Celebration of Leadership and Committee Work

Reading the Lasting Impact book with a small group during the last Lenten season, a few asked, “I am not so clear on our church’s leadership structure!  What?  We had that committee?”  We laughed and agreed that one day we must share and celebrate our leadership and our committee work.  

Friends, eight leadership teams of Lake Merritt UMC and one board model leadership team of Lake Park UMC are looking forward to sharing the wonderful work we are doing to co-create God’s beloved community here in Oakland.  Pastor Dale will be sharing new hopes that are rising at Lake Park UMC. 

During the fellowship hour, the eight committees of LMUMC and a church council of LPUMC will be ready to answer any questions about their wonderful and life-changing ministries at their designated tables.  Come and visit them!    

Come, friends!  Let us celebrate our ministries together! 

Pride Sunday!

This Sunday morning, we are gathering to celebrate Pride Sunday at 10:15AM. 

Rev. Israel Alvaran from the Reconciling Ministries Network is our guest preacher and Pastor Dale will be leading worship.  

During our service, Pastor Sunae and our church’s Reconciling leadership team will be participating in the Oakland Pride Parade with their own exhibit; supporting and standing in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ siblings.  We will celebrate loudly and proudly with our community! 

Pastor Izzy says, “LGBTQ+ Pride embraces the whole spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identity, but allies need to recognize that LGBTQ+ persons also have diverse intersecting, embodied identities. Intersectional Justice, therefore, is part of our Reconciling work.”

Come, friends!  Let’s draw close to God and to one another as we sing songs to God in community. 

Taizé

Friends, we are invited to a Taizé service this Sunday.  You are probably wondering, “What is Taizé service?”

Taizé is a prayer service (pronounced <tah-ZAY>). 

Taizé was founded amid the profound divisions and discord of the Second World War by Roger Schutz known to many as Brother Roger to foster reconciliation and peace.  Named for the monastic spiritual community in Taizé, France, this unique form of contemplation invites you into an awareness of God’s presence through chant-like songs, scripture, and silent meditation.

Taizé service differs from the feel and format of our traditional Sunday morning services – there is no preaching, no effort to teach, and no communion.  The lights are dimmed and candles are lit.  Our Taizé prayer service offer a simple and peaceful space to gather, reflect, and be still.

What is fascinating is that Taizé has become one of the world’s most important sites of Christian pilgrimage, with a focus on youth. Over 100,000 young people from around the world makes pilgrimages to Taizé each year for prayer. 

We invite you to our Taizé service this Sunday with a pizza and salad dinner at 5:30PM. 

Bring your family.  In worship, children’s activities will be provided. 

Come, friends!  Let’s draw close to God and to one another as we center ourselves in prayer, songs, and contemplation.

Singing Sunday!

With every change comes opportunities!  With major roof repair work at Lake Merritt UMC, we are taking this opportunity to worship differently the next two Sundays. 

This Sunday’s worship theme is “Sing!  Praise the Lord! For God has been good to us!”   (Psalm 126)   Our worship will be a “Singing Service” with a pizza and salad dinner at 5:30PM. 

Bring your family.  In worship, children’s activities will be provided. 

Matt Redman, one of the contemporary worship leaders shares, “In the end, worship can never be a performance, something you’re pretending or putting on.  It’s got to be an overflow of your heart… Worship is about getting personal with God, drawing close to God.”

Come, friends!  Let’s draw close to God and to one another as we sing songs to God in community. 

Rally Sunday

Celebrating Children, Youth, Music and Our Choirs!

Time is passing by so fast! Our kids are beginning a new school year which means new
backpack, new shoes and cloths, new books and stationaries, new classroom, teacher, and new friends. Not only that! We look forward to new hope and dream! What an exciting time!

After the summer break, our choir is coming back to usher us to the presence of God through music.

We want to bless this special season for our children and also our choir for their renewed effort in their calling.

Today’s gospel, John 4, we will be reflecting on Jesus’ interaction with an unknown woman at the well. Through her interaction with Jesus, she becomes a completely different person and begins to take risk! I am talking about “Faith” not in the sense of intellectual assent to doctrinal formulation but “faith” more in its biblical sense of trust, a living and active trust that makes it possible to take significant risks. We pray that our children will come to this kind of vibrant, trusting, risk-taking faith. Amen! Bring your family and friends! Join us this Sunday!

Come friends!

Climate Action:

What Can We Do?

Pastor Dale will be preaching on “What Can We Do?” 

Early 20th Century Canadian activist Nellie McClung wrote: “Let us do our little bit with cheerfulness and not take the responsibility that belongs to God.  None of us can turn the earth around.  All we can ever hope to do is to hit it a few whacks on the right side.”

 The “whacks” that we progressive Methodists of Christian faith can provide are rooted in the reality of the God who is immanent in all creation and the transcendent vision that God gives us of the wholeness of life.  As our actions on behalf of a liveable planet are rooted in this vision of sustainable life for all, we can imagine the radical changes that we must be part of implementing this decade and do them in collaboration with all people of good will.  Join us this Sunday!

Come friends!