Feb2017spireforweb by St. Luke's UMC

IN THIS ISSUE

A LETTER FROM TOM PACE

SCRIPTURE + SHARED

TELLING OUR CHILDREN ABOUT GOD by Julie Ellerbrock

HEARTS ON FIRE by David Horton

ON THE COVER: We read the Bible! Scripture+Shared, St. Luke’s new Bible study program is launching this month! Read about the brand new app and get started with a LIFT team or Bible Buddy. Spire (USPS 7190) is published monthly by St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77027-5334. Periodicals postage paid at Houson, TX and additional mailing offices.

Men’s Life led by Dr. Tom Pace Wednesdays, beginning February 15 6:30-8 a.m. | Fellowship Hall

Men’s Life encourages men to be their best. Men of all ages are invited to join Dr. Tom Pace for a new semester of teaching, a light breakfast, and round-table discussion about real-life issues and lifeapproaches related to men. Register at StLukesMethodist.org/GroupFinder 2

There is deep gratification in feeling like I really connect with someone else. When it seems I understand a little bit of that person, and they understand a little bit of me, then I experience something divine happening. I think most of us long for authentic friendships that are more than superficial or utilitarian. Andrew Brodsky writes “I believe God exists in the space between people.” That really resonates with me. It is remarkably satisfying to feel like I have a real Christian friendship. I like to study the Bible with others because it brings these two elements together into a double whammy. When the Holy Spirit comes “among us,” and breaks open the Scripture for our understanding, and we find ourselves bonded with others and with God by the power of the Spirit and God’s Word, there is nothing like it for me.

Why I Like Bible Studies by Dr. Tom Pace There are certain things that are really satisfying to me. I suspect that these things release endorphins in my brain, leading to that sense of satisfaction and pleasure.—Finishing a workout or run—Checking off a task on my task list— Reshelving the stacks of books in my study so that I can find what I am looking for. All of these give me flashes of gratification.

But there are two experiences that bring me some of my greatest satisfaction.

I have a wave of fulfillment when “I get it.” When I feel like I understand something about God that I just didn’t understand before, when I gain a clarity about life for even a moment, I can feel my heart race and my spirit soar. There are times I go to a Bible Study with other people, and we wrestle with a passage that at first seems thick and opaque, but then a light bulb goes off, and we settle on some understanding. In that moment, I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be, as if there were a T3 line connecting me to God, like I am standing on solid ground.

This is what motivates our focus on Bible Study with others in 2017. St. Luke’s leadership set a wildly important goal of getting 2000 people into regular Bible Study with others by the end of this year. We are launching a new Bible Study program, called “Scripture + Shared” that will invite folks to join a small group Bible study, find a Bible Buddy, or be a part of a simple family Bible Study. I will be writing the materials for this study, along with a team of others from St. Luke’s. We have developed a Scripture + Shared app available for download to your smartphone or tablet that can be used to access the materials, in addition to emailed or downloaded pdf. I want to challenge, cajole, beg, encourage, bribe, or otherwise persuade you to try this in 2017. The spring season (I prefer sports images to “semester”) will begin February 12. You can find more about this elsewhere in the Spire. I believe you will find it grounds you in ways you haven’t been before, and that it leads you to change and grow. And I believe you will find it satisfying; endorphins will be flying all over the place.

Telling our Children about God by Julie Ellerbrock

hen our daughter, Taylor, was born 27 years ago, our cousin gave her, High Chair Devotions – God Made My World by Marilyn J Woody. Who knew this book would play such a significant role in our family faith development? High Chair Devotions was the first book that we introduced Taylor to Bible verses through prayers, songs and fingerplays. As we read it every day, it quickly became her favorite book. She made sure the book was at the dinner table, in the car, or on her bedside table so one of the prayers would lead us in our time together. She became our “accountability leader” at the ripe old age of 18 months! After our son, Cole, was born, Taylor “read” the devotions to him every day. The finger plays were her favorite. In no time, we all had the entire book memorized. Before we became parents, Bill and I had our family faith plan all lined out. We were committed to raising our children to know and love God. Great plan, right? While I was pregnant with Taylor, we joined a church in our new neighborhood. Taylor was baptized at 3 months. We taught kindergarten Sunday School as she went to the nursery. We did it! We were well on our way to this new, loosely constructed faith formation plan. Our church was going to raise Taylor to be a follower of Jesus. They were the pros, certainly not us. Oh wait! Something was missing. While we had our plan for growing in our faith at church; we still had no plan for faith formation at home.

High Chair Devotions changed that. God worked through this simple book to help us see that we wanted and needed to be Taylor and Cole’s primary faith formation leaders. We certainly were their leaders in all other aspects of their development and care; yet, those best seller howto parenting books that my doctor shared with me did not cover faith formation. Where was that how-to book? The Bible was right at our finger tips.

I knew this verse, but never thought it really applied to us as parents. But it was right there. God had the answers for us. We just needed to open our eyes and hearts to allow him to lead us. It took us longer than it should have (maybe because of the Aggie in us) to connect the dots that we were Taylor and Cole’s spiritual formation leaders and the church was our partner in this most important endeavor. We soon learned to help lead our children in developing their faith; the faith they clamin as their own. As my children grew, we established new traditions at home, yet it was not always easy. I certainly was passionate about faith formation at home; yet, I was equally befuddled about how it all could happen on a regular basis with homework, sports, music lessons, trying to get some semblance of a dinner on the table, making sure the children bathed and had laundered pajamas to put on, sneaking in a bit of time for adult conversation after they were in bed, and maybe, just maybe, an ounce of time for myself. You are not an island. God put us in community to do this together. St. Luke’s wants to partner with you, parents, to build a spiritual foundation in each child that will last a lifetime. Together, we can encourage and challenge ourselves to share the love of God with our children, teach them to pray, experience God working in our everyday lives at home, at school, in the park, with your neighbors.

How do we do it? We just start: • • • • • • • •

Pray for God to lead you. Keep it simple, make it real for you family. Choose a children’s Bible (when we launch Scripture + Shared, we will provide a list of some of our favorite storybook Bibles for our non-readers and readers – look for that list.) Create a time— daily Limit distractions—turn electronics off Have a balanced plan that includes scripture/story, questions, prayer, games, activities, songs Make it fun and keep it brief—remember your child’s attention span is key! Make it relevant. Carry what your learn together into your everyday life. When something happens, relate it to a scripture you have read before or edit your daily plan to meet a need that has arisen. Ask questions and do not be afraid to say, “I don’t know. Let’s find out together.”

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While we had our plan for growing in our faith at church; we still had no plan for faith formation at home.

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Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

One of my favorite Bible stories is the story of the boy who shared his lunch – two fish and five loaves of bread. I often imagine what it would have been like to be that boy to offer our lunch and then watch Jesus ask God to bless this lunch for one and see it feed well over 5000 people. Your food. Your sharing heart. Your God performed a mighty miracle right before your eyes. Now, imagine if you were the boy’s parent and the conversation that could have taken place when he returned home. What did this amazing miracle do for this family and their faith? Did they see this as God’s amazing work at hand because of his unfailing love for them? Did they receive Jesus into their hearts? Did they allow this to make a difference in the way they lived? How would his parents help him continue to keep this miracle at the forefront for his lifetime? Did they tell their neighbors? Did they shout it from the rooftops or did they keep it silent? Or did they wake up one morning and pushed that story aside in the midst of their busyness? What does this story mean for us today? We read it, we might even know it well enough to retell it to someone. This story that took place over 2,000 years ago made a significant impression then and for millions of people since that time. How can we partner together to capture this story into the hearts of our families and for us to see that Jesus still performs these mighty miracles today and we are the boy? We simply need to open our hearts, share what we have with our children and others, and most importantly, trust in the Lord. The greatest gift we can give our children is to know the GOSPEL. G od so loved the world, that he gave his O nly S on, so that whoever believes in him may not P erish, but may have E ternal L ife For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

Does the Bible Have Any Relevance in My Life? by Joseph Patty Does the Bible have any relevance in my life? This is a question that many young people are asking because they’ve never honestly wrestled with the text. Most have heard the anecdotes and pithy reasons why it’s important to have a “devotional life,” but can we actually encounter the living God in a meaningful way that has an impact on my life (my real one, not the happy fake one I present in church?) The answer is yes, but we have to learn to press deeper than our typical simple Sunday school lessons. When we read Scripture, we have to have a conversation with it. We have to ask it questions and allow it to question us in return. Take the Christmas story in the book of Matthew as an example. An angel shows up to Mary and says she’s going to have a baby; Joseph wants to divorce her; the angel shows up again, and he decides not to divorce her; three wise men show up, and they peace out to Egypt. It’s a story, which students have heard at almost every year of their lives, and many have heard it more, so when I chose to teach it last month, I hosted a conversation between the students and the text. If God is love, and love is as it is described in 1 Corinthians 13 (patient, kind, honoring others, not self-seeking, etc), then how does God’s character of

love come to the forefront when we look at the events and people surrounding His advent? As the students and I dove into this question, we looked specifically at Joseph, making a distinction and calling him Yusef so as not to confuse his name with mine, and asked why exactly God would choose him to be the father of Jesus. We looked to get inside Yusef ’s head. Imagine, your cute young fiancé shows up at your door and tells you that she’s pregnant. To make matters worse, she can’t even own her mistakes, and she is telling this aweful story about how God made her pregnant. At this point, you’re hurt, confused, betrayed, and you have the right, according to Jewish custom, to have her stoned in front of the whole town for infidelity. Now, what does Yusef do? He decides to divorce her quietly, which is still a hard choice, but one laced with mercy and kindness, because he neither desires to punish her or have her shamed in front of the community and in doing so protect his own reputation. What happens next is where it gets interesting. After the angel shows back up and explains the truth of the situation to Yusef, he

acts in obedience and decides to take Mary back, risking his reputation and well being with every social stigma, which she now carried. To kindness and mercy, we now add a humble heart that isn’t self-seeking, but rather takes on shame, stigma, rejection, and pain as its own. Here we find God’s love revealed and the answer as to why He chose Joseph as the father of Jesus. It takes a man who himself has borne the shame of another to raise a man who will bear the shame of all. It is also here that we must allow the text to ask us questions. Will we follow? Will we be a people, like Christ (our savior, teacher, example, shame bearer,) who willingly draw others who have social baggage to us, welcoming them into our lives and our inner circles? I asked the students a simple question. Do you know someone in your school who is a social outcast? Every head nodded in affirmation. The text demands this us to ask this next question; how is God calling you to show love to that person? A barrage of possible answers comes back, a sign of good hearts. Then one honest soul speaks up, asking a question back to the text, “But what about my reputation?” If we are going to have a conversation with the text, we must be brutally honest. Here, the text has a response. In the following verses, a new character is introduced, King Herod. Herod is a man who’s protection of his own power, title, and reputation leads him to murder every male child within the age range of Jesus. Herod becomes the hyperbole of our own pride, and it leads to both his destruction and the destruction of countless innocents. Humanity does possibly more damage

out of our own efforts to protect our own status than any other motive. Call it defense mechanisms; call it whatever you want. It’s antichrist, and we’ve got a problem with it. The only way to deal with it is to sit in the grace that God offers us in Jesus’ death on the cross, where He willingly and publicly owns our shame, and calling us His. It is only from that place that we have the ability to answer Jesus’ call to take up our own cross and live into God’s character of love: patience, kindness, and honoring others instead of ourselves. It is from that place that we can begin loving others with everything at risk and expecting nothing in return, simply because that’s the love we received from Christ. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. In fact, it shouldn’t be showy. Only let our love and our faith be genuine, stetching us beyond what makes us comfortable, and perhaps then the church will finally begin to look different from the world. For our students, loving others may be as simple as inviting the “social outcast” to sit with them at lunch. I recently learned that God used a moment like that in my life to change the trajectory of my friend’s life forever. It may be that simple for you too. However, I encourage you to go back and have a conversation with the text for yourself. How is God’s love revealed when you read it? What does this text say about how God feels about single moms? What does it say about fatherhood? How is God questioning you and calling you to make a move? I pray we become a church bold enough to question the text and brave enough to be questioned by it. Thanks for listening.

Growing Larger... by Eric Huffman

by Eric Huffman

How Small Groups Fuel The S t ory Houst on’s Growth

How Small Groups Fuel The Story Houston’s Growth reat things always have small beginnings. Two years ago this month, a team of thirty volunteers prepared for the grand opening of The Story Houston, St. Luke’s new worship community. On February 22, 2015, The Story was born under the basketball goals of the Activity Center, and 478 people came to celebrate. Most of those were well-wishers stopping by to bless our birthday, and two Sundays later, we “bottomed out” with just 170 people in attendance. What’s happened since has been nothing short of miraculous. By the end of 2015, we were seeing about 350 people in worship each week, and then God really went to work in 2016. Through August of last year, we welcomed 410 people in weekly worship. In September, we moved into our new home, and since then, we’ve had 516 people per week joining us in worship. What’s more incredible is that we’ve welcomed 664 people per week since December! From 30 to 664 in less than two years! How did that happen? We’ve grown bigger by always growing smaller. Allow me to explain. I work hard to preach as best I can, and our musicians are always on their game, but good music and preaching keeps new people engaged for a few weeks, at best. For people to stick around and invest in a new community, they must feel compelled to engage beyond Sunday worship. The engine that has fueled The Story’s dramatic growth has been second-level engagement: Bible Study (Classes), small groups (we call them Chapters), and Work Teams. To that end, The Story has a secret weapon: my wife and co-pastor, Rev. Geovanna Huffman. From the very beginning, her job has been to:

Identify

Launch

Match

Identify, recruit, train, and send leaders of Classes, Chapters, and Teams.

Consistently launch new Chapters and Teams

Match new people up with Chapters and Teams that suit their needs, life stages, and/or special interests

Lead

Lead our leaders toward a deeper relationship with Jesus, and a deeper understanding of Scripture

Encourage

Encourage our leaders to raise up more new leaders

In less than two years, under the leadership of “Pastor Geo,” we’ve established over 50 Chapters, Classes, and Teams, engaging over 500 people outside of Sunday worship! Many of our newest members actually began attending a Chapter before deciding to come on a Sunday. In 2017, we plan to start 50 additional groups that will engage 350 more people. Each of these groups prays together, studies the Bible together, and fosters a culture of trust where new, lifelong friendships are formed. If you are interested in becoming a prayer partner for The Story’s Discipleship Ministries, or if you’d like to connect with (or lead) one of our Chapters, Teams, or Classes, please reach out to Geo today and let her know by emailing ghuffman@stlukesmethodist.org. You can also find out more about our Chapters by visiting TheStory.church/chapters.

Monday Morning Men Tacos, Coffee, Fellowship, and the Word Every Monday morning, from 7-8 a.m., a group of twenty or so men gathers in The Story Houston’s new building. Ranging in age from 20 to 80, these guys come in and grab a few breakfast tacos and some fresh coffee before sitting down to study the Bible. This is a “red-letter study”; we’re going through the gospels, dissecting only the words of Jesus. We move slowly, intentionally; after starting nine months ago, we’re only to Matthew’s sixth chapter. In addition to studying the words of Jesus together, these men commit to praying for each other and to holding each other accountable. Some of the guys are non-religious skeptics; others are lifelong believers. Nevertheless, we keep the focus on Jesus, and he unites us in our diversity. If you’re a man looking for a Bible-focused community of men who study, ask questions, and grow together, join us any Monday morning at 7.

HEARTS ON

FIRE by David Horton

I love the Bible. I love the way my leather Bible smells. I love the way it fits in my hand like a glove made just for me. I love its clean lines and stately columns of black ink. I love the sound of rustling newsprint when I flip through its pages. It’s the sound of thousands of years of faithful people trying to write about what language cannot define, only describe. I love the length of the Bible—it’s long enough to consume your entire life. I love its complexity. It’s not one book or one volume or even one library. It’s two libraries bundled into one seamless collection. I love how smart the Bible is. I love the genius of its writers. They were the Shakespeare’s and Rowling’s of their day, witty and elegant, and the fact that their work exists millennia later is testament to their mastery of language and, more importantly, their devotion to their God. I love the Bible because it is more than the sum of its pages: it is the good news of God’s love for us, put in a way we can hold and read. People who struggle with the Bible, people who think it’s too antiquated, brutal, or just plain boring, should know that the Bible is about something greater and more wonderful than itself. It is always pointing ahead of itself, a sixty-six book window that opens to a whole new world. It’s a world not only of ancient history, but a world of what history can and should be. But as much as I love the Bible, I love Jesus even more. Jesus is not contained in the Bible; the Bible is contained in Jesus. Jesus is the living and breathing interpreter of Scripture. He is the Word from which all the words in the book began, and to which all the words in the book point. If you’re looking to get involved with the Bible, Jesus is both the door and the key. If the Bible is a window that opens to a whole new world, that window is always in the shape of a cross. Jesus helps me read the Bible, like a friend meeting over coffee to co-study a book. The way I read the Bible and the stories

that have been most important for me have changed throughout my life, not really because I have changed, but because the journey Jesus is leading me on keeps changing. Stories that didn’t necessarily apply to my life a year ago have a life-or-death meaning for me now. That’s why it’s so vitally important to immerse myself in Bible study: the passage I read yesterday may not speak at all to what I am going through today, but the passage I read today might. And with Jesus’ help it will. Luke, the gospel-writer, certainly felt this way. After Jesus died and walked out of the tomb, he appeared to a few forlorn disciples who were grieving his sudden death. They didn’t recognize him, but still the three of them walked the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus together, and along the way the hidden Jesus explained how the Bible had always pointed ahead to his death and resurrection. When they arrived home, he vanished and the disciples knew who the mystery man was. They said, “Were not our hearts on fire when he spoke to us on the road and when he explained the scriptures for us?”

In college I began to hang out with a crowd of social justice-minded hippies. Some friends and I would carry dinner from the dining hall to homeless folks on the street. We would sit and chat over a meal of pizza and fries. I loved Monday night dinners on the street more than I loved any of my classes. Biology didn’t apply to my soul, but street dinners with the poor did. I returned to the Bible, and I was captivated by Jesus’ hardest challenge: “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.” When I began squandering my dining hall credits to feed the poor, my life began to make more sense. Jesus was trying to tell me something. My heart was on fire. I’ll never forget the first time I presided over Communion at Gethsemane. People from over a dozen nations, speaking any number of languages and tribal dialects, came to kneel at the altar in a peach to chocolate rainbow of skin tones. They were there to worship one Lord with one faith and one love. The prophet Isaiah gave me language to describe what I was seeing: “Let all the nations gather together and let the people assemble.” My heart was on fire.

“JESUS HELPS ME READ THE BIBLE, LIKE A FRIEND MEETING OVER COFFEE TO CO-STUDY A BOOK. “

You and I are disciples on a road with Jesus. Along the way, Jesus opens the scriptures to us, different scriptures for different times. When you open the window of the Bible day by day, Jesus begins to unveil himself in its stories. He brings those stories directly into your life, and your life directly into those stories. It is a hearts on fire experience.

One summer when I was in high school, I began to doubt if any of this Christianity stuff was real. I felt like a hypocrite since I was a leader of the official Christian club on campus. At the same time I was wondering if a career in medicine was really for me. I had always thought it as. What in the world was I going to do? I had never read the gospels in their entirety, so during that summer I read them all. To this day I remember reading the story of Jesus calming the storm for the first time on my own. I pictured him reaching out his hand, palm faced outward, saying “Peace! Be still!” And suddenly it didn’t matter what my future looked like, and the fundamentalist beliefs of my friends started to lose their power over me. All that mattered is that Jesus could calm the sea. My heart was on fire.

And when we sing on Sunday mornings in English, Spanish, and Swahili, I think back to Acts when the Spirit descended like a rushing wind onto the disciples. They spoke in languages they were not supposed to know, and everyone assembled for Pentecost from every nation in the known world could hear the gospel story in a language they could understand. That story has been tattooed on my heart. It gives me language to describe what otherwise would leave me speechless. It’s not that I understand Pentecost because of Gethsemane; it’s that I understand Gethsemane because of Pentecost. The only way I can understand what God is doing in my life today is because of a story written two thousand years ago. Read the Bible, with Jesus, everyday. It will set your heart on fire. It will draw you into its stories, and its stories into you.

INSIDE-OUT HABITS WE PRAY

INSIDE-OUT HABITS WE TELL OUR STORIES

Up Close and Personal: Mary Catherine Lewis INSIDE-OUT HABITS WE MAKE FRIENDS

by Laurie Noteboom When Mary Catherine Lewis volunteered to work a shift at the donor registry drive St. Luke’s held last May, she had no idea that hour would change her life and other’s lives so dramatically.

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Volunteering at church was nothing new for her as Mary Catherine and her family have been involved members at St. Luke’s for over a decade. Her son and daughter attended the Day School for preschool, then children’s Sunday School, VBS, and now Student Ministry activities. She and her husband Michael, along with Christopher and Kara, started attending The Story when it began and Mary Catherine helped out wherever she was asked through it all. She admits though, “Most ‘mom’ volunteer jobs aren’t in my sweet spot. I’m not a casserole maker or decorator.” But she always said yes because she wanted to do her part, even at this donor registry drive. Unbeknownst to Mary Catherine, the marrow/stem cell donor drive St. Luke’s was hosting was for one of her good friends who had not yet made his diagnosis public. But once he did and the need became personal, she immediately wanted to do something more. She reached out to the organization Delete Blood Cancer DKMS, who had helped run St. Luke’s donor drive, to become educated about the whole process. DKMS is an international non-profit organization, founded 25 years ago by a doctor who lost his wife to leukemia. The organization now has offices in 20 countries and is responsible for registering 6 million potential donors worldwide. Mary Catherine learned that donor matching is essentially a numbers game – the more donors registered, the more lives saved. Though she acknowledges her weaknesses for the typical ‘mom’ volunteer opportunities, she also knows her strengths. “I can organize the heck out of something and talk to strangers!” And this turns out to be the exact skillset needed to help tip the scales in this life saving numbers game. Along with DKMS, Mary Catherine has so far organized five donor drives. She knew her friend’s European ethnicity could be key in finding a match so she reached out to the Serbian Church in Galveston and Annunciation Orthodox School here in Houston. They both welcomed her and she organized drives at both of their campuses. She also coordinated drives at Sid Richardson College at Rice University, Poe Elementary and at Houston’s Greek Festival.

Her dining room now stays filled with the little white donor kits that she see as lifelines for individuals with blood cancers. Mary Catherine glows when she tells of the email she received from DKMS celebrating that a match had been made from a drive she conducted. Someone has a chance to be saved from cancer because she said yes first to a need and then a call. She admits this gives her chills and that God’s hand is all over it. When asked why she has continued to set up donor drives even though her friend has also found a match, she points to 1 Peter 4:10. Mary Catherine’s gifts from God have now turned into the gift of life for others, literally. And while it started with her wanting to do her part for her church and then her friend, it continues because of her wanting to follow God’s call. Now that is an important yes. For more information on DKMS and how to become a donor visit deleteblood cancer.org/

We give ourselves away in generosity and service

as apostles, sent by Jesus to be the good news in the world.

Souper Bowl of Caring is February 5 One in four children in Texas go to bed hungry at night not knowing from where their next meal will come. This year, addition to enjoying the big game, pick up some extra non-perishable items at the grocery store and bring them to the Fellowship Walk to benefit Christian Community Service Center Food Pantries, which serve neighbors at both our Westheimer and Gethsemane campuses.

Undies for Everyone Saturday, February 11 | | 9:30-11 a.m. Our monthly project enhances the self-esteem, dignity, hygiene and success of Houston disadvantaged elementary students by providing them new underwear through their nurses and counselors. Volunteers will sort and package undies to be delivered to the local schools. Space is limited so RSVP with Meredith Davis at 713-402-5064 or mdavis@stlukesmethodist.org.

Los Angeles Learn and Serve Trip May 7-10, 2017 Visit Homeboy Industries and learn about the life-changing work of Father Greg Boyle, author of Tattoos on the Heart. Additionally, the team, led by Rev. Greg Taylor, with Houston reVision, will visit Union Rescue Mission where many are learning how to escape the streets of skid row. Contact Denise Snider at dsnider@stlukesmethodist.org by February 15.

ST. LUKE’S

LIFE

Here at St. Luke’s, we want you to have every opportunity to build authentic bonds with other Christians—just like you—who are striving to walk the Christian journey faithfully, so check out the following events! Join our church family and find a small group and Sunday morning class that truly fits. To learn more about all of our ministry groups, visit StLukesMethodist. org/ministries.

ADULTS Go With Grace led by Dr. Linda Christians Thursdays, 7:15–8:30 a.m. | Hines Baker Room  Join this community of women seeking to know God more intimately through Bible study, prayer and fellowship. Register at StLukesMethodist.org/GroupFinder

Gethsemane Silver Circle Wednesday, February 22 | 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Gethsemane Campus Enjoy a morning of games and conversation, with lunch and birthday celebrations at Noon. Cost for lunch is $5. For reservations, please call Betsy Evans, 281-565-0348.

WOMEN SENIOR ADULTS Mainstreamer Day Program and Luncheon Thursday, February 9 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Hines Baker Room Our special guests will be Alice King, Director of Outreach, along with other members of the Missions and Outreach team for both the Westheimer and Gethsemane campuses. They will be with us to talk about the ministries of St. Luke’s that reach out into the community, nation and world through local and global partnerships, and the involvement of St. Luke’s in the work of each of those ministries. Buffet lunch ($10) following the program. Reservations to Senior Adult Ministries Reservation line, 713402-5087. Mainstreamer Day Trip Friday, February 17 (please note special date) 12:30 – 5 p.m. | The Cistern at Buffalo Bayou Park Our guided tour will include a walk through the restored space, fun facts about the space, and a visit to Rain: Magdelena Fernandez at the Cistern, a video art installation. Lunch before the tour at Christians Tailgate on Washington. Cost for the tour is $10. Lunch is “on your own.” Please call the reservation line, 713-402-5087, to reserve your place. Monday Bridge Group Mondays, 1:30–3:30 p.m. | Room EN204 (R25) All are welcome at this growing, informal group interested in learning or brushing up on bridge played by Goren rules. For more information, please call Kathy Austin, 713-252-6727. No reservations necessary, just come join in.come join in.

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The Ladies of St. Lukes’ United Methodist Church and The Church of St. John the Divine invite you to their Annual Luncheon February 28 at 11 a.m. (10:30 check in) Fellowship Hall at St. Luke’s Guest speaker is Rev. Eric Huffman, Pastor of The Story Houston Register online at StLukesMethodist.org/events call 713-402-5094 or email c.s.fowler@sbcglobal.net cost is $18

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN UMW Games Group Mondays, February 6, 20, 27, 10-11:30 a.m., Room EN204 (R25), Westheimer Campus Contact Lori Wilson-Reynolds, 713-665-3553. UMW Shalom Circle Tuesday, February 14, 9:30 a.m. | 7519 Croton RSVP to Ermarie Green at 713-774-1415 by February 11. UMW Gethsemane Book Group Saturday, February 11 | 9:30 a.m. Peggy Harrison’s home Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Contact Jo Ann Smith at 713-686-5959. UMW Westheimer Book Group Monday, February 13, 10 a.m. | ES306 Dead Wake by Eric Larson Contact Dorothy Voss, 713-660-7243. UMW Night Circle Tuesday, February 21 | 6:30 p.m. home of Linda Goehrs, 2631 Albans Road, 77005 Join our intergenerational circle for a presentation of the book, Made to Crave. The discussion will center on how to get unstuck from bad habits and develop a habit to spend more time with God. All women of the church and friends are invited to attend. For more information contact Pat Deckert, 713-334-6848.

SERVICE OF HEALING

STUDENTS Big Game Watch Party February 5 | 5 p.m. | Student Ministry Building High School students are invited to watch the big game with us! Bring $10 for food, and come cheer for your favorite team (or commercial.) Middle School SNL (Sunday Night Live) Febraury 19 | 5:30 pm Middle School students are invited to grab a friend and join us at this month’s SNL event! Check the weekly email for more details coming soon. High School Camping Trip February 24-26 | Pedernales Falls State Park We’re packing up and heading out to Pedernales Falls with our High School students! Tents, s’mores, hammocks, campfires, hiking, and Jesus—it’s the best way to spend a weekend! This trip is designed to get students away from the pressures of their world and show them the depths of God’s word and love. Register at StLukesMethodist.org/events

GETHSEMANE CAMPUS Valentine’s Dinner Party Wednesday, February 15 at 5:30 p.m. Children will host a dinner in honor of our couples who have been married 50 or more years. These special lovebirds are asked to RSVP to Amy Kelley at akelley@stlukesmethodist.org or 713-357-4464 to reserve a table. CONNECT Community Gethsemane Youth Hangouts February 12 and 26 | 12:30-3 p.m. Adults that want to have fun and be an influencer contact Julie Ramos to volunteer at juramos@stlukesmethodist.org. Youth screening of Pushing the Elephant February 9 | 7-9 p.m. | MATCH movie theater Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees invite youth to this moving and joyful look at the refugee experience in the U.S. Contact Julie Ramos at juramos@ stlukesmethodist.org.

Service of Healing February 1 | 6-7 p.m. |Westheimer Chapel Join us the first Wednesday of every month for a Service of healing. This month, Rev. Linda Christians will lead a time of prayer and communion where you can ask God for spiritual and physical healing for yourself or a loved one. For more information contact Laurie Noteboom at lnoteboom@stlukesmethodist.org or 713-402-5024.

Cultural Cooking Class February 2 | 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Gehtsemane Campus Learn the art of Soul Food taught by SLUMC’s Amy Kelley and Houston Center for Literacy’s Alisha Procter. Class sizes are limited. Contact Amy Kelley at akelley@stlukesmethodist.

NICK FINNEGAN COUNSELING CENTER

7th annual Crack ‘em for a Cause crawfish boil Roughly 400 people are expected at this all-you-can-eat crawfish boil on March 25 from 1-5 p.m. at Firehouse (5930 Southwest Fwy.) The event includes a live band, face painting, photo booth, a souvenir and even hotdogs! Crack ‘em for a Cause benefits the Nick Finnegan Counseling Center (NFCC). Since NFCC is a self-sustaining ministry of St. Luke’s, crawfish boil proceeds help offset the cost of counseling. This allows NFCC to offer affordable private-pay rates, a sliding-scale and insurance options for individuals ages 3+ as well as adults, couples and families. Purchase crawfish boil tickets for $40 in advance or $45 at the door. Tickets for children 12 and under are only $5. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Details and tickets at FinneganCounseling.org/CrawfishBoil or 713-402-5127.

Rotunda Gallery Artists of the Month We welcome painters James Doyle Avant and Wendy Parker Messerschmidt to the Rotunda Gallery for the month of February. James paints realist landscapes of rural Texas, with emphasis on the Hill Country and coastal regions. Wendy has been drawing since childhood and is particularly inspired by portraiture. Stop by the gallery any time during the month to view their work, leave a note in the guestbook, and perhaps find something for your walls. A portion of gallery proceeds helps to fund the growth and maintenance of the permanent art collection at St. Luke’s. Seasons of Love – A Musical Revue Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11 | 7:30 p.m. Rotunda Theater Join Tapestry Players, St. Luke’s resident theater troupe, for a heart-warming musical revue of classic and contemporary standards from stage and screen. Directed by Tina Throckmorton, with musical direction by Sid Davis. Admission by donation.

COFFEE WITH THE PASTOR

MUSIC AND FINE ARTS

VOCES8 returns to St. Luke’s for Glories of Venice Sunday, March 5 | 6 p.m. | Sanctuary London-based choral ensemble VOCES8 returns to Houston and St. Luke’s UMC for a concert cel-ebrating the life and work of Claudio Monteverdi. The internationally acclaimed singers will join our Chancel Choir and Credo to perform selected works by Monteverdi and other composers. Free admission.

Want to learn more about St. Luke’s? Coffee with the Pastor is a casual gathering led by Sr. Pastor, Dr. Tom Pace. It is the perfect way to learn more about St. Luke’s and is the first step on the path to membership. Schedule: March 8 | 5:30-7 p.m. April 2 | 4-5:30 p.m. May 10 | 5:30-7 p.m. You can sign up online at StLukesMethodist.org/imnew/#jointhefamily

Celebrating Lives BUILDING FUND In Memory of: Randy Gorham by Timothy P. Hart CARING MINISTRIES In Memory of: Royce Blair by Karen Blair CCSC In Honor of: Mr. & Mrs. Dean Johnson by Larry & Martha Loyd CHILDRENS MINISTRY In Memory of: Vera House Leisk by William I. Davis Nicholas Charles Stephens

Lela Kidd by Jane & Charles Szalkowski Tom Pace by Mary Decker Gloria Quian by Jane & Charles Szalkowski In Memory of: Gene Decker by Mary Charlotte Decker Ellen Frances Nunnally Owens by Gene Decker Study Class Jane & Charles Szalkowski NFCC In Honor of: 2016 Debutantes by James and Ellen Cummins Martha & Ray Benestante by Susan & Bill Finnegan Mary & Tony Corbett by Martha & Ray Benestante Susan & Bill Finnegan Bill & Susan Finnegan by Martha & Ray Benestante In Memory of: Scotty Caven by Susan & Bill Finnegan Hal Finnegan by Susan & Bill Finnegan Tom Melo by Melissa Ramsey

FRIENDS OF MUSIC In Honor of: B.B. Bamberg Lesa Curry Bettina Hill Sally Matthews and Carol Mohrman by Betty Slagle Jane & Jack Schubert by Hulda & Fred Schubert Erin Manning Verducci by Clair Manning ORGAN FUND In Memory of: In Memory of: Loraine Hamm Davis by Dr. Denton & Louise Cooley by John Maag Sara C. Taylor Gladys O’Neal Ann Kelm by Scott, Linda, Brooks & Bethany OUTREACH MINISTRIES In Honor of: Kelm Susan Finnegan by Molly Delery GENE DECKER STUDY CLASS Dr. & Mrs. Herbert M. Loyd by ENDOWMENT FUND Larry & Martha Loyd In Honor of: Nancy & Walt Bratic by Mary Decker

ST. LUKE’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH In Honor of: Linda Christians by Scott, Linda, Brooks & Bethany Kelm Bill Denham by Scott, Linda, Brooks & Bethany Kelm Dr. Tom Pace by Peggy Henderson Scott, Linda, Brooks & Bethany Kelm Larry Moore by Peggy Henderson In Memory of: Bill Ellerbrock by Barbie & Gary Coleman ST. LUKE’S METHODIST CHURCH FOUNDATION In Memory of: Edward Watson “Mike” Kelley, Jr. by Beverly & Dan Arnold Steven D. Arnold Alice & Randy Helms Susan & Tom Martin Mary Nell Thomas Lawrence by Mrs Raybourne Thompson J.C. Walter, Jr. by Mrs. Elizabeth C. Walter WOODSHOP In Honor of: Hugh Parker Paul Renner Gene Womack by James & Nancy Hall Jim Weatherly by Tim & Gay Connor In Memory of: Clarence Clay Miles by Paul Renner

February $1 Offering for PM Pals

Each Sunday in February, the $1 bills from the offering will be dedicated to PM Pals, a St. Luke’s program that provides parents an evening of respite from the demands of caring for their special needs child. PM Pals is offered once a month and free of charge. These precious children and their siblings look forward to coming to PM Pals to have their special night out to participate in fun pre-planned activities designed specifically for them. Caring staff and well-trained volunteers make PM Pals a special night for the whole family. The demand for programs such as this are increasing and to keep up with this demand, more staff hours, additional volunteers and special equipment are needed to provide a high level of programming. You can make a difference in the life of these families by bringing your “extra dollar” to worship beginning February 5.

Congratulations, Baptisms! The Sacrament of Baptism was received by: Cleo Jeanette Hodges, daughter of Joseph Aaron Hodges and Kristin Fields Hodges on December 11.

Stella Beatrice Oren, daughter of Joshua Emil Oren and Lisa Harmon Oren on December 25.

Brady Tyler Levicky, son of Brett Tyler Levicky and Kimberly Renee Erwin Levicky on December 11.

Evelyn Nicolette Cook, daughter of David Thomas Cook and Anne Michelle Gonzalez Cook on January 1.

Katherine Rose Morris and Anna Jane Morris, daughters of Austen Dayne Morris and Karen Hoffman Morris on December 11.

Evan Cash Johnston and Sawyer Ashton Johnston, sons of Jeffrey Ashton Johnston and Danica Dawn Johnston on January 1.

Aditya “Adi” Davis Gajurel and Hridaya “Reed” Davis Gajurel, sons of Anup Gajurel and Peyton Scott Davis Gajurel on December 17.

Olivia Carly Daughenbaugh, daughter of John Malcolm Daughenbaugh and Juliana Mendez Daughenbaugh on January 8.

Claire Taylor Johnson, daughter of Colin Nathanael Johnson and Katherine Taylor McGee Johnson on December 18.

Constance Campbell Hadlock, daughter of Christopher Campbell Hadlock and Caroline Giles Hadlock on January 8.

Jacob Earle Desalegn Nageso, son of Desalegn Nageso Babsa and Danielle Bolks on December 25.

William Henry Morley, son of Dwayne Robert Morley and Kellie Renee Marrou Morley on January 8.

Baptisms continued Cooper John Schupbach, son of Harold Michael Schupbach and Jordan Francis Schupbach on January 8.

Charles Quince Forswall, son of Clayton Davis Forswall and Emily Kolb Forswall on January 15.

Henry James Eure, son of Bradford Tyler Eure and Sidney Meagan Voigt Eure on January 15.

Tessa Williams Kazmann, daughter of Asher McKee Kazmann and Meghan Walker Kazmann on January 15.

Katherine McClain White, daughter of Christopher Bradley White and Jennifer Rook White on January 15.

Not pictured: Lucas Kirby Hill, son of Robert Louis Hill and

Laura Smith Hill on December 11.

Dean Parker McCulley, Amelia Anne McCulley, and Dylan James McCulley, children of Timothy McCulley and Lynda McCulley on December 25.

New Members Antonio and Kayla Butler transfer to our Gethsemane Campus, he from another denomination and she from another United Methodist church. They are the parents of Kylan, age two. Juana Tavico unites with St. Luke’s Gethsemane Campus by profession of faith. She is Children’s Ministries Coordinator at Gethsemane.

Elizabeth “Lissa” Chavez rededicated her life to Christ on January 1.

James Gibson joined our Gethsemane Campus community on January 1.

Photo Unavailable: Amuri Lwe’ya and his wife, Masoka Netola, unite with our Gethsemane Campus by transfer from another United Methodist Church. They are the parents of Izaki, age 16, Samwel, age 14, Daudi, age 12, Ungwa, age 11, and Kiza, age 9. We welcome Macumu Bashengezi and his wife, Roza Lohi Fidele, who join our Gethsemane Campus by profession of faith. They are the parents of Joseph, age 22, Kalume, age 22, Francine, age 17, Juma, age 13, and Lohi, age 10.

Couples in our Church Family who have Celebrated 50 and More Years of Marriage February 12, 2017 1945 Caroline and Lloyd Gregory, Jr. Nancy and Meade Wheless, Jr. 1946 Frances and Jack Dickerson, Jr. Beth and Hooper Haygood Marie and Roland St. Lawrence

1955 Beverly and Dan Arnold Ann and Gene Hastings Mary and Charles Royal 1956 (G) Glenda and Al Brown Cynthia and Burr Furlong Janet and Bill Head Barbara and David Henington Thelma and Mike London

1949 Eloise and John Lloyd, Jr. Val Dean and Jack Read Hulda and Fred Schubert 1957 (G) Mary Louise and Doug Smith Anne and Charles Duncan, Jr. Colleen and Bert Miles 1950 Alyce Lou and Vic Morris (G) Lou and Bill Bunch, Jr. Lynnda and John Paukune Peggy and Lee Duggan Judy and Pat Thompson Melva and Sidney Lanier (G) Valrie and Warren Osborne 1958 Shirley and Barry Brandt 1951 Barbara and Dan Clinton, Jr. Hildene and Jimmy Doyle, Jr. Walthena and Gary Frazier Margaret and Bill Hodge Martha and Larry Loyd Nan and Gibbs Macdaniel, Jr. 1952 Pat and Dee Osborne Gloria and Bruce Moore (G) Sarah and Terry Roush (G) Julia and A.W. Peterson Henrietta and Alex Trevino Jan and Don Wagner Dorothy and Bill Voss 1953 Kathy and Julian Byrd Margaret and Joe Clegg Barbara and Joe Eason Bettie and Bobby Hollingsworth Babs and Ed Smith, Jr. 1954 Dixie and Denny Bartell Mildred and Bob Cochran Gloria and Marvin Merritt Lela and Joe Staples, III

1961 Barbara and George Batten Clara and Shed Boren Joan and Mobley Cox, Jr. Dianne and Fred Garrett Carolyn and Carlos Hamilton, Jr. (G) Joan and Bill King Audrey and Robb Moses 1962 Margie and Jim Sam Camp (G) Peggy and Bob Harrison Hetta and Jesse Heath, Jr. Stephanie and Bart Herrscher Lucy and Charles Lamme Mary Martha and Jack Lappe Virginia and Harold Melville, Jr. Pat and Jerry Webb Paulette and Michael Williams

1963 Tami and Pat Dyer (G) Barbara and Dave Fogt Rachel and Bud Frazier (G) May and Bill Jee Suzanne and Tom Hill Starlett and Ben Hollingsworth Pam and Bob Hutchins Elaine and Fella Knight, Jr. Carolyn and Paul Meyer 1959 Barbara and Harry Sylvia and Ed Ashbaugh Montgomery, III Margaret and Chester Benge, Jr. Tita and Bill Paddock Pat and Jimmy Brill Pam and Jim Richards Marian and Ken Naber Lynn and Calvin Ryan Gladys and Merrill Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal Jane and Howard Tope Susan and Gene Vaughan 1960 Nancy and Ken Williams (G) Susan and Oscar Dane Elaine and Bill England Jane and Bill Mahns Nellieree and Bill Nantz Suzy and Gerry Parker Marilyn and Wesley Stevens Emmalea and Bill Stradley Judy and Mike Tyson

1964 Ann and Bob Arnett Georgia and Don Byrnes Patricia and John Floyd Antha and Bill Holland, Jr. Jeana and Bob Magness Sherry and Jerry Ritcheson Diane and Jack Webb Mary and Dexter White 1965 Jan and George Atkinson Sally and Joe Bridges Nan and Bill Brown Carolynn and Michael Connelly Nancy and Bob Epley Cynthia and John Harper, II Franna and Ted Litton Fannie and Hugh Parker Sue and Ned Price, Jr. Sheila and Jerry Reese, III (G) Lynne and Jim Sewell Mildred and Pat Shields Julie and Andy Smith Martha and Frank Smith Patsy and Bob Speed 1966 Brenda and David Anderson Samiha and Peter Boutros Dona and Bob Chambers Nancy and Bill Cobb Sallie and Ted Davis (G) Chicky and Corky Fowler Ann and Don Ford Nancy and Jim Hall Joanna and Steve Handel Sarah and Jerry Helms Pam and Jim Humphrey Nancy and Bob Jones Ann and Tom Kelsey Susan and Whitson Sadler Joan and James Seale Sharon and Maury Stiver Prissy and John Watson

Caring and Sharing As Christians, we are called to care and pray for one another. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Ben and Amanda Lundquist on the birth of their daughter, Claire Elizabeth Lundquist, on October 13. Lou Wall Shapiro and Roger Lewis Ebert, who were united in marriage on December 9. John and Kristen Ross on the birth of their daughter, Alaina Ann Ross, on December 22. Proud grandparents are Steve and Debbie Carroll. Thomas and Ginny Harper on the birth of their daughter, Elissa Noelle Harper, on December 31. Proud older sister is Sophia Harper. Sam and Lainey Seidel on the birth of their daughter, Susan Harms “Susie” Seidel, on December 30. Proud older sisters are Greta and Barbara Seidel and proud grandfather is Ricky Ray Behrend.

Paul, Karen, and Thea Hesson on the death of Paul’s father, Walter Edward Hesson, on December 11. Gail Dyer on the death of her husband, Richard Willard Dyer, on December 10. Candy Duncan on the death of her sister, Paula Lee Moore, on December 18. Betty and Bob Geary on the death of Betty’s mother, Ellen Frances Nunnally Owens, on December 22. Sarah Bottomley on the death of her aunt, Joyce Amina Bottomley Tufts, on December 23 and of her cousin, John L. Uebele, on December 30. Louise and Robert McEvoy, Abbilyn, Charlee, and Piper McEvoy on the death of Louise’s grandmother, Siu-Fong Hung, on December 26.

Mike and Laura Shear on the birth of their daughter, Audrey Ellen Shear, on January 4.

Sally and Larkin Matthews, Catherine and Andrew Washington, and Connor and Nora Washington on the death of Sally’s aunt, Martha “Moppy” Hoffman Eames, on December 27.

Patrick and Renee’ Dugan on the birth of their daughter, Katherine Eloise Dupre Dugan, on January 11. Proud older brother is Patrick Dugan.

Doug and Linda Christians, Zachary Christians, and Emily Christians on the death of Doug’s mother, Ednamae Christians, on December 28.

Katherine Torrey Hine and Robert Johnson Frazier, who were united in marriage on January 14.

Sid and Cindy Davis, Meredith Davis, Peyton and Anup Gajurel on the death of Sid’s mother, Loraine Hamm Davis, on January 5.

OUR SYMPATHY TO: Jim and Nicole Hogan on the death of Jim’s son, Bryan Thomas Hogan, on November 29. Family and friends of Edward Watson “Mike” Kelley, Jr., who died on December 4. Family and friends of Danny Lou Spiller, who died on December 6. Family and friends of Faye Miller Moore, who died on December 8.

Jan Johnson on the death of her mother, Earline R. Johnson, on January 8. Amy and Kevin Holmes, Hadley and Henley Holmes on the death of Amy’s grandfather, John Avery Runyan, on December 29. If you know of a concern or a joy that the church should know about, please contact Caring Ministries at 713-402-5004 or extension 5156.