Welcome, visitors! There is a visitor card in the pew rack; if you’d like a call this week, please fill out the card and give it to the pastor or place it in the collection plate.
Welcome, children! Our nursery is located upstairs. Just follow the signs. Mrs. Fatu Colley is in charge of the nursery. The nursery is available from 10:45 until 12:15. Parents can take their infants, toddlers, and younger preschoolers to the nursery at any time during the service.
Children ages 4 and up go to Sunday School after the children’s story, and meet their parents or adult relatives after Sunday School in the Wesley Room for refreshments. Their Sunday School teachers are Miss Heather and Miss Cherise.
Christmas Pot-Luck Feast for Cuba trip today. After church we’ll gather in the Fellowship Hall for a Christmas pot-luck feast to benefit the Volunteers in Mission trip to Cuba. All are invited. Suggested donation for the Volunteers in Mission trip will be $5.
Christmas at St. Luke’s Shelter. On Christmas the Shelter remains open all day. The residents, who must leave by 7 am every other day of the year, can sleep in and enjoy a late breakfast and relaxing day. Christmas dinner every year is prepared by June Kress and Dennis Soiberman.
We have asked each resident to name something ($30 and under) he would like for Christmas. The list is posted on the bulletin board in the Wesley Room. Two or three people could go together to make one of these purchases. Please wrap and tag your gift and bring it to the church office by December 21st.
Caroling this afternoon. Join the choir at 4:00 pm today for caroling around the neighborhood, ending with a party. For more information contact Deke.
Shelter Dinner Opportunity tonight. A group of church members and friends provides dinner for the Shelter residents on the third Sunday of every month. If you’d like to be a part of this enjoyable and rewarding experience, contact Nikki Parker and Cory Scott at scottc@urbanretail.com.
Sign up to deliver a poinsettia. We have several members who are unable to attend church because of poor health who would love to receive a poinsettia from St. Luke’s this Christmas. Most live near by. If you can deliver to one or two people, please sign up in the Wesley Room or email shalom@saintlukesmethodist.org.
Last minute opportunity to be an elf …
If anyone is looking for volunteer opportunities this coming week, The Salvation Army's Angel Tree program will be distributing toys to families on December 22 and 23, and the morning of the 24th.
Client families arrive to pick up their gifts throughout the day and we always need volunteers to escort families in, runners to get the bags, or just generally help speed the process along. Lunch is provided for the volunteers each day.
This year, The Salvation Army Toyland warehouse is in the old GC Murphy building at 3314 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. We serve families from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM each day. Volunteers can come and go as their schedules allow. All are welcome! For more information, contact Leslye Wooley at (202) 497-3981, or talk to her today at church.
St. Luke’s Christmas Eve service will begin at 5:00 pm in the sanctuary.
St. Luke’s web site is always current! Check it out at www.saintlukesmethodist.org. Thanks to Derek Willis for making this happen.
New church directories are available. Pick one up in the Wesley Room after church.
Put yourself on the map. We now 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.
The Tuesday evening study group is sharing various readings that have meaning for our individual journeys. The readings are available on Sunday before Tuesday (in the Wesley Room) or by fax. If you don’t pick up the reading today, contact the church office to get it by fax. We meet 7:30-8:30 in Anne’s office (rear office entrance).
Visions of India’s Villages: Paintings by Supti Sen
The exhibit in the Narthex Gallery features the work of one of our own parishioners, Supti Sen. Supti was born in Calcutta, India. After completing a master’s in science, she taught herself how to paint. Supti has traveled to many places in India, including the villages of the Himalayan region, where she found the inspiration for the landscapes that will be on display. To Supti, these scenes depict the true nature of India’s villages. Supti also is accomplished in embroidery, and one of her embroidered pieces is on display.
About St. Luke’s Choir. The St. Luke’s choir rehearses every Sunday morning at 9:30 am. The St. Luke’s choir seeks to strengthen our worship by encouraging congregational singing, by honoring the varieties of the congregation’s faith heritages and traditions, and by embracing new ways of discovering God’s presence in our lives, through worship that is vibrant and alive. You don’t have to be able to read music to be a part of St. Luke’s choir. We keep it simple. For more information, contact deke@saintlukesmethodist.org.
New! Children’s Choir. The children now have a brief rehearsal every Sunday after church, and they will sing regularly during worship.For more information contact deke@saintlukesmethodist.org.
St. Luke’s Shelter is a ministry of St. Luke’s church. The Shelter, which is located in the church, provides a small group of homeless men with a secure residence for up to six months. The Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place refers residents to the Shelter. The Shelter operates every night of the year. The dinner meal is provided 365 nights of the year by neighbors, members of nearby churches and synagogues, and several Wisconsin Avenue restaurants and grocers.
St. Luke’s Shelter Next Step Kitchen is a new program of St. Luke’s Shelter and St. Luke’s Church. Next Step Kitchen will provide job training in restaurant skills for 6-8 homeless men and women in a 12 week course, with the course to be offered 4 times yearly. The program will be located downstairs in the St. Luke’s kitchen. For more information, please consult the St. Luke’s Kitchen Notebook on the information table in the Wesley Room, or Susan Keenan, Executive Director, susan@nextstepkitchen.org.
Combined Federal Campaign. St. Luke’s Shelter/Next Step Kitchen is now a part of the Combined Federal Campaign. The CFC # is 7940.
Yoga classes. A practice of breath and posture that helps integrate body and soul. Beth Sworobuk leads yoga Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the sanctuary balcony, 9:30-11:00 am. Classes are half-price for church members and friends. Contact bethsworobuk@aol.com for more information.
Wednesday evening prayer. A time for sharing, reflection and prayer. In the Chapel, 7:30-7:45 pm.
Joys and Concerns…
For the family of Commander William Ramsey, a member of St. Luke’s who died last week at age 92
For the family and friends of John Maher, a former resident of St. Luke’s Shelter who died of hypothermia last week
The joy of having Greg Forrester worship with us and for the opportunity to hear him talk about the Volunteers in Mission ministry
For Kate Ransom-Silliman and her family, on the death of Kate’s father David Ransom
Continuing prayers for Brittany Paige, five years old and recovering from brain surgery
The joy that Inne Kim’s mother will be visiting in late December
For all who are traveling during the holidays
For peace and for members of the military, for contract employees, and for the people of Iraq
Thanks for answered prayers
Continued prayer for Carmen Rottenberg’s grandfather, and that Carmen may be able to see him before he dies
Gratitude for a wonderful bowling outing
For Nathan and his family
For Keith’s friend Nancy
Molly McCracken shared her gratitude for prayers for her brother, who is now doing well
For Kim and Robbie, whose baby is due in January
For Beth and DJ, whose baby is due in early March
For Carrie and Bob, whose baby is due in May
For our Volunteers in Mission team as it prepares for the trip to Cuba in August 2004
For the community of St. Luke’s Shelter.
For Wings of Hope Orphanage in Haiti
For those living with HIV/AIDS
For our members who are unable to attend because of their health: Margaret Roberts, Jeanne Goss, Vernon Thomas, Lucille Dade, and Dorothy Bowers.
Sermon copies for the hard of hearing can be picked up every Sunday in the narthex. Each week’s sermon is also available on the web.
Our Mission Statement
St. Luke’s United Methodist Church seeks to serve the community’s spiritual and physical needs. We are a small congregation dedicated to creating an atmosphere of inclusiveness in which all feel welcome to worship. At. St. Luke’s, we try to follow the example of Christ’s ministry and teaching by sharing our building, our time and our prayers in many community partnerships. We embrace new ways of giving thanks and work to teach the joy of God’s grace to all whom we can reach.
We follow in the Wesleyan tradition in our belief that “scriptural holiness entails more than personal piety; love of God is always linked with love of neighbor, a passion for justice and renewal in the life of the world.”