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Good Thoughts
Christmas is not a time or season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
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Calvin Cooleridge
VESTRY of St. Luke's
Gary Dunwoody
Senior Warden
Dan Dennis
Junior Warden
Becky Terry
Clerk
Sally Lumpp
Treasurer
Class of 2009
Debi Fricks
Gary Dunwoody
Dan Dennis
Class of 2010
Sherry Furr
Gay Hensley
Carmen Quinn
Jerry Hodge
Class of 2011
Jason Reynolds
Pat Loomis
James Terry
Ed Seward
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CHURCH HOURS
Monday thru Friday
9 to 5
Friday, closed for lunch 12-1
Closed for the upcoming holidays:
Friday, Dec. 23
Monday, Dec. 26
Friday, Dec. 30
Monday, Jan. 2
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Carey's Conversations
"...And a little child shall lead them."
-Isaiah 11.6
What a blessing to hear the shrieks and cries of babies and young children during our worship services here at St. Luke's! They are indeed promising signs of our life together! While we probably don't quite have thirty children yet we have experienced a blessed increase. However if we focus on their numbers alone we will surely miss their greatest blessing and that is - what they can teach us if we will but stop to listen.
This Sunday I had a conversation with one of our four year olds named "Avery." I have to say I was totally taken off guard by what he said. Our conversation happened while he and the other children were trying on their costumes for the upcoming Christmas pageant.
I was complimenting his fine shepherd's
costume when he said sharply, "We are not supposed to put on a show - we're doing all of this to make people think about Jesus!"
What a vital lesson for your rector to be reminded of and from the mouth of a four year old! This blessed season is not to be a production or about putting on a show but it's about a child who came and changed everything.
It is still Advent and it's not too late to stop and listen. As we are attending our Christmas parties, making preparations and draw ever nearer to the celebration of our Saviors birth, may we keep Avery's words close to our hearts: "We are not supposed to put on a show - we're doing all of this to make people think about Jesus!" A Child is about to change everything!
Yours in Christ,
Carey+
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Advent is a time to remember each day my gratitude list. Again, these are only a few of the people I need to be grateful for who are making the ministries of St. Luke's so marvelous... and I know I have missed many.
A special thanks to our Eucharistic visitors who are taking communion to the homebound during Advent: Becky and James Terry, Sarah Garrett, Josh Taylor, John Rhodes, Wanda Dunwoody, Pat Loomis, Bob Dawson.
A special thanks to Michael and our choir
and bell choir for their inspiring music.
A special thanks to Rick Furr who leads our ushers, Bill Cole who leads our acolytes, and Mark Holst who leads our Eucharistic ministers during this Advent season.
A special thanks to Carmen Quinn who organizes so well the outreach at St. Luke's.
A special thank you to our office volunteers: Pauline Rhodes, Chris Schaefer, Martha Mayland, Patti Sheen, Pat Loomis, Bill Keeper, Becky Terry, Ruby Wortham.
A special thank you to our Christian education teachers: Beth Maze, Paula Volpe, Martha Cross, Ginna Simmons, Kimber Findley, Ellen Moses, Wanda Dunwoody, Brouke Reynolds, Paula Benson, Becky Rice, Jenny Heard.
A special thanks to Lorene Means and the altar guild who make every Sunday special.
A special thank you to these people who are leading Morning and Evening Prayer during Advent in the chapel:
Mondays - Morning - 7:00 a.m. - Mark Holst
Evening - 5:30p.m. - Pat Loomis & Eileen Kennedy
Tuesdays - Morning -8:30 a.m. - (need someone)
Wednesdays - Morning - 8:30a.m. - Martha Mayland & Bob Lumpp;
Evening through Advent 5:30 - Mark Holst, Pat Loomis, Chris Schaefer
Thursdays - Morning - 8:30a.m. - Chris Schaefer
Fridays - Morning - 7:00a.m. - James Terry
And of course, a special thank you to Carey who is one of the most spiritual people I have ever worked with, and of course a thank you to Bishop Benfield for sending me to this special church that my husband and I now so deeply love.
Joanna
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From the Organ Bench
This week is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. This Advent season seems to have flown by. As we continue our preparation for the Feast of the Nativity, this week's Gospel we hear in the writer of Luke's Gospel, the story of how the arch-angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her of the coming of the Savior.
While meditating on this reading, I have been struck with Mary's answer to the angel. Mary says, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Mary seems to be so eager to do God's will. I struggle with this often. It is so very easy to allow my wants, needs, etc. to come before those of the Creator. I thank God that this life is a journey and not a destination that I am allowed to admit my faults and hopefully move forward.
The anthem at the 10:30 service this week is a setting of the story of the Annunciation. It was written by Frank Ferko. The text is the troparion of the Annunciation. A troparion is a short hymn found in the Eastern Church.
You will find very close harmonies at the beginning and the end and a middle section that moves a little more quickly and repeats the same text and music but at rising intervals.
The choir loves this anthem and I hope you come to enjoy it as much as we like to sing it.
God bless.
Michael |
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PRAYER LIST
Carolyn Ford, Jim Howell, Katherine Herring, Rhonda Herring, Annette Gerace, Suzi Martinka & family, Cory Moses, Louis Jenkins, David Jenkins, the blessings of family, Kendall, Diane Faust, Laura Dues, Pete Caro, Lawson Anderson, Maynard Gontermann, Sheila Crim, Tim Woods, Mike Roh, Vince Roh, Bobbi West, Jamie Poole, Kate Toepfer, Valerie Baker, Pat Loomis, Nicholas, Martha Stroope, Mary Jo Ring, Kathy Rose, Lorraine Furtick, Dona Monnikendam, Thalia, Parker, Kathy, Christina, the Ruttinger family, Sarah Keeler, Lisa Williams, George Cline, Jim Ellwager, and Hannah Brown.
Special Concerns: all of the men and women of our Armed Forces, especially Mark, Jake, Justin, Bret, Joshua, Mark, Tim, Matt, Doug and Lance. | | ----------------------------------- + ---------------------------------- |
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DOK PRAYER CARDS FOUND IN PEW RACKS | |
During the Advent and Christmas season, St. Luke's Daughters of the King anticipate our Savior's birth and follow his teachings to pray for those in need. Please write any requests for yourself or others on prayer cards found in the pew racks. Place the card in the white box on the shelf inside the church entrance. All requests will be held in confidence.
Psalm 4:1 Answer me when I call to you my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. [A psalm of David]
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19th SERENITY RETREAT AT COURY HOUSE CENTER SUBIACO ABBEY
"Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God"
Centering Prayer and the 12 Steps led by The Rev. Carey Stone
When: Friday evening January 13- Sunday afternoon January 15, 2012
Where: Coury House, Subiaco Abbey, Subiaco, Arkansas
For Whom : Active members of 12 Step Groups
Cost: Housing: Married couple $215, Single person, private room $170, Shared room (2 persons) @ $120 ea.
Retreat Fee: $50/person
Register by calling Coury House at 1- 479 - 934 - 441 mention Serenity Retreat or email couryhouse@subi.org
Send $75, nonrefundable deposit to:
Coury House, Serenity Retreat,
405 N. Subiaco Avenue
Subiaco, Arkansas 72865
Call soon, space is limited to 35 rooms.
Sponsored by Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas
Recovery Ministries
Contact Joanna Seibert at 501-425-8525 or joannaseibert@me.com for more information
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YOUTH OUTREACH NEWS | |
On Wednesday nights our youth are making ornaments to sell on Sunday December 18 for a service project to take Christmas to our former longtime nursery leader for 17 years, Sheila Crim, who is ill. They are also making and sending cards to the homebound. If you know of someone who would like to receive one of their cards, email
joannaseibert@me.com with their address.
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH NEWS | |
The Spirit of St. Nicholas
In the Evangelist last week we talked about the spirit of St. Nicholas, giving secretly to those in need who would not know our deed or our name. This has overwhelmingly happened at St. Luke's. Wednesday afternoon St. Luke's men will load up a school bus full of gifts and gift cards thanks to you to four families in need and 22 children and their parents. May God bless you for your outpouring of generosity. A special thanks to the outreach committee for supporting this Christmas project and to the groups who organized this giving, the men's group, the vestry, DOK, ECW, the two community groups, the choir and bells. Many thanks to many individuals who came by the office with gift cards for the families. A special thanks to Chris Schaefer who organized the gifts in the parish hall as more and more gifts came in. Last, but not least, thank you to Ann Pollard for connecting us to the children at Ridgeroad Middle School.
Joanna
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ADVENT AND EPIPHANY HAPPENINGS | |
December 18:
Sunday Classes
Adult and Young Adult and Children classes 9:15
Adult Class: The adult class will continue their DVD presentation from the Great Courses, "The Holy Land Revealed"; with Professor Jodi Magness. These 30 minute long lectures began with the First Temple period (c.960 B.C. - 589 B.C.) and will take us through the Second Temple period, the time of Jesus, and the destruction of the temple (c. 516 B.C. - A.D. 70). The class is on Lesson 25 of 36 lessons and we welcome anyone who would like to join in on our discussions of this very interesting topic. After Christmas we will continue with "Monumental Tombs in the Time of Jesus". Don't wait to join us in our continuing adventure; we will hold a seat just for you next Sunday, starting at 9:25 a.m.
Young Adults: Deacon Joanna will lead the class with Meditations on Advent, Christmas, Epiphany on Advent III and IV.
Children will continue the Catechesis program but will also practice the pageant following the 10:30 service on December 18.
Special Events:
Mon. nights
Evening Prayer 5:30 in the chapel
Wed. nights in Advent.
Evening Prayer 5:30 in the chapel
Advent Supper and study 6 - 7 led by Joanna on Celtic Spirituality.
Children's program by Becky Rice and Jenny Heard.
Children and Youth Wed. night program in Craft Room led by Becky Rice and Jenny Heard:
December 14 - decorate and wrap ornaments.
December 21 - Cookies and cocoa and make Christmas cards for homebound. If you know of anyone who would like to receive one of their cards, please email the name and address to joannaseibert@me.com.
December 18 - Greening of the Church after the 10:30 service. Also, handmade ornaments will be sale between the services. Profits from these sales will go to purchase gift cards for Sheila Crim, long time beloved nursery worker.
Outreach
This is the legacy of our patron saint, evangelism. There are so many ways we are doing this at St. Luke's.
This Sunday December 18 the ushers will be handing out extra copies of our Advent and Christmas and Epiphany brochure for you to take to a friend or co-worker inviting them to St. Luke's for Christmas.
Our ushers will also be handing out New Testament Bibles from Cokesbury to all our visitors this Sunday and during the Christmas season. If you bring a visitor, make sure they receive one of the Bibles.
Christmas Eve
5:00 Christmas pageant and Holy Eucharist
10:30 Wassail in the Parish Hall
11:00 Service of Lessons and Carols and Holy Eucharist
Christmas Day
One service at 10:30 am.
2012
Epiphany
Sundays
Inquirer's class: Jan. 8, 15, 29, Feb. 5, 12 ...Six sessions
Young Adult and Youth and others
Youth and those considering confirmation or anyone who would like a refresher on what it means to be an Episcopalian will join young adults for Inquirer's Class at 9:15. Those attending the class who have been confirmed may be sponsors and may be received.
February 19: Bishop Benfield's visit: adults, young adults, youth meet with the bishop.
No formation on December 25 and Jan. 1
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SERVICE OF HOLY BAPTISM | |
There will be a service of Holy Baptism on Sunday, January 8, 2012 at the 10:30 service. Anyone desiring baptism or if anyone knows someone who desires to be baptized, please contact the Church office, 501.753.4281 or office@stlukeepiscopal.org.
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VISITORS THIS PAST SUNDAY | |
St. Luke's had eight visitors come to the services last Sunday: Maggie Hammond of Denver, Colorado, Kathryn Kellogg and Trey Baldwin of Sherwood, Sandra, Adriana, Addison, and Camryn Hardin of North Little Rock, and Sue Carrigan Reep of Chestertown, Maryland. We welcome them all and hope they return to visit us soon!
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CHRISTIAN FORMATION
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Classes are Sunday mornings at 9:15 am.
2011-2012 Christian Education Classes
3 year olds: Brouke Reynolds, Guide
Paula Benson, Assistant
Catechesis I: Beth Maze, Guide
(4-6 year olds) Paula Volpe, Guide
Martha Cross, Assistant
Catechesis II: Ginna Simmons, Guide
(7-9 year olds) Ellen Moses, Assistant
Catechesis III: Kimber Barber-Fendley, Guide
(10-12 year olds) Laura Woford, Assistant
Teenager: Wanda Dunwoody, Co-teacher
(13-18 year olds) Suzette Patterson, Co-teacher
Adult class: The adult class will resume their DVD presentation from the Great Course, The Holy Land Revealed with Professor Jodi Magness: What Archeology Reveals About the Holy Land
Young adults: Deacon Joanna will lead the class with Meditations on Advent, Christmas, Epiphany on Advent 4.
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Nursery Care is provided for all activities on Sunday mornings.
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STEWARDSHIP | |
Dear Members and Friends,
As the Stewardship program draws to a close, we want to thank all of you that have turned in your cards. If for some reason you did not get a card, please call the office or pick one up in the Narthex. We still have 17 cards out and would like to have the final budget prepared by December 14. Then the vestry can review the budget at the meeting on December 22. This is a time to thrive and we cannot thank you enough for your commitment.
Blessings to all,
The Stewardship Committee
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