Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Create Your Own Celebration of Life
This Sunday, May 5th at noon
After hearing Deacon Stephanie’s call and her ministry as a chaplain serving at San Leandro Kaiser, we are invited to reflect on the celebration of your life after your passing. We are invited to write our own Funeral or Memorial service from 12 noon to 1:30pm after a brief fellowship time in the Stark Fellowship hall. The Funeral Planning form is found here. Please spend some time reflecting on the questions. You do not need to complete all the sections. If you would like to bring your Bible, that would be great. We will provide Bibles and hymnals for this session.
No Food 4 Thought in May
Due to a scheduling conflict, there will be no Food 4 Thought gathering in May. We will reconvene the first Sunday of June.
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!
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.
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