Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Youth Group

Sunday, 12/8, 12-2pm

Join us for our next youth group gathering this coming Sunday, 12/8, from 12-2pm. Pizza will be served for lunch and we’ll have advent programming. St John’s Episcopal Church is hosting at 1707 Gouldin Rd, Oakland 94611. Lulu is available to give rides to St. John’s. Please let her know by Saturday night if your youth is attending. You can contact Lulu at office@lakemerrittumc.org

Sound Bath On Hiatus After December 13th Gathering

Join us in the Sanctuary on Friday, December 13th for a special Sound Bath gathering featuring two special sound healers, Ege Sanli and Madhu Anziani.
Together they will take you on a relaxing journey with their meditative melodies and vibrations, created with various instruments.
Doors open at 6:30, with an introduction beginning at 6:50. Doors close promptly at 7:00.
Please bring your own mat/blanket. Admittance for the church community is donation based. 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. Share our Eventbrite page to invite family and friends!
Our monthly Sound Bath will be on hiatus beginning in January 2025.
We may celebrate with various sound healers at different times during the year
and will let you know when these events are planned.
Thank you to everyone who has participated in this beautiful ministry.

Food 4 Thought Taking Advent Break

The Food 4 Thought small group will not be meeting in December and will begin a new lecture series on the first Sunday of the New Year. More information to come! Please see Laurel Williams if you have any questions.

Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble Concerts

December 7th & 8th at 4pm

This December, two of the Bay Area’s leading choirs will come together to create a sensational tour de force of seasonal choral music. Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble and WomenSing, directed by Ofer dal Lal, will present Synergy, a varied program that will include works for double-choir, choir with solo, and other choral combinations. Allow the music to envelop you as you hear these stellar singers create a unity of sound that will be more expressive and affecting than any single part. The concerts will be held on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8. Tickets may be obtained at www.vocisings.org

Saturday, Dec 7, 2024 – 4 PM
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
66 St. Stephen’s Drive, Orinda

Sunday, Dec 8, 2024 – 4 PM
St. Mary Magdalen Church
2005 Berryman St., Berkeley

OIGC 39th Annual Holiday Concert

December 7th, 7pm

Join the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir for an evening of soul-stirring music, holiday spirit, and interfaith harmony at its 39th Annual Holiday Concert, hosted by Amar Khalil, acclaimed singer/songwriter and former lead vocalist for Tony! Toni! Toné!. Taking place on Saturday, December 7 at 7 PM at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, this celebration of Healing Through Song features guest vocalists JaCoree Prothro, Reverend Reginald Finley, and Jackie Tolbert, with dynamic ASL interpretation by Half-N-Half (Sherry Hicks and Michael Velez). The Oakland Interfaith Community Choir and Youth Choir will join OIGC for a powerful performance to celebrate life and uphold freedom. More information can be found here.

Oakland Churches Together (OTC) Presents

Holiday Caroling at the Grand Lake Farmers Market

December 14th, 10:15am

Join us as we gather at the Grand Lake Theater at 10:15 a.m. before moving across the street to the Grand Lake Farmers Market. Wear festive lights, hats, sweaters to celebrate and highlight  the Advent Season. Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church will provide songbooks and lead the singing. All are welcome!! Afterward, some of us will gather at Peet’s on Lakeshore Avenue for more socializing. For more information, contact Dan Strauss danjeffstrauss@gmail.com or Marlene Yamashita maryamca@att.net. Hope to see (and hear) you there!!

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