Your 01/10/2025 Edition of LAC Church Notes

January 10, 2025

“Baptism of Jesus,” Lorenzo Scott (1987)

January 12, 2025 10 A.M.

For Baptism of the Lord Sunday, Rev. Dr. Bynum will be preaching

a sermon entitled "Why Did Jesus Need to be Baptized?" based on Luke 3:15-17, 21-22.

You can join us in person or via livestream

on Facebook, YouTube, or our Livestream page.

In Our Prayers

We pray for the people of Los Angeles County, California as they continue to battle destructive and deadly fires. May the firefighters be given strength and courage, and may all those who have suffered great loss be surrounded and comforted by the presence of God.

We pray for the new class of elders, deacons, and trustees who are preparing to take office later this month. We also give great thanks for the leaders who are concluding their terms of service, having served God and our congregation so faithfully. We ask God to bless the upcoming service of ordination and installation on January 26th.

Do you have a prayer request to share with our LAC community? Call our prayer line at (914) 834-1800, ext. 342.

Click here to make your 2025 Stewardship Pledge

Sunday School volunteers and teachers are needed for the Winter and Spring. Please find more information below.

Family community service is a wonderful way to start the new year. Mark your calendars for the first Midnight Run of 2025 -- January 25 at 4 PM in Russell Hall.

During February Break, 15 of us, will once again be heading to the Dominican Republic for a Mission Trip with Bridges to Community. Fundraising for this effort is getting underway! We need your help and support for this worthy cause. Please read below for more information and to learn about the wonderful family who will be the recipient of this year's house construction.

To stay connected throughout the year, be sure that you are signed up for both our Wednesday Message and Friday Church Notes (contact broodal@lacny.org to add your name or new information to the list). You can also follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram). For LAC members, be sure to download the Realm app REALM CONNECT to add or update your information.

2025 Mission Trip

FUNDRAISING SUNDAY JANUARY 26, 2025

Help LAC "raise the roof" and lay the foundation for a safe and stable home for the Ramirez family. In February, eleven LAC Youth and four adult chaperones will travel with Rev. Claunch in February to help build this family a new home in the Dominican Republic.

What a rewarding way to spend a February Break week (2/15-2/22/2025)! While the hard work is sure to bring some challenges and obstacles, last year's experience proves that the sense of teamwork, fellowship, and partnership will far outweigh any difficulties that may arise.

In order to make this trip possible, we need your help with funding for building materials and supplies. You can donate in advance or join us on January 26th for a special Coffee Hour complete with Dominican treats and special presentations.

You can donate in several ways:

Click on the link below. Select "DR Mission Trip House Build" from the pulldown menu

Send a check made payable to LAC. Note in the memo line: "DR Mission Trip House Build"

Bring your checkbook on 1/26

Each donation will be memorialized on a "cardboard brick" that will live in our Forest Park foyer.

2025 Mission Trip Donation

Meet the Ramirez family

Vitelvo Ramírez, 30, and Maribel Ramírez, 27, are a hardworking couple raising their three children—Marielys (10, 5th grade), Vitelma (7, 2nd grade), and José Luis (5, kindergarten)—in the community of Corocitos.

The family lives in a small, deteriorated house with a dirt floor and severe leaks that soak their belongings during rains. Gaps in the walls and roof make it difficult to keep their home warm, dry, and safe for their children. Vitelvo works in agriculture to support the family, while Maribel pursues high school classes on weekends, determined to build a better future.

The Ramírez family is thrilled at the prospect of a new, secure home—a vital step toward giving their children the safe, stable environment they deserve.

MUSIC IN WORSHIP

Music penetrates the deepest parts of our soul, giving voice to our expression and response to God and the church. We are proud to praise God through diverse musical offerings each week, at our Sunday Worship Service and the Community Music to which we open our doors.

This week in Worship, we are pleased to welcome back Alex Pak on violin.

Children's Ministry

Our Sunday School program starts back up this Sunday, January 12^th. We are so appreciate of our parent volunteers, we could not do this without you!

We have created a new sign-up list for January-June (see the link below) and hope that parents could sign up to teach a few times during this time.

We have Sunday School every Sunday except when the schools are closed, and Anna Grace is continuing to teach her Tiny Theologians class with all the kids once a month.

There is nothing you have to do or prepare ahead of time. Anna Grace prepares the lesson plan a few days ahead of time. All the materials are supplied and set-up and clean-up are all taken care of!

Here is the link to sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0948ADA92CAAFF2-54232991-spring

Spiritual Formation. Faith & Fellowship

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to see more of God's beautiful world and spend more time with your beautiful church family, then join us on our trip to Scotland in September! The trip is filling up, but for the time being, we still have room for you! Click here for more information on our itinerary and pricing. Early bird discounts are still available!

Liturgists

Volunteer to be a reader in a worship service. The text for the Prayer for Illumination and the scripture reading is provided to you in advance.

Prayers of the People

These volunteers compose and deliver the Prayers of the People in our worship service. During this time of prayer, we offer praise and thanks to God and make our requests for care and concern known to God. The pastors are happy to offer help and lend support to anyone who would like to lead this portion of our service.

LAC Food Connection

Could you prepare a meal or snack for a member of our congregation in need? The LAC Food Connection, under the auspices of the Deacons, provides occasional meals for our members who might have surgery or something that prevents them from cooking themselves. Please contact lacoffice@lacny.org to offer your help. We will add you to our list of volunteers.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

We are honored to participate in the efforts of the Midnight Run and look forward to having you and your families join us to help make lunches, pack personal care bags, and sort through essential clothing for distribution to NYC's homeless men and women. Please mark these dates for 2025 and meet us in Russell Hall at 4 PM each of these days.

January 25

February 22

March 1

April 5

Your Gifts are Vitally Important

Your generosity makes ministry possible.

As you give thanks for the blessings in your life, we hope LAC is on your list!

Please Click Here to Submit Your Gift

Did you know that Realm has options for scheduling recurring payments? This is a great way for folks to stay up-to-date on pledged giving while traveling, and helps LAC to continue ministering to our community year-round! Click the GIVE link above, and select the tab to "GIVE MORE THAN ONCE." Here, you will find options to adjust the amount given and set the frequency of gifts. Please contact our bookkeeper, Gloria Haq, at (914)834-1800, ext. 310, with any questions!

Sponsoring Flowers!

If you are interested in sponsoring flowers in honor or memory of a loved one, you may sign up by clicking the link below or by contacting LACoffice@lacny.org.