June 2018 St. Luke UMC Newsletter

The Monthly Newsletter of St. Luke United Methodist Church · June 2018

he

St. Luke

LINE THIS MONTH

YOUTH CHOIR ON YOUTH SUNDAY

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Acts 4:31

2. Announcements 3. Family VBS Registration 4. Wednesday Night Summer Classes 5. Summer Makeover Sermon Series 6. Pumpkin Patch Update 7. Saying Farewell 8. UMW Multicultural Event 9. From The Pantry Shelf 9. Blue Barrel Sunday 10. Giving Matters 11. Stewardship Update 12. Stephen Ministry 13. Celebrating Our Graduates 15. Thank You Notes

June 2018 | 1

ANNOUNCEMENTS Join the Worship Production Team We are seeking a few volunteers to assist in worship at St. Luke by running the projection or sound equipment during services once per month. Training WILL be provided and your commitment would be 3-4 hours per month. If you feel called to be part of the growing worship ministry, please email Mariann Reinke at mreinke@stlukeumc.org.

Summer Special Music We are looking for our talented St. Luke members to provide special music for services beginning June 17 – Aug 19. Please contact Mariann Reinke with the dates you are available to serve (mreinke@stlukeumc.org/419-494-3335) Financial Peace University is Returning this Fall!

We will offer Financial Peace University this fall on Wednesday nights beginning in September. Stay tuned for more details!

As You Clean Your Closets...please save any LIKE-NEW small items for Kids’ Café!

We use these as rewards for K-5th graders that put forth effort during their academic session. Items may be dropped off at the Connection Center. Questions? Contact Sue Lord 797-1586.

Kids' Café Thanks You! Special Thanks to our many St. Luke Kids’ Café Volunteers, our UK Service Corps Students, and our St. Luke “Grandpa Brigade” who assisted in our periscope and bird house build projects with kits donated by Home Depot, Richmond Road! Kids’ Café is held on Tuesday afternoons 3:00-5:00 and will resume September 11. If you love kids and could serve one Tuesday a month or more, please contact Pam Harned, 494-8677, Mary Ross 223-0364 or Sue Lord 797-1586.

2 | June 2018

Get Connected Want updates on church events, important announcements, and to receive the monthly Church Newsletter via email? Each week we send out an email with important information about the life of St. Luke. Signing up is quick and easy.

Send an email to infoline@stlukeumc.org asking to be put on the list. Signing up is a great way to insure you know what's happening at the church. We welcome anyone to sign up to receive this email.

Register by June 15 for a chance to win a

$25 Kroger gift card!

Register today at stlukeumc.org/VBS!

“Where two or three people gather in my name, I am there with them.� Matthew 18:20

Invest three nights WITH your children growing closer to God and closer to each other!

June 19-21, 6-8:00 pm SNACK SUPPER Included!

(Optional Gym Time from 8-8:30)

Nursery provided for infants through 3 year olds. Children 4 and up participate with their family In addition to parents bringing their children, we would love for the grandparents to bring their grandchildren to our family VBS! Make some wonderful memories that will be cherished for years and come with your grandkids! Register today at stlukeumc.org/VBS June 2018 | 3

wednesday night

SUMMER CLASSES Have you ever wished that Wednesday.comm classes were offered during the summer?

The Grow and Equip team is glad to announce that St. Luke will be offering two classes through the month of June on Wednesday nights this summer! Summer is not a time to "take a break" from learning and discipleship. Come join us as we grow deeper in our love for God and one another through study and fellowship.

LIFE TOGETHER

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

A Four-week Exploration of Christian Community led by Mike Powers in Room 127 God, who is always doing ‘a new thing’ (Isaiah 43:19), calls the church to discern, celebrate, and participate in God’s mission afresh and anew in every time and place. The church, therefore, is called to bring the good news of the kingdom into engagement with the deep yearnings and concrete challenges of its worldly context.

But to engage today’s context with the good news requires the formation of a disciple community – the faithful body of Jesus Christ – that not only proclaims but also embodies the Good News. Life Together offers a fresh and faithful vision for the life of discipleship in community. A key question for this study is “What would this vision and practice of Christian discipleship in community look like here if we took seriously the call of the Gospel in our context today?”

4 | June 2018

THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN A Four-week Exploration of John’s account of Jesus’ life led by Jim Eastburn in Room 128 John’s Gospel invites us to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God in order that we might have eternal life in Him. John does this by showing us the many signs and wonders that Jesus performs, as well as giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the final hours of Jesus’ life and time with His disciples.

Join Jim Eastburn’s class on a four-week journey as we walk together through chapters 1, 13-17 and 21 of the Gospel of John, to help us understand the message of the Messiah.

Both classes will be held for four weeks on Wednesday nights from June 6 through 27 at 6:00 p.m.

r e v o e k M a '18

R E M SUM

SERIES

Do We Still Believe What We Say We Believe?

E

very Summer in worship we try to focus on a special area of concern in our Sunday morning worship services and try to involve a broad number of persons in what we call our "Summer Makeover." In light of all of the turmoil in the United Methodist Church and the overall decline of the church in America, our focus is going to be on what we actually believe as St. Luke United Methodist Christians.

The series “Do We Still Believe What We Say We Believe?” will focus on The Apostles' Creed (and some of the other great creeds of the church) and how they relate to the vision, mission, belief, and value statements of the church, hopeful the final outcome a creedal statement that is unique to St. Luke that will help us navigate

through these troubled times for the United Methodist Church and the Christian church in general.

We will begin on June 10, and through the summer we will ask questions like: Do we still believe that God is the Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth? Do we still believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, conceived by the Spirit of God, born in a miraculous way, died on a cross, rose from the dead, and ascended back into heaven? Do we still believe in judgement for our sin? Do we still believe in the Holy Spirt? Do we still believe in the Church as the Communion of Saints? Do we still believe in forgiveness? Do we still believe in resurrection and everlasting life? Do we believe in the Kingdom of God? Join us this summer as we wrestle with these questions.

Would you like to be a part of

Beginning

June 10

our Summer Makeover? Do you have a testimony that relates to these basic beliefs that you would be willing to share? Would you be willing to share scripture that relates to these questions? Do you have a special music selection that you would be willing to share that relates to these questions?

Maybe just lead us in reciting the Creed in a creative way? How can you participate in our Summer Makeover that will help us answer the question “Do We Still Believe What We Say We Believe?”

Please discuss the possibilities with Mariann Reinke our Director of Worship, or Pastor Mark.

June 2018 | 5

PUMPKINS NO MORE

by Jeremy Arnold ometimes it is difficult to let go of things that have been done for a long time. For over 20 years, St. Luke has sold pumpkins in October to provide partial or complete scholarships to youth for events. In the beginning, the pumpkin fundraiser was wildly successful. At its peak in 2001, the pumpkins brought in a profit of over $8,000! It is no wonder why St. Luke attached itself to this fundraiser. It was working!

Sadly, it is no longer working. The rising cost of the pumpkins (set

S

by the fundraising company, not us) and the outrageously cheap cost of buying pumpkins at local superstores has greatly diminished our profits.

The Youth Leadership Team has been processing the effectiveness of this fundraiser for the past couple of years. We believe this fundraiser is no longer the most efficient use of our fundraising energies. I know many will miss buying their pumpkins at the St. Luke Pumpkin Patch. We thank you for your contributions through the years that

Pumpkin Patch Profits Over the Years

made the fundraiser so successful.

It is still possible for another ministry group to take this project on as a fundraiser if they wish.

Please let Nora Conner (nconner@ stlukeumc.org) know, and she can give you more information.

The Youth Leadership Team will be looking at other fundraising options to continue to make it affordable for all youth to be a part of everything SLUMY does.

Thank you for your continued support of youth at St. Luke!

2007 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 $4,096.90 $2,249.40 $3,034.13 $2,550.54 $1,175.00 $1,130.75

6 | June 2018

2017 $638.81

SAYING FAREWELL

S

ummer is going to be a season of change in the church. At this year’s Kentucky Annual Conference, meeting June 11-13, two of our St. Luke family will receive appointments to serve in new churches in new capacities.

Our Director of Youth Ministries, Jeremy Arnold, will receive his Local Pastor’s License, and be appointed as the Associate Pastor at First UMC in Georgetown. In his new position, Jeremy will have the opportunity to preach more often, as well as experience many other aspects of pastoral ministry. Jeremy has led our youth ministry for several years and we will miss him, but we’re excited about the new ministry opportunities that he will have in his new role. Let’s pray for Jeremy, Michelle, Naomi, and Baby Arnold as they make this transition.

Also at the Annual Conference, Pastor Irene Kabete, who has served as our Director of Multicultural Ministries, will be appointed to St. John UMC in the Owensboro area. Pastor Irene has been with us part-time as she has worked on completing Doctoral work at Asbury Seminary. Pastor Irene is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church who will be approved for transfer from the Conference in Zimbabwe to the Kentucky Annual Conference. She will serve as the lead pastor at St. John. We are thrilled that Irene is getting this opportunity but will certainly miss her at St. Luke.

Please keep her in your prayers also as she transitions back into full time ministry.

There will be a reception to bid these two farewell on Sunday, June 10 in the Fellowship Hall following the 11:00 service.

One more transition concerning

staff will take place at the end of the summer. Will Solomon, our worship leader at the 9:45 and 11:00 services will be “hitting the road” to pursue his dream of a career in music. This will coincide with the release of his second album. This

has long been Will’s dream, and he has decided to step out in faith and trust that the possibilities will open up for him. Let’s keep Will and Carley in our prayers as he pursues his dream.

Finally, all of these departures will precipitate some changes in worship and ministry in several areas of the church. Please keep the Staff Parish Team, the Servant Leadership Team, the Youth Leadership Team, the Worship Team, our Multicultural Communities and the Staff in your prayers as they plan for and help the church navigate through all of these changes.

June 2018 | 7

WOMEN OF ST. LUKE UMC

by Connie Rouse he St. Luke UMC unit of United Methodist Women is comprised of two circles. The Esther Circle meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m.; the Sarah Circle meets on the second Thursday of each month at 10:00 a.m. St. Luke also has a very active group of women in the Swahili congregation. The leaders of each group talked and arranged a luncheon for all on April 14, 2018.

T

Forty women attended the event.

We had a pot luck luncheon, 8 | June 2018

with foods from many cultures.

We began our get-together with a welcome in English by Janet Garrison and in Swahili by Joy McPherson, then all recited/read the UMW Purpose together. Joy McPherson prayed in Swahili.

We were treated to a “fashion presentation” of African clothing with Bobette explaining each piece of clothing.

The Esther and Sarah Circles presented a skit “We are all from Somewhere” with members telling

their backgrounds before coming to Lexington. The Swahili women’s skit was “the story of Faida.” Faida was an African woman who had a hard life and prayed to God to get her to America so she could give her family a better life and she would serve him the rest of her life. She did come to America, but soon forgot her prayers and how God helped her. Many things went wrong in her life, but then she remembered how God had answered her prayers, and she made the decision to turn back to God. Both groups of women sang and then closed the event with the Lord’s Prayer spoken in unison, both in English and Swahili.

There were many questions and much laughter in spite of language differences. We’re hoping this will become an annual celebration.

From the Pantry Shelf

by Karen Hinkle

A

h, it really is summer time. June can be a perfect time for relaxing… or for trying new activities. Could one of your new activities be to set aside one or two days a month to volunteer for a worthy cause? In the winter we always need new volunteers to fill in for the ‘Snow Bird’ volunteers who go south for a few months. But in the summer some of our regular volunteers need to take a vacation, need some family time, or simply need to ‘catch their breath’ after all their fall and winter commitments.

Thus, the pantry has some open slots for regulars

and those willing to serve as substitutes. We have openings for regular volunteers to serve clients on Monday and Friday afternoons. There are openings for substitutes for both mornings to stock and for afternoons to serve clients. Interested? Contact our Volunteer Scheduler Kathy Gendreau at katgen452@ twc.com, or for general information about the pantry contact Karen Hinkle at kphinkle@twc.com.

Orientation is provided, and you always work with an experienced volunteer.

H SUNDAY BLUE BARREL

urrah St. Lukers! In April you provided 1323 pounds of tomato products and pastas plus some cereals and other canned foods to the pantry. And in May you have donated canned fruit which is always a welcome choice for clients.

Summer is a time of lower food donations from the general public. That translates to less food delivered to each pantry. That is less in volume and fewer selections in food. We can always use breakfast items and canned meat. However, for June we are focusing on soups. They provide a quick and easy meal for many of our clients and can be used to make casseroles to provide a meal for a family.

Pick up your Blue Bag on June 10 and return on Father’s Day, June 17, filled with a variety of soups.

Make it a tribute to fathers by being a provider of food to those in need!

June 2018 | 9

Giving MATTERS Dear Church Family, This month, I’d like to share about the spiritual and biblical part of giving. Giving is important in the church, but it’s not about what you may think. Giving is not about paying the bills, although being able to pay the bills is nice! It’s not about meeting a budget, although the budget has a purpose.

What giving is about is not holding on to something that our culture is committed to telling us unbiblical, unchristian messages about. The world wants us to think it’s all ours, for our purposes, and that we have to get more and buy more and cling to more, that if we're not careful, the world is going to run out of stuff and we might miss out.

Think about it! This is the world’s message, isn’t it? Do you, do we, operate from a scarcity paradigm?

Or do we remember that everything we need, God has provided, that God’s faithfulness is great, to us, to you, to me.

10 | June 2018

Generosity isn’t about giving the same amount as others. It’s not about the amount at all. It’s about where we think it comes from.

Does it come from gifts and talents and skills that God gave us? Of course it does. Then whose is it?

As Christians, we believe that all we have comes from God, and that everything we have is to be used for furthering the kingdom of God. God only asks for a small portion of what he gives us, but He is very clear about that portion! God doesn’t ask, expect, or want that one or a few of us carry the load for all of us. God calls us to each do our part, for the good of His work, and for the good of our spiritual selves.

I invite you to prayerfully consider: What is God saying to you about these things? Have questions?

Want to talk? I’d love to sit down with you!

There are many ways to give at St. Luke: • Your check or cash placed in the offering plate on Sunday

mornings or dropped off during the week, or your check mailed to the church.

• Online at www.stlukeumc.org (click “Give Online”).

• Through stock donations.

• Through foundations. This can be a good way to contribute for some people who have received sizeable funds through sale of a property, an inheritance, etc. Funds are placed with a charitable foundation, and then they are dispersed at your timing and direction.

• Through IRA distributions (for persons at least 70 ½).

We are exploring text-to-give as well as giving kiosks, and I will have more information to share about that very soon!

In Christ,

Associate Pastor & Director of Ministry and Stewardship

The information is a summary of our 2018 finances through April. Many thanks for your faithfulness and for the many ways you impact our church and the world for Jesus Christ.

May we continue to be good stewards of God’s gifts!

APRIL 2018

Budget needs

$116,043.20

Total income* Expenses

Expenses-to-Income difference

$108,068.90 $104,097.83 $3,971.07

Alms contributions for April 2018 Balloon Fund contributions for 2018 Total Balloon Fund contributions to date

$5,511.00 $43,265.54 $277,265.45

Life Center mortgage balance (as of 4-30-18)

$2,272,937.17

*Total income includes contributions, building use fees, and Kroger card receipts.

Questions? Please contact Nora Conner, Associate Pastor/Director of Ministry and Stewardship

June 2018 | 11

is … or isn’t… sometimes you need an outside listening friend as you work through issues and come to decisions.

Stephen Ministers can walk alongside you during difficult times “You all have been our angels,” said a recent Stephen Ministry Care Receiver.

What a testimony to the role that Stephen Ministers can fill for a family or an individual living in crisis. Stephen Ministers can’t fix problems, but they can lovingly listen through one’s tears and worries. They are trained to listen without judgement. They support you as decisions are made. They pray for and with you.

They are a quiet, confidential friend who cheers you on and gives hugs when you need them.

12 | June 2018

When facing life-threatening illness and life-changing decisions, you may need an objective listener as you struggle with decisions. No matter how close family

For those who are aging and experience the loss of a spouse, perhaps loss of a home, and finally loss of independence and usual activities, having a constant caring friend can keep you connected to the world. Even more important, having a Stephen Minister can affirm that you still have worth and that your life stories are important. A daughter relates that the visits by the Stephen Minister were a weekly highlight for her mother who had had to leave her home. Over the years many of our Stephen Ministers have been part of that very experience for dozens of individuals.

If you or someone you know is facing a life crisis or life changing decisions, consider the potential of a Stephen Minister to walk along side during this time. It is not time limited and can range from a few months to several years. Contact Karen Hinkle, Referrals Coordinator for St. Luke’s Stephen Ministry program, or talk with one of our pastors.

Congratulations

GRADUATES

8 1 20

CLASS OF 2018

! s t a r g Con

Ben Porter Tates Creek High School Plans to attend Asbury University, Fall 2018 and major in Biblical Theology

Andi Wilson Asbury University

B.A. in Music Education Luke Baker Tates Creek High School Plans to go to the University of Kentucky

Cameron Stewart Tates Creek High School Will attend Lindsey Wilson College to major in Business Administration, Marketing

Chase Waggoner Henry Clay High School Will be attending Eastern Kentucky University on a Regents Scholarship

Ellee Wade Frederick Douglass H.S. She has been accepted into the LOOP program through UPS and will attend JCTC in Louisville

Emma Keyser Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Will attend college to study to be a Special Education Major

Helen Emmons Kelly Eastern Kentucky University Masters in Public Administration June 2018 | 13

Jacob Williams University of Kentucky B.S. in Mathematical Economics

Jeremy Arnold Asbury Theological Seminary Masters of Divinity

Kacie Hughes Opportunity Middle College (Henry Clay HS) Attending Auburn University in the fall majoring in Industrial Engineering 14 | June 2018

Katherine May Consiglio Henry Clay High School Will be attending Asbury University and majoring in Media Communications

Lauren Edgell Asbury University B.A in Youth Ministry Will start Asbury Theological Seminary in the Fall

Laira Kelley University of Kentucky Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering Plans to attend Vanderbilt Rory Hefner-Templar University beginning in Lafayette High School the fall Attending University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music in the fall for Commercial Music Production.

Casey Mullett Auburn University

Matt Trimble University of Kentucky BS in Electrical Engineering

Jacob Hunter Lafayette High School Kalia Barnett Eastern Kentucky University Degree in Athletic Training Melia Barnett Eastern Kentucky University Degree in Criminal Justice Sara Barnett (2017) University of Cincinnati Degree in Theatre Production

Thank You St. Luke I

had the most wonderful 90th birthday and I want to thank my St. Luke Family for all the beautiful cards, letters and good wishes. Also I’d like to thank all those who planned my party and came to help me celebrate. I am no longer able to come to church so I miss all of you. Maybe some of you could stop by and visit me at 2141 Executive Drive or call me at 859-294-8708. That would certainly make my day! May God continue to bless each one of you.

With much love, Janice Smith

June 2018 | 15

This newsletter is also available online in full color at stlukeumc.org/newsletter.

Worship Schedule: Sanctuary: 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m.

God’s Backyard (K - 5th grade): 11:00 a.m.

Swahili Worship: 12:30 p.m.

Multicultural Worship: 3:00 p.m.

2351 Alumni Dr., Lexington, KY 40517 ¡ 859-269-4687 Child care available at all services.