Sunday, December 15, 2019

Luke 1:39-55

This Sunday marks the third Sunday in Advent; Joy Sunday. There is great beauty in the season, but also great need, leading at times for us to wonder how we can feel joy. While culture says cheer, we can be overwhelmed with the drive of consumerism, the frenzy of a full calendar, and grief. Not to mention the continued wars and unrest, dehumanization of immigrants and people of color, and the cold truth that many in our communities do not have enough food to fill their bellies or a place to call home. In the midst of all this, where does joy have a place? Join us this Sunday as Rev. Mollie preaches on Mary and her song of joy as resistance and the humanizing connection of joy

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Isaiah 11:1-10

Here in the second week in the season of Advent, we turn our attention to God’s gift of peace. We tend to think of peace as the absence of conflict or the presence of calm. However, the biblical understanding of peace is much richer and deeper. The Hebrew word, “Shalom” (often translated as “Peace,”) means wholeness, unity, and reconciliation. How does this broader understanding of peace change our understandings of concepts we think of as opposites: light and dark, good and evil, male, and female? Join us this Sunday as Pastor Curt preaches on finding peace in moving beyond the binary to a more holistic understanding of ourselves and our world.

Thank you to all who stayed and participated in our truly intergenerational Advent Event. A special thanks to all who helped with the arts and crafts projects. More intergenerational events to come.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Isaiah 2:2-5

Advent is the season of the church year where we prepare ourselves to receive the gifts of the Christ Child yet again. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, our American culture insists we do more, go faster, and fill our shopping carts and calendars. Advent, in stark contrast, is a time of waiting, of slowing down, and of seeking out the simple gifts God provides. Join us this Sunday as Pastor Curt preaches on the gift of hope and how Advent just might be exactly what we need right now.

This Sunday, you’ll arrive at a church transformed! Lakewood UCC will be decorated for the holidays. It’s a time of giving! For the first two Sundays in December, we’ll be collecting new toys for the Action Center’s Holiday Gift Shop. Most needed items are arts & crafts kits, science kits, scooters, skateboards, Lego and nerf toys. And if you attach your receipts (or even an estimate!) the Mission Board will match your donations up to $600! In other giving news, the tree in the narthex is our mitten tree; please bring donations of mittens, hats, scarves, etc. through Christmas to be donated to the Action Center in the New Year.

Thanks to Memorials and Furnishings and the Faith Formation Board, you’ll notice we have an addition of a rocking chair to the narthex. It’s for anyone who wants it to use, especially those with young children. The worship service can be heard through the speakers in the narthex, enabling anyone who needs to come out of the sanctuary but still hear and be a part of worship, to take a moment in the rocking chair. Thank you Memorials and Furnishings and the Faith Formation Board!

Thanks for the generous donations to SocksGiving! We had a final total (complete with a few pairs that came in after the official end of the drive) of 799 pairs of socks! These will be brought to the Action Center next Wednesday, December 4, as they attempt to break the record for most pairs of socks donated on a single day. The record is 2,789 pairs and they’re aiming for over 10,000. We’ll be a big part of that!

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Philippians 4:4-9

We give thanks in many ways: speaking the words out loud to cashiers, children, those that hold the door for us. We write thank-you notes or emails or texts. We say or sing grace before meals. Focusing on gratitude is also a Spiritual Practice, which frames the workings of God in our lives. Culturally, we will soon sit down to a feast meal of thanksgiving, offering us pause to reflect on all we have to be grateful for. This Sunday we will gather in worship for all ages, worshipping God and giving thanks to the Holy One, through intergenerational worship and the lens of a feast at a wide and welcoming table.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

This Sunday’s sermon title is, “The Impossible Will Take a Little While,” which is shamelessly stolen from a collection of poems and essays of the same title edited by Paul Rogat Loeb. The book a brilliant reminder that the work we are about as Christians does not happen overnight. In fact, a lot of the work we are called to do as Christians unfolds over generations and centuries. It can be both disheartening and comforting to remember that we are in this for the long haul. Join us this Sunday as Pastor Curt preaches on what it means to take the long view and how we can keep up our hope in the meantime.

We need about 30 light-colored, plain pillowcases for the Advent Event. If you have any that you would like to donate,  please drop them off to Rev. Mollie before Thanksgiving. Thank you in advance!