Reflections on a Great “Program Year”
by The Rev. Dr. James Butler
I write this in mid-June. We are catching our breath as we finish up the 2024–25 program year. I say “program year” because, like a school year, a new cycle of mission and ministry gets started at LPC in September rather than January. July and August is our “in-between” time when we purposefully slow down a bit and allow our minds and bodies to enjoy a slower pace before we kick off a new program year. I appreciate this time with free evenings and lazy summer Sunday afternoons, and of course, vacation trips!
I am over-the-top happy as I reflect on the 2024–25 program year, which focused on the theme of “Building a Firm Foundation.” One of my joys is being the pastor of a congregation that takes faith formation seriously, including adults. After Gathering Day Sunday, we started with a two-part series on the Book of Leviticus and its tedious regulations about Hebrew worship life, food preparation, sabbath and religious festival observance, and the sacrificial system. Why? Because Jesus and the disciples and the early church struggled to determine how it was applicable to a life of faith. It was extremely helpful. In November I led a two-part series on one of my favorite topics — new perspectives on Paul’s theology. And in March and April, adults gathered on Tuesday evenings during Lent to explore our Reformed and Presbyterian confessional heritage. Our congregation is also committed to mission and justice. In July and September we had robust participation in our first-ever “letters to (potential) voters” events. Nine hundred and twenty non-partisan letters were delivered to voters encouraging them to exercise their right to vote. In late November, the Mission, Outreach and Justice Ministry organized our second “Christmas Baby Shower” for Haven Home, a private faith-based ministry to under-resourced single mothers. LPC was out on Detroit Avenue during the August Arts Festival and welcomed community children to our second-annual Trunk or Treat Halloween event, and our third “Stories with St. Nick and Christmas Workshop” during the “Light Up Lakewood” festival. We welcomed four new members in November and eight more in May, including the baptism of four youth and one infant. Under Aliyah Kennedy’s leadership, our youth group keeps growing including a satellite “drama” group that gave two impressive first performances of a one-act stage play, “Our Town, Too.” We had an over-the-top mission trip experience last summer in Lotts Creek, Kentucky, and this summer we will have the largest ever group of LPC youth going to the Presbyterian Youth Triennium! We have been blessed by the hard work of Kaori Hongo and dozens of people who “sing and make melody unto the Lord” in worship with voices and instruments. I was especially moved by our music and worship during this past year’s Advent and Christmas services and Lent, Holy Week and Easter.
These are just a few highlights of what I think was a terrific program year. There were so many more. I feel like LPC is enjoying some new energy and vitality following a few years of “fallow” growth post-Covid. Praise be to God! So, thanks to everyone who helped make 2024–25 such a success at LPC — staff and volunteers. Rest up and get ready to kick off 2025–26 on Gathering Sunday — September 7, in Lakewood Park.
The Music Corner with Dr. Kaori Hongo
STORYTELLING IN CHURCH
Several days ago I attended a dear friend’s memorial service and was struck with how much hymn singing was a powerful part of the service. We opened with “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (Glory to God #366) and ended with “When in Our Music God Is Glorified” (Glory to God #641). Both powerful and meaningful hymns. However, I was struck with the beautiful “storytelling” characteristic the middle hymn had; “A Stable Lamp Is Lighted” (Glory to God #160). It starts with the birth of Jesus and goes full circle to the true meaning of God’s plan for humankind. The text was written by former Poet Laureate of the United States, Richard Wilbur, and is based on Luke 19:40: “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” The music set to this hymn is a lullaby-like tune and gives a lilt to the hymn. To truly appreciate and experience a hymn, it is important to read the words without the music to understand the flow and the direction the text is taking.
A Stable Lamp Is Lighted
A stable lamp is lighted whose glow shall wake the sky. The stars shall bend their voices, and every stone shall cry. And every stone shall cry, and straw like gold shall shine. A barn shall harbor heaven, a stall become a shrine.
This child through David’s city shall ride in triumph by. The palm shall strew its branches, and every stone shall cry. And every stone shall cry, though heavy, dull, and dumb. And lie within the roadway to pave his kingdom come.
Yet he shall be forsaken and yielded up to die. The sky shall groan and darken, and every stone shall cry. And every stone shall cry, for hearts made hard by sin. God’s blood upon the spearhead, God’s love refused again.
But now, as at the ending, the low is lifted high. The stars shall bend their voices, and every stone shall cry. And every stone shall cry, in praises of the child by whose descent among us the worlds are reconciled.
In the forward of Kenneth W. Osbeck’s book 101 Hymn Stories, J. Stratton Shufelt emphasizes the importance to “understand the hymns we sing and the stories behind them which gives appreciation for their beauty and power.” In our hymnal Glory to God, you will notice that each hymn has a short explanation at the bottom of the page. Next time you are in church, I invite you to pick up a hymnal and read the text (story) and the short description of the hymn and see how the spirit will lead you in song the next time you sing that particular hymn.
Mission, Outreach and Justice:
Summertime Fun and Growth for Everyone in August!
Join us the first three Sundays in August (3, 10 and 17) at 11:20 a.m. in Lawther Hall for lunch and intergenerational activities, called Exploring Origins.
- Our activities will be centered on themes in the children’s book Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson (which really is a book for all ages).
- All of us — from the littlest youngsters, to elementary and middle schoolers, to teens, to adults of all ages (including senior citizens, and singles as well as families) — will interact and participate together.
- Through our fun, intergenerational activities, each of us will grow in our understanding of the African American experience, appropriate to our individual ages and life stages. LPC is a Matthew 25 congregation, and the principles of Matthew 25 include learning and working together to dismantle structural racism.
- Lunches each of these Sundays will coordinate with the day’s themes and will include foods all ages will enjoy.
Please plan to come, enjoy lunch, have fun and grow together. Mark your calendar now!
If you’d like, you can sign up at this link: https://forms.gle/rkRumfhN5CLvtRrXA … but we want you to come even if you don’t sign up! (We’re planning plenty of lunches.)
In the meantime, ask relatives you might visit this month about your own ancestors and family history. Look through family scrapbooks or photo albums together to get an idea of your own family’s journey. (You don’t need to read Born on the Water ahead of time as our activities will include readings from it each week.)
Visit the Library for a Good Summer Read!
I think it’s safe to say that summer is finally here! For many of us, it’s a time to read books — on our deck, porch, under a tree or at the beach. First visit your LPC Library, a quiet and comfortable place for choosing. Pile your choices on the coffee table, and you’ll want to take them all home! Here are a few books for you to consider, all found in our library’s Biography section.
Jane Goodall’s Reason for Hope – The Christian Science Monitor writes: “A Heroine in a Hero-Less Time.” Beautifully written with abundant photos of her amazing life and work.
James Herriot’s Every Living Thing – “His first book of memories in over a decade, by the most beloved storyteller of our time.”
Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – You’ll learn about her remarkable life through her own words. Such an intimate story by a fabulous writer.
Last, but certainly not least, is Mary Magdalene: Beyond the Myth. Who really was she? by Esther de Boer. The author examines not only the Gospel texts, but also texts discovered in the Egyptian Desert during the last century. Fascinating and enlightening.
Happy summer reading to all! I hope these suggestions will help get you started!
–Kathryn Hack
Faith Formation News & Volunteer Opportunities
TRIENNIUM SEND-OFF
On July 27, the Presbytery of the Western Reserve Youth Triennium Delegation will depart for the 2025 National Presbyterian Youth Conference. Twenty-two youth, two young adults and five adult chaperones from seven churches in the region will come together and leave from our church on Sunday, July 27 after worship. We would love to send the group off with full bellies and hearts filled with love. If you would like to help cook breakfast or brunch for the group, please contact Aliyah Kennedy. We can reimburse costs but appreciate your time and talents!
ARTS FESTIVAL
LPC will have a tent at Lakewood Arts Festival again this year on Saturday, August 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Faith Formation Ministry will have a table under the tent for children and adults to get information about our church, but we would love to have other areas of the church represented. Consider volunteering to help us welcome the community, or if you are part of a ministry, show off what your ministry does in the church! We have room for more than one small display under our tent. Contact Aliyah Kennedy if you are able to volunteer for an hour or two, or if your group wants to be represented.
A WEE BIT OF HELP
Do you like working with children? We could use your help! Our WeeKirk class for K-5th grade meets each week after the children’s message. We use a simple curriculum and rotate leaders during the school year. We are looking for a few more volunteers who could help once a month or a few times a year. Before the school year begins, we will host a teacher training on August 17 after worship.
Keep your eyes open for other opportunities to help! In the fall, we will have a Feed the Youth program, where members of the congregation will cook dinner for the youth group. We hope this will help the youth connect more with the congregation and help make meals healthier and more cost efficient. Contact Aliyah Kennedy if you are able to help.
Hand in Hand Programs in July and August
LPC member Ev Corcoran will be the guest for the Friday, July 11 Hand in Hand meeting. He will speak on “Money Matters for Smart Seniors: Navigating the Stormy Seas in 2025 from Annuities to Crypto Currency.” Ev is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ who specializes in retirement income planning at Corcoran Financial Planning, LLC in Mentor, Ohio. Ev is also an active member of the Financial Planning Association. We meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Reed Room, and all are welcome.
Hand in Hand will gather on Friday, August 8 when Foster Brown from the Cleveland Metroparks will present “Legacy of the Land” and bring along some instruments to teach us some new songs. If you appreciate our area’s gift of the Metroparks, please join us to hear details of their operation. All are welcome in the Reed Room from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
School Supplies Needed for Lakewood Students
Support Lakewood Students by donating school supplies or monetary gifts through Sunday, August 17. Requested Items are:
Pocket folders
Notebooks
Index Cards
Tape/Glue Sticks
Post-It-Notes
Binders (1”- 1½”)
Markers
Pencil Boxes/Pouches
Colored Pencils
Scissors
Pens/Pencils
Erasers
Crayons
Highlighters
A donation box is located in the Atrium. Monetary donations can be made to The Lakewood Foundation, 12525 Lake Avenue, Lakewood OH 44107 or online at: http://thelakewoodfoundation.org/donate
Save the Date for Worship in the Park!
Sunday, September 7 at 10am. Worship followed by a potluck lunch. Lakewood Park Woman’s Pavilion.