January 2020
What We Did in December
Coming Up...
Tuesday, January 7
6:00 p.m. Young Lives
Monday, January 13
1:00 p.m. DoveNotes
Monday, January 20
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Office closed
6:00 p.m. Trustees
7:00 p.m. Church Council
Tuesday, January 21
7:00 p.m. Church and Society
Pastor's Note
Happy new year! The new year (and decade) provides a great opportunity to refocus on what is important in our lives, and that is precisely what I hope we can all do together as Lakewood United Methodist Church as we take our first steps into a new day, week, and year.
I don’t think it will come as a surprise that I suggest our focus be on loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. That is, after all, what God affirms both in our Old Testament and through Jesus’s teaching. In fact, I bet you would be hard-pressed to find a church that would say there is something more important.
But, where the rubber hits the road is in how we pursue loving God and loving neighbor, and that is where churches and even people differ. I hope you have already experienced a lot of how this church pursues such love, and I offer this bit of guidance in the form of some core values derived from and connected to our church’s mission statement.
This church’s shared values influence all we do together - from my sermons, to leadership decisions, to discipleship processes (like Bible studies and Lakewood Way), even to how we use our resources. The core values of Lakewood UMC are:
Hospitality - We invite people into the life of our church and invite God into our lives.
Exploration - We seek opportunities to learn more about God, others, and ourselves.
Reconciliation - We are committed to following Christ’s example in breaking barriers and bringing people together.
Creation - We value God’s creation (including ourselves) and seek to creatively participate in re-creation.
Compassion - We affirm and respect all people and seek ways to more deeply love and live with our neighbors.
Justice - We commit to working with God to meet the needs of the marginalized.
Celebration - We believe that our life with God and one another should be appreciated and enjoyed.
Each of these values guides us to and through the actions we take and words we speak as we seek to love God and neighbor. They inspire new ideas and they serve as a check on anything we may decide to do. Some of these values may immediately spark an idea in your heart or mind, some may simmer and then seep into the smallest, most everyday things we do. Regardless, I hope you take some time to pray for how we as a church can continue to love boldly with these values in mind.
There will certainly be challenges this year, both expected and unexpected, but I hope that by staying true to our guiding values, we may not only follow the light of where God is leading us but also be a light to others who struggle to know God’s love.
Undecorating the Church
The presents are opened, the Christmas dinner has been eaten... you've probably put away your own decorations. Now it's time for us to un-decorate here at Lakewood! Join us on Saturday, January 11 at 10:00 a.m. to take down all the beautiful decorations we've enjoyed this Christmas season. Many hands make light work, so it should go by pretty quickly.
Church and Society Meeting
Our Church and Society team will meet on Tuesday, January 21 at 7:00 p.m. to begin considering one area in which we can focus our efforts for advocacy and justice-seeking this year. All are welcome to attend the meeting and have your voice heard on what stirs your heart most. If you have not already, please take a moment and complete the survey on Google Forms, so that our church and society team can focus on what we all care about most.
Immigration Summit at Lovers Lane UMC
On Sunday, February 9, Lovers Lane UMC will host an immigration summit. The Immigration Summit, an event designed and sponsored by the North Texas Conference, will feature the testimonies of UM immigration advocates and preaching by Bishop Michael McKee. There will be breakout sessions designed to equip you to take humanitarian and legislative action. Register here if you would like to attend.
Happy Birthday to...
Dave Landis 1/3
Mary Mamantov 1/5
Catherine Larroca 1/8
Meagan Freeman 1/9
Mac Neuroth 1/22
Sheila Richards 1/27
Stacy Olds 1/30
This Month, We Pray for...
Gail Baldwin; Marilyn Bourdene; Lynn Bruce; Carole Bryde; Tammy Busby; Linda Castor; Shirley Dunn; Wilma Elrod; Mary Ann Finley; Chris Gann; Bonnie Glanville; Leck and Cynthia Heflin; Michael Hilley; Kathy LaTour; Harold Logan; Jan Logan; Rick Magie; Carolyn Miracle; Marie Miranda; Pat Norvell; Jorge Ortiz; Brandon Owen; Pontis Ministries; Kathy Purvis; Connie Riddell; Elizabeth Robbins; Robin Robbins; Ginny Salinas; Beth Saxton; Jeanne Scroppo; Linda Simmons; Alan Smith; Kelly Smith; Travis Smith; Tyler Smith; the Stretcher family; Chris Venable; Louise Williams; Amy Young
