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Vol. 67 No. 40 ✥ October 7, 2026

October 11, 2026 ❖ The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Lessons: Psalm 96, Isaiah 55:6-13, Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon: "For the Beauty of the Earth"

Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Edwards preaching

In a time when we have so much information at our fingertips, technology that shapes every part of the human experience, and the ability to analyze nearly every aspect of life, have we forgotten how to experience wonder and awe? "For the Beauty of the Earth," written by Folliott Pierpoint and published in 1864, is an invitation for us to consider anew so many of the joys of life that are easy to take for granted. Throughout worship this Sunday, our hymns, prayers, and scriptures will invite us to raise our "grateful hymns of praise" to God who is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

"Hymns of Joy" is our first worship series this fall. We will spend four weeks exploring the hymns we sing and the scriptures they invoke. As we sing our joy in worship, we will be challenged to live the joy of faith as we go out to engage with the world around us.

Anthem:

"Look at the World" - John Rutter

Worship is live on our homepage and YouTube channel at 11:00 a.m.,

but we love having you with us in the sanctuary!

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

This past Sunday, on the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, we held a Blessing of the Animals service (indoors due to rain). We blessed 10 dogs, some bugs, and a stuffed teddy bear, and remembered together the blessing of God's creation.

Blessing of the Animals Pictures

SECURITY & ABUSE PREVENTION TRAINING

This training is being offered twice this fall and is required for all staff, volunteers, chaperones, and committee members who work with our youth and children. Parents and others who are interested in learning about Lakeside's Security Policies and emergency equipment are invited to join us. See the flyer below for dates and times.

OUTSIDE INTERACTION WAIVER

Our insurance company would like Lakeside to institute a policy to limit outside interactions among church staff, volunteers, and members for activities like babysitting, pet sitting, tutoring, coaching, private lessons, etc. We do not believe it is in the best interest of our church members and participants to require such limits for your interactions outside of regular church activities. Instead, we are asking members and families who may engage in such activities to sign a waiver to assume any risk and release the church from liability should any problems arise as a result of those individual relationships.

A downloadable, printable waiver form is attached for anyone who needs one, or you may sign the form at the church office.

Outside Interaction Waiver

Lakeside Involved Registration Form

ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN FOR THE FUTURE

At the Endowment Recognition Luncheon on September 27, an ambitious goal was announced for growing Lakeside’s Endowment Fund. Committee Chairman Sam Johnson outlined a goal of obtaining actual gifts or expressions of an intention to make a future gift to the Endowment totaling a minimum of $1Million in additional new contributions from at least 50 of our members by December 31, 2027. These can be gifts of any size. We have seen how the contributions to our Endowment have grown, and small gifts grow just like the big ones. The Church will, of course, be happy to accept outright current gifts and firm pledges at any time. We recognize that for most of us, however, our significant gifts will be future gifts made in connection with our estate planning to be effective at death. Whatever the nature of your gift, now or in the future, if you make now or plan to make a gift to the Endowment in the future, we request you complete a confidential member response form available in the Church office indicating any gifts you will make or intend to make. We fully understand gifts you intend to make would be subject to changes in circumstances. Your furnishing your response to the church’s financial secretary will enable the Committee to assess how our efforts are progressing and indicate the number of actual and intended gifts and the amount of the gifts. All responses will be handled confidentially and anonymously by the financial secretary as our current gifts to the church are handled. As was explained at the Luncheon, our Endowment Fund Agreement permits the distribution of no more than five percent (5%) of the Endowment’s current market value in any calendar year except in certain prescribed extraordinary circumstances such as catastrophic events including but not limited to fire, flood, or hurricane, the need for a new facility or an existing facility component replacement of great magnitude. Throughout the life of our Endowment, we have drawn on it only twice. We withdrew $20,000.00 in 2023 to cover a large unanticipated budget shortfall and funding for the Senior Minister Search Committee. Earlier this year, upon the recommendation of the Board of Finance and the Diaconate, the Church’s membership authorized the withdrawal of $90,000.00 to pay substantially all the costs of replacing the HVAC system in the Sanctuary and Organ Chamber. Use of the funds for such extraordinary expenses was authorized in our Endowment Fund Agreement, and this usage demonstrates the importance of having such a special fund available—a kind of savings account. As of August 31, 2026, the balance in the Endowment was $580, 562.10, which will be reduced by the $90,000.00 withdrawal.

Please join us in supporting this campaign.

THE ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE

MEAL TRAIN FOR LELA & SHELTON CHESSON

Lela and Shelton Chesson are both back home and recovering. They could use some meals 2-3 days per week. If you would like to sign up for a slot, please do so using the link below.

Meal Train Link for Chessons

MEAL TRAIN FOR ANDREA & COLLINS CUTHRELL

Andrea is home recovering from surgery while the family enjoys new baby Jay. They could use some meals 2-3 days per week. If you would like to sign up for a slot, please do so using the link below.

Meal Train Link for Cuthrells

Please remember the following persons who need our prayers and support:

UNC-Nash, 2460 Curtis Ellis Drive (04)

Connie Griffin

At Home:

Keith Abbott, 3413 Brookview Drive (04)

Janice Bobbitt (Chuck Taylor's sister), 4204 Whitehurst Drive, Wilmington, NC 28409

Marie Butner (Angie Hunter's mother), Priddy Manor, 1294 Priddy Road, King, NC 27021

Robyn Edwards Chapman (Jeannette Pittman's cousin), 1481 Richardson Road, Apt. C406, Apex, NC 27523

Lela Chesson, 53 Whispering Pines Drive (04)

Andrea Cuthrell, 3517 Mansfield Drive (03)

Doug Edwards, 4699 Moreland Drive, Battleboro, NC 27809

Mike Evans, 1151 Falls Road, Apt. 218 (04)

Michele Costa Foster, 105 Gloucester Court (03)

Charlotte Gilliam, 3794 Loblolly Drive (04)

Leland Goslen (Linda and Cameron Graham's great-nephew), 1021 Oakgate Court, Apex, NC 27502

Katie Hand, 4752 Honeysuckle Lane (04)

Bill Jones (Dorrie Wright’s brother)

Brian Lassiter, 104 Killian Court (04)

Caroline Martin (Ginny and Ricky Cobb's granddaughter)

C. B. Morris, 1930 Northern Boulevard (04)

Howard Phykitt, 106 Whispering Pines Drive (04)

Grady Pittman, 313 Englewood Drive (04)

Jeannette Pittman, 313 Englewood Drive (04)

Billie Stallings, 404 Wildwood Avenue (03)

Kate Thomas (Jaye and James Biggs' granddaughter), 904 Shepard Street, Morehead City, NC 28557

Ziggy Zalzneck, 324 Piedmont Avenue (03)

Our Members at Home:

Ethel Hines, 125 Cobblestone Court (04)

Ester McKnight (Terry Martin's mother), Brookdale Assisted Living, 650 Goldrock Road, Room 106 (04)

David Ozment, 1249 Green Tee Lane (04)

Anne Chappell, 4510 Lead Mine Road #3008, Raleigh, NC 27612

Thank you for your prayers and support during my recent illness.

Linda Hoyle

Betty Lane Winslow and her family are deeply grateful to the Lakeside family for all the love and support received since the recent death of her son. Each visit and gesture encouraged and lifted the family and helped to bring a bit of joy during this very difficult time.

We offer our prayers and best wishes to Simon Stone as he moves to Lakeland, Florida. Simon became a part of our youth group as a middle schooler and has continued to call Lakeside his church home for the past several years. Simon's new address is 915 Amazing Way, Lakeland, FL 33805.

Give Now

YOUTH NEWS

October will be a busy and exciting month for our Lakeside Youth! I hope all our youth families will make plans to join us following worship this Sunday for a covered-dish lunch. Our Pilgrimage participants will share reflections and photos from our June trip to Arizona.

This Sunday will also be our final session for the Discipleship Class, which will meet at 3:30 p.m. in the Lecture Room. All youth will then have a regular schedule of activities beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Then, on October 25, we will host our annual Community Fall Festival from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The Lakeside Youth will help to host this event for our children. We'll have snacks, games, crafts, a giant bouncy house, hayride, and lots of sweet treats! Come in costume, but nothing scary or violent. Youth will be needed beginning at 3:00 that day to help with decorating and set-up.

Elizabeth

MUSIC NOTES

Our anthem this Sunday begins with these words by the composer, “Look at the world, everything all around us: look at the world, and marvel every day. Look at the world: so many joys and wonders, so many miracles along our way.” Each stanza is followed by a refrain proclaiming, “Praise to thee, O Lord, for all creation, give us thankful hearts, that we may see: all the gifts we share, and every blessing, all things come of thee.”

All of creation serves as the first revelation of God’s eternal power and divine nature (Romans 1:20). Sarah Augustine, a Pueblo (Tewa) author and activist, writes, “[Rom. 1:20] is consistent with an Indigenous worldview–that the nature of the Creator is evident in the creation.” She then asks her readers, “What does creation tell us about God’s divine nature?” I encourage you to consider some answers of your own before we explore the topic together in worship on Sunday. For those interested in the author’s responses, I have provided a link to her full article below.

I will leave you with two thoughts. First, this statement from the Indigenous caucus at the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches,

“We as Indigenous Peoples believe that the Creator is in Creation. God revealed himself/herself as Creator and Sustainer in the act of creation. The triune God along with land co-parents all life. The mystery in John chapter 1 unfolds how the Creator abides in creation. The incarnation of God in Christ becomes totality in God’s creation…. Through God all things were made, without God nothing was or is made. In God there is life, and in God is the light of all Creation. The presence of God made the world and therefore [it] is sacred. The work of creation in God is the unity of diversity, where all lives coexist in a harmonious balance because they are all from God. Each seed that sprouts begins creation anew, and not one seed can grow unless the Creator enables it. We believe that doing justice to God’s creation is the basis of liberation and the human search for selfhood.” (“Indigenous Peoples Pre-Assembly Statement” (unpublished), WCC 10th Assembly, Busan, 2013. Quoted in The Land Is Not Empty, 195.)

Second is a reading from the Ute Tribe of North America, printed in the hymnal “Singing the Living Tradition” (Unitarian Universalist Association, 1993),

“Earth teach me stillness as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me caring as parents who secure their young.

Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone.

Earth teach me limitation as the ant which crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom as the eagle which soars in the sky.

Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.

Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring

Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness as dry fields weep with rain.”

Zack

Sarah Augustine's Article

CHILDREN'S CORNER

Have Courage

Have the courage to stand up and fight for what is right.

Have the courage to be who God called you to be. Loving, kind, caring, patient, gracious, and forgiving to all people.

Have the courage to keep working hard after you fail or you fall down.

Have the courage to ask for help and help other in need.

Have the courage to be brave and take risks.

God calls us in Joshua 1:9 to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the lord God will be with you always.” If we remember that God is with us as we take every step in our life, courage will win and fear will not have a hold on us. With courage, we can do and be anything.

Jacob

TOPNOTCHERS NEWS

We had a great time at Hardly Alpaca Farm. Big thanks to the owners Lauren and Chris Sullivan who could not have been anymore welcoming, knowledgeable, and entertaining. The weather was perfect! We had a great turn out at Sal’s for Continue the Communion this past Sunday. Our next Continue the Communion lunch will be on November 1 and will be at El Jimador.

Sue