Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Advent Updates!
This is the season of God coming to us. How shall we prepare for Christ’s coming?
Third Sunday of Advent, December 15th, we will hear God’s promise of joy in our life. Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 22nd, we will listen to God’s promise of love through the Christmas Program directed by Susannah Wood. She will help guide our children to reenact the beloved story of Jesus’ birth. We give God thanks for the gift and grace of Susannah Wood and our children for sharing their presence. They truly shine with God’s light and love. Come and let us adore our newborn King Jesus!
There are two opportunities to share your generosity during this Advent season: one is through your Christmas offering on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, 12/22. Your Christmas Offering will go toward our Children and Youth Ministry. Secondly, by continuing to bring gifts that will give warmth and comfort to our unhoused community in need. Place those gifts in worship in the basket under the Christmas tree. Our Connectional Ministries will distribute them during the Christmas season as we serve the Lake Lunches.
Christmas Eve Service meets with our Joint Circuit Churches at Twin Towers UMC at 5:30PM on December 24, 2024.
Last Sunday of 2024, December 29th, we will gather around the sanctuary in a circle and share the stories of how God’s grace carried us this year. Join us.
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. 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.
December Food Pantry and Lake Lunches
Please join us on Friday and/or Saturday Dec 20 and 21 to put on our monthly food distribution. We could use help on Friday for setting up from 10-11 am, an early riser on Saturday to help with set up the lines, welcoming & helping hands to work alongside our many community volunteers who come visit the church through this community service. Spread holiday cheer to our neighbors through Lake Lunches. We will continue without interruption during the holiday weeks and we’ll be sharing the goodies you’ve been donating. This is a good time to help out if you’ve been thinking about it. Help is needed with preparing food, wrapping gifts, and delivery food and goodies. Sign up here and invite your people to do the same!
Lastly, would you like to help us thank our dedicated food ministry volunteers? We have a special gift to prepare and need a couple of hands to prepare them. If that is you, please contact Kathleen or Rose Lynn (liftconcertoakland@gmail.com)
Church Office Holiday Closure
12/25, 12/26, 12/31, 1/1
Please note that the church office will be closed on December 25th, 26th, 31st, and January 1st. The church office will be open on December 30th and reopen for regular office hours on January 2nd. Our church administrator, Lulu, will also be on holiday from December 25th to January 1st.
Important E-blast Announcement Deadline:
The deadline to submit announcements for the December 26th and January 2nd E-blasts is Monday, December 23rd at 12pm. Please ensure your submissions are sent in by this time to be included in these editions.
Thank you for your understanding, and we wish you a joyful holiday season!
Oakland Churches Together (OTC) Presents
Holiday Caroling at the Grand Lake Farmers Market
December 15th, 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!!
(Re)Kindling a Steadfast Hope
December 15th, 3-6pm
You, your friends, communities, and circles are warmly invited to an Interfaith4Ceasefire year-end gathering to hear from recently returned faith-rooted activists, reflect with them, strengthen our solidarity, and support Palestinian crafts people. Enjoy community building around some food and crafts, all supporting local Palestinian crafts people or relief efforts in Palestine. We’ll hear from Rev. Allison Tanner (Apartheid-Free Communities), Shelley Sella (Chavurah for a Free Palestine), and Noura Khouri (Al-Awda), each of whom spent time recently in Palestine. We seek to strengthen our solidarity by seeing, hearing, and understanding what the community there is doing and what they are asking of us. The event will be held at Barnett Hall, 3534 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland. Please RSVP here.
Cooking Up Solidarity:
Cooking Class Series and Fundraiser
Please join Friends of Wadi Foquin and Adam Manasra to cook, eat, and talk about food, culture, solidarity, and the taste of home.
Sundays, 3:30 – 6:30 pm, Lake Merritt UMC
Jan. 26, 2025 – Mezzes (Salads)
Feb. 23, 2025 – Maklouba (Vegetarian & Chicken)
Mar. 23, 2025 – Halwaa (Sweets)
Cost: $115/workshop or $300 for the whole series.
Click here to register. All funds beyond the cost of materials will be considered tax deductible and benefit current FoWF programs, including Green Valley Soccer Academy (serving 100+ kids); Emergency Fund (for those food insecure); Green Valley Grocery Store (accounting system); Tomor al Amal (used refrigerator for date storage).
Co-sponsored by the Lake Merritt UMC Peace in Palestine/Friends of Wadi Foquin Circle.
Thriving in Community 2025:
Art and Story Submission
As we step into 2025, the California-Nevada Annual Conference is continuing to embrace the bold and transformative vision adopted in 2023, focusing our attention this year on Thriving in Community. Rooted in the scriptural foundation of Jeremiah 29:7 and Acts 2:41-47, this part of our vision invites us to seek the welfare of our communities, nurture the spiritual growth of our churches, and witness the ripple effects of God’s love throughout the world. In preparation for this year long focus, we are inviting all in the California-Nevada Conference to get involved!
Snapshots of Thriving:
Throughout the year, we will highlight stories of congregations and ministries living out the focus in powerful ways. From innovative small group ministries to creative community outreach efforts, these snapshots will inspire and challenge us to think differently about what it means to thrive. If you have a Snapshot of Thriving to share, please submit it here! Conference Communications will turn these ideas and leads into fully fledged stories.
Art Call:
In preparation for this year long focus, we are inviting all in the California-Nevada Conference to submit art that will serve as our logo for the 2025 focus, as well as the 2025 Annual Conference Logo. Please read the guidelines below before submitting.
Submission Guidelines:
Please submit the art as a PNG or JPG. Art must be Conference header size,1,875×625 pixels. If your art is not within this size, Conference Communications reserves the right to resize and make edits to the art as needed. You are welcome to include the phrase, “Thriving in Community” within the art, as well as the California-Nevada Conference Logo, which can be downloaded here. While the art must be submitted in a digital format, you are welcome to paint, sketch or use any other mediums and then scan it for submission. We are so excited to see the creativity and hear the stories of Thriving in Community from across the California-Nevada Conference. To submit, click here. If you have any questions about either , please contact Conference Communications by emailing communications@calnevumc.org.
If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Wednesday by noon.
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.
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!!
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.
Thriving in Community 2025:
Art and Story Submission
As we step into 2025, the California-Nevada Annual Conference is continuing to embrace the bold and transformative vision adopted in 2023, focusing our attention this year on Thriving in Community. Rooted in the scriptural foundation of Jeremiah 29:7 and Acts 2:41-47, this part of our vision invites us to seek the welfare of our communities, nurture the spiritual growth of our churches, and witness the ripple effects of God’s love throughout the world. In preparation for this year long focus, we are inviting all in the California-Nevada Conference to get involved!
Snapshots of Thriving:
Throughout the year, we will highlight stories of congregations and ministries living out the focus in powerful ways. From innovative small group ministries to creative community outreach efforts, these snapshots will inspire and challenge us to think differently about what it means to thrive. If you have a Snapshot of Thriving to share, please submit it here! Conference Communications will turn these ideas and leads into fully fledged stories.
Art Call:
In preparation for this year long focus, we are inviting all in the California-Nevada Conference to submit art that will serve as our logo for the 2025 focus, as well as the 2025 Annual Conference Logo. Please read the guidelines below before submitting.
Submission Guidelines:
Please submit the art as a PNG or JPG. Art must be Conference header size,1,875×625 pixels. If your art is not within this size, Conference Communications reserves the right to resize and make edits to the art as needed. You are welcome to include the phrase, “Thriving in Community” within the art, as well as the California-Nevada Conference Logo, which can be downloaded here. While the art must be submitted in a digital format, you are welcome to paint, sketch or use any other mediums and then scan it for submission. We are so excited to see the creativity and hear the stories of Thriving in Community from across the California-Nevada Conference. To submit, click here. If you have any questions about either , please contact Conference Communications by emailing communications@calnevumc.org.
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.
If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Wednesday by noon.
Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
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.
Grace Over Greed: Post Election November Update
Faith in Action
Now that the US Congress has returned from recess, The General Board of Church & Society of The United Methodist Church has recommendations on actions people can take and urges your elected officials to prioritize grace over greed. More information can be found here.
Sonos Handbell Concert
This Sunday, December 1st, 2pm
Sonos Handbell Ensemble is excited to perform again for the Lake Merritt community. Directed by LMUMC Music Director, Jim Meredith. “This is our most ambitious program so far. It includes the famous Borodin Polovtsian Dances No. 17 (from which the song, “Take My Hand I’m a Stranger in Paradise” was derived.) It’s with percussion and is thrilling. hope all of you get to hear this free concert.” Sunday, December 1, 2:00 PM.
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.
If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Wednesday by noon.
Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
No Cookie Walk
December 15th
Thank you to everyone who signed up to bake and bring cookies for our beloved Cookie Walk Fundraising Event. Counting the number of volunteers and dozens of cookies, we decided that we would keep the wonderful memories of the Cookie Walk Fundraiser in our hearts and we will not hold the event this year. Many thanks to Shannon Bruce, one of our Fellowship Coordinators, for her effort to resurrect the Cookie Walk and those who signed up to volunteer and help bake the cookies. We give God thanks for the great ministry and memory of Cookie Walk in our beloved church.
Thanksgiving Office Closure
E-Blast Deadline 11/26 at 9pm
The church office will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. If you would like to submit an announcement for the e-blast please do so by 9pm on Tuesday the 26th.
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.
Thanksgiving Lunch
November 28th, 12pm-1:30pm
Mark your calendars and note the time change for our Thanksgiving Community Meal from 12pm to 1:30pm on Thursday, Nov 28, 2024. We especially need pie donations! Sign up today to lend your support and spread the word! Please sign up here or go to https://www.lakemerrittumc.org/food-programs/ and scroll down to the sign up link.
Grace Over Greed: Post Election November Update
Faith in Action
Now that the US Congress has returned from recess, The General Board of Church & Society of The United Methodist Church has recommendations on actions people can take and urges your elected officials to prioritize grace over greed. More information can be found here.
Sonos Handbell Concert
December 1st, 2pm
Sonos Handbell Ensemble is excited to perform again for the Lake Merritt community. Directed by LMUMC Music Director, Jim Meredith. “This is our most ambitious program so far. It includes the famous Borodin Polovtsian Dances No. 17 (from which the song, “Take My Hand I’m a Stranger in Paradise” was derived.) It’s with percussion and is thrilling. hope all of you get to hear this free concert.” Sunday, December 1, 2:00 PM.
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
If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Wednesday by noon.
Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Charge Conference This Sunday
November 17th, 12pm
We are gathering to celebrate our church’s ministry for the All Church Conference on Nov. 17, 2024. Rev. Mei Na Ko from Oakland Chinese United Methodist Church is our Presiding Elder for the conference.
Sonos Handbell Concert
December 1st, 2pm
Sonos Handbell Ensemble is excited to perform again for the Lake Merritt community. Directed by LMUMC Music Director, Jim Meredith. “This is our most ambitious program so far. It includes the famous Borodin Polovtsian Dances No. 17 (from which the song, “Take My Hand I’m a Stranger in Paradise” was derived.) It’s with percussion and is thrillingI. hope all of you get to hear this free concert.” Sunday, December 1, 2:00 PM.
Resurrection of Cookie Walk
December 15th
I heard about a cookie walk that had been going on for years until Covid closed down all personal gatherings. The stories tell me this event was a lot of fun, as an additional holiday doings. It was a means of raising funds for UMCOR. This time, however, we would like to raise funds for the school in Sierra Leone that is being sponsored by Joseph Koroma. Since this means that I would need to know how many volunteer bakers we will need, see me after church, and sign up to participate. Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation in helping support the school in Sierra Leone. Contact: Fellowship Coordinator, Shannon J. Bruce (510) 368-2426
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.
Sunday Parking Update
The City of Oakland has started using the parking meters on Lakeshore Ave on Sundays. They have started ticketing at noon. Please plan accordingly to avoid getting a parking ticket!
Thanksgiving Lunch
November 28th, 12pm-1:30pm
Mark your calendars and note the time change for our Thanksgiving Community Meal from 12pm to 1:30pm on Thursday, Nov 28, 2024. We especially need pie donations! Sign up today to lend your support and spread the word! Please sign up here or go to https://www.lakemerrittumc.org/food-programs/ and scroll down to the sign up link.
MECA’s 21st Annual Palestinian Holiday Crafts Bazaar
November 16th, 10am-6pm
Support Palestinian artisans and keep ancient crafts alive! Purchase unique holiday gifts that support Palestinian children and families. Olive oil, ceramics, embroidery, jewelry, olive wood, cookbooks, keffiyehs, soap, stunning scarves & shawls, Palestinian Dead Sea products, children’s toys and books, kitchenware, t-shirts, and much more. Plus delicious Arabic food and coffee! Lunch tickets are available for 3 seatings: enjoy a taste of Palestine with Zaytoon’s mouthwatering selection of freshly made falafel, creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanouj, and fluffy pita bread. Paired with a refreshing, vibrant salad, each dish is crafted with traditional flavors and fresh ingredients, offering an authentic and satisfying culinary experience. Celebrate the rich food heritage of Palestine with every bite! Eventbrite info is here. Advance tickets at $5 for adults, children under 18 free. Ticket price helps support new venue costs, but this is first and foremost a Palestine solidarity event and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Purchase tickets here. This event is wheelchair accessible. For more info email meca@mecaforpeace.org, or call (510)548-0542
Berkeley Methodist United Church Choir Blast 2024
November 16th, 2pm
This year’s Choir Blast topic is “We Give Thanks” and will focus on healing, unity and gratitude. The event will be held Saturday, November 16th at 2PM, followed by food sales of gourmet Japanese Curry dinner and bake sale. Admission is free (donations are appreciated and will be shared with the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals, CCMP). The first 200 guests receive a free small gift. Repeat of concert only on Sunday, Nov 17 @10:30AM. The event will be held at Berkeley Methodist United Church, 1710 Carleton St, Berkeley 94703.
bmuc.org/music
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
If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Wednesday by noon.
Please read ALL of the ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Sound Bath
November 8th, 6:45pm
Sound Bath returns this Friday, November 8th with Ege Sanli. 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!
Pastor Sunae Away at Call to Wholeness Second Retreat
November 12th-14th
The Board of Ordained Ministry is inviting pastors to the “Call to Wholeness” every five years of their ordination for a time of reflection, rest, and rejuvenation. This year, Rev. Chris Adams from the Mental Health and the Church Initiative at Biola University’s Rosemead Graduate School of Psychology is joining them to guide their reflections on personal wellness and self-care as they make goals to balance their ministry. We invite you to pray for the pastors as they gather for the retreat.
If you need any pastoral care during Pastor Sunae’s time away, please contact Sue Dickey, our Congregational Nurturing Chair, at 510-410-3699, for assistance. She will contact our circuit Pastors covering for Pastor Sunae.
Send your prayers and gratitudes to be lifted up in worship to Pastor Sunae for the November 10th worship service.
Special Office Hours
Lulu Working Remotely November 12th-14th
Our Church Administrator, Lulu, has a prior commitment next week and will be working remotely November 12th-14th. Office hours will be as follows: 11/11 10am-2pm, 11/12 10am-2pm, 11/13 10am-11:30am, and 11/14 10am-2pm.
Charge Conference
November 17th, 12pm
We are gathering to celebrate our church’s ministry for the All Church Conference on Nov. 17, 2024. Rev. Mei Na Ko from Oakland Chinese United Methodist Church is our Presiding Elder for the conference.
Resurrection of Cookie Walk
December 15th
I heard about a cookie walk that had been going on for years until Covid closed down all personal gatherings. The stories tell me this event was a lot of fun, as an additional holiday doings. It was a means of raising funds for UMCOR. This time, however, we would like to raise funds for the school in Sierra Leone that is being sponsored by Joseph Koroma. Since this means that I would need to know how many volunteer bakers we will need, see me after church, and sign up to participate. Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation in helping support the school in Sierra Leone. Contact: Fellowship Coordinator, Shannon J. Bruce (510) 368-2426
Sunday Parking Update
The City of Oakland has started using the parking meters on Lakeshore Ave on Sundays. They have started ticketing at noon. Please plan accordingly to avoid getting a parking ticket!
Thanksgiving Lunch Volunteers
Preparations have begun for our Community Thanksgiving Lunch. Sign up today to lend your support and spread the word! Please sign up here or go to https://www.lakemerrittumc.org/food-programs/ and scroll down to the sign up link.
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir Event
November 10th, 3pm
We find ourselves in a new day. OIGC was created nearly 40 years ago to bring people of all walks of life together. To unite through the power of music and spread joy throughout the world. We will continue to share our message to inspire joy and unity among ALL peoples through black gospel and spiritual music traditions. In times like these, it is even more important that we reaffirm our commitment to our Mission. Whatever happens around us, we are a community. We got us. We can do hard things. Again. In the tradition of gospel music, we are resilient! We sing out our pain, our angst, our anger, turning it into joy, action, healing. Today, we want to send our love to each of you. And, we want to invite you to come together as a community to share a hug and lift our voices together. That’s what we do; We sing. Please join us this Sunday afternoon, November 10th, 2024, 3:00pm at Lake Merrit Amphitheater. Wear your favorite OIGC swag. Bring a friend.
Love Over Fear Benefit Concert
November 12th, 6:30pm
Last November, over 200 people attended our first Love Over Fear benefit concert at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. You can view the concert video and beautiful program book here. This year’s Love Over Fear benefit concert will take place on November 12 at the Freight & Salvage performance venue in Berkeley. This year we hope to fill the venue! “Love Over Fear” is our narrative campaign to project values of love, compassion, and connection as we build multi-racial solidarity, replacing fear, criminalization, and xenophobia with healing, inclusion, and shared humanity. In this election year full of anti-immigrant rhetoric, we need this message more than ever. You can find more information on the event, please visit our ticketing page.
MECA’s 21st Annual Palestinian Holiday Crafts Bazaar
November 16th, 10am-6pm
Support Palestinian artisans and keep ancient crafts alive! Purchase unique holiday gifts that support Palestinian children and families. Olive oil, ceramics, embroidery, jewelry, olive wood, cookbooks, keffiyehs, soap, stunning scarves & shawls, Palestinian Dead Sea products, children’s toys and books, kitchenware, t-shirts, and much more. Plus delicious Arabic food and coffee! Lunch tickets are available for 3 seatings: enjoy a taste of Palestine with Zaytoon’s mouthwatering selection of freshly made falafel, creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanouj, and fluffy pita bread. Paired with a refreshing, vibrant salad, each dish is crafted with traditional flavors and fresh ingredients, offering an authentic and satisfying culinary experience. Celebrate the rich food heritage of Palestine with every bite! Eventbrite info is here. Advance tickets at $5 for adults, children under 18 free. Ticket price helps support new venue costs, but this is first and foremost a Palestine solidarity event and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Purchase tickets here. This event is wheelchair accessible. For more info email meca@mecaforpeace.org, or call (510)548-0542
Berkeley Methodist United Church Choir Blast 2024
November 16th, 2pm
This year’s Choir Blast topic is “We Give Thanks” and will focus on healing, unity and gratitude. The event will be held Saturday, November 16th at 2PM, followed by food sales of gourmet Japanese Curry dinner and bake sale. Admission is free (donations are appreciated and will be shared with the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals, CCMP). The first 200 guests receive a free small gift. Repeat of concert only on Sunday, Nov 17 @10:30AM. The event will be held at Berkeley Methodist United Church, 1710 Carleton St, Berkeley 94703.
bmuc.org/music
If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Wednesday by noon.
