Message from the Pastor

Dear ones,

I so enjoyed sharing in worship with you during holy week. When you think about it, holy week takes us through a wide range of emotions. We move from praise to service to humility to betrayal to denial to accusation to death to fear to skepticism to amazement. I wonder, is it any different in our day-to-day lives right now? During holy humor Sunday, I especially loved seeing everyone share in passing the yellow emoji beach balls back and forth during the children's moment. When I went to order the beach balls, I discovered they didn't sell them in packs of only smiley faces. Thus, there we were in the sanctuary laughing and passing beach balls full of cool sunshade faces, smiley faces, cry laughing faces, winking faces, kissy faces, and even sad and nervous faces.

When thinking about all those various bright emotions swirling through the air, it seems a more honest representation of how it has felt with my soul lately. One minute I am celebrating a birthday, the next I am officiating a funeral. One minute I am laughing out loud at something one of my kids has said, and the next I am lamenting another piece of news. I confess I have always felt things deeply, long before I ever understood why or knew what being an empath even meant.

How has your soul been navigating this month? Are you a mixture of emojis? Has there been something that has triggered you? Have there been things that have been life-giving and renewing for you? If so, you are not alone.

In author Shauna Niequist's recent blog, she says she has been feeling everything lately and wonders how we make it through. She says, " What if we make space for it all inside ourselves, that chaotic soup of joy and outrage and love and fear and hope and springtime and grief? What if we welcome it tenderly, stop just for a second, bend close to listen to it, instead of dragging it around like a backpack—distraction, pushing, aching, go go go.

What I wish I could do, in a magical world, is give us all a place to slow down, to unravel, to lay down what we’ve been carrying. I wish there was a clearing in the woods big enough for all of us, a soft place to land, the smell of the earth, the hum of the wind in the branches over our heads.

I wish we could sit across from one another, and I’d lean forward and hold out my hand for yours—tell me more, tell me more, tell me more. I wish we could walk shoulder to shoulder in silence for a while, feeling bolstered by one another’s presence."

She then goes on to say that in this clearing she would lean forward and say to each of us that it's okay, as in it's okay for you to feel what you are feeling in this season. It's okay to give yourself permission to do what you need to do to guard your soul and care for yourself well. "It's okay. It's okay. It's okay," Shauna says.

But there is so much that isn't okay right now. I realize that. Several years ago, I remember Rev. Susan Eaton gave us a copy of a book she had written titled It's All Gonna Be Okay. Should our new slogan be "it's gonna be okay" instead of "it's gonna be May?" Sometimes, that seems like an impossible truth or something we tell ourselves to get by.

In the 14th century, there was an English mystic named Julian of Norwich. She received a vision from God that "all will be well." She had many visions or “showings” as they were called, but this is the one she is most well-known for. At first, this was more confusing than comforting. She wondered, "Ah, good Lord, how could all things be well, because of the great harm which has come through sin to your creatures?” In other words, how is this possible when there is so much that is not well? For 15 years, she sought the meaning of this phrase, wondering what it really meant and how this can be. Let me say this again. She wrestled and sat with this one phrase for 15 years. Years later, she explained it this way: "Know it well, love was his meaning. Who reveals it to you? Love. What did he reveal to you? Love. Why does he reveal it to you? For love. Remain in this, and you will know more of the same. But you will never know different, without end. So I was taught that love is our Lord’s meaning."

Maybe it isn’t all okay for you right now. Or maybe just okay is the best you can manage. Maybe things are wonderful and awful at the same time. As Kate Bowler says, “Life is so beautiful. Life is so hard.” Either way, I am here to listen, to hold out my hand and ask you to “tell me more.”

Because at the end of the day, we need each other to find a softer way through it all.

Because at the end of the day, even if things are not okay, we can remind each other that one day they will be well.

Because at the end of the day, the love of God is still our anchor and our hope.

Holding hope with you,
Rev. Hannah

Lectionary Readings for May

Sunday, May 4 — Third Sunday of Easter
Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)
Psalm 30
Revelation 4:11-14
John 12:1-19
Sunday, May 11 — Mother’s Day
Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30
Sunday, May 18 — Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 11:1-18
Psalm 148
Revelation 21:1-6
John 13:31-55
Sunday, May 25 — Sixth Sunday of Easter
Acts 16:9-15
Psalm 67
Revelation 21:10, 22 - 22:5
John 14:23-29

The Mission of St. Luke UMC is to be a Place to Belong, Believe, & Become Disciples of Christ

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG

Isabella Givens is our only St. Luke high school graduate this year and she will be honored at a Graduate Recognition & Potluck on May 4. If you wish to give Isabella a graduation gift or card, there will be a gift table set up in the Fellowship Hall for her.

UWFaith Lunch Bunch will meet on Wednesday, May 28, at noon in the fellowship hall. Bring your lunch and drink, dessert will be provided. All women available during the noon hour are invited to join us!

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

Please join us for Sunday School on the last few Sundays remaining before we take our summer break. We have children’s/youth classes for pre-K through high school and there’s always something fun going on, from Bible stories to arts-and-crafts projects to songs and games. Our two adult classes follow the lectionary passages for each Sunday and lively discussions are the norm. Sunday School is a fundamental way to learn more about God’s world and our place in it, and YOUR place is in Sunday School. The Coleman Class will continue to meet through the summer, but the last Sunday School classes for children, youth, and the Young Adult class will be May 18. Sunday School will resume after school starts in the fall - date to be determined.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

UWFaith NO-BAKE SALE has been going on through the month of April, but it is not too late to give if you can. If you have buried that self-addressed, stamped return envelope on your desk, please dig it out and consider making a donation of any amount to support the mission work of United Women in Faith on behalf of women, children and youth. The earnings from this bake sale support work in Cleveland and Mississippi such as United Methodist Community Centers and DSU Wesley Foundation.

We will have a special offering during the month of May for Peace with Justice. Donations enables the United Methodist Church to have a voice in advocating for peace and justice through a broad spectrum of global programs. The special offering benefits peace with justice ministries in the annual conference and through the General Board of Church and Society. We achieve peace with justice efforts by working with the World Council of Churches, interfaith and ecumenical bodies, and secular organizations for social-justice policies and programs that seek the wholeness of shalom for all of God’s people. Your gift, joined with the gifts of others makes a significant impact in the lives of individuals and communities.

In the summer months, the DSU Wesley does not have their weekly worship service. Instead, they will be meeting students downtown at the Delta Dairy for a time of fun and fellowship. They are looking for sponsors for these meetings. The cost to sponsor one week is $100, and they are looking for 15 sponsors for the summer. If you’d like to help with one week, please let them know or donate by using one of these methods… donate by cash/check at 904 S. Court St, Cleveland; Venmo: @DSU-Wesley; or Cash App: $DSUWesley2.

Worship Greeters are needed for May, June, and July. A Greeter is a very important part of welcoming people to our worship service and helps by passing out bulletins, helping people in and out of cars (when needed), directing visitors to pews or various areas of the church, and helps in other capacities of the service. If you feel called to volunteer and want to sign up, please contact Al Williams or the church office. A sign-up sheet will also be available in the narthex.

Don’t forget that on the second Sunday of every month we collect bags of apples, jars of peanut butter, and also canned goods for the Helping Hands Ministry. That day is also our Dollar Sunday, when you are invited to drop a dollar or two into the basket in the narthex to help support our Compassion Fund, which the pastor uses at their discretion to help those in need.

The 2025 Flower Calendar is available on the bulletin board in the hallway across from the choir room. If you would like to help provide an altar arrangement sometime during the year, please look over the calendar, choose a date or two, and sign up. Your arrangement doesn’t have to be fresh flowers, it could be a lovely silk arrangements, or even a nice plant. If you sign up for two consecutive Sundays, we have a “flower fridge” where we can store your floral arrangement during the week and re-use them the second Sunday. If ordering fresh flowers from a flower shop, please specify you would like them to last for two Sundays. Please contact Sandi Melton (Flower Steward) or the church office to sign up or for more info.

Vacation Bible School

Sign Up Genius – Created for volunteers to sign up to help
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Amazon Wish List – Created for people to donate decorations
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Student Art Show Invitation

Snacks for The Well

Employment Opportunities

The Staff-Parish Relations Committee is searching for an employee to fill our Music Director position and would welcome help from the congregation in spreading the word.

As you know, Beverly Jacks has served as interim Director for the past year or so. She does a lovely job and has been happy to serve our church with her gifts, but she would like a break if a suitable person can be found to lead the choir. Previous experience in a church setting is preferred but not required. Salary will be negotiable.

Please share this information with any suitable candidates you know who might be interested in working at St. Luke. Any further questions may be directed to Rev. Hannah or to Lisa in the church office.