Message from the Pastor

Once more, we find ourselves circling around another fall season. For me, it has always been a season that encourages wide-eyed wonder and the possibility of change. Everything from the dust swirling in the fields to the cooler temperatures alerts my spirit (and my sinuses) that something new is on the horizon.

This past month I have encouraged us to reflect more deeply on our prayer life, prompting us each week to consider prayers of supplication, confession, sabbath, surrender, and praise. Last Sunday I asked you to consider the prayer prompt- "Lord, may your name be hallowed in_____." Is there a place you are praying for God's name to be made known and presence to be felt? Might there be a space in your life that is already serving as hallowed ground? Maybe it is even somewhere you didn't expect. This time last year, I had no idea that we would be blessing an art studio and welcoming children of all ages into the Art with Allyson program, hosting a toddler play group, or planning for the installation of a large mural on the largest exterior wall across from Parks. As I walk through our space, my prayer has been, "O Lord, may your name be hallowed in every model of clay, in every color of paint, and reflected in the broad imagination of every child. May your name be hallowed in the creation of the mural, in the hope it will reflect, and the hands that create it. May your name be hallowed in the shrieks of delight and the wide-eyed wonder of toddlers. O Lord every space is yours. Take it. Mold it. Use it to make more room for your goodness, love, and mercy to be made known." Sometimes a space we simply passed over is now a space that makes us stop and say, "hallowed be Thy name." More often than not, the letting go of one thing allows us the space for the new thing God is doing. Is there a space you might have overlooked that is now considered hallowed ground? In the shifting of this season, are you finding yourself between an ending and a beginning? If so, please allow me to share with you this prayer by Rev. Sarah Are.

Holy God, we turn to you in each season of our lives.

For the seasons in our past that brought us joy, the seasons we deeply miss with longing in our hearts, God, we offer our gratitude. May our memories be sources of comfort rather than pain.

For the seasons in our past that are tender and painful, we ask your healing, O God. Liberate our hearts, minds, and spirits from trauma, and let us bury what must be buried.

For new beginnings that fill us with excitement, we give you praise. May we step into these new seasons with grace.

For changing seasons that bring anxiety for what the future may hold, we ask for your peace. Fill us with hope, and help us navigate the way forward.

God, we come before you now with full hearts, offering you every part of ourselves: our grief, our pain, our joy, our anxiety, our gratitude. God, we bring it all.

As we bring these prayers before you, we ask that you receive them, hold them, and answer them in your wisdom.

Gratefully we pray, amen.

Holding onto hope with you,
Rev. Hannah

In the spirit of Sabbath rest, I will be out of the office from Thursday, September 11th- Sunday, September 21st traveling with Jim. I will occasionally check voicemail but please keep in mind I may have limited cell reception during the day. In the meantime, Rev. Chris Young will be on call for any pastoral emergencies that may arise. Josh Sheets will be leading worship with you on September 14th and 21st with a two-part series on the word holy in the Old and New Testament. I know you will be blessed on this deep dive into the holiness of God and our own pursuit of holiness. I look forward to sharing in worship and Holy Communion with you this Sunday, September 7th and returning to be with you on September 28th.

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Hannah

Lectionary Readings for September

Sunday, September 7 — Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 18:1-11
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Philemon 1-21
Luke 14:25-33
Sunday, September 14 — Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Psalm 14
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10
Sunday, September 21 — Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 8:18—9:1
Psalm 79:1-9 or Psalm 4
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13
Sunday, September 28 — Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Luke 16:19-31

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

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG

St. Luke youth are joining with the youth of First United Methodist Church this month. They already had a fun time in August at the home of Angela Jeffcoat playing on a slip-n-slide and enjoying a game of kickball. On September 7 both groups will participate in a Hygiene Packing Event at First UMC; September 14 they will gather at St Luke for an evening of fun games and food; September 21 our youth will enjoy an evening of bowling; and then both groups will be back together at First UMC on September 28. If you can help provide a dessert or make a monetary donation toward food for the gathering at St Luke on the 14th, please let Josh Sheets know.

United Women in Faith Grace Circle will meet on Tuesday, September 2, at 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. All women are invited to attend!

UW Faith Lunch Bunch will meet on Thursday, September 25, at noon at A La Carte for a “Dutch Treat” lunch. All women available during the noon hour are invited to join us!

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

Calvary Episcopal is inviting everyone to their Blue Grass Mass service on Sunday, October 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Dockery Farms. A potluck will follow so invite a friend and be sure to bring a chair or blanket to sit on. (Due to parking/mobility issues at Dockery Farms for some of our congregants, St Luke has decided not to partner this time with Calvary in the Blue Grass Mass service but will instead celebrate World Communion service that morning at St Luke.)

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

United Methodist Senior Services will be celebrated during the month of September with a special offering. UMSS has campuses across Mississippi and created a benevolence fund to help meet the financial burdens of elders living in their facilities who have outlived their resources and can no longer afford the cost of housing or care. Your gift helps preserve the dignity of those elders who must ask for help. 100% of the money donated to this fund is used to support these elders. Please make checks payable to St Luke, earmarked “Senior Services”.

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.

More Opportunities to Help

Parks Elementary Partnership

1) PBIS Closet- Parks keeps a closet filled with goodies for students who do well with their positive behavior system. This includes items such as fidget toys, slime, and other small prizes. When the children meet their goals, they are able to shop this closet as a treat and means of positive reinforcement. You may contribute to this cause or purchase items and bring them to the church office.

2) Feminine Hygiene supplies- Parks has an area in the office dedicated to storing feminine hygiene supplies for girls who need them. Specifically, they try to keep a current stock of pads (no tampons please) and girls underwear in all sizes. You may bring these items to the church office as well.

3) Reading with students- Do you like to help students with their reading? If you had 1-2 hours a week to give during school hours, the students at Parks could use your help. Reading with students is a proven way to help raise their AR scores while also providing quality time with these children. If you are interested in this, please let Rev. Hannah know.

Kairos Outside Central MS

Kairos Outside is a ministry designed for the wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, and any other female relative or partner of men and women who are incarcerated. So often, they are “doing time” right along with their incarcerated loved one.

Kairos Outside is set up as a Weekend Retreat to help strengthen the family unit and encourage small support groups. Two weekends each year provide a secure place for up to 24 women to share their struggles. We invite them into a Christian Community that cares about them and their needs.

Kairos means God’s Special Time and, in the lives of these women, we know it will truly be a Special Time. We ask for your support and participation, for our weekend of October 10-12, 2025.

Below are a few ways that you can show your support for the upcoming weekend. Contact Debra Cole for more information or to offer your help.

1. Volunteering to work in the background as support staff or serve on the kitchen and prayer team (men are welcome to volunteer).

2. Providing bags of chocolate candy or hard candies;
individually wrapped snacks (chips, crackers, nuts, raisins, cookies, cakes, etc.); canned sodas or bottled water (any variety/brand).

3. Providing financial assistance to cover the cost of the program.
Sponsor a guest (whole weekend) for $100 or donations of any amount will be appreciated

Deadline to sign up, drop off donated items, or monetary donations is October 6. Please make checks payable to St Luke with “Kairos” on the memo line, place it in the offering plate or bring to the church office.

Toddler Play Group

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”.

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

Mural Project

Our Mural Design Committee has chosen an artist and design and is in the process of having the design approved by the City of Cleveland. Hopefully it will be approved soon so we can move on to the next phase of the project and begin painting. 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.