Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!


9th Annual LIFT Concert

3-5pm May 11th

Are you wondering how you can help out with the upcoming LIFT Concert? Let’s fill the sanctuary for the musicians and the community we serve! Reserve your ticket today. Spread the word! Invite your friends and families. It’s less than a month away!

Email liftconcertoakland@gmail.com or talk to your Connectional Ministries team for more info: Tom, Galia, Kathleen, and Rose Lynn

Lake Park & Lake Merritt UMC Merger Celebration

Pentecost Sunday May 19th

Join us as we celebrate this historic merger of our two significant churches and consecrate our ministry and mission before God with the blessing of our annual conference, churches, friends and families near and far. You will hear the stories of our two churches as we become one. Our own Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño will preach the sermon and bless our merger.  Bay District Superintendent Rev. Sun Hee Kim will join and lead us.  Immediately after the service, you are invited to take a church photo in front of the church on Lakeshore Ave. Share this invitation with your family and friends!

The Pentecost Merger Celebration Worship service is on May 19th at 10:15 followed by a BBQ lunch gathering.  The main BBQ will be provided by the church. We invite our church family to bring the sides, salads, and desserts for our fellowship lunch. Judi Fabrizio is helping organize the sign-ups for the potluck dishes.  Please see Judi to sign up and also if you have any questions.


UMC General Conference

April 23-May 3

The General Conference of the United Methodist Church is convening April 23-May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina. UM News reporter Heather Hahn has created a video summarizing recent events in the denomination leading up to this conference, including the matters of LGBTQ inclusion, the COVID pandemic, and church departures. If you would like to find information, news, and resources, click on the following link with Resource UMC.


Create Your Own Celebration of Life

noon Sunday, May 5th

Deacon Rev. Stephanie is a singing chaplain serving at San Leandro Kaiser.  She will be preaching on May 5th Sunday and share her call as a Deacon serving in the world at a hospital.  The title of her sermon is “Threshold Moments: Healing at the End of Life?”  After the worship service, you are invited to reflect on the celebration of your life after death on earth.  Yes, you heard me right.  You are invited to write your own Funeral or Memorial service from 12 noon to 1:30pm after a brief fellowship time in the Stark Fellowship hall.   Please join us.

String Quartet Concert

3pm Saturday, April 27th

You are warmly invited to the first-ever concert by the Musical Chairs Quartet, an Oakland-based string quartet composed of musicians in the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony: George Han, Mark Hodgson, Laurence Lewis, and Ken Schoon. We’re excited to perform a wide-ranging program of string quartets not commonly heard, including works by two African American composers, Florence Price and William Grant Still, and a rarely played string quartet by Felix Mendelssohn.

Saturday, April 27, 3-4pm. Doors open at 2:45, with a reception following the concert. Lake Merritt United Methodist Church, 1330 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland (use lakeside entrance)


Buena Vista UMC Bazaar

noon-5pm Sunday, May 5th

Join BVUMC’s annual bazaar and fundraiser featuring taiko drumming, music, food, and a panel discussion. This year’s theme, “Building Bridges – Bringing Hope,” will bring together panelists from two organizations: Tsuru for Solidarity (a nonviolent, direct action project of Japanese American social justice advocates) and T’ruah (a collective of progressive rabbis, rabbinical students, and Jewish cantors) — two organizations committed to the critical and grace-filled work of healing in our world, for greater human dignity for all.

Share the event flyer and view the schedule here. A limited number of meals will be available on the day of the event on a first-come, first-serve basis. Order your meal in advance and purchase raffle tickets here: buenavistaumc.org/bazaar2024


Oakland Civic Orchestra Concert

4pm Sunday, May 5th

The Oakland Civic Orchestra presents its concert “Luminosity” on Sunday, May 5, at 4:00 pm, at Lake Merritt United Methodist Church. Note: Our sanctuary will be set up facing the lake for worship on May 5th in preparation for the concert.

The program features the radiant young flutist and composer Cadence Liu performing her new Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, bookended by Vaughan Williams’ beloved Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and the brilliant Divertimento from Le Baiser de la fée (The Fairy’s Kiss) by Igor Stravinsky. Also on the program is the seldom heard and charming Music for Symphony Orchestra by Yasushi Akutagawa. Read more and purchase tickets here.


Voci Concert

4pm Sunday, May 5th

Voci is proud to present a concert of madrigals and related musical forms from the Renaissance, early Baroque, and 20th century. Small ensembles, soloists, and the full choir will perform a rich variety of settings of beautiful and thought-provoking poetry in English, French, Italian and even Macedonian. We’ll sing about love and lovers, loss, internal struggle, and celebration. Please join Voci and Guest Director, Susan Swerdlow, for this End of Season Concert and celebratory gathering of refreshments and community.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
66 St. Stephen’s Dr., Orinda
Purchase tickets here