December 2018
Pastor's Note
Have you ever listened to a song to prepare you for something? Maybe you were getting your house ready for guests over Thanksgiving and put on some music to make cleaning a little more fun. Or maybe you were working on a big project so you put on music to help you focus. Or maybe you were getting ready to work out, so you put on some “pump up” music. And perhaps you have already put on Christmas music to get yourself in the joyful mood of the season. Music has the amazing ability to capture feelings, but also to guide us through certain seasons or events in our lives.
As we enter this season leading up to Christmas Day, I invite you to join me in singing and exploring songs of preparation that are sung in our Bible. The coming of the Christ child is such a significant event that we get several songs in the Old and New Testaments that can help set our hearts in order to experience the fullness of the joy of Christmas. We will be singing with Isaiah (Isaiah 40:1-5), Zechariah (Luke 1:69-79), and Mary (Luke 1:46-55), as well as our wonderful Choir Cantata, in preparation for Christmas. And then during the Christmas season, we will sing with Isaiah again (Isaiah 9:2-7) and the angels (Luke 2:1-20), in celebration of Christmas!
We are also preparing for an exciting new “song” that we are kicking off in January. We will be starting Messy Church, a new program specifically geared toward children and families, but open to all. It will be creative, interactive, and a little messy, and ultimately will provide a spiritual home for children and families in our neighborhood. Please stick around for a few minutes after worship on Dec. 2 in the chapel for a little more information about the program, how you can help, and to pray over the space as we begin to prepare it for new things!
Coming Up...
*Please see below for information regarding Advent, Christmas, and church office holiday closure
Saturday, December 1
10:00 a.m. Bishop's Info Session on the Way Forward (see below)
Sunday, December 2
4:30 p.m. Meet at Oak Lawn UMC to serve supper to our homeless neighbors (see below)
Monday, December 3
1:00 p.m. DoveNotes
Tuesday, December 4
7:00 p.m. Knitting Group
Sunday, December 9
11:30 a.m. Foundation Board Meeting
11:30 a.m. Pack Christmas boxes for The Stewpot
6:30 p.m. Dallas Community Taizé worship at Grace UMC (see below)
Monday, December 10
7:00 p.m. Finance
Friday, December 14
7:00 p.m. Vigil of Remembrance for Victims of Gun Violence at Oak Lawn UMC (see below)
Sunday, December 16
10:30 a.m. Christmas cantata - bring your friends and family!
Monday, December 17
6:00 p.m. Trustees
7:00 p.m. Administrative Council
Tuesday, December 18
6:00 p.m. Young Lives
Advent at Lakewood: Songs of Preparation
Sermon Series: Songs of Preparation
On December 2, 9, and 23, Patrick will talk to us about biblical songs of preparation in anticipation of Christmas. Join us as we discuss songs of Comfort, Salvation, and Justice. Share your experiences on the bulletin board in the narthex each week.
Sunday, December 9
11:30 a.m. Stay after worship to help us pack Christmas gift boxes for our homeless neighbors served by The Stewpot!
Sunday, December 16
10:15 a.m. Christmas Cantata
11:30 a.m. Christmas shop open after Cantata
3:30 p.m. Cantata performance at Museum of Biblical Art (7500 Park Lane across Boedeker from NorthPark Center)
Christmas Eve: Songs of Celebration
5:30 p.m. Candlelight Christmas Eve worship
Christmas Day
2:00 p.m. Christmas Lunch
Tuesday, December 25 through Wednesday, January 2
Church office closed
The office will resume normal hours on Thursday, January 3. This closure does not affect worship on Sunday, December 30.
If you have a pastoral emergency during this time, call (903) 814-4173.
Serve with Us!
Give of your time this holiday and throughout the year! On the first Sunday of every month, Lakewood UMC sends volunteers to Oak Lawn UMC to serve Sunday supper to homeless neighbors at Oak Lawn Community Meal. We serve on a rotation, so you would commit to 3-4 Sundays a year. If you would like to serve with us, contact the church office at office@mylakewoodchurch.org.
Christmas Boxes for the Homeless
We will pack Christmas boxes for the homeless, in support of The Stewpot, on Sunday, December 9! If you would like to bring supplies, we are looking for the following items (please purchase Adult, Unisex items only):
- Shoe boxes - must have a completely detachable lid
- Poncho
- Small umbrella
- Small flashlight with batteries
- Knit hat
- Knit gloves
- Tube socks
- Padded insoles
- Small foot powder
- Sturdy nail clippers
- Hotel-size toiletries
- Washcloth
- Disposable stick razors
- Deodorant
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Lip balm
- Travel-size tissues
- Wet wipes
- Small Hand sanitizer
- Empty Ziploc bags
- Pens or pencils
- Stationery or cards with stamps
- Book of inspiration
- Hard candy or gum
- Fast food gift card ($5 or less)
We look forward to seeing you at our wrapping party on December 9!
Bishop's Info Session: The Way Forward
Bishop Michael McKee will host another information session regarding the called 2019 General Conference concerning inclusion of LGBTQ people in our denomination. Join him next Saturday, December 1, from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Lovers Lane UMC. All laity are welcome to attend to hear about the plans and the process before us. There will be a short time of question and answer, but it will not be a time to debate the merits or shortcomings of each plan.
Children's Ministry Wish List
Christmas is just around the corner and we’re gearing up to start some new Children’s ministry programs in January! We have updated our wish list for Children’s ministry needs and hope you might consider giving a gift to support our new plans. You can follow the previous link, or contact the church office if you need help accessing the list.
Woodrow Choir: Help us Greet!
Woodrow Wilson High School’s show choir will give a Christmas concert on the evening of Tuesday, December 11. We would like to welcome them by having greeters on hand to direct visitors as they come in the building, and just to say hi! If you would like to volunteer, please contact the church office.
Dallas Community Taizé
Join the good folks of Dallas Community Taizé on Sunday, December 9 at Grace UMC! More details are available on their Facebook event.
Vigil of Remembrance for Victims of Gun Violence
All are invited to an interfaith vigil on December 14 at Oak Lawn UMC to remember those who have died in schools, churches, and elsewhere due to gun violence. There will be an opportunity for card writing at 6:30 p.m. and the vigil will begin at 7:00 p.m. Get more details on Facebook.
Happy Birthday to...
Mona Davis 12/1
Carol Croy 12/2
Vo Henson 12/2
John Gill 12/11
Yvonne Johnson 12/17
Chris Venable 12/18
Elizabeth Robbins 12/22
Kathy Purvis 12/24
Dollie Norris 12/27
Karen Davis 12/28
Jim Tumlinson 12/31
This Month, We Pray for...
Kathryn Bagley; Gail Baldwin; Lynn Bruce; Carole Bryde; Linda Castor; Shirley Dunn; Wilma Elrod; Mary Ann Finley; Jean Fowler; Leck and Cynthia Heflin; Michael Hilley; Harold Logan; Jan Logan; Carolyn Miracle; Marie Miranda; Mike Miranda; Tim Miranda; Pat Norvell; Jorge Ortiz; Brandon Owen; Tracy Penfield; Pontis Ministries; Susan Price; Kathy Purvis; Shelly Robertson; Elizabeth Robbins; Robin Robbins; Dillon Rosten; Ginny Salinas; Beth Saxton; Debbie Schwartz; Jeanne Scroppo; Linda Simmons; Alan Smith; Kelly Smith; Travis Smith; Chris Venable; Betty Watson; Louise Williams