Please read ALL OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Lenten Worship Series (Feb 22, 2023 – April 9, 2023)
The Lenten journey began on Ash Wednesday and continues as we walk toward Easter together, which is April 9, 2023.
This year’s Lenten theme is “Entering the Passion of Jesus”. We invite you to prepare your heart for this year’s Lenten journey by walking with Jesus in his final days and hours on the way to the cross. See below for the Lenten Worship Series information and join us.
3/5, Second Sunday in Lent
The Temple: Risking Righteous Anger
Mark 11:15-19
3/12, Third Sunday in Lent
Teachings: Risking Challenge
Matthew 22:15-22
3/19, Fourth Sunday in Lent
The First Dinner: Risking Rejection
Mark 14:3-9
3/26, Fifth Sunday in Lent
The Last Supper: Risking the Loss of Friends
Luke 22:14-27
4/2, Sixth Sunday in Lent or Palm/Passion Sunday
Gethsemane: Risking Temptation
John 18:1-11
4/7, Good Friday: Tenebrae Service at 7 PM
4/9, Easter Sunday
Christ is Risen!
John 20:1-18
Children’s Ministry Fellowship & Activities
The Children`s Ministry of Lake Merritt & Lake Park UMCs invite you to join us during the fellowship hour on Sunday, March 26 for a gathering of families in the courtyard.
(Formerly scheduled for March 19, moved to March 26 due to the impact of the Oakland Marathon on church accessibility.)
We want to hear your wants, needs, and visions for the future of our children and youth programs.
Activities for children- decorating Easter bags for our Easter egg hunt after church on Easter Sunday. Activities for adults- filling Easter eggs with candy/stickers, and an opportunity to share your thoughts for our children and youth ministry programs. Please bring any/all of the following- yourself, your children, your ideas, empty Easter eggs, and pre-wrapped candy/stickers. Hope to see you there!
Margaret LeWright, Children`s Ministry Coordinator
May All Be Fed – Take Action
Our partners at Alameda County Community Food Bank not only ensure we have food each week for our church’s food ministries, but they are working hard with efforts nationwide to ensure resources continue to be available for families and individuals to access food through SNAP. Just this week alone our church office has received calls and visits from individuals seeking assistance in learning how to apply or use their newly acquired SNAP benefits. This is not the focus of our work but it’s clear that more people than ever are using this support. We invite you to consider helping share with your congressional representative that we at the local level are seeing it meeting the needs the people in our community. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is up for reauthorization in the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. Tell Congress we must permanently expand SNAP to help families and seniors facing hunger. Write to your lawmakers and say: Expand SNAP benefits this year!
Krishnan Dean Family Meal Train
Deepak and Becky welcomed baby Kiara Isabelle into the big wide world on 11/29/2022!
You are invited to give a little love to Deepak and Becky as they transition into parenthood!
Sign up here to help.
Meal Train for Judi and Wayne
Judi continues her treatment and we are adding more dates to the Meal Train to support them. We continue to keep their household in our thoughts and prayers. We love you, Judi and Wayne. Sign up here to help.
Church Access, March 19
The annual March Marathon is happening this March 19.
Roads closure will impact our members who come to church that Sunday. We are working with Oakland Police Department to determine how to safely access the church for worship that day.
We will keep you updated.
LMUMC Choirs Information
To join the voice choir, contact the Music Director,
Jim Meredith jimmeredith@mac.com
To join the handbell choir, contact the Handbell Director,
Margaret LeWright margaretlewright@gmail.com
February 26, 2023
We begin our Lenten journey this Sunday. Our Lenten worship series is based on a study “Entering the Passion of Jesus” written by Amy Jill Levine. This year we will spend all of Lent journeying through Holy Week exploring all that Jesus risked in that last week of his earth life. During this Lent, we are invited to think about our life alongside the life of Jesus, inviting inward transformation and then outward action.
During the Lenten season, we are creating sacred space and time to be still before God in worship. We have created four prayer stations; three prayer stations with candles and a prayer station at the cross. No words are needed at the prayer stations. Quiet, still, be, let our God love you. And God was always there, even if we may not feel God.
For the communal sharing of your prayers and gratitudes, would you email your prayer and gratitudes to Pastor Sunae by Saturday morning? She will lift up our intercessory prayer and gratitude as we pray together.
Come as you are! Come and let us worship God together.
To join Sunday Worship via Facebook, log onto your Facebook account and search for the ‘Lake Merritt United Methodist Church’page or click here.
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Please read ALL OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Lenten Worship Series (Feb 22, 2023 – April 9, 2023)
The Lenten journey began on Ash Wednesday and continues as we walk toward Easter together, which is April 9, 2023.
This year’s Lenten theme is “Entering the Passion of Jesus”. We invite you to prepare your heart for this year’s Lenten journey by walking with Jesus in his final days and hours on the way to the cross. See below for the Lenten Worship Series information and join us.
2/26, First Sunday in Lent
Jerusalem: Risking Reputation
Matthew 21:1-11
3/5, Second Sunday in Lent
The Temple: Risking Righteous Anger
Mark 11:15-19
3/12, Third Sunday in Lent
Teachings: Risking Challenge
Matthew 22:15-22
3/19, Fourth Sunday in Lent
The First Dinner: Risking Rejection
Mark 14:3-9
3/26, Fifth Sunday in Lent
The Last Supper: Risking the Loss of Friends
Luke 22:14-27
4/2, Sixth Sunday in Lent or Palm/Passion Sunday
Gethsemane: Risking Temptation
John 18:1-11
4/7, Good Friday: Tenebrae Service at 7 PM
4/9, Easter Sunday
Christ is Risen!
John 20:1-18
Children’s Ministry Fellowship & Activities
The Children`s Ministry of Lake Merritt/Lake Park UMCs invite you to join us during the fellowship hour on Sunday, March 19 for a gathering of families in the courtyard.
We want to hear your wants, needs, and visions for the future of our children and youth programs.
Activities for children- decorating Easter bags for our Easter egg hunt after church on Easter Sunday. Activities for adults- filling Easter eggs with candy/stickers, and an opportunity to share your thoughts for our children and youth ministry programs. Please bring any/all of the following- yourself, your children, your ideas, empty Easter eggs, and pre-wrapped candy/stickers. Hope to see you there!
Margaret LeWright, Children`s Ministry Coordinator
The Lasting Impact Book Study Group
The Lasting Impact book study group begins on Monday, Feb 27 at 7PM by Zoom. Pastor Sunae will be sending the Zoom invitation to those signed up for the Book Study. Please let Pastor Sunae know if you would like to join the book study group by Sunday evening.
Hope Through Darkness: Art Exhibit
We would like to put out a call for submissions for our 2023 art exhibit: Hope Through Darkness
Please create an art piece for our exhibit and reception – it can be 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional visual art, a written piece, or any variety of performance art.
The exhibit and reception will be in the Edwards Room.
Here are some questions you may want to reflect on while creating:
What has given you hope during the pandemic?
How do you cope with adversity?
What gives you hope?
What is darkness to you?
Is darkness bad?
Submissions are due by February 24, 2023 and a reception will be held on Sunday, March 5. Please email vivianjromero@gmail.com with any questions.
Krishnan Dean Family Meal Train
Deepak and Becky welcomed baby Kiara Isabelle into the big wide world on 11/29/2022!
You are invited to give a little love to Deepak and Becky as they transition into parenthood!
Sign up here to help.
Meal Train for Judi and Wayne
Judi continues her treatment and we are adding more dates to the Meal Train to support them. We continue to keep their household in our thoughts and prayers. We love you, Judi and Wayne. Sign up here to help.
LMUMC Choirs Information
To join the voice choir, contact the Music Director,
Jim Meredith jimmeredith@mac.com
To join the handbell choir, contact the Handbell Director,
Margaret LeWright margaretlewright@gmail.com
February 19, 2023
According to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus initially commanded his disciples to restrict their mission to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 10:5-6)
And in the end of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20
Why did Jesus not originally see Gentiles as part of his mission and then, what changed his mind to widen his focus to include all?
Join us as we wrestle with these difficult words of Jesus this Sunday!
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February 22, 2023
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday Service, February 22, 2023, 7PM
This year’s Lenten theme is “Entering the Passion of Jesus”. We invite you to prepare your heart for this year’s Lenten journey by walking with Jesus in his final days and hours on the way to the cross. We begin our journey together on Ash Wednesday.
Bulletin Link
Ash Wednesday, 2.22.2023
Ash Wednesday Worship Music Links
Sanctuary
Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
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Ash Wednesday ZOOM Link
Service begins at 7PM.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88203637830
Meeting ID: 882 0363 7830
Passcode: 403506
To join Sunday Worship via Facebook, log onto your Facebook account and search for the ‘Lake Merritt United Methodist Church’page or click here.
Please read ALL OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Lenten Worship Series (Feb 22, 2023 – April 9, 2023)
Lenten journey begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb 22, 2023, and we walk toward Easter together which is April 9, 2023.
This year’s Lenten theme is “Entering the Passion of Jesus”. We invite you to prepare your heart for this year’s Lenten journey by walking with Jesus in his final days and hours on the way to the cross. See below for the Lenten Worship Series information and join us.
2/22, Ash Wednesday at 7 PM
“Render Your Heart to God, Yet Even Now”
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
2/26, First Sunday in Lent
Jerusalem: Risking Reputation
Matthew 21:1-11
3/5, Second Sunday in Lent
The Temple: Risking Righteous Anger
Mark 11:15-19
3/12, Third Sunday in Lent
Teachings: Risking Challenge
Matthew 22:15-22
3/19, Fourth Sunday in Lent
The First Dinner: Risking Rejection
Mark 14:3-9
3/26, Fifth Sunday in Lent
The Last Supper: Risking the Loss of Friends
Luke 22:14-27
4/2, Sixth Sunday in Lent or Palm/Passion Sunday
Gethsemane: Risking Temptation
John 18:1-11
4/7, Good Friday: Tenebrae Service at 7 PM
4/9, Easter Sunday
Christ is Risen!
John 20:1-18
LENTEN BOOK STUDY Group
LASTING IMPACT | CAREY NIEUWHOF
You’ve probably noticed …
Churches aren’t growing.
Young adults are walking away.
Volunteers are hard to recruit.
Leaders are burning out.
And the culture is changing faster than ever before.
No wonder that church leaders everywhere struggle with growth, and feel unequipped to lead their church.
In Lasting Impact, the author and pastor Carey Nieuwhof raises the questions and provides some possible answers, but ultimately leaves it up to the reader and their team to discover how their church can grow.
I invite Lake Merritt UMC members to join me in reading the “Lasting Impact” together during the Lenten season and invite us to reflect on questions together. The questions raised in each conversation are uncomfortable. And they are so because they require the leader(s) to look inwardly at themselves and look outwardly at the culture. All are welcome!
Hope Through Darkness: Art Exhibit
We would like to put out a call for submissions for our 2023 art exhibit: Hope Through Darkness
Please create an art piece for our exhibit and reception – it can be 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional visual art, a written piece, or any variety of performance art.
The exhibit and reception will be in the Edwards Room.
Here are some questions you may want to reflect on while creating:
What has given you hope during the pandemic?
How do you cope with adversity?
What gives you hope?
What is darkness to you?
Is darkness bad?
Submissions are due by February 24, 2023 and a reception will be held on Sunday, March 5. Please email vivianjromero@gmail.com with any questions.
Krishnan Dean Family Meal Train
Deepak and Becky welcomed baby Kiara Isabelle into the big wide world on 11/29/2022!
You are invited to give a little love to Deepak and Becky as they transition into parenthood!
Sign up here to help.
Meal Train for Judi and Wayne
Judi continues her treatment and we are adding more dates to the Meal Train to support them. We continue to keep their household in our thoughts and prayers. We love you, Judi and Wayne. Sign up here to help.
LMUMC Choirs Information
To join the voice choir, contact the Music Director,
Jim Meredith jimmeredith@mac.com
To join the handbell choir, contact the Handbell Director,
Margaret LeWright margaretlewright@gmail.com
