Livingston News - February 2025
- Livingston UMC
- Jan 31
- 5 min read
In this edition:
Dear Beloveds,
As a faith leader, I am most often expected and called upon to be a source of hope and inspiration—and I hope I do that sufficiently. And yet, I am also entirely human, subject to the same emotions and provocations that give rise to those emotions. It would be disingenuous of me to say that I've not been feeling anxiety, hurt, fear, bewilderment, and so much more over the course of the past ten days or so. I have watched, as many of you have, as families have been torn apart, friends and colleagues have been erased in policy, funding of lifeline programs was temporarily stopped, and some of the longstanding institutions of our democracy have been decimated of their non-partisan staff.
It's been hard to feel hopeful while bearing witness to the pain of so many. As people who place our faith in the gospel—the good news of God's love embodied and taught by Jesus—what we are seeing happening to neighbors, those we know and those we have not yet met, is antithetical to the work that Jesus has called us to in this world and in this life. My heart aches deeply. My sighs are too deep for words. The activities I keep in front of me to fuel my soul and keep me grounded are coming up short right now. I signed up for this work of transforming this world, not on the day I received my license for ministry, but on the day I was baptized. It's daunting right now, perhaps because it's so much.
Friends, you know me well enough by now to know that my interests and hopes are grounded in kin-dom-building work. I do not dwell in partisan spaces, politically speaking; a person's party affiliation is far less important to me than how the gospel is coming alive in and through their life. The actions matter, and they are harming God's children. A number of you have mentioned how all of these things are weighing on your hearts and minds, and some of you want something concrete to do in response. If needing or wanting to respond faithfully is tugging at you in these days, I invite you to join me in the Chapel for an informal conversation after worship this Sunday.
Now is a time for us, indeed for all communities of Jesus' followers, to embody the good news in ways that begin to repair and heal the hurt that so many are feeling. The Church and its teachings of Jesus should never be used as a means of harm, only for individual and collective good. You might remember that the father of Methodism, the Rev. John Wesley, held three simple rules that have been passed along through generation after generation of those calling themselves Methodists:
Do no harm: Avoid harming others, and be mindful of how your words and actions affect others
Do good: Practice doing good, advocating for justice, and avoiding harm
Stay in love with God: Attend to the ordinances of God, such as prayer, Bible study, and worship
Friends, let us begin with these rules as we seek a salve for our hearts and souls. And when we can find hope again, in the here and now, we will be ready to share with others abundantly.
With love,
Pastor Angie
Save the Date - State of the Church Meeting
Please mark your calendars to stay after Worship on Sunday, March 30, to catch up on where we stand with all things Livingston UMC. We'll come together for lunch, and some of your Leadership Board and I will share how we are doing missionally and financially, where things stand with the sale of this property, our plans moving forward, and more.
Care Package Item Collection
If you joined us this past Sunday, January 26, you heard that our young people are leading us in an outreach project for those who are living on the land and are without homes.
Now through February 23, we invite you to visit the hanging tags on either side of the Sanctuary's main entrance and choose an item or items to purchase and bring back to the church.
On Sunday, February 23, following worship, we will gather in the Narthex to assemble care packages (aka blessing bags) which will be available to take that afternoon. We encourage you to keep a couple of bags in your car, at the ready, so that you can offer a small gesture of God's lovingkindness to a stranger in need. Thanks to our young people (and their parents) for leading us in this outreach project of making God's love real for those who need it!
Shrove Pancake Supper
Although we are still more than a month away from the Lenten season which begins on March 5 (Ash Wednesday), the last Sunday before Lent will be here before we know it. Last year, we joined together for our first Shrove Pancake Supper right after worship, and by all accounts, this was something you all wanted to do again. If you are interested in helping to plan and coordinate a community pancake "supper" immediately following worship on Sunday, March 2, please contact Pastor Angie.
TIME IS CURRENTLY TO BE DETERMINED
It's Not Too Late to Join the Choir!
Dear Livingston Church Family,
We are excited to announce the start of our new church choir season! Whether you’re a returning member or interested in joining for the first time, we welcome all voices and all ages to come and be a part of our choir.
Rehearsals will take place every Wednesday evening from 6:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to come together in fellowship and praise as we prepare to lead our congregation in worship through music.
No prior experience is necessary—just bring a willing heart and a love for singing! If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact Tim Brizendine at gobucksbriz07@gmail.com or (614) 360-8376.
We look forward to lifting our voices together in joyful praise!
Blessings,
Tim Brizendine
Music Director
Service Opportunities
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Serve each month at Rosemary's Cupboard Food Pantry! This month, guest service dates are Tuesday, Feb. 18, Thursday, Feb. 20, and Saturday, Feb. 22. | Volunteers are always welcome to help the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio sort and label medications. Call to arrange a time! | Our friends at Village Connections would love to welcome you to their corps of volunteers who make their mission possible! |
LUMC Swag
We now have an LUMC Swag Shop through online print-on-demand company Spreadshop. With the button below, you'll be able to purchase clothing, bags, and mugs that show the world your commitment to treating others with kindness AND to your LUMC family!
Sign Up for Altar Flowers
We know that many times when you choose to provide flowers to decorate the altar, there is a special person or occasion that spurs your choice of that date. So next time you provide Altar flowers, if you'd like to share why, please do! We'll include your dedication in the bulletin and in the slides that are displayed on Sunday morning.
Please email Jane at lumc@livingstonchurch.org by Tuesday afternoon with your dedication so that she can add it to the bulletins, which are printed on Thursdays.
To support our ministries, Livingston United Methodist Church depends on the financial support of members and friends such as you. You may drop off or mail your offering to the church, or click below to give online.
Newsletter Deadline
We welcome informational articles from our community. Please send monthly newsletter submissions by the end of the day on the 22nd of this month to info@livingstonchurch.org. We do not publish advertisements. We reserve the right to edit articles.
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