Welcome to St. Luke's! We invite visitors and guests to come and explore this community at worship, at work caring for God's world, and in fellowship together as we seek to create a community of faith in the city. 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. Please join the congregation for refreshments after worship in the Wesley Room.
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. Older children worship with the rest of the congregation, leaving during our final hymn for thirty minutes of worship arts with Amy Catania and Deke Polifka, then rejoining their families during coffee hour.
Come Early to Worship - A Hymn Sing Every Sunday!!
Every Sunday we begin our service with 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.
The Second Sunday Concert Series continues TODAY with: Molly Orlando, Pianist on Oct. 9th at 2pm in the sanctuary. Please come and hear this wonderful recital featuring the music of Beethoven, Liszt and Scriabin.
Our Turn with Shelter Dinner October 16th
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 Shalom Mulkey @ the church office. shalom@saintliukesmethodist.org
United Methodist Committee on Relief: Hurricane Relief
The United Methodists Committee on Relief (UMCOR) had received $3.6 million in cash contributions for Hurricane Katrina relief and rehabilitation, as of noon on September 19. This figure included donations made by Internet, telephone, and mail. It did not include monies collected by individual churches and conferences. As of September 25, St. Luke's had raised $325.43. Money is still needed for the ongoing recovery efforts of both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
UMCOR is at work throughout the Gulf Coast region from Texas to Alabama assisting in hurricane recovery from two major storms. Hurricanes Rita and Katrina caused extensive damage in several states. UMCOR is there, responding to the needs of the thousands of people affected by this disaster. UMCOR will continue to provide assistance to the people left most vulnerable by this storm for years to come.
You can donate online by going to www.methodistrelief.org or to give by check: Checks should be made out to: UMCOR. Please list in the memo area of your check "UMCOR Advance #982523, Hurricanes 2005 - Katrina" or "UMCOR Advance #901323 Hurricane Rita". If you would like your gift to go to a specific state, please note that as well. Your tax-deductible gift may be placed in the church offering plate or mailed directly to: UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Credit card donations are also being taken by phone at 1-800-554-8583. As always, 100% of your donation will be used for hurricane recovery.
About St. Luke's Choir. 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 Director of Music Ministry Deke Polifka, 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 program of St. Luke's Shelter and St. Luke's Church, providing job training in restaurant skills for homeless men and women. The program is located downstairs in the St. Luke's kitchen. For more information, go to www.saintlukesmethodist.org.
Congregational Giving
Monthly Pledges
Budgeted $5000/month
Actual Pledges $3,641/month
Received in September 1,730.00
Non-pledge and Anonymous Giving
Budgeted $1,333/month
Received in September $1,774.98
Joys and Concerns…
For the joy of Deke celebrating another year of life.
For all those affected by hurricane Katrina and Rita.
For Dorothy Preston's sister who is returning to the hospital, and for her son, whose father passed.
For Nedi and his family.
For Sonia's newborn nephew who lives in Switzerland.
For Derrick Wagner's older brother, Chris, who is in the ICU with pancreatitis.
For Carol Kling who is recovering from hand surgery.
For Dorothy's sister Eliza's apartment staying dry despite the flooding in Louisiana.
For the joy of Jen's friend Kristy Fort being engaged.
For the joy of having the choir back after their summer break.
For Shawn's friend, Kim, who was struck by a car while bicycling. She sustained a broken arm.
For the celebration of the life of Clint Riley's grandfather, who passed away on September 10th. He is survived by his wife.
For all the people affected and displaced by Hurricane Katrina, especially the families of Dorothy Pearson and Rayna Luke.
For Amy and Deke's grandmother's amazing recovery and healing from surgery and chemotherapy.
For the life of William Rehnquist and his family upon his death.
For the joy of Andrea Banyasz' aunt's remission from cancer.
For the joy of Derek and Leslye buying a new house.
For the joy of Adam's grandmother being out of the hospital.
For the joy of Shawn's friend, Kim's, safe return from Niger.
Prayers for homeless people on the streets, especially during this heat.
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.
For the joy of a new look to the sanctuary.
For the victims of the bombings in London and Egypt, especially their families.
For the sister of Amy's coworker who was in a car accident.
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.
The joy of Molly and Vince expecting their child in December
For Jen's uncle, recovering from bypass surgery
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.
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."