News from Saint Luke's Episcopal Church

The time is upon us, the season almost here
To begin filling our homes with Christmas cheer

And those items you want no more
We will use to fill our " Green Reindeer store

To the Commons, one and all, come in flocks!
Place your goods in the "Green Reindeer" box

The "treasures" that you have to offer
We will sell and fill our ECW coffers!

Now is the time!!! December 7th is fast approaching!
Bring your items and place in the
"Green" Reindeer box in the Commons

Questions? Please contact Cheryl Mayer (879-3088 or cherylmayer1@gmail.com)

Pick Up Your Christmas Tree!

Did you order a tree through PreSchool Partners? Please pick up your tree on Wednesday, December 2, between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm or Saturday, December 5, between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

Dove Tree Drop-Off

Did you sponsor a Dove Tree child? If so, please remember to drop-off your items on one of the following dates: Thursday, December 3, between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm; or Friday, December 4, between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm; or Saturday, December 5, between 8:30 am and 11:00 am. Remember to leave your gifts unwrapped, but provide wrapping paper.

Adult Confirmation � December 6

This Sunday, December 6, the Right Rev. Henry Parsley will confirm and receive adult confirmands at the 10:30 am service. All are invited to a reception in the Commons following the service to welcome these new members into our parish and the Episcopal Church!

Indian Springs School Choir
Christmas Concert

On Sunday afternoon, December 6 at 2:00 pm, the Indian Springs School Choirs will present their annual Christmas concert. The concert will be in the Saint Luke's Nave and is open to all.

INTO GOD'S LAP
Meditations for Advent 2009

Copies are still available! Written by lay and clergy members of our Saint Luke's family, this book provides reflections for each day through the season of Advent, based on the scripture readings following the Daily Office from The Book of Common Prayer. You may purchase books during the week from Barbara Vandergriff. Copies are $10 each, and proceeds from the sale will be donated to Saint Luke's Outreach Ministries.

Outreach Fair

Sunday, December 13

9:15 to 10:15 Graham Hall

Come and visit with representatives from some of the ministries supported by Saint Luke's, and learn more about their work in the community. Many of these organizations will offer holiday gifts and/or honorary gift cards for purchase, and the proceeds will be used by the agency. You also will learn about how you can volunteer your time and talents as a gift to these ministries. We will not have Sunday School for adults, so come and enjoy the fair! We will not serve regular breakfast that morning but will offer a continental breakfast in the Founders Room.

Attention All Families

When you are sending out your Christmas cards this year, don't forget to send one our way. We would love to display all t he cards of our wonderful parish family!
Send them to: Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, Attn: Emily Boles, 3736 Montrose Road 35213
Or bring them to the Children's Ministry office.

Please join us for the

PreSchool Partners

Christmas Program!

Monday, December 14 10:00 am Graham Hall

Your Stamps Can

Be A Blessing!

Please save your cancelled and uncancelled stamps, and bring them to the reception desk in the Commons. A paraplegic young man supports himself by selling these stamps. ALL stamps can be used as long as the stamp is whole. This is an easy, inexpensive service project for your children, Bible study, or other groups. Please call John Bird (870-7407) if you need more information.

Camp McDowell CD

Just in time for Christmas---are you looking for something uplifting to upload to your i-pod? Look no further, the Camp McDowell CD is here and for a short-time only, all proceeds will benefit BOTH the Camp McDowell Scholarship Fund and our own Saint Luke's Day School. The CD (recorded here at Saint Luke's, featuring Alleluia II standards and old Camp favorites) will be on sale this Wednesday night before the program and again in the Claypool Commons this Sunday before and after Sunday school. For more information contact Chrissie Goldman (803-5245 or ceh205@hotmail.com).

2010 Claypool Lecture Series Presents

Ron Hall and Denver Moore

Authors of Same Kind of Different as Me!

Friday, January 22, 2010 6:00 pm

The Wright Center, Samford University

Purchase your tickets on Sunday mornings or during the week by contacting Barbara Vandergriff (bvandergriff@saint-lukes.com or 802-6207). To learn more about the authors, visit www.samekindofdifferentasme.com

Stewardship of Creation

Whole Foods Market stores are piloting a new program for recycling #5 plastic. #5 is commonly used in containers for yogurt, cottage cheese, hummus, medicine bottles, etc. Our curb side recycling does not have recycling for #5 plastics and when it is collected. It is often shipped to Asia to be burned as energy. Brita water filters are also accepted. (Since all water filters are different, this is only for Brita.) You can take your #5 plastics to a drop-off bin at the Whole Foods store in Mountain Brook. They'll send the plastic to Preserve, who makes recycled household products including toothbrushes, razors, tableware, and kitchen products. When they receive it, the plastic is ground up and turned into clean plastic pellets. The pellets are then sent to Preserve's manufacturing facilities to be transformed into new Preserve products.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Click here for schedule of services.

SENIOR ADULT ACTIVITIES

J.U.L.I.E.T Luncheon

Thursday, December 3

The JULIET's ( Just Us Ladies Into Eating Together) will be going to Matthews Manor in Springville on Thursday, December 3. We will depart at 11:30 am on the Saint Luke's Van and will return around 2:00 pm. This is not a Club, but a social gathering for ladies who are retired and enjoy going out to eat with new and old friends. All are welcome! Call Jeanna (802-6218) to reserve your seat.

Senior Adult Christmas Gathering!
Friday, December 18

Enjoy entertainment by the Junior League Chorus at our holiday lunch gathering on Friday, December 18 at 11:00 am in Graham Hall!

CHILDREN'S
MINISTRIES

Rotation Schedule

Sunday, December 6

1st        Parable Place Drama            Room #227
2nd      Thou Art                                    Room# 111
4th       B.C. to P.C. Computers         Room# 211
5th      HolyWood Movies                 Room# 216

Costume Drive to benefit PreSchool Partners hosted by Third Graders
Bring your old and outgrown costumes to give to PreSchool Partners to enjoy! You can drop these off outside Mrs. Emily's office (220). This Sunday (December 6) is the drop-off deadline.

Children's Christmas Parties

Pajama Christmas Party!
Join us in your pajamas for a night of fun!
We will watch a movie and eat pizza!
Who: Kindergarten, First, and Second graders
When: Friday, December 11, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Where: Room 232, upstairs at Saint Luke's
Please enter and exit using the door at the top of the brick stairwell located at the back of the building.
Bring pillows, sleeping bag, etc...to make yourself comfortable for the movie! If you plan to come, please let Mrs. Emily know no later than Monday, December 7. (802-6211 or eboles@saint-lukes.com)

Ice Skating Christmas Party!
Who: Third, Fourth, and Fifth Graders
When: Saturday, December 12
Meet upstairs in the Founders Room at Saint Luke's at 3:00 pm. We will return to the back parking lot of the church at 6:40 pm. Cost is $9.00/person- please bring exact cash. *Don't forget your socks and some money for snack at the concession stands. If you plan to come, please let Mrs. Emily know no later than Monday, December 7. (eboles@saint-lukes.com or 802-6211) Drivers needed! Parents, please let Emily know if you are available to drive.

Christmas Pageant Information
Our Children's Christmas Pageant is Sunday, December 20! December 13th will be a mandatory rehearsal for all children who will participate in the pageant. Please have the children in their assigned rooms (listed below) by 9:15 am. They can be picked up in those rooms at 10:15 am. December 20th is the day of the pageant! All children will need to be in their assigned classrooms no later than 8:30 am. 3K, 4K, & 5K children will need to be in their costumes by this time.
Room assignments:
3K - Room 232

5th - Room 211
Cherub Choir: Room 111

Carolers Choir: Children's Chapel

*3K, 4K, & 5K children will dress as animals for the manger scene. Please wear your own costume.
* 1st & 2nd graders will dress as angels. Please wear something with lots of white.
* 3rd graders will dress as shepherds. Costumes will be provided.
*4th graders will dress as wise people. Costumes will be provided.
*5th graders will take various parts. Please wear your Sunday clothes.

We are looking forward to another wonderful pageant!
Thank you so much for your participation in this wonderful event! Questions? Call Emily @ 802-6211 or eboles@saint-lukes.com

YOUTH MINISTRIES

Wednesday, December 2
Last EYC Wednesday Night
Junior and Senior will meet in the Lighthouse for dinner and program 6:00-7:30

Sunday, December 6
EYC Christmas Party!! 6:00-8:00 pm
This is our last EYC of the semester so you don't want to miss it!

ADULT EDUCATION

9:15 to 10:15 am

Click here for a complete list of our offerings.

December 6 is the last day
of Sunday School for 2009.

Listening

By Barbara Powell

"Listen to me." This is what God told Isaiah to tell the people. Then God's promise is, "And your soul will delight in the richest of fare." (Is. 55:2, 3 NIV) - the result of listening to God. I think it was this promise that drew me to join the group study of Listening Hearts, a little book about the ways we can hear God.

Rebecca DeBow and John Douglass are leading a series of six-week study groups in discussions about this remarkable little book. When I joined the group that met in September and October, I was feeling a bit un-connected at church My previous classes had ended, and my former small groups had moved on. I was missing something, but I didn't know what it was or how to fix the feeling. But the book began with another terrific assurance: "I will counsel you with my eye upon you." (Psalm 32:8) So I joined this book study to get "re-connected.".

Over those few weeks as we read and listened and explored the ways God communicates with us and the ways in which we hear God, we also came to recognize an exciting vision for spiritual growth within our own church community. The promise is for us as a community and the gift for each of us personally . . . a new opportunity, a new beginning. Now, I'm excited all over again. Those promises really do come true!

Another Listening Hearts group will begin sometime after the holidays, but if you can't wait, you can reserve a place for yourself by letting Rebecca know you're interested: rdebow@saint-lukes.com or 802-6202.

OUTREACH

OPPORTUNITIES

Sale of Designer Clothes
at 55th Place!

This Saturday, December 5

10:00 am to 3:30 pm

Don't miss this fantastic sale of Designer Clothes!

New and Like-New Women's Clothes

(Valentino, Max Mara, Gorgio Armani, and more!)

#5, 55th Place in Woodlawn

The Episcopal Thrift Store

(Look for the blue-striped awning)

BHN Christmas Cards

Birmingham Hospitality Network (BHN) is sellling Christmas cards. The cost is $10 for a pack of ten cards. Five different designs are available, each one created by a homeless child. The inside is blank, so you may write your own note. To order or learn more, contact Rana Cowan (bhnrc@earthlink.net or 918-0246).

Coats And Jackets
For Grace/Woodlawn

Once again, we are collecting coats and jackets for the families who use Grace/Woodlawn food pantry. Please bring any used (clean and in good condition) coats and jackets to the closet in Graham Hall. As you enter Graham Hall from the Commons, the closet is located on the left side of the entrance. Please hang the adult coats, and place the children's coats in the marked box. All sizes of coats will be appreciated, both children's and adults. Thank you!

Food Collection for

Greater Birmingham Ministries (GBM)

The holiday season is approaching, and Greater Birmingham Ministries will be trying to respond to the needs of many families on limited or no incomes. Those needs always exceed the resources GBM has available, but you can help by bringing in non-perishable food items for the shopping cart that will be located in the lower level of the church the first two weeks of November. Plan to buy some extra items for the cart each time you go food shopping. You will be making life easier for some folks who need a little help. Many thanks!

Subscribe to our NEW Podcast!!

You can now subscribe to the Saint Luke's podcast! Enjoy listening to sermons and teachings from the clergy of Saint Luke's, updated every week. Search for "Saint Luke's" in iTunes, or click here to follow step-by-step instructions.

New Email Address?

So you won't miss any of the Saint Luke's digital newsletters, be sure to let Nancy Cain in the office know if your email address changes. Contact her at (ncain@saint-lukes.com or 802-6200).

Phone: (205) 871-3583 www.saint-lukes.com Fax: (205) 802-6219

You can access and correct your personal identification and demographic information that we collect online and maintain by calling Saint Luke's at (205) 871-3583 or by sending e-mail to Nancy Cain at info@saint-lukes.com. You may also request that Saint Luke's remove your name from its mailing lists, both traditional and electronic. If you have concerns about the Saint Luke's privacy policy or its application, please email Betty O'Neil at info@saint-lukes.com.

Email Marketing by