ST. LUKE’S CLERGY STAFF:
Kent Millard, Linda McCoy, Carolyn Scanlan, Brian Durand, Marsha Hutchinson, Marion Miller, Stan Abell, Adolf Hansen ST. LUKE’S STAFF:
Anne Adams, Associate Director of Children’s Ministries; Kathy Alexander, Administrative Team Assistant; Lorie Lee Andrews, Director of Children’s Ministries; Betty Brandt, Director of Spiritual Life Center; Brad Cherry, Facilities; Terri Coe, Director of Adult Ministries; Lori Crantford, Director of Communications, Marketing & Development; Brian Durand, Director of Youth & College Ministries; Jan Emmons, Finance; Andy Engle, Youth Intern; Sylvia Forbes, Membership & Care; Brenda Freije, Student Pastor; Bryce Fuhrmann, Associate Director of Youth Ministries; Bertie Gilster, Front Office; Derek Hakes, Director of Handbells; Adolf Hansen, Theologian in Residence; Janelle Hatfield, Childcare Coordinator; Carol Helmus, Special Event Coordinator; Sharon Holyoak, Oasis Bookstore Manager; Molly Huntemann, Youth Intern; Julia Johnson, Executive Director of Ministries; Faina Kleyner, Finance; Beth Lammers, Building Scheduler; Tujuianna Lockhart, Facilities; Bobbi Main-Jackson, Director of Weekday Ministries; Charles Manning, Assistant Director of Music Ministries; Kathleen Marvin, Associate Director of Youth Ministries; Linda McGlothlin, Adult Ministries; Bonnie McMenamin, Music Ministries Assistant; Janet Miller, Children’s Ministries; DeAnna Moran, Adult Ministries Registrar; Tim Moore, Taizé Prayer Service Leader; Rickie Murphy, Facilities; Debra Nethercott, Director of Children’s Music; Sarah Nevin, Publications Design; Jan Nichols, Coordinator of World Missions Projects; Julie O’Connor, Development & Celebration Team; Jessica Pollock, Young Singles Coordinator; Rich Potterf, Building & Grounds Ministry; Mary Katherine Schnitz, Director of Care Ministries; Cara Scott, Receptionist; Wonnie Sibotshiwe, Facilities; Mark Squire, Director of Music Ministries; Alison Strawmyer, Weekday Ministries; William Taylor, Facilities; Jayne Moynahan Thorne, Director of Outreach Ministries; Mary Lynne Voigt, Music Outreach Coordinator; Cheryl West, Director of New Song;
Adra Wheeler, Director of Hospitality & Volunteers; Wanda Wilburn, Facilities; Rich Wisman, Facilities. THE GARDEN CLERGY STAFF:
Linda McCoy, Stan Abell
celebrations & concerns
THE GARDEN STAFF:
Troye Kinnett, Director, The Good Earth Band; Richard Ramsey, Creative Director; Steve Whipkey, Director, Oak Hill Band; Judy Tolley, Administrative Team Leader
is a publication of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church 100 W. 86th Street Indianapolis, IN 46260 Telephone: 317-846-3404 Fax: 317-844-1034 Web: http://www.stlukesumc.com
CONDOLENCES TO:
Pam Knowles on the death of her sister Betsy Caprini Ginny Kuehn on the death of her husband Al Kuehn Friends and family of Don Johnson
Communion EDITORIAL/ PRODUCTION STAFF:
John & Marion Miller on the death of family members Steve Pedan, Eric Kirkendolph and Lawrence Vincent
Editorial: Lori Crantford Design: Sarah Nevin Contributing writers:
Deanna Street on the death of her mother Donna Wilson
Jim Ake, Lorie Lee Andrews, Betty Brandt, Evan Daniluck, Brian Durand, Kitty Furman, Sharon Holyoak, Jim Julien, Kim King, Marion Miller, Sally Nielsen, Lori Schick, Jayne Thorne, Mary Lynne Voigt, Don Weiser. Circulation manager: Sylvia Forbes. NEXT COMMUNION DEADLINE:
October 1, 2007 for the Nov./Dec. issue.
IN THIS ISSUE: 4 9 12 14 15 16 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Youth Ministries 90 in 90 Special Events Endowment Annual Fund Community Ministries Inclusiveness Health Ministries Music Minstries Spiritual Life Center The Garden Weekday Ministries Oasis New Members / Friend Day T.I.M.E. Everyday
staff
Pat Amrhien, Scott Amrhien, Debbie Allen and Cathy Maxey on the death of mother and grandmother Dorothy Hall Emma Moore on the loss of her foster grandfather Fred Bauer Mike, Lissa, Mary and Ryan Shea on the loss of father and grandfather John Shea Ed & Cynthia Robertson on the death of Ed’s brother Richard Robertson and Cynthia’s sister Phyllis Coit Friends and family of David Maxwell Bill & Beverly Horstman on the death of nephew Michael Wilson Theresa Ellabarger on the death of her father William Hossack Ron, Rhett and Brian Campbell and families on the death of mother and grandmother Margaret Campbell
Charles Smith on the death of his mother Elizabeth Sikora Judy Stewart on the death of her father Alden Bolinger The family of Owen Weissman Merri Leffel on the death of her mother Dorothy Mueller Rick & Janet Barb on the death of nephew Mike Lempke Diana Grogg on the death of her father Carl Johnson Larry Halbach on the death of his daughter-in-law Elizabeth Halbach Mary Tirmenstein and family on the death of her brother Nicholas Manolios Julie O’Connor and Mike McAninch on the death of their granddaughter Marie Alice Shooter on the death of her husband David Shooter Tridi Poston on the death of her daughter Laura Poston
CONGRATULATIONS TO:
James & Beth Semester on the birth of daughter Madelynn Bertty Doug & Kimberly Blum on the birth of their daughter Madeline Elizabeth
Mildred Hossack and Theresa Ellabarger on the death of husband and father William Hossack
Seth & Jennifer Roby and George & Gerry Klinger on the birth of daughter and granddaughter Lucy Joy
Barbara Pedersen on the death of husband Thomas Pedersen
Eric & Kelly Brownell and Jay & Rosy Brownell on the birth of son and grandson Cole Jay
Bill Duvall, Jeffery Duvall and Laura Duvall-Whitson on the death of mother and grandmother Genola Duvall
from the desk Dear Friends: C. E. (Ed) & Eleanor Dow on their 60th wedding anniversary
THE JOY OF GENEROSITY. Recently I read a quotation which said “One does not discover the reason for living until one discovers the joy in giving.” I suspect that many people live their whole lives without discovering their reason for living because they never have experienced the joy of giving.
Emily Howell & Rick Laszewski on their wedding of July 6 Mwila Kapaya & Matthew Mejia on their wedding of July 7 Carissa Colter & Evan Hawkins on their wedding of July 7 Heather Olszewski & Mark Andrew on their wedding of July 14 Kara McCaskey & Travis Hegg on their wedding of July 14 Jana McKinney & Neil Davis on their wedding of July 14 Mindy Todd & Nicholas McDaniel on their wedding of July 20 Carissa Wright & Ryan Firmand on their wedding of July 21 Lindsay Hire & Chris Black on their wedding of July 21 Courtney McClimon & Bryan Stone on their wedding of July 21 Anna Ovcharenko & Matt Parmley on their wedding of July 28 Heather Jonas & Keith Berry on their wedding of July 28 Julie Ward & Ken Kvinge on their wedding of August 4 Kristina Hedegard & Joseph Michael Harris on their wedding of August 11 Shauna Hollinger & John Sidhom on their wedding of August 11 Christina Simmons & Christopher Weber on their wedding of August 18 Molly McNulty & Chad McIver on their wedding of August 18 Kristen Beattie & Nathan Wilson on their wedding of August 25 Crisanta Fasano & Michael Ransom on their wedding of August 25
This fall we are encouraging everyone in the congregation to try an experiment in discovering the joy of giving. For forty days, from Sunday, October to Sunday, November , we are inviting you to give a tithe (%) of your weekly income to God's work through St. Luke's and/or to God's work through other ministries you may support. If, at the end of that forty-day period you do not feel as if you have been blessed through your generous giving or if you regret this decision, then discontinue this tithing experiment. However, if you experience greater joy and meaning in your life you may want to continue giving % of your weekly income for the support of God's work in the world. This tithing experiment will be a personal commitment between you and God and no one else will know about this spiritual journey you are making for this forty-day period. We also encourage you to use a daily devotional guide entitled “A Forty Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life” during your spiritual experiment. It was written by a pastor named Brian Kluth and contains Scripture passages, devotional thoughts and inspirational quotations. They will be available for free at the Church Information desk. The prophet Malachi says “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse . . . and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of Hosts; see if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” (Malachi :) It would be tragic for a follower of Jesus Christ to live their whole life and never try this tithing experiment to see if, in fact, when we tithe to God the windows of heaven open and God pours out an overflowing blessing on us. More important than the blessings we may receive is the spiritual growth we will experience during these forty days as we take time each day to read Scripture, pray and meditate on God's will for our lives. My prayer is that we would all experience the reason for our living through the joy of our giving. I will be leading a five-session discussion group on the “Forty Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life” book from - on Thursdays, October and , and November , , and . Anyone who would like to discuss the relationship between meaning and joy and generosity and tithing is welcome to attend. Jesus summarized it this way: "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." I am excited about what God does in our lives when we surrender our time, talent and treasure into God's hands. There will be joy in this journey!! Grace and Peace,
Kent Millard 3
The Light in Our Eyes by Evan Daniluck ABOVE:
Paul celebrating his birthday at Neema House FAR RIGHT:
Traci playing soccer with Moses at Neema House COVER:
Griff and Paul at Neema House
It’s hard to write a story about a trip, when so many lives were changed forever. With so many memories engrained in me, and so many new feelings in my heart, it becomes difficult to share what only few have seen and experienced. I remember when I first heard about this trip, I couldn’t stop thinking about changing the lives of those whom I thought needed to see the light of God. I began to think as well about the other people on the trip. I wondered what they would be going for, what intentions they had, what new sights they would be open to and how they would feel when they saw sights that might shock them. The day of the trip arrived, and we all met at the airport with our families and our cameras 4
ready to capture the moment. There would be people from the community of St. Luke’s going on the journey: Emily Bingham, Megan Owens, Griffy Housemeyer, Emily Luce, Morgan Land, Brian and Cheryl Durand (married), Mike Jenson, Stan and Jenny Abel (married), Rod and Charlotte Lammers (siblings), The Pettigrew family consisting of Kevin and Traci, and Ron and Annette, and myself, Evan Daniluck. After a group photo, we said our goodbyes and then walked away on a trip of a lifetime, not knowing what lie in front of us but to be open to a new world. After hours of waiting in airports and even more hours in airplanes, and awkward moments of people speaking different lan-
youth ministries guages around us, we set down in Nairobi, Kenya. I can remember the first image I saw when I walked out of the airport, and how excited I was to go to work. The city of Nairobi was much like a version of any western city. It had buildings and roads just like back in the states. The people were just like us, dressed like us, walked like us, and were in a hurry like us. The journey had begun, and there was no turning back now. We stayed in Nairobi for one night and then rose the next morning to hit the road. Leaving the city was shocking to me, and eye opening. The images are still vividly etched in my head; the images of buildings and cars and traffic superseded in seconds by clustered shacks and small houses. It was just like the images you see in a textbook or the late-night infomercials about adopt a child, except it’s real! Huge open markets, and people crowded into small spaces. Houses or shops made of tin roofs and brick buildings only a single story high, which had maybe four or five shops all located in it.
I discovered that the world wasn’t hiding from me; I had been hiding from it. The first day we learned about Eldoret and got an amazing chance to witness the first-ever AMPATH HIV/AIDS marathon fundraiser. Plus, our very own Rod Lammers would be one of about seven white people running in the race! There was a K and a K run. In the K it drew the Michael Jordans of running. The number one long-distance runner in the world was there, and brought in a crowd. Watching the Kenyans run was like looking at a Van Gogh painting—just perfection. The grace and ease that is used by the runners amazes me. Rod ran in the K run, and finished strong and we were all very proud. He may have not had finished 1st, but he finished with a sense of respect and it was an amazing experience for him to bring back to his cross country training. Great job Rod! We were able to get a tour of the Moi Hospital there in Eldoret. It was a beautiful hospital for
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I discovered that the world wasn’t hiding from me; I had been hiding from it.
house no larger then the pulpit area of the big sanctuary at St. Luke’s. They all walked out of the small kitchen, shook our hands, said hello and sat to listened to us and to answer our questions. I was in too much shock to ask anything, I couldn’t. We gave them some toys, and clothes and bubbles but wished we had brought something more sustaining. The family has our prayers forever. Light, cont’d from page 5 ABOVE:
Kevin and Evan at the Equator ABOVE RIGHT:
Megan and Morgan at Lake Nakuru
being in Africa. On the other hand, we went to the hospital at about , and later on my small group went back at about to see that more than half the waiting room was familiar faces from earlier. Keep that in mind that next time you feel like your life is hard by waiting in line at the hospital, or at the fast food joint. The Orphans & Vulnerable Children’s program was set up to help the slums of Eldoret. Social workers would go and visit families and see if they needed support in food, shelter and/or clothing. With OVC my experience was a little different then most of the group. My small group was split in half, making it even smaller, and we went with two social workers. Our mission was to visit homes of the slums of Eldoret. We went to houses made of mud and straw. One family had kids living only with their mother, and they lived in a 6
The Sally Test Pediatric Center was a place for kids—who either were patients, had brothers or sisters that were patients, or had parents that were patients—to go and hang out to get away from the hospital feel. When it was time for my group to go to Sally Test Pediatric Center, we had determined we would do some sort of dancing-go-crazy session with the kids. We did, and the kids loved it. Every kid there loved going crazy and being loud. There was one kid named Collins, who had tuberculosis of the throat. He was four years old, and loved being on anything that had wheels; it was amusing to watch him get in a wheelchair and spin only one wheel, to make himself go in a circle. We left there with tears in our eyes, knowing we felt the love of those kids. At the HAART & Harvest Initiative farms we learned more about farming then any of us wanted to ever know, especially being from a corn-farming state. Steve Lewis was our guide,
and gave us tips about how to grow our own foods. He also shared with us that helping someone with HIV/AIDS is more then just giving them medicine, it’s nutrition and teaching them about foods and day-to-day living which can help the person live long and happy lives. “Give a man a fish and he eats today, teach a man how to fish and he eats forever.” At the Family Preservation Initiative, we met William, who was years old and had HIV. He had given up in life, and was an outcast in his community. FPI came to him and said that they would teach him how to grow passion fruit, but he would have to do the work. He took the risk, and now is happy and his community is beginning to see that HIV/AIDS is not the end. He told us “the next time you come back, you will see a Mercedes-Benz parked next to my new house.” I call shotgun, William! The place that holds dearest to many of our hearts is Neema House. It is an orphanage with kids, the oldest being Steven at , and the other falling between the ages of one year and eight years of age. We had the blessing of going back to Neema House a couple of times during the week. Joshua and Miriam Mbethi are the “Mom and Dad” of the house. They had more love in their hearts then anyone else we knew. Their expressions of gratitude every time we visited included offering us tea, water,
cookies and huge warm hugs. Our last day there, we learned that Paul would be celebrating his birthday and we would be fortunate enough to help him enjoy the day. Every kid had smiles, and laughs that would make angels cry with joy. Their hearts knew no evil, and only took gifts from us if they could give them to their friends. All ten of us youth wanted to adopt every child. We never wanted to leave our new sanctuary.
ABOVE:
Emily Bingham at Sally Test ABOVE LEFT:
Traci and Megan at Imani Workshop trying to learn how to roll magazine beads
But we left Eldoret the following morning, hoping and praying, and God willing that we would be blessed to return to our new home. We left thinking we would go to help the people of Kenya, but in the end we were the ones that were shown the light of God. We were blessed by their presence and their love. When we left America, we had blinders about Kenya, blinders created by the media and movies, textbooks and even our own preconceived notions, but when we returned on the of July, we had new eyes to the world we had already been living in. We stopped existing in our lives, and started living life with a newfound light in our eyes.
youth ministries 7
Getting in Tune:
A New Look to Our Youth Ministry Helps Bridge a Generation Chicago by Rev. Brian DurandDOOR Spring Break Mission He was crying. This big, stoic teenage guy, the one who never showed much emotion, was looking into the distance with big tears in his eyes. Try as he might, he couldn’t hold them back. We were singing “Amazing Grace” with about workcamp youth and leaders, standing on the school bleachers of an old auditorium with arms around each other and the chorus of voices rising with energy. “I never cry,” he said to me. “What is going on?” Somewhere in the midst of the music, the familiar lyrics and the chorus of voices, this young man’s understanding of God’s grace was transformed from some idea he learned in Sunday School to a real and relevant experience of God’s love and forgiveness. “Now I see,” we sang as a community. This young man could suddenly see for himself that God loved him unconditionally. Walt Mueller, an expert on youth culture, writes in his book Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture, “[Teenagers] are not concerned with objective proofs and rational arguments supporting Christianity as a faith system. Instead, they simply want to know that it works. Seeing, not knowing, is believing” (p. ). Studies of today’s teens, as part of the millennial generation, show that they live by their feelings and put little faith in some kind of greater truth. Thus if we want to share our faith with our teenagers, we have to help them experience the profound depth of God’s grace. Over the past two years, our youth staff, parents on the youth commission, and youth leaders have been engaged in a conversation about how we create an environment for young people where such experiences of God’s grace are possible. We’ve explored how to share the Gospel with young people in ways that help them see its relevance in their lives. Through those conversations, we’ve realized that our mission is to help youth get in tune with God in a way that prepares them to know God’s presence wherever they go in life. God’s song is always in our souls. By welcoming youth into loving, Christcentered relationships, we desire to provide and teach youth ways to get in tune with that song. To accomplish this mission, our youth ministry team is setting the stage with a new format for ministry this fall. Senior and junior high ministries will be more (cont’d on page )
youth ministries 8
in Bridging the Generations by Lori Crantford
May you come to see that the song is written on your heart. And as you live in tune with the song, in tune with the Creator of the universe, may you realize that you ARE in relationship with the living God.
–—Rob Bell in his NOOMA series video message, “Rhythm”
“My parents don’t get it.” “They never understood me.” “We just don’t have anything in common.” “Seems like yesterday she was babbling away with her first words, and now she won’t even talk to me.” The generation gap. It has to be as old as time. I can imagine a conversation something like this: EVE: “Cain, didn’t I ask you to take out the trash?” CAIN: “WHAT?” EVE (PULLING THE iHUMMINGBIRDS OUT OF CAIN’S EARS): “Why haven’t you
taken out the trash?” CAIN: “It’s Abel’s turn.” EVE: “Abel is busy categorizing which creatures are great and which creatures are small; it’s extra credit homework from the Lord God. Please just take out the trash, Cain.” CAIN (ROLLING EYES): “Jehosaphat, Mom! Of course ‘Perfect Abel’ doesn’t ever have to do any work. And it’s the Garden of Eden, for cryin’ out loud? Why do we have trash anyway?” EVE (MUTTERING UNDER HER BREATH): “Well, we didn’t until we had kids.” EVE CONTINUES, LOUDER: “Cain, I have told you I don’t appreciate that kind of language. Now take out the trash or you are grounded.” CAIN: “Grounded! You’re so not fair, And I hate that snake . . .” ADAM (CALLING FROM A DISTANCE): “Honey! Are we out of apples?”
If you’re looking for ways to bridge the generations, whether upward or downward, this is the 90 days to start trying. During this current cycle of 90 Minutes In 90 Days—where the congregation is encouraged to engage in 90 minutes of service every 90 days related to a specific theme—we are focusing on “Bridging the Generations.” We offer and encourage intergenerational ministry opportunities. If you missed the Connections Expo on August 26, stop by the church office to pick up a copy of the Directory where you’ll find many options for intergenerational service. Also enclosed in this issue of the Communion is the Fall/Winter 2007 Offerings catalog. Look for the “90/90” symbol next to programs or topics that are appropriate for intergenerational participation or individual reflection. As we also examine this fall how to lead a more generous life, giving of oneself by taking the time to build bridges of understanding seems like a compatible undertaking. Participation in this 90/90 cycle could not only make a difference in the community, but in how many of us relate on a daily basis with those we love. How do you like them apples?
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youth ministries Tune, cont’d from page 9
separated so we can focus on age-appropriate offerings. At : on Sunday mornings, an exciting new program for junior high will meet in the Lodge. Offerings for youth will include a confirmation class and new group experiences designed to resonate with the faith needs of junior high youth. The new junior high ministry options will be for through graders, allowing our incoming graders to transition immediately and fully into the new ministry. Under the direction of Associate Director of Youth Ministries Bryce Fuhrmann, a new junior high program, called Remix, will be offered Sunday afternoons. With worship and fellowship and spiritual growth opportunities, this ministry will help our youth to consider their own faith stories and the Biblical stories in a way that makes the good news of God’s love real and relevant for them. For senior high, Sunday morning will take on a different look, including an off-site offering and an experience for those who want to know more about the faith. Responding to the needs of today’s teens, we want to take the Word of God’s love to our senior high Youth where they are in life. As Millard Erickson emphasizes in his book Postmodernizing the Faith, Evangelical Responses to the Challenge of Postmodernism, we must “cross the bridge to where the horse is, rather than standing on our side of the bridge and trying to coax the horse to come to us” (p. ). Under the direction of Associate Director of Youth Ministries Kathleen Marvin, our senior high ministries will equip our youth to live their faith in school, at home, and beyond their high school years. In addition to Sunday morning offerings, LIVE at the Lodge on Sunday nights will include incredible worship and fellowship for our senior high youth.
Can you sense our excitement about youth ministry this year? Getting in tune with God’s song presents amazing opportunities for our teenagers, but now we need you. We need parents who are ready to get more involved in the ministry. We need volunteers of all ages who bring a heart 10
for sharing the faith with young people and making God’s love real to another generation. In a comprehensive study of youth in the United States, researcher Christian Smith drew two important conclusions about the faith life of teens. First, he found the most significant influence on the faith life of teens is their parents. “Parents and other adults,” he writes in the book Soul Searching, “most likely ‘will get what they are’” (p. ). Second, again quoting his study, “the greater the supply of religiously grounded relationships, activities, programs, opportunities, and challenges available to teenagers, other things being equal, the more likely teenagers will be religiously engaged and invested” (p. ). We have been blessed with a congregation that values its youth, investing resources in providing those faith experiences. Now we are asking our congregation to take the next step, to invest your time in the life of our teenagers. We have volunteer opportunities this fall for teaching, retreat leadership, transportation and simply being present to dialog with young people. Give our teenagers an hour a week, or three hours one Sunday a month, and they and you will be transformed by God’s work in those relationships. You are part of the orchestra of these youth’s lives. To discover God’s song and create incredible music for St. Luke’s Youth, we need your involvement. Contact a member of our youth team to find out how you can be a part of this amazing ministry!
BRIDGING
THE
G E N E R AT I O N S
YOUTH
PROJECT
The Greatest Generation on Faith – A Video Ministry This fall in September and October a team of St. Luke’s Youth will be creating a documentary that tells the faith stories of members of the World War II generation. Youth will write, direct, film and edit pieces that tell these stories through interviews and research. All youth 6th grade and above are invited to join the team. For more information contact Rev. Brian Durand at 846-3404 or durandb@stlukesumc.com.
hospitality
The Families That Usher Together. . . by Lorie Lee Andrews If you’re looking for ways to “cross the generations” during our current T.I.M.E. 90 in 90 initiative, you might be interested to learn about some special volunteers at St. Luke’s. Every Sunday we depend on our wonderful ushers to help members and visitors feel welcome and prepared for worship. They play such an important role in how the congregation experiences worship by creating a positive and comfortable atmosphere. At St. Luke’s, you may notice that there are people of all ages serving as ushers, including children who are as young as six years old. Rick Barb, who leads our usher corps, is enthusiastic about having children serve as ushers. He says, “When we have two or three generations volunteering their services to St. Luke’s it shows a continuity of purpose in our church family. Our families are working together for the good of our church, its members and God.”
T.J. Faulconer
Children who usher regularly at St. Luke’s are: Carolyn, Will and James Hurdle (along with their parents David and Pat Hurdle); Thomas (T.J.) Faulconer (along with parent Tom and Jean Faulconer); Mark and Sara Satterly (along with parents Paul and Amy Satterly); Sarah Crawford (along with parents Bruce and Karen Crawford); and Alexander Wright (along with parents Steve and Nancy Wright and grandfather Harold Wright). These children have the same duties and responsibilities that their parents do. This is just one more place where children are a blessing at St. Luke’s U.M.C.! Will and Carolyn Hurdle
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It Will Be ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ in October St. Luke’s Concert Production of
SOUTH PACIFIC Friday and Saturday, October 26 & 27 7:30PM, Sanctuary St. Luke’s Music Ministries will join forces this fall to present a special concert version of one of America’s best-loved musicals. Set in an island paradise during World War II, South Pacific tells two parallel love stories that are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. The musical features favorites like “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair,” “Bali Hi,” “There is Nothing Like A Dame,” “Honey Bun,” “Younger Than Springtime” and “Some Enchanted Evening.” South Pacific opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949 and has been seen in countless productions across the country in the past 60 years. Based on James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prize winning book Tales of the South Pacific, the musical is filled with the wide-eyed optimism and delight, as well as sensitively and candidly addressing issues of racial prejudice, hallmarked by the song “You've Got to Be Carefully Taught.” In the style of the popular PBS concert presentations, the full score and script will be presented by a stellar St. Luke’s cast accompanied by the full St. Luke’s orchestra directed by Bob Zehr. The cast of over 20 singers will include many of St. Luke’s favorites from previous productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat with a special cameo appearance by Dr. Kent Millard. As a special feature, the St. Luke’s Music Ministries will be using this occasion to honor members and friends of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church who served our country during WWII. WWII veterans are invited to attend the production as guests of the Music department and will be honored prior to the presentation of South Pacific with a special musical tribute from the choirs and orchestra. Tickets for this special concert presentation will be $20/adults and $10/children with proceeds supporting the ongoing music ministries at St. Luke’s.
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“I highly commend Dr. McGriff for making the personal investment to write this book and I recommend it to the readers . . . these stories make it possible for us to know one person’s inside experience of that great generation fighting in one of the greatest battles of modern times.” —Bishop Michael Coyner, The United Methodist Church
In this captivating memoir Carver McGriff finally tells us all about his incredible personal experiences in the European theater of the World War II as a member of what Tom Brokaw calls “The Greatest Generation.” It reads like a novel and you will turn page after page to see what happened next in his fascinating story. The World War II generation is passing from the scene and Carver helps us understand the incredible contribution they made to all of our lives. —Dr. Kent Millard, Lead Pastor, St. Luke's United Methodist Church
bridging the generations
Dr. Carver McGriff former St. Luke’s senior pastor and author
Sunday, November 11, 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 services Book will be available in Oasis Bookstore & Giftshop Author book signings between services We should have begun to face the sobering probability that we were heading for the hell of battle, but we were kids. We’d heard of war in far-off places, places like Italy and Africa, and the faraway Pacific, but we were in England. We thought life would go on like this with excitement, new places to see, friends we’d never otherwise have met, a sense of manhood new to most of us . . . how little we knew. Barely more than children, soon to suffer the death of innocence. Carver McGriff was years old when he left Indiana and his innocence behind to join in the battle for freedom on one of the most important and bloodiest battlefields of World War II. In Making Sense of Normandy: A Young Man’s Journey of War and Faith, McGriff gives a rare veteran first-hand account of the harsh realities of WWII combat—not only the struggle for physical survival but for emotional and spiritual survival as well. It is a timeless story for all generations, a rare treasure that will touch the hearts and minds of all the Greatest Generations— yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s.
TOP:
Pvt. Carver McGriff, 1944
McGriff was St. Luke’s senior pastor for years. He briefly taught ethics at Butler University and, for eight years, was moderator of an award-winning current events weekly television show in Indianapolis during the Civil Rights and Vietnam War era. He was also a regular participant on Indianapolis religious television. He served in the Infantry in Normandy, receiving a Bronze Star medal and two Purple Hearts. He is the author of nine books and resides in Zionsville, Indiana, with his wife Marianne, and is the father of three young women.
BOTTOM: Marianne and Carver McGriff, 2007
“McGriff has written about the searing experience of a -year-old infantry replacement thrust into ferocious combat in the bocage hedgerow country of Normandy. Veterans will relive their own experience, and the younger generations…will learn what it was like to be and in combat for the first time…a tale well told.” —Major General Thomas P. Jones, AUS, Ret.
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endowment Time to Plant the Seeds by Jim Ake
Remember Him—Ecclesiastes 12:6 &7 Remember him – before the silver cord is severed, Or the golden bowl is broken; Before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, Or the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Every one of us has a history, regardless of our age. My past was just like a lot of your pasts, typical, unremarkable and secure. I came from a two-parent, middle-class family and grew up in the suburbs surrounded by extended family members. Oh, life was not always blissful. My family required my attendance at Sunday school and church every week without exception. At first, I loved it. It was playtime. I aged though and began to resent it. Some of my closest friends didn’t go to church. They were outside playing ball or at the pool. I wanted to be with them enjoying their company and participating in their activities. I was jealous. I was at church while they were having fun. Fun and pleasure were all that mattered as I grew.
church. They provided the ground I needed to grow in. My parents planted me there. Then other adults spread the fertilizer by surrounding me in church singing those songs, reading scripture and making me memorize verses. These things helped me mature. I was fed the nutrients I needed to overcome drought, hard times and despair. Those nutrients provided me with comfort, hope, love and joy; the substances woven into my lifeline, my faith. Harvest time is nearing, but there are things that still need doing. I must leave seeds behind, so that planting can continue for others. I hope with my help it will be a good growing season so that the next harvest can be richer. I need to think about this building and how to maintain it. It needs to be here to shelter all the gardens yet to be grown. I need to show thanks and gratitude for the many blessings God has granted me. I need to turn His bounty into fertilizer for those who are not born. I need to honor those that went before me and remember them. I hope our family’s gifting to the St. Luke’s Endowment Fund will touch your families for generations to come.
I am not sure when things started to change. It had a lot to do with forced church attendance and the examples set by my parents and grandparents. The mustard seed was planted and started to take hold. The fertilizer was added by Sunday school teachers. Then it was the fellowship leaders and those senior high retreats that keep pruning away at me. I then went into my idealistic college know-it-all phase. This phase is where life hit me hard and I started to question everything. Sundays were for sleeping in after being out ‘til dawn. My mustard plant was still there, somewhat wilted, but alive. Why do you suppose it was still with me?
Whether you are young or old, new to our church family, or new to the faith, you too have a mustard plant inside you that will mature. Send us some of your seeds. You can make an outright gift to the St. Luke’s Endowment Fund at anytime or you may wish to include us in your estate planning. Remember—Him.
I feel it was there because someone made sure it was. That was first and foremost my parents. How could they have done it alone? They didn’t! Even before I was born, people like yourselves invested money and built the
For more information regarding St. Luke’s endowment and the possibilities of your involvement, contact Julia Johnson at johnsonj@stlukesumc.com or Lori Crantford at crantfordl@stlukesumc.com.
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annual fund The St. Luke’s Annual Fund campaign will kick off on Sunday, October . This year’s theme is “A More Generous Life.” Those members who are interested are encouraged to pick up a copy of the booklet entitled “ Day Spiritual Journey To a More Generous Life” by Rev. Brian Kluth. (The booklets are free, but donations are appreciated.) Dr. Millard and St. Luke’s leaders are encouraging the congregation to consider engaging in a -day journey of tithing (see Dr. Millard’s column for further thoughts on tithing and information on sessions he will be conducting).
St. Luke’s member Margaret Wood shared this story about the personal experience she and her husband Barry have had with tithing: I was brought up if you take care of God, he’ll take care of you. Pay God first and you will always have what you need. And that’s what we do. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said we were broke and money just “magically” appeared in our checkbook. And I’m a CPA! You KNOW I have that checkbook balanced! Early in our marriage we sat down to dinner one night and prayed beforehand. I prayed something like “God, I know we’re not supposed to pray for money, but we’re really broke right now. We just need a little help at the moment.” The very next day I got a call to participate in a focus group study (about car wax) for one evening… which paid ! Just enough to tide us over! Then very recently we had this happen. I work in the world of homebuilding… and that world has been really hit in the last two years. That significantly changes my compensation, much of which is bonus based. Well, we had reworked our budget last year and somehow
squeezed out everything we needed (food, shelter, retirement savings, college savings, etc) and most of what we wanted (Purdue football tickets!). The only thing missing is vacation money… and we’ll make due because God provides! Anyway, I found out several weeks ago (before anyone else did because of what Barry does with the State) what our property tax bill was going to be. The increase was MUCH larger than I had budgeted. When Barry told me, I broke down crying saying “I can’t squeeze any more blood out of the turnip.” When we hung up, I looked out my window at work and gave God thanks for all of our blessings and put it in his hands. That very afternoon, my boss poked his head in my door and said he was rethinking his decision to not do raises for everyone. Consequently, I got a raise. What’s the after-tax and AFTER TITHING amount left over? The exact amount of our unbudgeted property tax increase. That’s the power of tithing! And hey, if with these reassessments the bill goes down, maybe we’ll have money for a weekend getaway!
The booklets will be available at St. Luke’s beginning October 7. The forty days ends with the culmination of the Annual Fund campaign on Consecration Sunday, November 18. Please prayerfully consider the gifts God has given you and what it means to live A More Generous Life.
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House of Abraham
An Interfaith Build by Habitat for Humanity by Sally Nielsen
One God. One Community. One House. It is often easier to focus on differences that divide us than it is to celebrate common ground. The House of Abraham is a cooperative Habitat for Humanity project, enlisting members of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities of Indianapolis. These diverse communities seek to come together as one community in order to assist a family who is striving to own their first home. Participants of this project value the tenets of mutual respect for one another, acceptance of difference, and right to each other’s respective beliefs.
ABOVE: Sally
Nielsen presents St. Luke's gift of $3,000 to Jennifer Coffey, Habitat's Family Services Manager. The check will cover the costs for the skills and management training for home ownership for this year's House of Abraham occupants
Last summer, the first Habitat House of Abraham was built right here in Indianapolis, and the world view of St. Luke’s members helped to make it happen. We have that opportunity again this year. In October and November the second House of Abraham will be built at West Howard Street (just south of Morris Street on Indy’s south side. Actual volunteer build days are Oct. -, , - and Nov. - and -. Already St. Luke’s has had a pivotal role by donating , to sponsor the occupant family through Habitat’s educational program. When the build days come in October and November, we will be providing morning devotionals and box lunches for the daily volunteer builders. There may be those who would like to volunteer to be a builder. If this interfaith project appeals to you, or your interest group is looking for a service project and you would like to help, please call Sally Nielsen at - or email to ssnielse@sbcglobal.net An educational component has been added to this year’s House of Abraham build in the form of three public discussions about the life of Abraham—the shared patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These discussions will be held on consecutive Thursday evenings: August at Congregation Beth-El Tzedeck, September 6 at Second Presbyterian Church and September at Nur Allah Mosque. The appointed time on each of these three evenings is :-. It will include a tour of the House of Worship, a description of significant religious practices/symbols, and a brief introduction to Abraham from their respective doctrines. Each discussion will also include ample time for a question-and-answer period along with light refreshments. September is the first day of Ramadan and the second day of Rosh Hashanah; the group will have an opportunity to break fast with members of Nur Allah congregation and celebrate the Jewish New Year.
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community ministries & umw UMW Fall Food Pantry Collection by Lori Schick
St. Luke’s United Methodist Women is sponsoring the semi-annual food drive starting Sunday, September 2 through Sunday, September 30. Donations will go to four food pantries in our community; following is a short description of each pantry.
Center. Without your help, some of these families would not have anywhere to turn. The work and support we receive from your congregation is a blessing to us and the many families we provide services to. We hope to continue to receive your contributions, because you make what we do possible.
Hispanic Ministries Food Pantry Vida Nueva In an effort to be more inclusive and to stretch ourselves where there is great need, we will be donating some of the items collected to Vida Nueva. Their food pantry is open once a week and they serve about 60 people weekly. Most of the people served live in the West Washington Street neighborhood or close by. While about half are Hispanic, Anglo and African American families are served as well, since the service is bilingual. The leaders of this pantry say, “We see the service as a way to reach out to our community, but also as a way to foster ethnic tolerance, as we all meet together at the church to both give and receive aid.” This pantry is stocked entirely by donations from churches. Vida Nueva has never had to close the doors or turn people away because of a lack of food, because when the shelves get rather bare and they send out a call for help, congregations always come to their aid. They are very appreciative of their collaboration with all the churches that have helped over the years.
Fletcher Place Food Pantry St. Luke’s has had a long and warm relationship with Fletcher Place Community Center with our dinner and breakfast feeding programs, as well as volunteers who mentor, tutor and serve in other capacities at this center in the Fountain Square area (which is also near School 20 and serve many of the same families). Fletcher Place Food Pantry serves 90 families per month and is open four days a week. We received a note from them recently: Dear Members of St. Luke U.M.C. All of us at Fletcher Place Community Center appreciate your support and thank you for helping feed the less fortunate families in the neighborhood that surrounds our
Bless all of you, Fletcher Place Community Center
Brightwood Community Center Brightwood Community Center serves the MartindaleBrightwood community and other eastside neighborhoods. Their programs focus on children, youth, women and senior adults. They seek to meet the needs of body, mind and spirit through their programming, and develop competency and wholeness in the people they serve.
First Baptist Church First Baptist Church is located just down the street from St. Luke’s at 86th and College. We sometimes forget that there is poverty in our very own neighborhood and we decided to add this food pantry to our donation list. The pantry is open on the last Tuesday of the month from 4-6PM. Between open pantry Tuesdays, 10 filled sacks are stored for the church staff to give out to individuals who come for assistance. They operate entirely on contributions. The plan is based on serving 125 Nora families. They are looking for 4–5 volunteers a month. Please look for the list of non-perishable items that are being collected and add a few to your own grocery list when you shop during September. Alternately you may make a monetary donation to St. Luke’s with “food pantry’ on the memo line. If you would like to help deliver or volunteer in another capacity with this collection, please contact Lori Schick at 696-5965 or lschick@insightbb.com or Nancy Keller at 842-5909. Thanks for your support!
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community ministries “Underneath It All, We’re All the Same” Campaign Returns
Ending Hunger by Don Weiser
by Kitty Furman "The invisible sign of poverty." That phrase is often used to describe the embarrassing situation faced by needy children who have no underwear in good condition, or perhaps none at all, to wear to school. The problem is "invisible" until a child has an 'accident' or must change clothes for physical education class. The annual "Underneath It All, We're All the Same" campaign has helped address this problem every fall for many years. St. Luke's is one of many central Indiana churches which contribute to the effort to provide children with new undergarments as they begin the school year. Colorful collection boxes will be placed in several locations around church during September so you can’t miss them! Please put your donations of new, packaged undergarments for boys and girls in any of the collection boxes. Items for all ages from K-12 are needed including socks, underwear, undershirts, and bras. Items for little girls tend to be very popular, but remember there are plenty of older boys and girls needing clothing in bigger sizes too. Monetary gifts are welcome! Checks may be made payable to St. Luke's and dropped off at the church office. Be sure to mark the memo line "Underneath It All." Monetary contributions are forwarded to the city-wide effort; clothing contributed by the St. Luke's congregation is given directly to the Forest Manor Multi-Service Center on the eastside of Indianapolis where it is then distributed to schools in need.
Hunger and malnourishment are a way of life for 850 million people, 16% of the developing world. Of these, 300 million are children, 10% of whom will die before age 5.1 Even in the USA, 36 million citizens, including 13 million children, live in homes without enough to eat.1 One consequence of early childhood malnutrition is lower I.Q. which persists through adolescence, influencing school performance and university eligibility.2 Other effects are decreased education for the young, as they are forced to help with subsistence farming rather than going to school, increased morbidity and mortality from common diseases, and even an increase in prostitution (and consequently AIDS.)1 The real tragedy is that there is more than enough food in the world to feed everyone; in the U.S., after our nutritional requirements are met, the leftovers could feed all the hungry in Africa. 2
For more information, call Kitty Furman at 845-0676. Thank you for your support of this very worthwhile program.
The 2007 Crop Walk is an attempt to help alleviate this plight. This event will be held October 21 at
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Now: CROP WALK 2007
Latino Connection by Rev. Marion Miller
LATINO CONNECTION welcomes all who are looking for an opportunity to speak spanish, and those who are interested in learning about the Latino culture. Our first gathering was held July 10 with people bringing different Latino dishes. Come and simply enjoy the fun and good food every second Tuesday of each month. Sponsored by St. Luke’s Inclusiveness Team; the gatherings are coordinated by Lorena Flores-Pittman.
SPANISH SPEAKING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!! 2PM. Starting near Christian Theological Seminary there is a gentle and safe 4-mile walk through the Butler-Tarkington Neighborhood, ending at the starting point. Walkers are encouraged to solicit funds and to bring a can of food to the starting point. Canned goods are distributed to 10 food pantries in Marion County; onequarter of the funds received stay local also, the remaining three-quarters go to world poverty organizations. If you would like to help, you can. You could join the walk and raise funds; you can support a walker with a pledge; or you could serve as a volunteer the day of the walk (crossing guard, water station, registration (time commitment of 2-3 hours.) There will be opportunities announced in the Sunday bulletin on the Sundays leading up to the Walk. Further details or questions contact Don Weiser at 841-1371.
FOOTNOTES:
Ending Hunger Now, McGovern, Dole, Messer, Indianapolis Star, October 16, 2006, Morris
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ABOVE: A malnourished girl in Kamasinque, Angola, stands in the charred ruins of what had been her family's home until UNITA forces burned it in 1999. A UMNS photo by Paul Jeffrey / ACT. Photo #02-221.
The Latino Connection is scheduled to provide Spanish-speaking volunteers at Fox Hill Elementary School on the first day of school. We are excited to be able to assist children as well as adults by directing them to their proper classrooms and lessen what is often a frightening day for a five- or six-year-old child who speaks little or no English. Plans are in place to help parents and their children to feel comfortable in their new learning environment. We believe that working together works!
SPANISH AT WORK! The Spanish at Work classes are back by popular demand! These classes will prepare participants to understand small amounts of general and basic Spanish found in most routine interchanges in daily life. In addition, Community Spanish provides basic cultural information about Spanishspeaking groups to inform and educate English speakers about unique aspects of the Latino Culture. The class dates are September 6, 13, 20 and 27 in the mornings from 8:30-11:30AM, and evenings from 6-9PM. All classes will be conducted by Ball State University instructors in the Modular Building. For registration contact Rev. Marion Miller at 846-3404 or millerm@stlukesum.com.
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inclusiveness Colorful Language by Kim King and Rev. Marion Miller “We don’t hit with our hands” The St. Luke’s Inclusiveness Team partnered with Brookside Community Youth Program this summer to make a difference in the lives of inner-city children. Thanks to St. Luke’s Powerful Possibilities Campaign an exploratory project became a success! This particular Youth Program, under the direction of Bob McKinney, is a faith-based organization that provides educational, recreational, spiritual, social and cultural activities for children five days a week in the highest violent and “at risk” area of Indianapolis. It is one of the largest youth programs of its kind, with over children actively involved. ABOVE & RIGHT: Journal
pages from the Brookside Community Youth Program participants
“We don’t hit with our hands” is a common phrase used to address children who “act out” through aggressive behavior. Unfortunately, a large population of children raised in “at risk” environments tend to express themselves through a learned cycle of aggressive behavior patterns. These patterns are known as generational cycles of violence. Aggressive, suppression, passive/aggressive and/or submissive patterns become the primary way to communicate. Violence is not only victimizing and controlling; violence to children is silencing and devaluing.
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Having worked with this special population of children for many years, IUPUI student Kimberly Jenkins wrote and administered this exploratory project at Brookside called “Language through Color.” It is designed to look at violence and aggressive behavior through cultural lens with its own language, symbols, and hidden rules by which children learn to communicate. Using painting with water colors, the program introduced children to an alternate way to express their needs and wants by empowering them with the ability to create their own language through color. The children were encouraged to assign their own words with colors, thereby giving meaning to the colors based on their emotional association. The workshop explored how children make meaning, through expressive art and word association. To tell these children “we don’t hit with our hands” may seem to be a simple solution. To suggest replacing an unfavorable behavior with a “better” one, without addressing the active meaning or what that behavior means, is not enough. Therefore, in order to create relevance and value to a new meaning behind a different behavior, it is necessary to address the issue of violence within various cultures. Given a wonderful opportunity to launch this very special program, Kimberly indicates that it was a blessing to meet the children at Brookside. These amazing little beings took the project to another level. In the first week, the children at Brookside had decided not only to create a written language, but to explore the possibility of a verbal language with their own color meaning associations. With the colors being a code for feelings, they would use them to identify and communicate
health ministries with each other as the “Colors” group. For an hour, Kimberly quietly stood aside and watched the group of eight fifth- and sixthgraders debate whether to agree on a united meaning for colors or to establish their own individual language and use their dictionaries to help translate to each other. Individual expression was the rule of the day as the children led the discussion to the importance of respecting some one else’s meaning for each color. As one child tried to explain her cause, “just tell me what your blue means and I’ll understand, then I can tell you what my blue means, because my blue is important to me.” At the conclusion of the project, each child created a color dictionary and journal. Once they realized how many ways a person can communicate, whether with words or with expressions in silence, they decided not to create the mural that is recommended to finalize the project. Instead, they decided to paint t-shirts. The shirt became an ultimate expression of who they are; and who they want people to identify them as. The cover of the journal represents the child’s first impression; and the first page is their chance to tell you who they are. The remaining pages of each child’s book takes you on a journey of self expression, and the t-shirt lets you see them coming. Children are resilient, and the children at Brookside Community Youth Program are examples of what it means to “never give up on a child.” In each of these precious beings, hope springs eternal.
[It should be noted that this was an exploratory project between St. Luke’s Inclusiveness Team and the Communications Department of IUPUI. The intent is to capture the outcome of such exploratory projects in order to develop curriculums for future use. For information contact Rev. Marion Miller at millerm@stlukesumc.com.]
Flu Shots Sunday, October 21 East Passage, 8AM–Noon Provided by Visiting Nurse Service Sponsored by St. Luke’s Health Ministries
Ah-choose! not to get the flu this year! Flu shots are $25 Pneumonia shots are $40 Flu-Mist will be available for $35 If you have Medicare Part B, it will reimburse for the shots only, not for the Flu-Mist. Bring your card. Wear clothing that day that allows your arm to be easily accessible. Pneumonia shots can be given twice in a lifetime, but there needs to be at least 5 years inbetween shots. You have time to check your records before October 21 so you will know if you could have a second one. Children may receive flu shots, anyone under 18 needs a parental consent signed.
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music ministries YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED
Best Date Night In Town Great music! Great fun! Great childcare! by Mary Lynne Voigt Every Thursday night, one of the hottest places for laughter, beauty, fellowship, and deep satisfaction can be found in the Choir Room as friends of all ages join together to sing in the Chancel Choir. There’s even FREE childcare. Singles, marrieds, couples, single parents, students and retirees join together for 90 minutes of fellowship as they learn and refine songs to offer the St. Luke’s congregation on Sundays. Even folks with busy home and work schedules have found that this is one of the most satisfying investments of time and energy of the week—where you can leave more energized, inspired and blessed than when you came. Rehearsals are from :- (childcare is available from :-: for your youngsters.) For more information about the Chancel Choir, feel free to talk to any choir member you see on Sundays, or contact Mark Squire (- or squirem@stlukesumc.com) during the week. There’s a wonderful place set aside for you! (And bring that spouse—they’ll love it, too!)
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Chancel Choir to Host Open House Would you like to come see what the Chancel Choir ministry is all about? Interested in finding out more about this dynamic ministry group? The folks of the Chancel Choir would like to invite you to join in an informative and fun open house on Thursday, September , :-:. Come and find out just how much you receive through serving in this wonderful ministry. All are welcome!
Bring Music to Life: Be a Chancel Choir Patron The Chancel Choir Patron’s Fund was established to honor loved ones and mark significant life occasions by funding the cost of new music, travels, concerts, outreach and special purchases for the choir and the St. Luke’s Orchestra. Annually the invitation is extended to members of the St. Luke’s congregation and Indianapolis community to become a Patron of the Choir by sponsoring an anthem that will be sung by the choir () or performed by the choir and orchestra (,). During the coming season, the fund will supply scholarships for singers traveling with the choir on their historic concert tour of Scotland and England in June . To contribute to the Chancel Choir Patron’s Fund, please contact Mark Squire or Nancy Burke.
spiritual life center Your Passion + World’s Need = Call by Betty Brandt
During the dreaming stage for our Education wing and Sanctuary, a group of mostly therapists met to talk about creating a counseling center as part of the construction project. As we brainstormed, it became obvious that there were lots of therapists’ offices up and down Meridian Street. What was missing from all the mainline churches we knew about was programming that was similar to what we could experience at retreat centers. This little group birthed the Spiritual Life Center at that moment with little more than a passion for experiential and contemplative programming. WE WERE CALLED! Joy Goehring, who was a student at Presbyterian Seminary in Louisville and is now the pastor at White Lick Presbyterian Church in Brownsburg, was our first staff person. The beautiful physical space we call the Spiritual Life Center and Prayer Chapel was on the budget chopping block until Dick and Connie Summe appeared with a generous gift. All the pieces were in place—vision, sacred space and people with a passion. We went forward meeting the needs of the St. Luke’s family and the surrounding community. WE WERE BLESSED! I became the Director of the Spiritual Life Center in 2000. Some see me as a visionary. I’m not. My gift is for implementation. People bring me their passions and I help make them happen. My passion and gift meet the gifts of others and together we serve the needs of the world. I AM CALLED! In the last six months the Spiritual Life Center Commission has returned to the dreaming table to affirm who we are and to decide where we are going. We still want our passion and the needs of the world to intersect. With much humility, acknowledging the mystery of the work we do, the Spiritual Life Center Commission declares:
We experience the evolving journey of mind, body and spirit through the transforming love of God. Following the compassionate and inclusive example of Jesus, the programming of the spiritual life center nurtures community and offers spiritual opportunities to all. WE CONTINUE TO BE CALLED! What are your passions and your gifts? Where do they intersect with the needs of the world? TO WHAT ARE YOU CALLED?
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The Garden as “Transforming Church” (a book review) by Jim Julien indicators of church “health.” When they crunched these numbers and compared them to churches that scored high in church “growth,” they determined that healthy churches are usually growing churches (no surprise) but growing churches are not always healthy churches (surprise).
Members of St. Luke’s, as well as avid and occasional Gardeners alike, may be interested in reading a newly released book, Transforming Church, by Kevin G. Ford. Because The Garden and one of its “Gardeners” serve as prominent examples in the book, I thought I’d peruse it and possibly recommend it for a quick summer read. That is, until I got to the fourth sentence in what serves as the book’s Introduction: “…this book is not a quick read. It is best to take your time. Don’t try to hurry ahead. Read and reread.” So I dusted off my favorite reading chair, turned off the TV, and dug in to what turned out to be a very knowledgeable and logical (well-documented and easy-to-read) presentation of what Ford means by, and how to become, a “Transforming Church.” Following a favorable Foreword by no-less-than Evangelical giant Billy Graham (Ford’s uncle) the author frames the book’s title in terms of “…churches that have the courage to embrace change and confront adaptive issues head-on… these courageous churches help transform people into God’s image. They transform the communities in which they minister. And as organizations, they are continually transforming how they lead, operate and minister.” Well, Gardeners, sound familiar? As a consultant to hundreds of churches over the years, Ford and his company, TAG, have developed a congregational survey called the Transforming Church Index (in which St. Luke’s participated in ). After collecting more than , surveys from churches of all sizes, locations, and denominations, TAG found five reliable
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As the picture became clearer, TAG saw that church health was the primary indicator of a Transforming Church. And, just to give you a sampling of how The Garden fits into this paradigm, ask yourself how it would match up to these five key indicators of church health, as determined by Ford and his group:
1 How church members relate to each other. Unhealthy churches are a collection of people acting individually, while healthy churches relate as a community.
2 The church’s “genetic code.” Unhealthy churches lack a clear identity while healthy churches have a clear sense of their DNA, and take steps to align their ministries and culture with their code.
3 The church’s leadership. Unhealthy churches tend to be overly autocratic or bureaucratic, while healthy churches view leadership as a shared function and as a ministry.
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How the church relates to the local community. Unhealthy churches disengage from the world around them, while healthy churches are focused on their mission and have an outward orientation that starts from their own locale.
5 How church members think about the future. Unhealthy churches resist change and fear or deny the future, while healthy churches embrace change, even if it is painful.
weekday ministries As Ford continues to explain how his organization helps churches to help themselves in evaluating their own health, he relies on five specific churches from throughout the nation which he considers to be on transforming journeys. In addition to The Garden here, he discusses Community Church of Joy, Glendale, Arizona; Heritage Church, Moultrie, Georgia; Tenth Avenue Church, Vancouver, British Columbia; and Fairfax Community Church, Fairfax, Virginia. I had to smile when I read Ford’s entry on our own “blossom,” under the subheading of “Laserlike Focus.” It read, “In my years of consulting, I have never run into a church quite like The Garden.” Yes, Kevin, we know. And all Gardeners are joyful about that! More of The Garden’s history, including the story of its founding by Pastor Linda McCoy, as well as current projects, are highlighted in the book. Toward the end, Ford narrows his focus from Transforming Churches to Transforming “People.” This is where the story of Kevin Summers, singer with Beef & Boards’ Good Earth Band, is highlighted. His story is intense. And it is moving. It is, in itself, worth the read—to examine not only the genesis of a truly Transforming Church, and the mold from which it was cast, but also, and most importantly, the people it has changed.
Happy 30th Birthday St. Luke’s Community Preschool! St. Luke’s Community Preschool (1977-2007) is celebrating its 30th year of providing excellence in early childhood education. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the preschool proudly provides a play-based curriculum in which children may grow socially, creatively, emotionally, cognitively and physically in a safe, loving Christian environment. Parents are provided support and encouragement with developmentally appropriate approaches. Bobbi Main-Jackson has directed the preschool for 20 of its 30 years, and Alison Strawmyer is the Assistant Director/Registrar. For information or registration please call 844-3399.
Transforming Church, published in , is available from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
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supporting ministries OASIS HOURS: TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY
10AM - 4PM SUNDAY 9AM - 1PM
Inspirational Gifts, Jewelry & Books Conveniently located inside St. Luke’s UMC Gift Registry Available
by Sharon Holyoak As we enter the fall season, two continuing themes have emerged throughout Oasis Bookstore & Gift Shop. One is a dedication to vendors that embrace Fair Trade. These companies are fully committed to providing fair wages, good employment opportunities and safe, healthy conditions to economically disadvantaged artisans worldwide. The other trend we've seen are companies that are giving back to their own communities. Here are just a few samples of several Fair Trade product lines we are now carrying—we hope that you will stop in and hear about their missions and the ways in which they are helping to change the world. With each purchase you are also helping change lives. Alchemy IV is the creator of the Blessings Bowl. This unique gift incorporates gratitude in a beautiful presentation. The original version of the Blessing Bowl is hand-crafted in Mexican pewter by artisans who use traditional methods and elements of the earth to create these warm, lustrous bowls. Look for the Healing Bowl, The Gathering Bowl and Stoneware Blessing Bowls also. Alchemy IV recognizes the contribution of the Work Activity Center of Utah, which is responsible for the assembly of each Blessing Bowl Set. The Work Activity Center helps people with disabilities become more active and independent members of the community. In addition to a paycheck, participants also receive training to help develop better social, motor and communication skills. Basic Spirit, located in the seaside village of Pugwash on the north shore of Nova Scotia, is home of the internationally respected Pugwash Movement. The Pugwash Movement, now celebrating its 50th year, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995. Their beautiful and unique collection of pewter magnet sets, jewelry, serving pieces and housewares include themes of home and harmony, serenity, fresh quotes and words to live by. They contribute 10% of profits to charitable organizations. One of our other new lines for fall comes from Derin International, a blending of East meets West. These products are designed by an international married couple, Sara from New York and Ersan from Istanbul. They've taken traditional Turkish tapestries and handcrafted them into exquisitely designed handbags, coin purses and wallets. Also on hand: You'll want to get your copy of Connected Spirits, featuring our own pastor Kent Millard. This book shares touching stories of friendship and the impact it can have on one's spiritual life. During the month of September, Conversations with Carolyn will center around the book, The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion.
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WELCOME! new
members
The following persons completed the June Membership class. The next opportunities to join St. Luke’s are Sept. 15 & Oct. 13 Contact Sylvia Forbes at 846-3404 or forbess@stlukesumc.com to register.
June 2007 Jim Bartels, Joseph & Barbara Clark, Sharon Colucci, Caitlin Drouin, Fred & Florence Dykins, Mary Fisher, David & Natasha Gray, Carol Kappeler, Delores King-Hudson, Steve & Heather Kolodziej, Chris Lintvedt, Judy Mullennax, Scott and Kimberly Olivares, Denise Randall, Charlotte Robinson, Amie Schurig, Larry Tomey, Chris Weber
Friend Day!
Sunday, September 9 Everyone is encouraged to bring a friend to worship Sunday morning at the 8:15, 9:30 or 11:00 services on Friend Day! We will celebrate the bonds of friendship and community during worship—St. Luke’s Lead Pastor Dr. Kent Millard and his lifelong best friend Dr. Donald Messer will be bringing a dialogue message on Friendship, and copies of the new book to which they have contributed—Connected Spirits—will be available for purchase in Oasis Bookstore and Giftshop. Celebrations with friends always include spirits (of one sort or another) and food! Our United Methodist Men’s Ministry, famous for their fantastic cooking skills, will offer a free brunch that morning for all those who come with a friend. And a special gift will be available for our first-time friends that morning as well.
It will be a glorious day of friendship – seeing old friends who may have been away for the summer, making new friends and introducing them to the St. Luke’s community, and thanking God for the blessing of friends and community that surround us. We look forward to having you and your friends join us.
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St. Luke’s United Methodist Church • West Street • Indianapolis, Indiana
COMMUNION SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2007
NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID INDIANAPOLIS, IN PERMIT NO. 1569
Address Service Requested
This is the third in a series submitted by the T.I.M.E. committee about real ways to be in ministry everyday. Have an idea? Send it along to thornej@stlukesumc.com.
T.I.M.E. at School (intergenerational version) • Say hello and introduce yourself to the new kid (maybe you were the new kid once too!) • Make room for a new friend on the bus or at lunch • Volunteer your time in the classroom—your children will love having you there and the teachers will thank you • When buying school supplies, remember those in need • Be kind to everyone—remember there are 64 colors of Crayons in a box, not just one • Buy at least one roll of gift wrap or one box of chocolates from that fall fundraiser—they’re for a good cause! • Thank a teacher • Praise a student