesus.

May we answer the call of God, saying, “ Here I am! Send me.”

*SUNG RESPONSE (please form a circle) Rosemary Crow

Weave, weave, weave us together; weave us together in unity and love.

Weave, weave, weave us together; weave us together, together in love.

*POSTLUDE

Announcements

Communion Sunday: This is a Communion Sunday. We are using the prepackaged individual communion servings. Please know that everyone is welcome to participate in communion. Young people are invited to participate at the discretion of the adult(s) who have brought them. The Communion Offering will be received. This offering is used to help people in the church and the community with basic needs such as rent and utility assistance, bus passes, prescriptions, etc. There has been heavy need for these funds. Please consider how you can help the community through this offering.

Memorial Garden

Following the service this morning, there will be a gathering at the Memorial Garden of the church to remember those who have been part of the LUCC family and have made their witness which continues to sustain the church and those who are part of the church family today.

In Memoriam

In celebration of the life of LUCC member Carolyn Moore, who died Friday Oct. 28. Condolences to her loved ones especially her daughter, Melanie Moore. There will be a memorial service for Carolyn at Lakewood UCC on Saturday Nov. 12 at 2:00 p.m. All are invited to celebrate Carolyn’s life.

Harvest Forms

Healing Through the Holidays

This workshop will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays November 15, November 29, and Dec. 13 from 7-8 p.m. All are welcome! The Zoom number is: 270 068 3648.

Choir Rehearsals Resume

Rehearsals began today and will continue each Sunday in the sanctuary from 9 to 10:15 a.m. All are welcome! For more information, please contact music director Hilton Jones.

Election Day Ahead

Tuesday Nov. 8 is Election Day here in Florida. Please make sure to vote! If you need transportation or assistance in any way, please contact the church office (867-7961 or lakewooducc@gmail.com). In addition to the candidates on the ballot, there are several other important initiatives to consider. This is an important way to express our convictions for the good of society. Make a plan. And vote!

Thanksgiving Sunday Ahead!

Sunday Nov. 21 will be the annual Thanksgiving service. Please bring something to represent what you are thankful for; something that represents a gift in your life, as we build an altar of gratitude together!

Operation Attack

OA needs donations of cereal/oatmeal, mac and cheese, pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned meat, fruit, soup, and vegetables. Donations may be placed on shelf in hallway.

Toiletries for Celebrate Outreach: Celebrate Outreach is a local ministry with people who are living without shelter in St. Petersburg. Needed: men’s and women’s underwear. (Men sizes 30, 32,34; and 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.

FaceBook Live

The 10:30 a.m. service is being streamed on FaceBook Live.

Circle of Concern: Barbara Donohue, Erik Johnson, Colombian Family, William Owen-Cowan, Family and Loved ones of Carolyn Moore, Ann Quinn is under Hospice care, Maggie Brizendine, Janet Hall, Tony Larson, All those suffering from COVID-19 and all healthcare workers, Schools: Students, families, teachers, and staff.

Lakewood United Church of Christ 2601 54th Ave. S. St. Petersburg, FL 33712

727-867-7961/ lakewooducc@gmail.com/ Lakewooducc.org 

On land originally inhabited by the Tocabaga