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Give Now!

Summer 2025 (June, July, August)

From the Pastor

Dear Church,

At Lakewood Congregational Church, we continue to be in a season of transition, discernment, and visioning, while remaining grounded and steadfast in our primary purpose– witnessed to in our mission statement– We strive to be a welcoming, worshiping community of faith, helping people discover and deepen their relationship with God, growing as disciples of Christ and reaching out in faith and loving service– and supplemented by our Open and Affirming Statement and the words I say at the beginning of worship every Sunday morning.

Click below to read Pastor Joanna's full letter.

Read Rev. Joanna's full letter

Children, Youth, and Family Ministries Information

Spring 2025 Children, Youth, and Family Ministries (CYF)

Hello, church family!

We had a fun and busy spring! In faith formation, we participated in the church wide theme, “Everything In Between” and then resumed our lessons following the lectionary. We always have fun with stories, crafts, and music. Be sure to check out the bulletin board in the lobby which is showing off our most recent art. It symbolizes 1 John 4:7.

Click below to read Rachel's full letter and news.

Read Rachel's full letter

Youth Music

The children and youth had a great year of music making. From the Christmas Eve service to The Wizard of Oz to Music Sunday, I’m so period of everything the children of the church have done. We will have VBS at the end of July and I look forward to having lots of fun and singing lots of songs. I hope the kiddos enjoy their summer. Tim Hampton, Director of Children and Youth Music

Vacation Bible School July 20-27, 5-7:15pm

Save the date for VBS! Registration is coming soon. Join us for Compassion Camp: Changing the world with lovingkindness.

As we look around the world, our deep need for compassion becomes more evident with each passing day, perhaps now more than ever. Compassion Camp’s goal is to cultivate compassion for each other, ourselves, and the world. We will examine different places in our lives where we can cultivate compassion. We’ll explore themes of compassion as they relate to each day’s scripture. Lovingkindness is the utmost form of selfless love toward ourselves and others. The practice begins with focusing on self-compassion because once we have compassion for ourselves, we can have compassion for others.

Youth Music

-Tim Hampton, Director of Children and Youth Music

Although Haynes Preschool is closed for the summer, we still have some limited spots available! If you or someone you know is still looking for Preschool, I will be checking emails and voicemails and, in the office, intermittently. Call or email to find out more information about all that Haynes has to offer.

(216) 260-5938

haynes@lcc-church.org

Worship Team Update

The Worship Team was excited to unveil our new ceramic communion chalices and plates. They were designed and created by LCC member Nate McLaughlin, an accomplished pottery artist. If anyone would like to volunteer to help serve communion, please let us know through our SignUp Genius link!

Darren Toms, Worship Team Liaison

Read the Artist Statement here

Faith In Action

The Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) is a faith and community-based, non-profit, justice-focused organization that presently has over 39 Congregations and other groups on its membership roll, LCC being one of them. We focus on trying to reform any aspect(s) of our legal system that is not fair or equitable for all people.

Our work continues to focus on examining the policy(ies) in Cuyahoga County on Youth Bind-overs and the procedures for utilizing Pretrial Justice Services, encouraging voter turnout, providing health and utility initiatives for those people who do not have access, and any other concern that is negatively impacting a person/community/etc. We have had sit-down discussions with Mayor Bibbs, County Executive Chris Ronayne, and several Cuyahoga County prosecutors and judges. As I work with GCC, I find that itis especially rewarding to be able to commune with, think with, discuss with people of varied religious, economic, and racial backgrounds.

A great way to get a taste of GCC is by attending its monthly ENGAGE GCC meeting the fourth Thursday of every month. Information about it and other GCC activities is posted on the bulletin board in the West Clifton hallway. Members of our LCC GCC CORE Team are: Pastor Joanna, Liz Maugans, Ron Petrie, Kristen Humphreys, Beth Ryan, Abbey Weaver, Billie Geyer, Michael Greenland, Rev. Catherine Lawrence, Vicki Smigelski, and Patti Komperda.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Greater Cleveland Congregation and/or become a part of LCC’s GCC Core Team, see Patti Komperda or Reverend Joanna.

LCC Action Postcard / Phone Call Gathering

On June 14^th from 10-11:30am in the LCC Parlor (and after Second Saturday) members and friends from LCC are invited to come together to write postcards and/or make phone calls to our local, state, and federal representatives to share our voices about issues that are close to our hearts. Pre-printed and blank postcards will be available.

We will also encourage you to download the "5 Calls App" on your cell phones and familiarize yourselves with the new Action Center (https://www.ucc.org/action-center/) developed by the United Church of Christ Office of Public Policy & Advocacy. Questions? Ask Patti Komperda.

MIRACLE JAR - Heifer International

Many of you may be familiar with Heifer International as LCC has supported the organization in the past and has sent our youth to their farm in Massachusetts for two mission trips.

Their mission is to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way by supporting and investing alongside local farmers and their communities throughout the world. They provide a seed investment of livestock or agriculture and then mentorship to help project participants build a business, ultimately gaining access to supply chains and markets. Families are able to earn a living income and pass on their knowledge to the next generation of leaders.

This year, the children's Miracle Jar collection will be donated to Heifer International. We will also hold a Living Gift Market in December, offering members the opportunity to "purchase" animals in honor of a loved one at Christmas. Our children will be learning more about Heifer International in Faith Formation.

ESL - Conversational English

Sociable discussions with immigrants who already have a basic understanding of English, but who need practice to improve employment and social prospects.

Summer classes are by appointment only.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AS A TUTOR (no training required as all we do is chat), please contact Ron Petrie, 216-789-2301.

Food delivery services have changed since the onset of Covid. If you have the means to donate, two local organizations that could be donated to are the Cleveland Food Bank and the Lakewood Community Service Center.

Each first Sunday of the month is our dedicated Hunger Sunday.

There are Hunger Envelopes at the back of the Sanctuary for your donation towards this LCC Ministry.

LCC Volunteer Opportunities

Communion Stewards Needed

Sign up to be a Communion Steward on the first Sunday of each month. We need volunteers to prep before the service and serve during worship. The Worship Team will prep you with everything you need to know.

Communion Steward Volunteer Sign Up Sheet

Fellowship Hour Host

Sign Up to be a Host for our fellowship time after worship on Sundays. All information and training will be provided by Sarah and Paul Pierce (our Coffee Hour coordinators). Sign Up Here

Be part of a two-person team to count the offering following worship on Sunday mornings

It takes only about fifteen minutes each time
Sign up for as few or as many weeks per month as you wish

Contact Laura Sangree if you are interested in signing up. (Contact information is in the Instant Church Directory)

LCC Meetings, Opportunities & Events Schedule

June 2025 Printable Calendar

July 2025 Printable Calendar

August 2025 Printable Calendar

LCC is marching at Pride in the CLE again this year! If you’d like to march with us, please RSVP HERE. This gets you on the email list where we will send out more information.

Please join us for Second Saturday on

Saturday, June 14, July 12, and August 9 at 9 am

Please join us for Second Saturday. We meet at 9am in the church parlor for an hour of discussion, reflection and prayer. All who identify as female are welcome to join this intergenerational group. It's a great chance to get to know each other better in a relaxed setting. Hope to see you there!

The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet on the following Tuesdays at 7pm, in the Parlor

July 15

August 12

Bring whatever project you are working on, even if not a shawl. We have a pretty creative group, and the conversation is always terrific!!!Questions? Call or text Debi Kasper 440-554-8798

ADVENTURES IN READING

CALLING ALL READERS

Come to Adventures in Reading

(LCC Book Club)

the second Wednesday of each month

(September - May)

All are welcome

Our end of the year luncheon will be June 11 at 12:00 noon. We will be dining at Forage in Lakewood (14600 Detroit Ave.) to celebrate another year of reading.

Discussion leaders and books have been chosen for our 2025-2026 season of reading.

Our 9 selections in random order are:

1. The Pull of the Stars (2020) by Emma Donaghue

2. A Gentleman in Moscow (2016) by Amor Towles

3. Coyote Waits (1990) by Tony Hillerman

4. March (2015) by Geraldine Brooks

5. The Hate U Give ( 2017) by Angie Thomas

6. The Day the World Came to Town (2002) by Jim DeFede

7. The Nightengale ( 2015) by Kristin Hannah

8. State of Terror (2021) by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny

9. How to Read a Book (2024) by Monica Wood

We meet the second Wednesday of the month - September - May. We gather in the LCC parlor - 12:00pm for lunch and conversation. Our discussion begins at 12:30pm.

All are welcome.

There are copies of many of the Adventures in Reading books available for borrowing for LCC members. The books are in the library/archives and can be signed out.

Men's Group

We meet for fun and conversation monthly. For more information email Tom Leatherman.

Mark your calendars for the 3rd Wednesday of the month:

Look for more information in the weekly emails. Sign Up to host: HOST

Pub Theology: Meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 7pm

Meaningful conversation about faith, current events, culture, and more!

Locations vary. Check weekly bulletins/emails for more details.

Join our Facebook group @ LCC Pub Theology

At LCC, we support & value our sober siblings. Some of drink alcohol at Pub Theology; some of us don't. Safe spaces are our priority.

We welcome & affirm our LGBTQ+ siblings. Each of us brings a different perspective, but our status as on Open and Affirming Church is not up for debate.

If you were born anywhere between 1946-1964, you are officially a Baby Boomer...and that makes you an LCC Boomer Gal! (Of course, even if you were born before 1946 or after 1964, you are still welcome!)

Our LCC Boomer Gals will enjoy our annual Sunset over Lake Erie at Clifton Beach on Monday, June 16, at 6:30pm. Bring a snack to share and your own beverage.

Please RSVP to the church office by June 13^th so the Beach Guard has you on his entry list! Contact Patti Komperda or Jan Young for any questions.

Tai Chi at LCC

Just a reminder that we have been finding our Chi and experiencing Zen (and a lot of laughter) for over 15 years in our LCC Parlor during our weekly Tai Chi class led by Jeannie Koran. The class is for beginners right up through experienced tai chi-ers and is held in the LCC Parlor on Mondays from 5-6pm. There is NO FEE for your first time, and then the cost is $10 per class.

See Patti Komperda or Ceil Dorsch if you have any questions.

GET OUT YOUR CALENDARS NOW!…

OUR 2025 LCC WOMEN’S RETREAT DATE HAS BEEN SET…

We will be spending September 27-28, 2025 at Hopewood Shores in Conneaut, Ohio beginning at 10:00am on Saturday and ending around noon on Sunday. The cost will be $100 which includes your overnight stay, lunch/dinner/breakfast, and all kinds of activities!

Our theme this year is Ode to Joy!

Check your email in June for Registration information, to be completed by July 30th!

If you have any questions, our Retreat Planning Team is Reverend Catherine, Melissa Parlanti-Klein, Julie Warren, Beth Abbott, Jill Richardson, and Patti Komperda.

Looking Ahead at LCC

GET OUT YOUR CALENDARS NOW!…

OUR 2025 LCC WOMEN’S RETREAT DATE HAS BEEN SET

…We will be spending September 27-28, 2025, at Hopewood Shores in Conneaut, Ohio beginning at 10:00am on Saturday and ending around noon on Sunday.

The cost will be $100 which includes your overnight stay, lunch/dinner/breakfast, and all kinds of activities! Our theme this year is Ode to Joy!

Check your email in June for Registration information, to be completed by July 30th!

Living Water Association News & Events

The Faith-in-Action would like to help members of our church connect with the wider church outside of our own church walls. One of the best ways to connect is to join the Living Water Association mailing list. Subscribe here. There are a wide variety of adult education programs and events available year-round.