Message from the Pastor

It is August, and school is back in session. While I am trying my best to slowly shift back into the early morning routine, my girls seem much more eager. On Adalyn's first day, I went in to wake her up and she sat upright in her bed, looked at me with bright eyes and said, "let's get this party started." Today she woke up and exclaimed "yay, yay, yay, yay!" We will see how long this excitement lasts, but I admit it has been contagious. When we went to her school to meet her teacher last week, her whole face lit up at how everything had been prepared for her. A cubby with her name on it. A folder with her name on it. A balloon arch and giant photo booth that looked like a massive note pad. A million moments of preparation unfolded into one giant welcome.

While we have been enjoying the last few days of summer, teachers have been preparing to welcome students into a space crafted especially for them. At St. Luke this year, we are doing the same. This Sunday we will start back with Sunday school. Over the next couple of weeks, we will welcome children through Art with Allyson with Allyson Hardy and the Toddler Play group with Kelsey Smith. I am thrilled that we are using our space in creative ways to welcome children inside to learn, explore, play, and create together. If you would like to support either of these programs, please reach out to me. After worship on Sunday, August 17th, Allyson will have her space open to come and see and we can have a blessing of the space prior to her classes beginning.

I am also excited for St. Luke to continue our partnership with Parks Elementary this fall. Here are a few ways we are planning to support these students as well as ways you can help. We will expose the students at Parks to the arts through collaboration on the church mural (more details to come) and an Art with Allyson workshop. We will continue to celebrate reading achievement milestones with students by sponsoring their quarterly AR parties. We will also continue to help provide emergency supply needs through collecting boys and girls underwear. This remains an ongoing need throughout the school year. Lastly, they love it when they have guests come and read to their classes. If you would be available to read to a class one Friday a month, please let me know. I hope you will join me in seeing these not merely as opportunities to get involved, but as chances to extend welcome. Together, we can be part of the million moments of preparation that embraces someone in the welcome of God.

As Adalyn says, "let's get this party started."

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Hannah

Lectionary Readings for August

Sunday, August 3 — Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Hosea 11:1-11
Psalm 107:1-9, 43
Colossians 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21
Sunday, August 10 — Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Luke 12:32-40
Sunday, August 17 — Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19
Hebrews 11:29 — 12:2
Luke 12:49-56
Sunday, August 24 — Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
Hebrews 12:18-29
Luke 13:10-17
Sunday, August 31 — Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Psalm 81:1, 10-16
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke 14:1, 7-14

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

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG

United Women in Faith Grace Circle will meet on Tuesday, August 5, at 10:00 a.m. in the St Luke Library. All women are invited to attend!

UW Faith Lunch Bunch will meet on Wednesday, August 27, 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

A few of our Sunday School classes have taken a summer hiatus, but it’s time to get back in the SS routine! The Young(er) Adult, Youth, and PreK-lower elementary classes will start back on Sunday, August 10. (The Coleman class has been meeting.) If your class is resuming, please make a promise to yourself to return to your classes as we begin a new year. Sunday School is a place to learn, to grow, and to enjoy fellowship—and it’s fun! Welcome back!

Pastor Hannah will have a special Blessing of the Backpacks during the worship service on Sunday, August 10. Kids, youth, college students, and/or teachers are welcome to bring their backpacks or briefcases to be blessed.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

If you’d like to help the communities devastated by the Texas floods, one of the most impactful ways you can help is through your generosity. The Rio Texas Conference has established a Guadalupe Flood Relief Special Offering, and 100% of gifts will go to support the affected areas. There are different ways you can make a monetary donation. You may place your donation made payable to St. Luke (earmarked: Guadalupe River Flood) in the offering plate, give online through the Texas Annual Conference, or mail your contribution (earmarked: Advance #2050 — Guadalupe River Flood) directly to the conference office at: Rio Texas Conference, 16400 Huebner Rd., San Antonio, TX 78248. Your generosity supports immediate needs in the affected areas.

Thank you to all who helped with the Christmas in July mission! Your generous support helped provide school supplies to foster children from our community who are in various school districts across Bolivar, Sunflower, and Washington Counties. Plus, we were able to make a monetary donation to the Methodist Children’s Home to go toward their purchase of school supplies. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of these kids by helping them start their school year in a positive way!

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. A blue bin designated for Helping Hands is available in the narthex where you can place your food items. The second Sunday is also our Dollar Sunday, when you are invited to drop a dollar or two into the small basket in the narthex to help support our Compassion Fund. This fund is used by the pastor at their discretion to help those in need.

The 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.

Events for August 10

Toddler Play Group

Jackie Pennington

Art with Allyson

If you’d like to help by donating items to Allyson Hardy’s afterschool art classes, please see the flyer below on what’s needed. You can also contact Allyson at the number listed on the flyer for questions or for more info. When purchasing from the Wishlist, please add your name and contact (cell number) in the “notes section” so Allyson can be sure to include you in the raffle.

Click this link to access the Amazon wishlist: Art with Allyson Amazon wishlist

Allyson is also having an Amazon Wishlist Raffle. For every $20 purchased from her Amazon Wishlist you will be entered into a raffle to win a CUSTOM ART WORKSHOP for a group of 8. The raffle will take place on August 8th at noon live on Art with Allyson Instagram.

There is also an auction for original art to support setting up the Art with Allyson classroom. The auction is for original art by Church Going Mule and by Allyson Hardy. Bidding ends August 8 at 5 pm. Click on this link if you’re interested in bidding. http://aaaslm.betterworld.org/auctions/bid-original-art-support-art-all?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fsm

Mural Project

Our Mural Design Committee is in the process of reaching out and receiving designs from local artists. Hopefully they will soon be able to move on to the next step of the project. If you’d like to help with a monetary donation for our Mural Project, checks and/or cash (earmarked “Mural Project”) can be placed in the offering plate, dropped off at the church office, or mailed to St. Luke UMC, 1227 Deering St, Cleveland MS 38732. You can also scan the QR code to make an electronic donation (click on the donation button under Other Designated Gifts, fill in your info, and be sure to note “Mural Project”).

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.

The St. Luke Scene

n/a

Events in August

August 5, Tuesday
— UWFaith Grace Circle, 10:00 am (Church Library)

August 10, Sunday
— Second Sunday Mission for Helping Hands
— Blessing of the Backpacks
— Finance Meeting, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
— Back-to-School Event, Slip-n-Slide at 3:30 pm w/Cookout at 5

August 14, Thursday
— Toddler Play Group, 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Preschool Room)

August 18, Monday
— Art with Allyson After School Classes Begin

August 21, Thursday
— Toddler Play Group, 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Preschool Room)

August 27, Wednesday
— UWFaith Lunch Bunch, 12:00 p.m. (Fellowship Hall)

August 28, Thursday
— Toddler Play Group, 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Preschool Room)

August 30, Saturday
— Fellowship Hall Reserved for Jackie’s Birthday Party

August 31, Sunday
— Worship Team Meeting, 11:35 am (Church Library)

Memorials and Honorariums

By:
Al & Melanie Williams

Al & Melanie Williams

Al & Melanie Williams

By:

Memorials for:
Ryder Houser

Josh Willoughby

Gloria Bell

Honorarium for:
n/a

Attendance and Offering Report

Contact Us

Newsletter Blog

August 2025

August 6, 2025St. Luke United Methodist Church

Message from the Pastor

Lectionary Readings for August