Myers’ Musings
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:19)
Robin Williams has always been one of my favorites. His energy often energizes me. About 15 years ago he starred in a movie called The Dead Poets Society. The setting is a proper New England prep school steeped in both tradition and discipline. Into this rather stiff environment comes a new English instructor played by Robin Williams. He has a very unorthodox method of teaching. In one scene, he comes into the classroom and stands on his desk, claiming that you get a whole different perspective of the very, very familiar classroom, even from only an increase of 30 inches of elevation. One by one he has his students stand on the desk so that, they too, can get a new perspective on the very familiar.
As we begin the "program" year of St. Luke’s UMC we may find that we are gaining new perspectives on the very familiar.
The sanctuary has a new look with new carpeting, new location for the choir and the piano. To come are much needed repairs and painting.
The Shelter is temporarily located upstairs while the renovation occurs and
much work is being done above (roof and new Shalom Hospitality Center) and below (new kitchen and shelter).
You have a new pastor with a style and perspective different than that of your former pastor.
I, too, have some new perspectives
"This ain’t New England any more, Toto" (to borrow a line from The Wizard of Oz)
The age level of this congregation (for the first time in my life) is considerably younger than I am (thank God!).
I am serving in an urban setting for the first time since my first church.
Wow! What a wonderful music program we enjoy!
And who could ask for a better staff?!? Shalom, Deke, Ben, Redmon and Tony are outstanding, dedicated people to help enable your ministries!
New perspectives are good! I am finding a refreshing renewal as I meet and greet the members, friends, and the community of St. Luke’s. I hope that you will have patience with me as I struggle to learn your names and your wonderful ways of doing ministry in such a wonderful place!
May God’s Grace and Peace be with you!
Dave Myers
Worship at St. Luke’s During September
September 4: Sacrament of Holy Communion Sermon: "The Peril of Forgiveness"
Scripture: Matthew 18:12–22. Some of said that the hardest of all Christian forms of love is forgiveness. Others have said the most complete form of Christian love is forgiveness. This morning we will, in a sort of dialogue sermon, examine forgiveness in the light of some of Jesus’ most difficult and familiar teachings. Forgiveness is a subject most appropriate as we celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
September 11: Sermon: "The Truth I Now Realize" Scripture: Acts 10:34–43 and John 20:1–18. Peter was hard-headed; impetuous; and with very clear ideas that the Gospel should be preached only to the Hebrews – until he had a dream. That opened up a whole new world to him; and he began a sermon at Cornelius (a Roman – Gentile – centurion’s) house by saying "The truth I now realize is that God shows no partiality." In his poem, "Fences" Robert Frost said it another way, ". . . something inside me that doesn’t love a wall. That wants it down."
September 18: Sermon:"Incomprehensible (Unacceptable?) Grace" Scripture: Isaiah 55:6-9 and Matthew 20:1-16. This Parable to the Workers in the Vineyard has always been very difficult for Western culture – it goes against almost every capitalistic notion. And, if that’s not enough, it plays on our concept of fair play. But this is grace – at least as it would be in God’s realm.
September 25: Sermon: "Questioning Authority" Scripture: Exodus 4:10-17 and Matthew 21:23-32. The story in Matthew begins by the chief priest and scribes questioning Jesus’ authority; then Jesus question their authority with the story of two sons. This is another of those parables that seems so innocent, until we realize that it just might be aimed at us.
Pastor’s Report to Church Council:
or
"Some thoughts and ideas for consideration"
Given on August 26
Please Note: These thoughts were shared with and agreed upon by the church Council for the forthcoming year.
1.) Neighborhood Meetings
Purpose: To allow the congregation meet Rev. Myers and for Rev. Myers to have an opportunity to listen to their affirmations/concerns for St. Luke’s.
How: Have 4 – 6 meetings in different neighborhoods inviting parishioners to attend one closest to their house (however, if they prefer to attend another, they can swap). Hosts will receive a list of people in their area – they are to invite folks – provide light refreshments.
Objective: I would introduce myself, provides devotions and then ask three questions encouraging each person to answer:
- why did you come to St. Luke’s
- what do you like most about St. Luke’s
- what do you find missing at St. Luke’s
When: Prior to November 1, 2005
Who divides up membership lists and selects hosts? Pastor-Parish? Shalom? Ask for volunteers to host?
2.) Nominations:
Propose: Changing Church service year to July 1 to June 30. This would mean Nominating Committee does its work essentially in April and May, and a special charge conference is held in May to elect leaders. For interim time, people are asked to extend their positions and service through June 30, 2006.
This allows the leadership year to coincide with the actual program year. It has a one year advantage of allowing Dave to meet people and assess leadership skills and desires before having to submit a Nominations slate.
3.) Nurturing Committee:
This idea emerged from a staff meeting in which Deke said he would like to create a music committee. My feeling is that we can better coordinate this if we also include the areas of worship and education. The staff unanimously agreed this would be better.
Objectives:
- to nurture the congregation. The congregation provides much mission/help to others; this committee would examine ways in which the congregation gets fed so that we will be nurtured to continue our mission focus.
- Help coordinate worship and music, especially for special seasons, events.
- Discuss a comprehensive education program for children and adults
4.) Stewardship Program:
Objective: To help understand that stewardship is an all-encompassing program for our total living.
How: Employ the Quill Program – but with modifications The Quill Program is a program I used in two previous churches and recommended to about a dozen churches while I Conference Treasurer. In every case the first year produced at least a 15% increase in actual pledge income.
The Quill Program is named because it calls for handwritten letters sent to all active (they either or both: attend or give) members and friends, with testimonies from the letter writers and invitations to the recipients to make their commitment to St. Luke’s. It requires about 10 – 15 people willing to share their commitment to St. Luke’s and to each write about 3 – 5 letters to people of their own choosing. It also calls for 3 people to make testimonies (what the church means to me/why I give to the church, and offer some indication of increased commitment for the forthcoming year). A Chairperson is needed – much of the rest of the work can be done by the church office. A Sunday afternoon (immediately after church) will be set aside for all the letter writers to eat a free lunch and write their letters. People who receive letters will be invited to fill out a pledge card with 4 responses: pledges of prayers, presence, gifts and service – the traditional membership vows for United Methodists.
When: Work begins in September for recruitment of letter writers and the small committee needed. The letters typically are written the first or second Sunday of November, mailed the next day, and the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving is the "Victory Sunday."
5.) 2006 Nicaragua Trip: Just to get the discussion going. We have tentatively reserved July 19 – 29, 2006 as a date for a Mission Trip to la Iglesia de Cristo en Nicaragua. I have both brochures and a nice DVD (17 minutes) that describes this unique form of mission – a mission of accompanimento – to be in relation with. The cost is about $500 beyond cost of airfare plus any per.
September Calendar
4 Holy Communion
4 Grate Patrol Meal Making
6 Grate Patrol Meal Delivery
8 Jazz in the Garden, 6:30-8:30 pm
11 Charge Conference
18 Our turn with Shelter Dinner, 6:45 pm
18 Church Council Meeting
25 Informational Meeting-Nicaragua Trip
Come Early to Worship - A Hymn Sing Every Sunday!!
Beginning next Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10:50am (and for the foreseeable future) we will have a hymn sing with hymns chosen by those in the congregation.
Many of you have expressed a desire to sing your favorite hymns. Each Sunday morning beginning at 10:50am as a prelude to our worship service members of the congregation may request to have their favorite hymns sung. After the Hymn Sing Shalom Mulkey will give the weekly Announcements, then Deke Polifka will begin the Worship Service with a Prelude.
Grate Patrol Meal Making September 4th
Our monthly Grate Patrol Offering supports the purchase of groceries and supplies to make 150 bag suppers for people living on the street.
Our next Grate Patrol night is Tuesday, September 6th. Sign up in the Wesley Room or email the church to be part of that night’s Grate Patrol team (6:45-9 pm; meet at the church).
June’s Grate Patrol Amount
$77.73
4th Annual Jazz Concert Series in the Garden at St. Luke’s
4th Annual Jazz in the Garden Concert Series at St. Luke's 2005 Summer Season ends on Thursday, September 8th, with the Julie Hall. Bring a picnic dinner and blanket to sit on (no alcohol, please; children and dogs welcome). Free and open to all. All concerts start at 6:30 pm. Cancelled in the event of rain.
Concert on September 11, 2005 at 2pm: Andrew Kreysa, a student at the University of Maryland, will present a solo MARIMBA recital on Sept. 11th at 2pm in the sanctuary. Some of you may have enjoyed his marimba and timpani work on Easter Sunday this year. Please come and hear this wonderful recital-it’s not every day you get to hear a solo marimba recital!
Our Turn with Shelter Dinner September 18th
Once a month a group of members and friends prepares and shares dinner with the residents of St. Luke’s Shelter. For more information, contact the
shelter dinner coordinator, Shalom Mulkey @ the church office. shalom@saintliukesmethodist.org
Nicaragua Mission Trip—Informational Meeting September 25th
Come join us during coffee hour on Sunday, September 25th to hear about an exciting new mission trip we have planned for July 19-29, 2006. This mission trip, - a mission of accompanimento – to be in relation with will be to la Iglesia de Cristo en Nicaragua. Dave Myers will share a short video, brochures and photos from his past trips to Nicaragua.
Shalom House Update
Planning for the Shalom House is in full gear. The program committee met at the end of July and made great progress towards the program’s opening in Summer 2006. Our goal is to be ready to take reservations for this new program at the end of October 2005. Below are our mission and vision statement and a wish list for house furnishings. If you would like to donate items from the list or would like more information about this new ministry, please contact Shalom Mulkey at the church office, shalom@saintlukesmethodist.org.
Mission Statement
Shalom House seeks to provide economical hospitality and ervice-learning opportunities to small groups who want to further their understanding and experiences of social justice through volunteer and educational opportunities
VISION-Expand awareness of social justice in ways that serve D.C. needs and promote service in home communities and the world.
House Furnishing Wish List
Sleeping Rooms
Area Rugs
Some Linens (for those who forget to bring their own)Kitchen
Pots and Pans
Dishes
Cooking Utensils
Silverware
Serving Dishes
Three folding tables (seat 10 people/table)
Thirty folding chairsLounge/Meeting area
2 sleeper sofas
Used sofas and chairs
Television/ DVD/ VCR
Computer
Narthex Gallery Exhibit
Come explore the architectural images of photographer Carolyn Johnson on view in the Narthex Gallery through Sunday, October 30.
The exhibit features four galleries by the Glover Park resident, which will rotate monthly: Greek Architecture Gallery, September 4-September 30; and Illumination Gallery, October 2-October 31.
Johnson has worked as a photographer in Washington, D.C., over the last 12 years and has studied photography both in the U.S. and abroad. Her work is in numerous private collections, and in the permanent collections of the American Institute of Architects, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Georgetown Hospital, all of Washington, D.C., and the New York offices of Kozusko Lahey Harris LLP. She is a member of the International Photographic Society of Washington, D.C. Her website is www.carolynjohnson.com.
Four Galleries by Carolyn Johnson will be available for viewing before and after church on Sundays and on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., July 3 through October 30.
For more information about Narthex Gallery Exhibits please contact Shalom Mulkey, shalom@saintlukesmethodist.org.
--Shalom Mulkey, Director of Admin. and Programs
2006 Budget Request
The Finance Committee has developed a form to use to submit requests for 2006 funding. Anyone representing a St. Lukes committee, program, or simply a new idea for proposal to the Committee should pick up a form in the Wesley Room, or contact Clint Riley, Finance Committee Chair. Budget requests are due Sunday, October 16 to the church office. All requests will be reviewed by the Finance Committee during an open meeting after church on Sunday, October 30, and the church annual budget will be approved at the Annual Charge Conference on Thursday, November 17.
Children Worship!
This fall in Worship Arts, children will participate in a study about how we worship as a community of believers in Jesus Christ.
We believe that coming together to worship God is essential for growing Christians. In a community of worshipers, we can learn more about God and God’s plans, and we can support one another in living a way that reflects God’s love and care.
The study Children Worship! has been designed to help children strengthen their participation in congregational worship. As children understand what we do in worship, they can participate more fully. During the weeks of this study, we will examine the different parts of worship. We will learn about the sacraments of baptism and Communion. We will practice participating in the different parts of the worship service and we will learn music to share with the congregation.
Our Worship Arts format remains very similar to this past year with just one fun change. Children will continue to recess to Worship Arts after the closing hymn and will still join the rest of the congregation at coffee hour at 12:30 p.m. However, on Communion Sundays, the first Sunday of the month (October 2nd, November 6th, and December 4th) children will remain in the worship service to sing with the choir and provide leadership to the service. On these Sundays we ask that you bring your child to church at 9:45 a.m. to join the choir for breakfast , which Deke, Amy and Shalom will provide, and rehearsal for the service.
If you have questions or would like to help out with the study, please contact Shalom Mulkey at the church office, shalom@saintlukesmethodist.org.
--Shalom Mulkey
Music Notes-September 2005
Choir Starting Back After Labor Day: The adult choir of St. Luke’s will start back again on September 11th after a short summer respite. We rehearse on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am before the 11 o’clock service. Our core of volunteers will be joined by three professional singers this year from September through May. This will reinforce our base and allow us to present anthems in three and four parts on a more regular basis. If you are interested in singing with us this year, email me at deke@saintlukesmethodist.org
Hurricane Relief--How You Can Help
United Methodist Committee on Relief is coordinating an effort to purchase and send health kits and flood buckets to people in the areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. These collections of everyday items help families recover during the early days after a major disaster. The health kits contain items such as a toothbrush, wash cloth, and soap. The flood buckets contain items like gloves, household cleaners, and bleach to help people clean their homes to make them livable again.
You can help by giving:
Your generous gift to UMCOR Advance #982523, Hurricanes 2005 Global, will help those affected by Hurricane Katrina. You can give online at www.methodistrelief.org, at church on Sunday mornings, over the phone at 1-800-554-8583, or by mailing a check directly to: UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068. Checks should be written to UMCOR with the Advance number and name written on the memo line of your check. If you would prefer that your funds to go to recovery in a specific region, please note that on your donation.
and/or sending:
Flood Buckets filled with cleaning supplies that people use to clean their homes after floods and hurricanes. For assembly and shipping instructions, call UMCOR Sager Brown at 1-800-814-8765 or visit the UMCOR website at umcor.org. You may also give a financial donation to to UMCOR's Material Resource Ministry, Advance #901440 to purchase cleaning supplies that the Depot staff and volunteers will use to assemble flood buckets.
September Birthdays
3 Mark Wagner
4 Ann McAffee
10 Bob Craig
19 Betty Lawrence
23 Curt Canada
25 Cathy Early
27 Donnie Lyon
August Congregational Giving
Monthly Pledges
Budgeted $5000/month
Actual Pledges $3,641/month
Received in August $2,558.00
Non-pledge and Anonymous Giving
Budgeted $1,333/month
Received in August $1,423.02
Coffee Hour for September
Coffee Hour Host needed for the month of September. The sign-up sheet is posted in the Wesley Room, or you can just contact the church office if you’d like to host next month. If you’ve never hosted and want guidance, contact Nancy Smrynas at 202-965-0084
4th Deb Myers
11th Andrea Banyasz
18th Inne Barber
25th Wooley & Willis
Joys & Concerns
The joy of Derek and Leslye buying a new house.
The joy of Adam’s vacation with his dad in Colorado.
Don shared the joy of children growing up.
The joy of Adam’s grandmother being out of the hospital.
Shawn shared the joy of his friend Kim’s safe return from Niger.
For Sonia’s father, leaving for Sierra Leone.
Prayers for homeless people on the streets, especially during this heat.
The celebration of the marriage of Rev. Don Lowe’s brother.
For the joy of Shaun’s parents being with him
For the joy of Penny’s successful six month check up.
For Sonia’s cousin as she heals.
For Earl’s cousin Steven who was honorably discharged from the army last month.
For Shirley Henderson and her family, as they mourn the death of her husband Arthur.
The joy of Mike and Nick Wagner going to summer camp.
The joy of a new look to the sanctuary.
For the victims of the bombings in London and Egypt, especially their families.
For those in war and especially those in London after the recent terrorist attacks.
For Kaou Kassambara as he takes the TOEFL exam.
For the sister of Amy’s coworker who was in a car accident.
For the congregation Dave left in Andover, MA as they welcome their new pastor.
For Dorothy Preston’s sister who has been hospitalized and for Dorothy’s son’s father who has cancer
For Shawn’s uncle recovering from colon cancer surgery.
Sylvia shared the joy of having so many people in church.
Derrick shared the joy of seeing Matthew graduate from drill-sergeant training
The joy of Molly and Vince expecting their child in December
For Jen’s uncle, recovering from bypass surgery
For Penny, recovering from a stomach virus
For Nate and Shalom’s friend Dan whose hand was blown off in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, and for all those killed and injured in the war, and their families and friends
The joy of the birth of Matthew Wilshire’s nephew, Lucius Jackson Wilshire
For the people of Zimbabwe during this difficult time
For Don’s mother, in a time of transition
For those facing unemployment
For those who have died in war
For peace
For our military in Iraq and for the people of Iraq, and for our leaders that they may lead with wisdom
For the children and staff of Wings of Hope Orphanage, in Haiti.
For Prince of Peace Methodist Church in Holguin, Cuba
For the community of St. Luke’s Shelter.
For those living with HIV/AIDS
For our members who are unable to attend because of their health: Emma Cox, Jeanne Goss, Lucille Dade, Betty Lawrence, and Margaret Roberts
Put yourself on the map. We have a map on the wall in the Wesley Room so that we can see where everyone is from and also the places we all keep in our hearts. Please add your places during coffee hour today.
New Directories Now Available
Be sure to pick up a 2005 Church Directory. Please let the church office know of the need for any corrections or updates (202-333-4949 or office@saintlukesmethodist.org)
The St. Luke’s Directory includes friends as well as members, so if you’ve been attending and would like to be listed, please let us know.
Missed Church on Sunday?
You can still keep up with the latest prayer concerns and church events by checking the church web site, www.saintlukesmethodist.org. The Weekly Messenger appears there each week to help you stay in touch with your church family. And thanks to Derek Willis the site is always up to date and easy to navigate.