Voices from Our Church Family

On a recent Sunday, Chris shared from his years of experience these seven words that are often the final ones of a once-strong church: “we've never done it that way before.”

St. Luke certainly has never done it this way in our history! But it’s working – and St. Luke will be just fine (as Frances reminded the congregation in her June letter explaining we’ll not have a fulltime pastor for a while yet). We are grateful for Chris, for his willingness to shepherd us, and for how he immediately and enthusiastically joined the life of St. Luke.

While we wait for our next fulltime pastor, we know that the ministry of St. Luke does not have to wait. The church, of course, is much more than just a building (though we can boast a beautiful mural!) or a particular pastor—it is the people of God. In other words: Us. Each of us has gifts, experiences, abilities, and many opportunities that God can use to strengthen St. Luke and serve our community.

In fact, we have already seen something wonderful happen within our congregation. Since our inception, St. Luke has been a “lay led” church; and accordingly, many members have stepped forward and become more involved in our life and work. Children’s messages, worship planning, providing meals, planning church get-togethers, appropriate financial assistance and support in the community, and partnerships with area schools are just a few examples of how our members are leading. It is encouraging to see—and it is a lovely reminder of what can happen when we each offer our time and talents to God.

This month, Chris’s sermons will focus on the book of James—a short book with a powerful and especially timely message. James reminds us that faith is not simply something we believe; it is something we live. Our faith becomes visible through our actions, our service, our words, our compassion, and the way we care for one another. As James tells us: “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” Genuine faith moves us to action. This message feels particularly meaningful for St. Luke during this season.

James challenges us to be more than hearers of the Word, but also to be doers of the Word. We can see that principle taking root again at St. Luke.

As we continue to pray for Chris and our future pastoral leadership, let us also pray about our own role in the present. May the words of James encourage us this month to put our faith into action.

In faith and fellowship,
Wade Overstreet

Lectionary Readings for September

Sunday, September 6 — Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Exodus 12:1-14
Psalm 149 or Psalm 148
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20
Sunday, September 13 — Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Exodus 14:19-31
Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21
Romans 14:1-12
Matthew 18:21-35
Sunday, September 20 — Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Exodus 16:2-15
Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45, or Psalm 78
Philippians 1:21-30
Matthew 20:1-16
Sunday, September 27 — Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21:23-32

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 Tuesday, September 1 at 10:00 a.m. in the church library. Women who are interested in the work of this wonderful organization and who are not otherwise engaged on September 1 are invited to join us. We are always finished by noon, and sometimes earlier.

The UWFaith Lunch Bunch will meet at noon on Wednesday, September 23, in the Fellowship Hall. Bring your lunch and drink, dessert will be provided. All women are invited for a brief devotion and fellowship!

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

Don’t forget Sunday School is back! All classes will meet after worship service from 10:45-11:30 am. The kids and youth will combine into one Sunday School class and will meet in the Kid’s Classroom. If you’re an adult and don’t have a class, we invite you to wander around to the Education Wing and visit the Coleman Class or the “Young” Adult Class. The Coleman Class usually has a Bible study based on the Revised Common Lectionary. The “Young” Adults sometimes do the same, but also they take up short-term topics, often based on studies available in booklet form or online. Both groups are friendly and supportive and ready to welcome new members!

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

The United Methodist Men’s Annual Fish Fry will be held on Tuesday, October 6, from 5-7:00 p.m. in the First UMC Fellowship Hall. Tickets are $15 each (carry-outs will be available). Proceeds will fund community organizations. To purchase a ticket, please see Jim Tims or stop by the First UMC office.

We are celebrating United Methodist Senior Services during the month of September with a special offering. UMSS has twelve campuses across Mississippi and has 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”. Place your donation in the offering plate or stop by the church office any time during September.

Worship Greeters are needed for the months of October and November! A Greeter is a very important part of welcoming people to our worship service and helps by passing out bulletins and attendance forms, helping people in and out of cars (when needed), directing visitors to pews or various areas of the church, and helping in other capacities of the service. If you feel called to volunteer and would like to help, a signup sheet is available in the narthex or you may sign up by contacting the church office. If you need more info on what all being a greeter entails, please see Bob Card or Al Williams.

Don’t forget 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 to assist members in need with medical bills, utility expenses, and other urgent needs.

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 arrangement, 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, be sure to inform them you would like them to last for two Sundays. Please see Melanie Williams or contact the church office for more info or to sign up.

2027 Committee Planning

It’s that time of year again. Your Nominations Committee will have its first planning meeting for 2027 on Sunday, September 20, at 2:00 PM in the library. The call has gone out to the Church membership encouraging members to step up and prove once again why we are known as a lay-led church.

All of us have God-given talents just waiting to be utilized, so if you know of an area of the church’s program where your talents can make a difference, please let the Church office or Committee know. Or, if you are currently serving in a position and would like to use your talents in another way, please let that be known as well. Don’t be shy. You do have talents to share!

Most importantly, if asked by Nominations to serve, please give prayerful thought to accepting a position to help us fulfill God’s mission here at St. Luke.

Jim Tims, Committee Chair

Art with Allyson

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 32 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 2-4, 2026.

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 individually wrapped snacks (chips, crackers, nuts, raisins, cookies, cakes, etc.); personal-sized bottled water or canned sodas (any variety/brand).

3. Providing financial assistance to cover the cost of the program.
Sponsor a guest (whole weekend) for $200 or donations in any amount will be appreciated

Deadline to sign up, drop off donated items, or monetary donations is Monday, September 28. 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.

DSU Wesley Foundation

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 couple of years 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 Lisa in the church office.