Defined by Generosity
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
– Winston Churchill
We are designed to be generous, but there are two voices, the voice of fear and self-gratification, that work against our God-given impulse toward generosity. Do you struggle with this? I am also curious about what happens when we are generous! Come, friends and join our conversation. – Pastor Sunae
Sunday worship begins at 10:15AM.
Join us in person in our sanctuary or watch online via Zoom, Facebook or YouTube Live.
Bulletin Link
You may give your Tithes & Offerings by mail, or click here to give online.
Watch Online
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85755892415
Meeting ID: 857 5589 2415
Passcode: 326043
Or dial the following number: 1(669) 900-6833.
When prompted, enter the meeting ID & passcode above.
To join Sunday Worship via Facebook, click here and look for the live video at the top of the page.
To watch the livestream of our service on YouTube, click here.
May/June Special Sundays
June 9, 2024
The Reign/Rain of God
Romans 8:38-39
Guest speaker: Rev. Mike Friedrich, Deacon
June 16, 2024
Annual Conference Report
“Following Jesus,” Matthew 16:13-17
Sue Dickey, Lay Delegate to the ACS
Laurel Williams, Lay Leader and Lay Delegate to the ACS
Rev. Sunae Cho, Pastor
Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Create Your Own Celebration of Life Follow-Up
11:45 am This Sunday, June 2nd
You are invited to bring your “Planning your own Memorial service” form to church this Sunday. Click here to view and download the form. We will gather in the Wesley Conference room this Sunday at 11:45am for any concerns or questions. Please join Pastor Sunae for this conversation building on our session together on May 5th.
John Champion’s Grad Party
4 – 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1st
Hello Friends and Family, I am so proud of John and his graduation from High School.
Please join us as we celebrate John and his perseverance, resilience, and stellar accomplishments. Great to have another child college bound AND to have a young man setting school record for most “kills”. I guess it was worth all of the slats he knocked out of the deck as a 14 year old to produce this “killer” volleyball player.
Location: 403 Moraga Ave. Piedmont
Saturday, June 1st 4 pm to 8 pm
Toasts(roasts?) and speeches around 5 or so
Provided: Food, drinks, music and views form the relatively new deck. Opportunities to share memories, sign yearbooks, memory books etc.
Text Andrew at 510 435-5567 to RSVP
Can’t wait to see YOU there!
–Andrew Champion
Coming Fully Alive as You Age
With Rev. Dr. Judith Pruess-Mellow
Mondays, June 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15. 10-11:15 AM, 510-747-7500, Mastick Senior Center or on Zoom, 6-7:15 PM. $45. Email judithpm07@gmail.com for details.
Discoveries and new friends are everywhere. Learn about the Blue Zones where people regularly live healthfully to 100+. You’ll learn how to:
–Be fully alive in body, mind, spirit
–Explore aging as a spiritual journey
–Craft your spiritual legacy
–Discover the power of humor
–Create hope for the future
–Share your talents
Judith with T.C, Oatman Burro Sanctuary, Mohave Valley, AZ.
Download and share the flyer here to invite your friends
Bay Area Rainbow Symphony Concert
7:30pm Saturday, June 22nd
If you enjoyed hearing the Musical Chairs Quartet of Oakland perform recently at our church, they will be playing in concert again, this time as members of the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony (BARS). The concert will be held at 7:30pm on Saturday, June 22 at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave, in San Francisco’s Civic Center and will feature Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with special guest soloists and full chorus, as well as Ethel Smyth’s Overture to The Botswain’s Mate and Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait. Tickets, including senior and student tickets, may be purchased at www.bars-sf.org, and early bird pricing is available until May 31.
Dear Siblings in Christ, grace and peace to you.
Did you feel the Spirit? How did God touch you at the Pentecost Merger Celebration? I was deeply touched by God’s spirit moving through your presence, prayer, devotion, hard work, service, joy, and love for your church, for one another, and for God. I came home around 4:30 pm and was still high in Spirit and love from the experience of our spirit-filled Pentecost Merger Celebration. My heart is still full, and I will cherish this day.
As I reflect on our journey together the last two years, I thank God for each of you. In my prayers, I pray with joy because of your partnership in sharing the gospel. I am amazed by what each of our members could do in the name of Jesus and how our churches, Lake Park and Lake Merritt, came together by the Spirit’s movement.
Thank you, siblings, for leading and serving with me. I am deeply touched by your faith, hope, and love, and I look forward to witnessing how God will move among us and bring healing and hope in each of our lives and our community. I believe that God who began the good work at both Lake Merritt and Lake Park will now carry it on to completion with our merged church, Lake Merritt United Methodist Church.
An old rabbi was once asked why so few people were finding God. He wisely replied that people are not willing to look that low. Jesus was born in a stable, and God is especially concerned for the poorest, the lowliest, the lost, and the neglected.
Siblings, let us be humble as Jesus was a humble servant. Let us look low and be with the lowliest, the lost, the poorest, and neglected. As our Bishop Carcaño said at the Pentecost Merger Celebration, Jesus’ promise never fails. She charged us to listen and love. As a new LMUMC, it is my prayer that we continue to be with the lowliest, listen and love, and find God collectively.
Most importantly, may we continue to worship God in spirit in our beautiful sanctuary. May we always wonder prayerfully how we can usher God’s people, the spiritual but not religious, who walk into our church seeking hope, healing and wholeness. May we begin with quiet, intercessory prayer or stillness before God to accompany all our active work. We move from God’s presence to others through us. We are woven into the great fabric of praying souls, and our work as the body of Christ on earth goes on being done.
I would like to share my special gratitude to Bishop Carcaño, DS Sun Hee Kim, Conference Lay Leader Micheal Pope, and Bay District Lay Leader Tyree Johnson for their presence as they spent their whole Sunday traveling a great distance. Special thanks for our worship team and audio/visual team for planning a wonderful Merger celebration. Special thanks to our Trustees for beautifying and cleaning our church inside and out with radical hospitality. Special thanks to everyone bringing their delicious dishes to share and also to the BBQ team for grilling wonderful hamburgers and hotdogs.
Special thanks to our children’s ministry teachers and helpers for taking care of our children. Special thanks to twenty worship leaders and participants for being part of God’s voice in worship. Special thanks to Pastor Dale and four other siblings sharing their stories of our churches. Special thanks to Dr. Taharka and the choir for a very special song. Special thanks to our bell ringers for helping us enter the worship gently and spiritually.
Special thanks to our kitchen volunteers and Judi for organizing and serving abundant food for the fellowship meal and for the beautiful decorations in the fellowship hall. Special thanks to Bernard for setting up for our church and also for YMCO for their graduation concert. Special thanks to John and Nieves for taking an awesome church group picture. Special thanks to all the ushers and greeters. Special thanks to guest pastors, members, friends and family who were there to bless and celebrate this joyous occasion. Lastly, I thank God for His abundant blessings and love to our church. I give God thanks.
Please enjoy our all-church photo below. It came out beautifully.
This is only a new beginning of LMUMC. Let us walk with God and with each other humbly, justly, and love mercy.
Gratitude and grace, Sunae
Rev. Sunae Cho | Lead Pastor
(Click on the image to view in higher resolution)
Iridescent
Confirmation Sunday
Have you ever noticed how the large Tiffany Panels in the sanctuary sparkle? Depending on the viewing angle, lighting situation, and time of day, these 17 foot tall mosaics show different brilliant, shimmering colors. In other words, the Panels are iridescent.
Our scripture passage for this Sunday explores the prophet Jeremiah’s position and call into ministry. While Jeremiah initially declined his call to prophetic witness, recognizing only his own inexperience, God called for all of Jeremiah’s contradictory facets, being resilient but sensitive, privileged but vulnerable, and smart but afraid. God called on Jeremiah to use all of himself to speak words of grave concern for many, but also to bring soaring visions of healing and liberation, depending on the moment.
This Sunday, let us reflect on what it means to be an iridescent people, ones who shimmer brilliantly, in different ways at different times. Let us consider what it means to bear witness to one another’s light, and how we may shine as a people of God.
Sunday worship begins at 10:15AM.
Join us in person in our sanctuary or watch online via Zoom, Facebook or YouTube Live.
Bulletin Link
You may give your Tithes & Offerings by mail, or click here to give online.
Watch Online
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85755892415
Meeting ID: 857 5589 2415
Passcode: 326043
Or dial the following number: 1(669) 900-6833.
When prompted, enter the meeting ID & passcode above.
To join Sunday Worship via Facebook, click here and look for the live video at the top of the page.
To watch the livestream of our service on YouTube, click here.
May/June Special Sundays
June 2, 2024
Defined by Generosity
Proverbs 11:24-25, 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Stewardship Program
June 9, 2024
The Reign/Rain of God
Romans 8:38-39
Guest speaker: Rev. Mike Friedrich, Deacon
June 16, 2024
Annual Conference Report
“Following Jesus,” Matthew 16:13-17
Sue Dickey, Lay Delegate to the ACS
Laurel Williams, Lay Leader and Lay Delegate to the ACS
Rev. Sunae Cho, Pastor
Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Food Pantry Help Needed
This Saturday, May 25th
We are very short on volunteers for this Saturday’s food pantry. Please consider volunteering. Sign up here. Thanks!
—Food Ministries Team
Pentecost Merger Celebration Thanks & Photo
Did you feel the Spirit? How did God move you at our Pentecost Merger Celebration? Many special thanks to all who made the day possible. Pastor Sunae’s message of gratitude may be found here. Please enjoy our all-church photo below.
(click image to view in higher resolution)
Confirmation Celebration
Sunday, May 26 10:15am
During the Confirmation ceremony, we witness our youth publicly affirm their faith and take their responsibility for living as a member of the United Methodist Church as they live out their calling in the world. We invite you to come and celebrate this new beginning with our confirmands.
Church Office closed on Memorial Day
The church office will be closed on Monday, 5/27 in observance of Memorial Day.
Coming Fully Alive as You Age
With Rev. Dr. Judith Pruess-Mellow
Mondays, June 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15. 10-11:15 AM, 510-747-7500, Mastick Senior Center or on Zoom, 6-7:15 PM. $45. Email judithpm07@gmail.com for details.
Discoveries and new friends are everywhere. Learn about the Blue Zones where people regularly live healthfully to 100+. You’ll learn how to:
–Be fully alive in body, mind, spirit
–Explore aging as a spiritual journey
–Craft your spiritual legacy
–Discover the power of humor
–Create hope for the future
–Share your talents
Judith with T.C, Oatman Burro Sanctuary, Mohave Valley, AZ.
Download and share the flyer here to invite your friends
Bay Area Rainbow Symphony Concert
7:30pm Saturday, June 22nd
If you enjoyed hearing the Musical Chairs Quartet of Oakland perform recently at our church, they will be playing in concert again, this time as members of the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony (BARS). The concert will be held at 7:30pm on Saturday, June 22 at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave, in San Francisco’s Civic Center and will feature Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with special guest soloists and full chorus, as well as Ethel Smyth’s Overture to The Botswain’s Mate and Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait. Tickets, including senior and student tickets, may be purchased at www.bars-sf.org, and early bird pricing is available until May 31.
