Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Pride Festival Weekend

Why does Lake Merritt UMC celebrate Pride Sunday in October when Pride month is in June? Because we celebrate on the occasion of Oakland’s very own Pride Festival!

Join us this Sunday for a very special worship service with guest preacher Rev. Izzy Alvaran from the Reconciling Ministries Network. Afterwards, we will have a brief fellowship hour, and we invite you to join other LMUMC members in heading over the festival downtown.

Pronoun Stickers for Pride Sunday

This Sunday, when you pick up your name badge, we invite you to place a sticker on your nametag with the pronouns you would like to be referred by (ex. she/her, he/him, they/them). This is a practice of inclusion for our LGBTQ+ siblings that lets others know how each person desires to be addressed.

Looking for Preschool and Godly Play Teachers

This summer we have had to say goodbye to our preschool teacher, Aaliyah, and one of our Godly Play Teachers, Sia Linda. We are in the process of hiring teachers to fill these positions. In the meantime, we are looking for volunteers for both the pre-school and elementary age groups. We especially need pre-school volunteers for the 3rd & 4th Sundays and Godly Play volunteers for Sept 8 & 15. If you are able to help with the pre-school, please contact Kate Wilson via email (kate1200@comcast.net). For the Godly Play group, contact Margaret LeWright via email (margaretlewright@gmail.com).

6:45pm Friday, September 13th

Sound Bath returns next Friday, September 13th with Maryzello Ungo. What better way to end your week than by slowing down and relaxing, surrounded by meditative vibrations and melodies? Be immersed in flowing sounds as you sit in a chair or lie on the floor with your own mat, blanket, and/or pillow.

Admittance for the church community is donation-based; $20 is suggested via cash, check, or Venmo. No RSVP needed. Doors open at 6:30 pm; please arrive by 6:45. Program begins promptly at 7:00pm. Download our flyer and share our Eventbrite page to invite family and friends!

“Bad Faith” Screening

2:30pm Sunday, Sept 15

The ecumenical group, Oakland Churches Together (OCT) is screening the film, “Bad Faith”, a documentary about Christian Nationalism. The film will be shown on Sunday, Sept 15 at 2:30pm in the Lake Merritt UMC sanctuary. For more information about the OCT group, click here.

Please join LMUMC’s Peace in Palestine – Friends of Wadi Foquin small group for a film screening and Q&A in our sanctuary on Sunday, September 29 starting around 12:30–after fellowship hour, which will feature Palestinian food that day.

Where Olive Trees Weep is a new documentary that chronicles life in the West Bank under Israeli occupation and paints a vivid picture of what life is like for our siblings living there. We have also invited Rev. Emily Lin from Friends of Wadi Foquin to give updates on the current situation in the village of Wadi Foquin and how we can help.