Message from the Pastor

Here we are entering into a new year together. There is a lot to reflect back on during our time together in December, from our Advent services to letters to Santa to caroling to lighting candles and circling together to sing Silent Night. Time together during December was a beautiful reminder of how the light of Christ shines so brightly. Then we celebrated Epiphany on New Year's Eve in which I invited you to receive a star word or two to use as a guidance for prayer and meditation over this next year. If you haven't sent us a photo of you and your star word yet, we would love to receive one. My word is worship. I laughed a little to myself when I drew it.

But maybe there is more to this word than I thought. I began to consider how sometimes we can become so busy doing for God, that we lose our ability to just be with God.

With that in mind, another word came to mind: Sabbath. Before we begin filling up our schedules that perhaps are already pulling at us for this year, we will spend time seeking what it means to really rest in God. Over the next four weeks, we will discuss how Sabbath orients our time, our work, our relationships, and our worship. More than learning, it is my prayer that we will become a community who practices Sabbath with intention and joy. So come and worship, come and rest.

Grace and Peace,
Hannah

Lectionary Readings for January

Sunday, January 7 — Baptism of the Lord
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Sunday, January 14 — Second Sunday after the Epiphany
1 Samuel 3:1-10
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51
Sunday, January 21 — Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20
Sunday, January 28 — Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Psalm 111
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Mark 1:21-28

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

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG

Former St. Luke member Anne Preus will be in Cleveland on Thursday, January 11, to give a reading from a book she has written with her cousin. The title is Out of Texas but it takes place mainly in Mississippi and is based on a true story. Anne’s presentation will be at the Robinson-Carpenter Library at 5:30 p.m. The book may be preordered from Cotton Row Bookstore and will also be available for purchase at the event. Please plan to come out and support Anne, who was our church organist for many years and is beloved by all.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

We’ve had many opportunities to affirm our beliefs during this season of Advent. Beautiful music, lively performances by our kids, wonderful sermons from Hannah, Sunday School studies of the Christmas story, and opportunities to serve others—all of these represent a chance to strengthen our faith so that we might put it into action. Let us enter the New Year with a renewed determination to live out what we believe.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

St. Luke folks have been busy this Christmas season, not only in celebrating within our own doors, but also out in the community. Early in the month, we observed our traditional White Christmas event with a potluck, the presentation of gifts for needy families, and a wonderful children’s program. The choir gifted us with a lovely cantata and we had a special concert presented by Tricia Walker and her friend, singer/songwriter Joni Bishop, with Rick Torgerson providing accompaniment. The Mission Outreach team hosted a cookie-decorating event for Parks Elementary students and helped children write letters to Santa at the downtown Train Museum. St. Luke singers went to the nursing homes to sing carols, and we wrapped up the season with our traditional candlelighting service in the sanctuary.
Just as it’s important to have family traditions, it’s also important to have church family traditions that we look forward to each year. But our Heavenly Father wants us to extend the good cheer of the season to those outside our walls, as well. Thanks to O’Hara, our choir, the parents of our children, and to Cade, Wade, Susannah, and those who helped them. We are blessed to be a part of the family that is St. Luke, and we’ve been able to extend a blessing to many others this Christmas.
Pics and a description of some of our activities follow in The St. Luke Scene.

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.

If you would like to help deliver our “Second Sunday” mission project food items to Helping Hands in 2024, please contact Lisa in the church office to sign up. Drop off times for Helping Hands are Wednesdays or Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and noon.

Worship Greeters are needed for June, July, and September through December of 2024! 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.

The new 2024 Flower Calendar is available on the bulletin board 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. We also have a “flower fridge” so you can sign up for two consecutive Sundays, store your arrangement in the fridge during the week and re-use them the second Sunday. Please contact Sandi Melton (Flower Steward) or the church office to sign up or for more info.

Small Group Interest Survey

Would you be interested in a small group study? If so, I would love for you to take a few minutes to answer a couple of questions by clicking here. This will allow me to get to know you better and to be intentional in offering groups that best meet the spiritual growth needs of the congregation. I thank you for your responses and look forward to hearing from you.

Pastor Hannah

The St Luke Scene

White Christmas

In early December, we celebrated White Christmas with a potluck supper followed by a service during which we dedicated the many gifts purchased by St. Luke members for deserving members of our community. The highlight of the service was the program presented by our children. In the play, a mother helping her children decorate the house for Christmas also helps them understand the meaning behind the symbols of the season. Many, many thanks to O’Hara for directing the program and to the parents who helped. There were many practices, much line memorization, and songs for even the littlest St. Luke children to learn. It was a wonderful production and had everyone smiling proudly! What a way to start Christmas!

Cookie Decorating

We had an extra sweet afternoon at Parks Elementary on Friday, December 15th. There were 86 students who achieved their Accelerated Reading goal for the 9 weeks, so they got to come to the cafeteria and decorate Christmas cookies! The students truly showcased their creative talents. Some ate their decorated cookies while others took them home in a baggie to show their families. All of the students were so polite and had a great time.

Letters for Santa

Santa (and some parents) had some extra helpers this season. Some of our St. Luke folks gathered at the Train Museum on a Saturday morning recently to help local children write letters to Santa Claus. First the children were asked to complete a little survey, which included noting whether they had been good, very good, or mischievous this past year. Santa’s helpers reported that almost all the children checked “good” or “very good,” except one little boy who checked that his behavior had been “mischievous”. His grandmother quickly advised him to change his answer to “good.” The helpers served milk and cookies along with the letter-writing assistance.

Caroling

St. Luke singers (and perhaps some who seldom sing) brought joy to residents of two Cleveland nursing homes over the holidays. They traveled to Azalea Commons and Indywood on a Sunday afternoon to serenade the residents with Christmas carols. In addition, they went to Bobby Horton’s home to sing for him and Kay. Thanks to all who shared the blessed sounds of Christmas with those who are unable to travel to their churches to hear them.

Upcoming Dates for your Calendar

January 11, Thursday — Anne Preus book-reading and signing, Public Library, 5:30 p.m.

January 21, Sunday — Crock Pot Cook-Off, 5:oo p.m.

February 11, Sunday — Second Sunday Missions for Helping Hands
— Pancake Luncheon, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

February 13, Tuesday — United Methodist Men, 6:00 p.m. (First UMC)

February 14, Wednesday — Ash Wednesday Service, time: TBD

Memorials and Honorariums

By:

Jim & Loretta Burdine; Lisa & Shaun Horton;
Jackie Pennington; Frances & Jim Tims

Frankie Brewer; Kay Daves; Lisa & Shaun Horton; Jackie Pennington

Melba Washington

Cade Holder

By:

Melba Washington

Memorials for:

Sherry Jones

Pat McCaleb

Ralph Washington

Cade Holder’s Grandmothers
(Pat McCaleb,
Bryan F. Litton,
& Sue Holder)

Honorariums for:

The Washington Grandchildren

Attendance and Offering Report

January Birthdays

D.D. Hardy
Vicki Hartley
Betty Hunter
Sean Wessel
Mae Givens
Beth Jacks
Adam Williams
Shana Bolden
O’Hara Koerber
Polly Sheets
Isabella Givens
Kay Daves
Shelly Steele

1/08

1/09
1/16
1/18

1/20
1/24

1/25
1/28
1/30

January Anniversaries

Jim & Loretta Burdine

1/30

Contact Us

Newsletter Blog

January 2024

January 9, 2024St. Luke United Methodist Church

Message from the Pastor

Lectionary Readings for January