e-vangelist
March 30, 2016
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Family Promise

Over the past weeks we have been so excited to share with our St. Luke's family information about a wonderful outreach opportunity. St. Luke's has a rich tradition of outreach and Family Promise like our Veteran's dinners, our collections for the homeless and our support of St. Francis house, seems to be a natural outgrowth of our commitment towards helping homeless families in our community achieves independence.

Working together with over 20 local congregations including St Marks Episcopal, St. Michael's Episcopal, Park Hill Presbyterian, Lakewood United Methodist, Second Baptist Downtown Little Rock, St. Edwards Catholic Church to name a few. St. Luke's' volunteers would welcome participating families to stay in one of 4 private Sunday School rooms along with providing nutritious meals and coordinating evening activities for one week of every quarter. We would host only carefully screened families with children under the age of 18. While children are in school, adults are transported in the Family Promise van to the Family Promise Day Center at 7 am each morning. They would then go to their jobs, look for jobs, contact social services and or look for housing. Family Promise will offer comprehensive screening, case management, and helps adults with job skills, budgeting and house hold management to move forward with a successful future. 

The host families stay with Family Promise and different host churches changing weekly, on average 45 to 90 days before finding suitable housing and jobs. We are asking for interested volunteers to help with overnight hosting at St. Luke's along with volunteers to prepare meals for the host families. Family promise will bring in all the cots, linens toiletries and other items needed. The host families arrive on Sunday leaving the following Sunday. They are welcomed to attend our services and fellowships with our St. Luke's community. Our role at St. Luke's as a volunteer is to provide shelter, food and most of all God's love. 
Most of you have or will be receiving a phone call from one of our coordinators to share more details about the program in the next weeks. We hope you will prayerfully consider your role in this ministry. You will want to mark your calendars as Cynthia Ramey, the Director of Family Promise will also be speaking at St. Luke's on May 1 after breakfast. She will explain in more detail the ins and outs of the program. Several staff from Park Hill Christian has asked to attend this meeting as they have also expressed an interest in partnering with us in this ministry. So far St. Luke's has 6 overnight volunteers and 6 volunteers interested in helping by providing meals and fellowship. We continue to ask for your prayers for this ministry and the homeless families in our community. 

If you are interested in volunteering please contact, 
Anita Gwatney 501 804.0696 [email protected]
Nancy Crow at 501 412-3865 [email protected]. or 
Jeanie Fry at 501 941-0430 [email protected].
The Great 50 Days of Easter 

The great fifty days of Easter is the the period of time after Easter until the day of Pentecost (means "fifty"). During Eastertide as it is sometimes called, we mark the victory and triumph by Christ over sin and death of every kind. It has been a long standing tradition in the Western Church to recognize this victory by omitting from the Sunday liturgy the general confession of sin. Obviously, we don't stop sinning during this period but this is the way the transformation of sin to righteousness is marked liturgically. One is encouraged to deal with personal sin that occurs during this time by private confession. For more grievous sins the rite for "The Reconciliation of a Penitent" is available for confession and absolution from a priest. Please let Fr. Carey know if you are in need of this rite of the Church.  
Save the Date: VBS June 27 - July 1

Breakfast at St. Luke's!!

Starting on April 10 we will begin having breakfast every week from 9 to 9:30 served by St. Luke's new chef, James Jackson, followed by our forum in the parish hall! 
Weekly Centering Prayer
Wednesdays from 3:30 - 4:30 pm in the Chapel

We invite you to join the St. Luke's Centering Prayer group as we sit still together to know God and one another through this method of silent prayer in the Christian contemplative tradition.

This prayer group gathers weekly with a simple format that includes readings, brief conversation and a twenty minute silent sit. Centering prayer is meant to enrich and complement other forms of prayer, not exclude or replace them. We invite you to join us to explore and learn more about Centering Prayer, to experience in community this contemplative practice. Newcomers are welcome at all gatherings. To learn more, please contact Fr. Carey in the church office. 
THE EPISCOPAL LIFE / CONFIRMATION CLASS, APRIL 17 - JULY 17

For those wanting to find out more about the Episcopal Church, those joining our Faith or those desiring to be confirmed or received as well as those wanting to review and be reaffirmed, this is your class. There are 15 sessions meeting after the 9 o'clock breakfast in the forum in the Parish Hall at 9:30 on Sunday mornings beginning April 17 and culminating in Bishop Benfield's visit to St. Luke's on July 24. If you are seeking confirmation, please call the church office 753-4281.
2016 CAMP MITCHELL RETREAT/WORKDAY
FRIDAY, APRIL 15th & SATURDAY, APRIL 16th  

The Brotherhood of St. Andrew has scheduled a Retreat/Work Day at Camp Mitchell for Friday, April 15th for a retreat and Saturday, April 16th for the work day.  Lodging w/kitchen will be provided for Friday night.  Everyone is invited.  Friday evening will include traveling to the Petit Jean Mather Lodge's restaurant for dinner and fellowship back at the Canterbury Lodge.  Saturday will be a work day at the camp to include cleaning and clearing the walking trails, flower beds, gardens, and any other work the camp has to be done.  There should be something for everyone.  Individuals are invited to participate in both Friday night and Saturday, or either one.  Work will begin around 9:00 Saturday morning, following breakfast and will end around 2:00, Saturday, noon meal will be provided by Camp Mitchell.  If you have not attended a Camp Mitchell work day, you have missed a wonderful experience.  Additional information will be provided as it is received. 

Lodging: Canterbury Lodge (4 rooms with 13 beds): bedding and towels provided.  Address:  #10 Camp Mitchell Rd., Morrilton, AR 72110.

Work equipment needed:  yard brooms, rakes, gas powdered line trimmer/brush cutter (with attachments) and blowers (with gas, oil & twine), small chain saw, hedge shears/trimmer, extension cords, work gloves, hearing & eye protection.

Recommended work clothes:  long pants, long sleeves, coveralls, jacket, tennis shoes or work boots, cap/hat. The weather may be cool, so bring a mixture of clothing.

Please RSVP to Dickey Mayland.
Home:  835-6411 (Cell: 920-5842)     [email protected]
Prayer List
Anne Gontermann, Hudson Woods, Helen Snipan, Nina Goins, Sydnie Reedy,  Barbara Coker, Megan Elizabeth Hall, Betty Miller, Chris Mikesell, Louis Jenkins, Gloria Holst, Pam Cox, Bill Shepherd, Kailyn, Bobby and Gary Mackzum, Marilyn Gay, Christine Startz, Linda Hopkins, David Martin, Bernice Carrigan, John Bangert, Steve Fanning, Sandy Barksdale, Lasseigne Family, Georgia Luna, Steven, Henry Chenault, Jill Cox, Gene Cox, Dan Ratliff, Emily Stone

 
Special Concerns: For all the men and women of our Armed Forces, especially Justin, Joshua, Bret, Tim, Matt, Doug, Brian Mahoney, Brian Mennes, Frank Tate, Alex Schimelpfening, David Liem, Justin, John Landis, Lucas Kunce, David Jackson