Message from the Pastor

Yesterday, we gathered as a community of faith to offer thanksgiving for the lives of the saints around us and among us. We celebrated their stories, lit candles, and spoke their names. Together, we stand upon their stories even as we live out our own. I asked you to consider how their stories of faithfulness might intersect with and encourage your own? Throughout this month, we will consider some of these stories and what it means to live a life rich in relationships, service, and faithfulness in a new series called The Portrait of a Wealthy Life: Stewardship Among the Saints. I look forward to you joining us as we lean in and ask God to show us how we can grow together in stewardship as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

As we consider ways to give more, I am ever mindful of the roughly 42 million Americans that may be faced with hunger and difficult decisions as SNAP benefits are not received or at minimum only partially released. In the midst of this heartbreaking news, it has been encouraging to watch communities respond with empathy and compassion. I have seen some churches create grocery buddy systems for those who need help purchasing and picking up items. A friend of mine is over Honey in the Rock Ministry and is now offering free weekly community meals. I saw this morning that Mayor Simmons of Greenville has proposed a temporary pause on water shutoffs to support residents during this time, stating that no one should ever have to choose between food and water. Others have begun collecting food items, are donating money for Thanksgiving chickens and turkeys, and have set up free Blessing boxes with food and other items.

How might you be called to respond during this time? I am meeting with Larry Young (director of Helping Hands) to inquire how we can come alongside them to do more. In the meantime, during the month of November, we will have a basket placed outside the sanctuary for a special offering for Helping Hands. I hope that you will consider giving a little extra to them this month as they are faced with a greater community need. When we as a church help respond to hunger, we are saying “I love you.” I recently shared a poem by Rev. Sarah Are Speed on my Facebook page entitled Empty Chairs in which she shares that the church has a long history of saying I love you with food. She says, "In the church, we say I love you with food, because we know that it's impossible to hear words of love when your stomach is growling."

Rev. Karyn Richards-Kuan of FUMC in Portland recently shared a story about how she used to love volunteering at Northwest Harvest food distribution center in Seattle. She found such meaning in serving others, in stocking the shelves, and in helping others find food that best fit their needs. It all went well until her Grandma Luz showed up. Rev. Karyn says, "The vision of Grandma Luz standing in the doorway of Northwest Harvest put me into a panic. I was not surprised that my family would show up at a food bank, but I was also not prepared to see her there. In that moment, my casual and even cavalier disposition as a seasoned food bank volunteer was challenged by the closeness of my kin on the other side of the metal tables." Karyn had felt that there was a degree of separation between the provider and the recipient, between her position as a volunteer and the ones standing in line for food. Seeing her Grandmother Luz, that distance suddenly felt closer than she had imagined. The point of giving and serving others isn't to maintain any kind of divide, but to serve as bridges. Rev. Karyn says that "When we venture out in service to others, we put ourselves at the risk of deepening our own humanity as we encounter the depth of others." Serving others in the spirit of God's love takes our snap judgments and misconceptions and replaces any superiority with what Father Greg Boyl calls mutuality.

This November, may we respond to the call to care for one another as Christ has cared for us. May we reach out and serve in holy love, filled with what Kaitlin Curtice calls "the light of empathy" (see her poem below). May the best of all the saints continue to live in and through each of us, and may we continue to lead lives that are rich in relationships, service, and faith.

I do not wish to burn out
my precious light of empathy,
but to hold it gently, just like I wish
to hold the hearts of my neighbors,
of kids dying across the world
and loved ones crying out
for every loved one they've lost.

I wish for an empathy that endures
through the seven generations,
that keeps us connected at our
heart centers because we should be,
because it matters, because our world
needs us to remember
that once you walk in another's shoes
for long enough, you feel the callouses
and scars that make up an entire life.

Let me put it plainly:

I want to put down the shame
and put on the shoes,
and slowly, quietly,
hands entwined,
candles lit in unity,
walk my neighbor home.

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Hannah

Lectionary Readings for November

Sunday, November 2 — All Saints Sunday
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 119:137-144
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10
Sunday, November 9 — Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost
Haggai 1:16b—2:9
Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Luke 20:27-38
Sunday, November 16 — Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 65:17-25
Isaiah 12 or Psalm 118
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19
Sunday, November 23 — Christ the King Sunday
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Luke 1:68-69
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
Sunday, November 30 — First Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44

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

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG

UWFaith Grace Circle will meet on Tuesday, November 4, in the church library. We will have our World Thank Program and offering. The World Thank offering is extra-mile giving to show thanks for our many blessings. The program is titled “Giving as an Expression of Our Faith.” It focuses on how giving cultivates hope. Through the World Thank Offering we support the total program of mission on behalf of women, children and youth carried on through United Women in Faith’s national office in the U. S and around the world.

We will choose up to five persons to receive a Special Mission Recognition pin and certificate and allocate any extra funds that we may have in our account.

NO-BAKE Sale for UWFaith and the Christmas in July/White Christmas account – The No-Bake Sale officially ended October 28 with a total of $1,010 which puts us slightly above our goal of $1,000. THANK YOU for your generosity. Mission projects receive such great support from St. Luke members. If you intended to give and would still like to, it’s not too late.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

MARK YOUR CALENDAR – All women in the church are invited to attend the UWFaith Christmas party on Monday, December 15 at 5:30 in the fellowship hall. Members of UWFaith wish to share the joyous Christmas season with all women in the church. Watch for more information in the December newsletter.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

The White Christmas mission project plans are still in process but will be announced soon. Plans are to help with gifts for several foster children from our community and a few nursing home residents, and monetary donations to The Methodist Children’s Home. Please watch the bulletin for updates or for the Christmas tree in the narthex loaded with paper ornaments. When you see the tree, take as many ornaments as you can, purchase the gifts listed, and wrap them in white (tissue paper is fine) w/the ornament attached to each gift. If you prefer to make a monetary donation, just mark your check or cash "White Christmas"--such gifts will be very helpful in fulfilling the wish lists. You may place your gifts around the tree any time or bring them on the morning of December 7, when the children and youth will present the White Christmas program. Everyone is invited to join us afterwards for a potluck luncheon.

It will be “all hands on deck” when we decorate the church for Christmas. Please plan to stay after church on November 23 to help us put the trees up, hang the greenery, and make our facility look beautiful for the season. It’s fun and it won’t take long if everyone pitches in!

It will soon be time to order Christmas Poinsettias for the Poinsettia Tree in Chancel Area at St Luke. If you would like to purchase a Poinsettia in memory or in honor of a loved one, they are $13 each. Forms will be included in the bulletin on Sunday, November 9, and on the table in the narthex. Please fill one out and place it along with your check (made payable to St Luke, earmarked “Poinsettia”) in the offering plate, drop off at the church office, or mail to St Luke UMC, 1227 Deering St, Cleveland MS 38732. Deadline to turn in your order is November 30.

The months of November and December have been designated for the Methodist Children’s Home “This Little Light of Mine” special offering. 100% of the offering will fund programs helping children and families of MCH. Let’s help bring hope and a little light of love into the lives of those children who have been abused and neglected. Deadline to give is December 14.

Worship Greeters are needed for next year! 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 would like to sign up, a signup sheet is available in the narthex or you may sign up by contacting the church office.

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.

If you would like to help deliver our Second Sunday mission project food items to Helping Hands in 2026, please contact Lisa in the church office to sign up. Drop off times for Helping Hands are Wednesday or Friday mornings between 9:00 am and noon.

The 2026 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.

Life After Loss – December 2025 Invitation

As the Christmas season approaches, you may find yourself becoming uneasy about and not looking forward to the emotional reminders that the season brings. Are you struggling with a personal loss or tragedy? Do you know others who are? Losses come in different sizes, at different times, and with different consequences. No one escapes loss, and some losses are hard to take, especially at Christmas. Strong negative emotions can erupt suddenly, change abruptly, create turmoil, and lead to a sense of isolation and loneliness. It’s hard to feel “Merry” when you are feeling alone and sad. If this feels like you or you know someone who feels this way, join us and bring them to Life After Loss. We will be looking for ways to prepare for the holidays, recover a sense of well-being, and rebuild faith in a brighter day.

Beginning Tuesday, December 2nd, and weekly through December 30th, a five session Life After Loss workshop will be held at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church, 215 Bishop Rd. The sessions are free and open to all. Sessions last an hour (from 11:45-12:45 pm). They will be led by Larry L. Lambert, a Licensed Professional Counselor. If you need more information, contact Larry at 662-719-8756 or by email at lamb5999@bellsouth.net. If you have friends and loved ones who may be struggling, please let them know.

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.

Veterans Day Program

An Evening with Zoe

Women’s Resource Center:
Celebrate Life Banquet

Toddler Play Group

Mural Project

We wanted to bring you some exciting updates on our mural. You may notice some activity around the wall facing Parks Elementary in the coming days as Lawson King, the artist selected to paint the mural, begins prepping the wall and tracing out the design with light paint and tape.

Lawson is also working with Holly Haynes (Principal at Parks) to coordinate the involvement of some of the students at Parks to add their own touch to the mural!

As we have a firm date for completion, we will let you know. We are working with Hannah to find a good date for a “dedication” one Sunday soon and look forward to celebrating with the church.

Cade/Wade
Community Outreach Committee

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

World Communion Sunday

Lunch Bunch Assembling Fall Trail Mix bags for Parks AR Party

United We Boo Fall Festival

Parks 4th Grade Art w/Allyson

All Saints Sunday

Events in November

November 1, Saturday
— Community Outreach: Visit to Indywood, 1:30-3:00 pm

November 2, Sunday
— All Saints Remembrance Service, 10:30 a.m.
— Charge Conference, 3:00 p.m. (First UMC)
— Youth, 5:00 p.m. (First UMC)

November 4, Tuesday
— Grace Circle, 10:00 a.m. (Church Library)

November 7, Friday
— Provide Dinner for Youth at The Well

November 9, Sunday
— Second Sunday Mission for Helping Hands, 10:30 a.m.
— Finance Meeting, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
— Youth, 5:00 p.m. (First UMC)

November 16, Sunday
— Youth, 5:00 p.m. (First UMC)

November 23, Sunday
— No Kids or Youth Sunday School
— Decorate St. Luke for Christmas, 11:35 a.m.

November 26-28, Wednesday-Friday
— Church Office Closed for Thanksgiving

November 30, Sunday
— Youth, 5:00 p.m. (First UMC)
— Winter Village Workshop w/Allyson, 5-7:00 p.m. (Art Room)

Events in December

December 4, Thursday
— Toddler Play Group, 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Preschool Room)

December 7, Sunday
— White Christmas Service, 10:30 a.m.
— White Christmas Potluck, 11:35 a.m.
— The Miracles Choir Concert, 5:00 p.m. w/dinner after in Fellowship Hall

December 11, Thursday
— Toddler Play Group, 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Preschool Room)
— Semester Art Share w/Allyson, 5:30-7:00 p.m. (Fellowship Hall)

December 14, Sunday
— Second Sunday Mission for Helping Hands
— Cantata w/First UMC, 10:45 a.m. (First UMC)

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November 2025

November 4, 2025St. Luke United Methodist Church

Message from the Pastor

Lectionary Readings for November