Sunday’s Coming

by Pastor Bill Sherman
Posted on 02/27 at 02:22 PM

Dear Lakewood Family and Friends,

Several of us have been doing some housecleaning here at the church this week.  The office staff has been throwing out old stuff that has accumulated and cleaning up the office area, and I know of at least one Sunday School class who did a cleaning and rearranging of their classroom this week.

I have one drawer in my office that was getting too full, and when I started discarding out-of-date things that had piled up in there I found the Lakewood pictorial directory that was done about ten years ago, soon after Nancy Stiles and I arrived at Lakewood.  As I started looking through it I opened to a picture of Billy O’Brien and his dad Kevin.  I would never have recognized the little Billy in that 10-year-old picture as being the same tall young man we all know today!  Of course, Kevin has been gone for several years now, and Cindee and Fran weren’t even members at Lakewood back then.  I started looking at the other pictures and had a good chuckle at how all the other children have grown, how many of us are looking older now, how so many dearly loved members have passed away, and others - like the Broekemas and Lessleys and Prices and Walkers - have moved away.  Every one of those pictures brought back many warm memories.
I’m glad now that we’re making a new pictorial directory!  Not only does it capture the people who are here now for future memories, but when we look at it in the future we will smile at seeing how children have grown and the new people who have joined us since the last directory was made.

I hope all of you are planning to be included in the new directory!  Some people don’t want to bother with it, and others just don’t like having their picture taken for public display.  But whenever anyone is missing, it’s just not complete!  When others look at it in the future, you might not even be remembered!  I can’t tell you how often I use the most recent directory to help someone identify the person they are trying to remember.  It’s the best tool we have to put names and faces together.  And the free picture you receive will be treasured by someone in the future!

If you haven’t scheduled your appointment yet, it’s not too late - but you’d better hurry!  You can sign up in the narthex after worship this Sunday, or call the church office.

It’s good to do a thorough housecleaning occasionally!

This Sunday in our sanctuary worship services we will continue the Lent series of “Life’s Healing Choices,” and this week’s emphasis is “The Housecleaning Choice.”  In Psalm 32:5 we read, “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”  In our spiritual lives we “clean house” by CONFESSION - admitting our faults to ourselves, to God and to trusted friends.

Testify will be leading our music, Robert Dilts will have the children’s message and a couple of our other folks will be highlighted in different ways.

The 1510 service upstairs at 8:30 is going through a series called “The Long Defeat.”  They’re looking at the perspective that God often calls us to jouneys that don’t always guarantee victory because doing what is right is not always about winning.  The series was inspired by The Lord of the Rings and a doctor, Paul Farmer, who serves in Haiti and contends that turning his back on the “losers” of the world is not right.  The series looks at several biblical characters who experienced defeat but pressed on in the midst of the defeat.  This Sunday David Henderson will be teaching about Moses, and they will also
be incorporating some devotions from Lamentations into the services.

Keep Brenda Spargo in your prayers as she recovers from knee surgery this week.  (A HUGE THANK YOU to Brenda and all those in music ministry for the fantastic concert with Orange Park choirs last Sunday!)  And pray for a safe trip for our Handbell Choir on a retreat this weekend at Luther Ridge.
Don’t forget to get your tickets to The Main Event Dinner & Silent Auction!  They’re going fast!

And Steve Hart needs to know how many men will be participating in the work day with Angelwood on Saturday, March 6, so they will know how many to prepare for.  Please contact Steve if you’re going to help.

Remember to check our church website - http://www.lakewoodumc.com - for information and updates about church events.

God’s love and blessings to you all,
Bill Sherman
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