Dear Church,
It was so wonderful to celebrate our Social Hall and Kitchen renovation at the Annual Meeting on February 16th! This huge project has been such a great joy. Both the process and the outcome are strengthening our church and our community in wonderful ways, and I am already giddy with joy every time I see it used– by our preschoolers, the Cleveland Pride Band, our Youth Musical folks, our AA groups, and so much more. We have done a wonderful thing here, to the Glory of God.
We are in the beginning stages of planning a community open house to celebrate our space with the broader community, and to recognize the work of our contractors, architects, and designers. This will likely take place in mid-May, and we will share more information when it is available.
Church Visioning
As we move into a new season in the life of our church, our LCC Staff and Executive Team has been working with ministry consultant, Rev. Kelly Brill, to discern the evolving priorities and needs of our congregation and how our staffing model can best support those needs.
Everyone is invited to join us for an All-Church Visioning Session on March 15th from 9-12 in the Social Hall. We look forward to this time of connection and collaboration. If you’re unable to attend, we will provide opportunities for feedback and additional insight, and we may even plan future visioning sessions. With the guidance of the Spirit and the strong connection of our congregation, we are excited for the journey ahead.
The Lenten Season begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5th
This year for Lent, we will use a worship series from A Sanctified Art entitled “Everything in Between: Meeting God in the Midst of Extremes.” The series follows the Gospel of Luke, and invites us to navigate the polarities in life with faith, intention, and openness. Each weekly sub-theme explores two binaries, which we often consider to be in opposition to each other, and recognize the ways God shows up in the In Between.
We hope you will join us to begin the Lenten Season on Ash Wednesday with dinner, reflective stations, and a worship service. You’re welcome to attend all three parts or arrive when you can.
Still-Speaking Writers Group
I wanted to remind you I’ve been writing for the United Church of Christ Still-Speaking Writers Group. You can sign up to receive the UCC Daily Devotionals on this page. I write approximately two times per month. Additionally, this year’s UCC Lent Devotional booklet features two of my devotionals. We have several copies available at the church if you would like one, or you can purchase a PDF version here. Admittedly, you’ll see some overlap between my sermons and the devotionals, but they give me a 300 word limit!
Resources
As we head into this Spring and into the Season of Lent, I’m aware that many are overwhelmed and struggling during this pivotal time in our nation’s history. It is a truly overwhelming time. In a recent sermon, I cited two articles, which I’d like to share here:
- A piece entitled “We Can’t Survive in a Constant State of Agitation” by Sharon Salzburg, written in Fall of 2017.
- A New York Times piece entitled, What My Sled Dogs Taught Me About Planning for the Unknown by Blaire Braverman. Unfortunately, this piece is behind a paywall for anyone who doesn’t have a NYT Subscription. If that’s the case for you, I’d invite you to listen to my sermon from Sunday, February 23rd, in which I summarize the article!
Most importantly, I invite you to turn toward God and toward community whenever you are unsettled and afraid. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power, and love, and stability (paraphrased from 2 Timothy 1:7). At LCC, we will keep striving to remain connected, building up a spirit of love and justice in the name of Christ.
With Deep Gratitude and Love,
Pastor Joanna