Loving and Learning in Lodi, for Sunday, August 16, 2020  

Lodi United Methodist Church

        How wonderful to be in worship together!! When we gathered on Sunday, we said the Lord's prayer together.  As our church family spoke the very words Jesus taught us, I quieted my own voice to savor the beautiful blending of voices and hearts. Sometimes all the voices moved together; sometimes the voices moved to their own sacred rhythm. As members of the Body of Christ in our time and place, we truly make a unique and holy joyful noise together as we pray, laugh, talk and serve God- each person an essential note in the Spirit’s great symphony of grace.   Even as we miss our singing in worship, we create great hymns of praise in the ways we live the Great Love of Jesus on our daily lives! 

                                                                                                Pastor Pam

Luke 18: 9-14 

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”                                                

The Word of God for the people of God.  Thanks be to God.

 Hymns   “Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service”         #581

               “It Is Well with My Soul”                                         #377

   “Have Thine Own Way, Lord”                                #382

I Pray Wednesdays    

God is always listening!      God hears me when I pray.  Psalm 66: 19

Wednesday evenings 7-8

Fellowship Hall     MASKS are a must and social distancing

This is a unique time for our spirits; for some it is very emotional; others may just feel out of tune.  I Pray will explore Jesus and his emotions as we learn ways to grow spiritually.

To keep us safe, there is a limit of ten people per week.
Pastor Pam will offer various learning, praying, faith and fellowship topics each week.
RSVP to Pastor Pam, (216) 704-0307, call or text 

Thank you to everyone who attended last evening.   

Come as You Are in the Family Car - Worship, Sunday 10am  

Hope to see you, with your mask, of course! Bring your lawn chair.

We were so excited to “see” so many of you last week – looking forward to this week!  See you Sunday!

(Please be patient, as each week in a work in progress.)

     School My Sheep Update from Katrina:    August 22 - 8am – noon

Set up will take place August 21st at 10:00 in Fellowship Hall

Event will take place August 22nd 8-Noon.

It's been another busy week! Fliers have been placed, schools notified and additional advertising done on Facebook.

We are ready!

We now have enough supplies to send 244 students back to school! God is good.

Thanks to all the donations, we now have more than 150 book bags as well, which is great! Not every student takes one, as the older ones tend to reuse them from year to year.

There shouldn't be any more expenses.  Amount spent $3155.00 Amount collected $3055.00 

 Unbelievable! Thank you so much for your generosity!

August 21st 10 a.m. Set up in Fellowship Hall

August 22nd 8-Noon School Supply Give-away (we have enough volunteers!)

Volunteers need to be in place no later than 7:30 a.m.

October 15th    Clothing Give-away. More on this later  (LeRoy UMC kids, in virtual VBS, collected 345 pair of new socks for our clothing giveaway!)

Please continue to keep this in your prayers as it's an enormous need, and one we hope to fill.

Thursday, August 20 – Lodi Hospital will be doing a “grab a bag and go” dinner.  They are able to have a company (Panera, Jimmy Johns etc.) make and package soups and sandwiches, which they will bag (feeding two people per bag).  The community can drive through the church parking lot and pick up dinner.  They want to feed the community, but realize we cannot do our free dinners, as in the past.  (At this time, we, as a church, will not be doing any type of dinners.)

Offering:  Remember to mail your offerings to Lodi UMC, PO Box 3, Lodi, OH 44254 

During these trying times of uncertainty, the ministries of the church continue daily, even though the physical doors are closed.  We need to remain mindful of the church’s financial obligations.  Please keep the church in your continued prayers and with your financial support.      Jeff Van Loon   Finance Chairman  

*****Pastor Pam’s office is set up and she is being “schooled” on different programs on the computer.  Be patient with her! Her phone number and e-mail (which she gets on her phone and computer) are open to everyone! 

Rev. Pamela Buzalka       (216)-704-0307        pamelab23@hotmail.com