April 2018
Pastor's Note
Holy week is upon us and we have many ways to be deeply engaged in worship leading up to Easter. Our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services, both at 7:00 p.m., will offer unique and reflective opportunities for walking through the story of Jesus’s crucifixion. These services give space for a different pattern of worship than normal and I am very excited to share them with you.
And of course, I hope to see you at our Easter worship on April 1! This Sunday kicks off a whole season of 50 days in the church calendar in which we celebrate the resurrection. In addition to worshiping together the next seven weeks, I encourage you to look for specific stories of resurrection in your own life – stories of restored faith, physical healing, when some project failed but you found a new opportunity emerge out of it, renewed relationships with parents or children, or any other times you have encountered new life.
I hope you consider these stories and cherish them, but I also hope you share them. Stories connect us and inspire us, and I’d love to hear any stories you’d like to share. Please email or call me, especially if you have one that you don’t mind being shared publicly. We may include some of these stories in worship as we celebrate the whole Easter season of hope and resurrection.
Coming Up...
Thursday, March 29
7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday worship
Friday, March 30
7:00 p.m. Good Friday worship
Sunday, April 1
8:30 a.m. Easter breakfast
10:15 a.m. Easter worship service
11:30 a.m. Easter egg hunt
Monday, April 2
Church Office Closed - Thank you to everyone on our staff for their hard work during Holy Week!
Thursday, April 5
6:00 p.m. Young Lives
Sunday, April 8
11:30 a.m. Baby shower for the Littlefields (see below)
Sunday, April 15
3:00 p.m. Lakewood will lead worship at Juliette Fowler (see below)
Monday, April 16
9:00 a.m. District Committee on Ordained Ministry
6:00 p.m. Trustees
7:00 p.m. Administrative Council
Tuesday, April 17
1:30 p.m. at Lovers Lane UMC: Commission on Way Forward meeting (see below)
6:00 p.m. Young Lives Bible Study
Sunday, April 29
7:00 p.m. "Godspell" performed by Elation youth choir from St. Stephen UMC (see below)
Holy Week
Thursday, March 29
7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday worship
A service of prayer and communion, which will include several guided prayer stations for reflection on Jesus’ last moments with his disciples
Friday, March 30
7:00 p.m. Good Friday worship
A service of readings and songs to guide us through the crucifixion
Sunday, April 1
8:30 a.m. Easter breakfast in the Fellowship Hall
10:15 a.m. Easter worship
A service of celebration, song, and communion as we rejoice in the resurrection
11:30 a.m. Easter egg hunt in the garden
Let's Shower Baby Littlefield with Love!
We are looking forward to the arrival of Pastor Patrick and Erin's baby in June! We will hold an all-church shower for Patrick and Erin on Sunday, April 8, immediately following worship, in the Fellowship Hall. Baby Littlefield is registered at Amazon and Buy Buy Baby; however, if you prefer, you may give money directly to the church and we will use it to purchase a gift from the church at large.
Sometimes it is nice to have things fit in clear categories of virtue or vice, but often the things we do or feel aren’t so easy to classify. For instance, Jesus calls us to be perfect (Matt. 5:28), but perfectionism can tear us or our friends apart. God gets angry a lot, but Jesus tells us anger makes us liable to judgment (Matt. 5:22). Often doubt has been characterized as the opposite of faith, but most of the characters in the Bible, like Thomas, doubt, and through those doubts, their faith is actually enriched. During the Easter season, we are starting a new sermon series called Virtue and Vice and Everything Nice, in which we will explore those things that are not so easy to put in one category or another and see how we can live more faithful lives in the midst of all our virtues or vices.
Worship at Juliette Fowler
Join us as we lead worship for the residents at Juliette Fowler on April 15 at 3:0 p.m. If you are interested in being involved or just coming to support, please contact Patrick.
Commission On a Way Forward
The United Methodist Church is considering options for how we can best move forward in the face of disagreements over the inclusion of our LGBTQ sisters and brothers in every aspect of church life. Bishop Mike McKee is hosting sessions around our conference for conversations about these options and you are welcome to come with a group of Lakewood members to Lover’s Lane UMC on April 17 at 1:30 p.m. As a reconciling congregation, we represent an important voice for full inclusion of the LGBTQ community. We will steadfastly witness to the importance of such inclusion at this and other gatherings throughout the year.
Children's Church Wish List
As we work to provide better programs for the young people who come through our doors, we can use your help to stock our children's wing. Next time you're on Amazon, why not check out our children's church wish list? You can order items from the list and have them shipped to you or the church (or just get an idea of what we need and pick something up on your next trip to Target). Thank you for your support of our children's ministries!
Godspell
Lakewood is pleased to welcome the youth choir of St. Stephen UMC to perform "Godspell" in our sanctuary! In an effort to provide hospitality to our friends, we will provide dinner before the performance. If you'd like to sign up to bring something, contact Eva in the church office at (214) 823-9623 or office@mylakewoodchurch.org. Continue reading for more information about this worship and fellowship opportunity!
The music group ELATION of St. Stephen United Methodist Church in Mesquite, Texas, will appear in concert at Lakewood United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas on Sunday April 29, 2018 at 7:00 pm. ELATION is composed of 27 youth ranging in age from 12 to 18. The group was formed in August of 1999 and has shared Godspell with over 200 congregations in 38 states and Canada over the past eighteen years.
All cast members have both singing, dancing and speaking roles to help retell the parables from the Gospels in “GODSPELL”. The musical drama of the life of Christ is understood by the youth to be their means of conveying the message of Jesus Christ. As a result of their sincerity, “GODSPELL” becomes a significant worship event.
The youth from St. Stephen will be departing June 14th for their TOUR 2018, which will take them on an eleven-day journey of faith and proclamation from their home in Mesquite, Texas to San Diego, California. Along the way, the group will share Godspell with churches in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada.
We hope you can join us for a wonderful night of fun and fellowship.
Summer Music Camp
Calling all campers!
Lakewood is excited to be able to host a music camp this summer. Over two weeks in June we will learn and produce a children's musical, build the sets and make the costumes, and perform the musical on the last day of camp. Camp will take place Monday - Friday, June 18-29, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is open to campers from ages 7-12. Cost is $200 per camper, plus $50 per camper if you would like to sign up for aftercare from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. We also need counselors from ages 13-17. Counselors may attend for free and be credited for community service hours if desired. Registration and down payment of $50 are due by April 15. Contact Eva Cherry in the church office at (214) 823-9623 or office@mylakewoodchurch.org.
Calling all volunteers!
We will need some adults to help us out during this camp! If you'd like to sign up to help out at a time that is convenient for you, we'd love to have you! Contact Eva Cherry in the church office at (214) 823-9623 or office@mylakewoodchurch.org.
Happy Birthday to...
Patrick Littlefield 4/1
Nancy Fomby 4/3
Andrew Noel 4/6
Jeanne Cherry 4/9
Grace Robertson 4/9
Francis Shoemaker 4/15
Mary Zaby 4/17
Katie Neuroth 4/21
Joan O'Brien 4/25
Joyce Wentz 4/26
Wilma Elrod 4/27
Genie Short 4/27
Becky Jones 4/30
This Month, We Pray for...
Gail Baldwin; Lynn Bruce; Linda Castor; Wilma Elrod; Mary Ann Finley; Buford Finley; Jean Fowler; Erik Galvan; Adelaide Hart; Olie Heflin; Aleen Johnson; Liljequist family; Harold Logan; Jan Logan; Rev. W.W. McNeill; Carolyn Miracle; Marie Miranda; Mike Miranda; Pat Norvell; Jorge Ortiz; Brandon Owen; Laneir Owens; Susan Price; Kathy Purvis; Elizabeth Robbins; Robin Robbins; Beth Saxton; Jeanne Scroppo; Linda Simmons; Alan Smith; Kelly Smith; Travis Smith; Danielle Swagger; Barbara Venable; Chris Venable; Betty Watson; Louise Williams