St. Luke’s Episcopal Church |
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Lifelines: News and updates for you from St. Luke's |
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Last Sunday, I invited everyone to spend the season of Advent looking for God’s movement in daily life. Since we don’t spend much time talking about this, I thought I’d offer a few words about what you might look for.
The first thing to say is that God’s movement isn’t necessarily big, obvious, or over-the-top. I love the bible stories where a voice from the cloud provides clear, incontrovertible direction from God. At the same time, I’ve never had an experience like that or, frankly, anything remotely resembling it. Discerning God’s direction for me or my community has been much more prosaic.
The key to figuring out what God is up to lies in what we know about God: “Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 Jn 4:7b-8 CEB) That means, among other things, that we can identify God’s movement by looking for love at work in the world: Love between spouses, family, and friends and also love stirring at work, on the street, and between strangers. Not just romantic love, but the kind of other-centered attention or concern that moves the heart. Caring for others without a thought for repayment or return. God is revealed through loving action.
God also moves within us by inviting us into new behavior or understanding. When I suddenly realize that I have hurt someone, it’s God who trips me up: I failed to embody love there. Sometimes while reading or listening to the radio or a podcast, God offers a new understanding of something I thought I knew. When that happens, I usually have to pause to let this shift in the world sink in. The God who is Love is stirring in my mind, inviting me to a new and transformed way of being.
Finally (for today, anyway), God’s moves in our lives by offering peace and consolation. God reminds us of our belovedness and our inherent value. God walks with us when we’re hurting and rejoices with us when we celebrate. In moments of joy, of consolation, and of love, God is there.
God is at work in the world all the time. In love between people, in new and transformative understanding, in consolation, and in so many other ways, God shows up in our daily lives. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but merely a primer, an initial foray into how we might find God’s movement in daily life.
I hope you’ll keep your eye out for God’s movement this season. Make note wherever you see Love at work in the world and then come to St. Luke’s and leave a sticky note on the window in the entryway. By Christmas, we’ll have a grand collage depicting God’s movement in our midst.
Yours in Christ,
Justin
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Call or text: 612-618-3826
Email: revjustinc@gmail.com
Drop in Office Hours: Wednesdays, 12:30 to 3:00.
If you'd like a visit, communion, prayer, or just time to talk, please call, text, email, or drop by office hours. I'd love to connect with you!
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Sunday Eucharist: 9:30 a.m.
Please join us for worship on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. In place of Eucharist, this Sunday we'll enjoy Advent Lessons and Carols. The service uses the “O Antiphons,” of “O come, O come, Emmanuel” fame, to invite reflection on the coming of God at Christmas. Music, scripture, song, and silent reflection lead us into contemplation of God's mystery.
As always, please plan to stay for coffee hour following worship.
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Make Music with Us!
Choir
We need your voice! If you'd like to sing, please meet in the worship space Sunday mornings at 8:45 to rehearse the hymns and service music. We're also planning monthly rehearsals for more involved pieces; watch this space for more information
Handbells
The St. Luke's Handbell choir practices weekly on Wednesday night from 7:30 to 8:30 PM downstairs in the St. Luke's church building. Anyone interested in having fun while making a joyful noise is welcome. For more information, contact Harold Solbrig / harold@solbrigs.us / 507-319-2628
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Coffee Hour: The Eighth Sacrament
The time we spend together in conversation and fellowship is as important to the life of our community as our worship. We need your help to make it happen! We particularly need coffee hour hosts: People who are willing to provide some treats, make the coffee, and get things cleaned up afterward. Take it on as a solo exercise or pair up with friends. Either way, your help is needed and appreciated. If you have questions about any of it, from setup to coffee making to clean up, Harold Solbrig is the one to talk to ( harold@solbrigs.us / 507-319-2628)
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Sunday Morning Faith Formation |
This week and next are the two final installments of our discussion of Do I Stay Christian? As we move into the 'How' section, I'm particularly interested in the ideas you found compelling. What might we put into practice in our own community? We'll focus on Chs. 21 through 24 this week and Chs. 25 through the Afterward on Dec. 11. |
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Birthdays
- Barbara Solbrig
- Brian Decker
- Barbara Heins
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Have news to share with the congregation? Please get in touch with Rev. Justin (612-618-3826, revjustinc@gmail.com) or Karen (507-288-2469, gouldk@stlukesepiscopal.org).
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St. Luke's Pledge Drive and Stewardship Campaign |
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Thank you to all who have expressed their giving intention by:
Our pledge drive is nearly complete! We have received 52 pledges so far for a total of $179,101. Last year we received ~ $200,000 in pledge income so we are well on our way. We will move forward in crafting the 2023 budget based on the giving intentions we have received by December 4. We all care deeply about St. Luke's and its vitality - pledge income is a critical piece of that. Thank you so much for giving as you are able.
Cathy Manduca
Stewardship Chair
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Christmas Poinsettias For the Altar |
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Decorate the Altar this Christmas Season with poinsettias with an offering in memory of or in thanksgiving for. Dedication Flower offering envelopes are available on the table in the church entryway or call Karen in the church office.
Place your envelope in the offering basin, mail or bring into the church office no later than December 18th.
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St. Luke's Retains Realtor to Lease Sunday School Space |
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The Vestry and the Property Usage Committee have approved contracting with Realty Growth Inc. (Bucky Robert Beeman, Matt Gove, and Nick Pompeian) to search for a renter or renters for our Sunday school wing. We are hopeful that they will find a non-profit user who will see our space as appropriate for their needs, and provide much needed income for St Luke's. Any potential renter will need approval by the vestry, and if the lease is longer than 1 year, by the Diocese.
In anticipation of new users, we have been consolidating and rearranging furniture and items in the Sunday school rooms. If you have used this space, or stored items in the area, we would appreciate it if you would help us with the final few rooms. Karen, at the church, can let you in to have a look.
This will be a new chapter for St Luke's. We sincerely hope that a new use, that furthers our mission, and helps us finance our current mission, can be found for this space.
Your Wardens,
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This past summer, a committee of Calvary and St Luke's members busily gathered input from all of us and explored possibilities for us to build community between our Rochester Episcopal parishes. The ice cream social, shared outreach to San Jose Obrero and Salvation Army Bellringing are 3 of the early successes. More will be planned and implemented with your input and help.
Possible areas for collaboration include:
- Fellowship
- Outreach
- Faith formation (adult & youth)
- Worship
- Music
We are willing to try LOTS of different ideas if there is an organizer and several helpers at each parish to implement. We have brainstormed several 1-time, seasonal, or ongoing ideas including: a winter party this January, a volunteer corps to listen to student readers at Sunset Terrace (sign up for 1 time, 1 season, or ongoing for 1 hour/week), youth group special outreach projects (as Calvary had before Covid), ‘pulpit swap’ for 1 Sunday to trade rectors, or shared musical performances. Some of these were ideas formulated by members in a survey, but we are sure YOU have even more good ideas. Are you willing to help???
Let’s not be strangers. Share your ideas by email or in-person at church with Amy Crockett (Calvary) or Amy Caucutt (St Luke's), and watch for monthly updates of collaboration opportunities for us all.
Your Calvary-St Luke's Collaboration Implementing Team: encouraging, supporting and coordinating 😊
Please check out Calvary's weekly newsletter, The Visitor, published on Wednesdays. Current and archived editions are available here. In addition to a variety of worship services, Calvary regularly has other public events that are sure to be of interest to folks like us. |
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“Thank you so much for your holiday meal donations, especially important when food insecurity has been soaring in our community! St. Luke’s works with the social worker at Sunset Elementary to provide meals to children’s families who are experiencing food insecurity.
We were able to provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal for 25 people this Thanksgiving! Donations received now will be used for Christmas meals. Your generosity is truly appreciated!
Please send checks to St. Luke's Episcopal Church or drop off at the church office at 1884 22nd Street NW. Please note in memo 'Holiday Food Drive'.
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Rochester Public Schools started on Tuesday, September 6
and St. Luke’s looks forward to helping families in our neighborhood continue to learn and thrive throughout the school year. Each month during the 2022-2023 school year, Operation Backpack will list in the Lifelines four or five of the most needed school supplies at Sunset Terrace Elementary and John Marshall High School. These can be dropped off at St. Luke's, Monday through Friday, 8-5 and , of course, on Sunday. Drop in the bins marked "Snacks" for Sunset Terrace or John Marshall that are located in the downstairs foyer. Our Operation Backpack Team will deliver them to the schools.
November's Greatest Needs at Sunset Terrace Elementary School are:
- Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash.
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Gift Cards for Walmart, Amazon, or Target in $10 increments so teachers can buy emergency supplies for students.
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Healthy Snacks (individually wrapped) that do not contain peanuts or do not need to be refrigerated.
Some good examples are: Raisins, Unsweetened Apple Sauce, Keebler
Club and Cheese Crackers, Nutri-Grain Bars, Quaker Oat Chewy Bars,
Natural Fruit Rollups, Fruit Leather, Apple and Banana Chips, Gold Fish,
Pretzel and Cheese Packs, Popcorn.
Water-proof Mittens and Gloves for elementary sized hands.
Woven mittens get too wet and soggy. Currently they have adequate
supply of hats.
Please place the mittens or food items in the plastic bins under the Backpack poster in the downstairs hallway and hand gift cards to Karen.
As always, thank you for your continuing generosity and for thinking of these kids, especially since the Christmas season is almost upon us.
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Thank you for your time, effort and fun while ringing bells at Andy's Crossroads and HyVee Crossroads.
The collection information:
- 11/18/2022 - Andy's Crossroads - $285.44
- 11/19/2022 - HyVee Crossroads - $153.77 the percentage of the total the group made, kettle made $691.95 for the day.
- 11/21/2022 - HyVee Crossroads - $310.39 the percentage of the total the group made, kettle made $465.59 for the day.
Total = $749.60
There are still many opportunities to continue to ring. Happy to facilitate for you - be in touch with me.
Martha Mangan
507-261-3286
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If you have donations of new or gently used household items, including couches, tables with chairs, beds, bedding, towels, dishes, etc, here are many wonderful options.
Catholic Charities at 507-287-2047 will arrange pickup from your house and accepts all the above. Donations are used for refugee families.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Resource Room at 507-288-7313 works with St. Vincent De Paul for helping Rochester homeless families and adults or for families in crisis with relocation needs to start their new apartments. They accept non-furniture items. They will arrange a time when you can drop off your items.
St. Vincent De Paul (507-250-5715) directly accepts beds, tables, dressers and household items, (not couches), but will usually ask you to hold onto the items until move in day, as they do not have a storage place. They appreciate a drop off, but will pick up if needed.
The Landing (507-884-0423) and The Warming Shelter (507-458-1223) accept new or gently used adult socks and jeans, which are given to homeless adults. Feel free to drop these off at St. Luke’s and we’ll get them delivered.
If you have any questions about any of these ministries or would like to help volunteer, please email dianeomara@charter.net.
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Bible Study: Luke
Join us for our ongoing study of Luke's gospel. We never fail to find something interesting to discuss!
Hope to see you then!
Meeting ID: 827 6194 5638
Passcode: 1884
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Book Group
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (fiction)
Tuesday, January 24th, 6:30 pm
Discussion through Zoom.
Enjoy the book; then join us for a discussion led by Debbie Whicker.
Watch for a St. Luke's Book Group notice to join the meeting by computer or phone.
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If you've got something to include in next week's Lifelines, get in touch with Karen (507-288-2469, gouldk@stlukesepiscopal.org). The deadline is Wednesday at noon. |
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St. Luke’s is...
Joyful community
Faithful service
Transformational worship
Growing in relationship with God in Christ.
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