Evangelist
April 6, 2016
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Deacon's Bench

Beginning April 17 in the new forum at 9:30 after breakfast in the Parish Hall we will be studying together the Episcopal Life. We will learn together from long time members and new members about what the means to be an Episcopalian. The class will extend through the summer until July 24 with  Bishop Benfield's visit for confirmation. The class will be for those considering confirmation, new members, but especially for long time members who would like to re-affirm their Episcopal commitment at the bishop's visit. Many of you will be asked to participate. Your being a part of this will make all the difference as we learn about the Episcopal life together.

The Episcopal Life
Tradition, Scripture, Reason

Tradition
1.  Where did St. Luke's Episcopal Come from?  April 17
2. Where did the Episcopal Church come from? April 24
 3.Liturgical ministries, Lector Training May 1 Family Promise in church
4. Liturgical Ministries, Eucharistic Ministers and Visitors licensing May 8
5. What Episcopalians believe about the Sacraments.  May 15
6. What Episcopalians believe about Prayer. Why do we have a Prayer Book? May 22
7. What Episcopalians believe about observing the Church year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost May 29

Scripture
8. What Episcopalians believe about the Bible June 5

Reason
9.What Episcopalians believe about Ministry: Outreach.  June 12
 10.What Episcopalians believe about Stewardship June 19
11.   What Episcopalians believe about death/dying  June 26
12. What Episcopalians believe about Evangelism  July 3
13. What is the Episcopal Spiritual Life? July 10
14. Confirmation Review July 17
15.  Confirmation July 24 with Bishop Benfield
*Tour of church after 10:30 TBA

Joanna

Family Promise

*Those who what to know more about Family Promise should meet  May 1  in the chapel at 9:30 to meet the Family Promise director.

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 anita@anitagwatney.com
Nancy Crow at 501 412-3865 nancycrow1@comcast.net. or 
Jeanie Fry at 501 941-0430 fryesque@centurytel.net.

Save the Date: VBS June 27 - July 1
Notes from the Office

A couple of reminders:
  1. With Events, please be sure to check with who ever brought the food to an event before taking it home with you.
  2. There are many LEM kits missing from the sacristy. If you have some kits at home, please bring them back to the sacristy.
  3. If you are planning expenditure through the church, please be sure to submit a check request or purchase order. Checks and requests are approved on Tuesdays. With this it can take up to 2 and a half weeks to get a refund. If you get the payment approved in advance, then once the office gets your receipt(s), we can process the check. 

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! 
Arkansas Gives

Arkansas Gives, a statewide online giving event sponsored by the Arkansas Community Foundation and the Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance, will take place tomorrow, Thursday, April 7. This year, both Camp Mitchell and St. Francis House are taking part in the event. To give, simply go to arkansasgives.org between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. tomorrow.
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)     ddmayland@sbcglobal.net
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.  
WALKING THE MOURNER'S PATH
 Spring 2016, April 14 through June 2 
Thursday nights 6 to 8
 St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 1000 Mississippi, 
Little Rock,

After the funeral and when friends and family go home often is when grief settles in. Walking the Mourner's Path is an 8 week grief group for anyone who has suffered a significant loss and would like to process it in a group setting. Walking the Mourner's Path is a Christ-centered bereavement support program. The purpose is to transform grief into joyful living by offering the outstretched hand of Christ during bereavement. Loss due to a death is always difficult. The support group invites those who have faced death and suffered the loss of a loved one to come into God's loving presence in community with others.
While the Mourner's Path is a non-denominational ministry, it is distinct from many other bereavement programs in that it is Christ-centered, scripturally and spiritually based. Walking the Mourner's Path is not group therapy but is spiritually directed. We believe grieving is not lack of faith but a natural part of living. Through the eight-week program, complete with workbook, mourners learn ways in which they may honor their loved ones, seek spiritual direction and discover God's promise of comfort in community. The fee is $80 for the class. Facilitators are Joanna Seibert, Susan Lyon, and Anita Gwatney. Contact person: Joanna Seibert 425 8525, joannaseibert@me.com or visit Mourner's Path web site: www.mournerspath.com

Comments from previous participants:
"I never would have gotten better if I had not been there with you all
 I feel that I am in God's hands and that gives me comfort.
 I cannot thank the church enough for sponsoring this program.
 God blessed me when he led me to this program.
Outreach

FAMILY PROMISE is an organization coordinates efforts between area churches to help homeless families regain housing, their independence and their dignity.  This is done by providing temporary housing and meals with a safe, supportive homelike environment.  St. Luke's is currently exploring how we might become a part of this area network as an outreach program with other churches, such as with St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Christ Episcopal Church, St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Trinity Episcopal Church and, our neighbors, at Park Hill Christian Church.  If you believe that you have an interest in becoming involved with this program or if would like to find out more about this program, contact Anita Gwatney at 501.804.0696 or anita@anitagwatney.com , Nancy Crow at 501.412.3865 or nancycrow1@comcast.net or Jeannie Fry at 501.941.0430 or fryesque@centurytel.net , or you can visit www.familypromise.org.  Also see the write up in this week's Evangelist for more details on how you can become involved.
 
FILLING THE BLUE BARREL with supplies for the homeless shelters:  DETERGENT, TOILET TISSUE AND PAPER TOWELS are especially needed.  Other seasonal donations that are appreciated include: INSECT REPLELLENT AND cans of BEENIE WEENIES.  When you buy some for your home, perhaps you can pick up something extra for the shelters.  Our St. Luke's "delivery team" is still making monthly deliveries to homeless shelters.  For more information on this project, or if you would like to be part of the delivery team, contact Tommie Williams or Betty Seymour.  Homelessness knows no "season." 
 
PARK HILL CHRISTIAN FOOD PANTRY:  Donations of any type of food may be placed in the collection box in the narthex at any time. 
 


Office Hours
Monday - Friday, 8 to 4 
Closed: Saturday and Sunday 
Office Phone: 501-753-4281 
Office Fax: 501-753-4322 
Email: stlukesnlr@gmail.com  
The office is located behind the church at 4106 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, AR 
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, Bill Shepherd, Kailyn, Bobby and Gary Mackzum, Marilyn Gay, Christine Startz, Adam and Jessie Forrester, David Martin, Bernice Carrigan, John Bangert, Sandy Barksdale, Steve Fanning, Lasseigne Family, Steven Sacks, Henry Chenault, Jill Cox, Reita Miller, Nancy Barber, Gene Cox, Larry Stewart, Caroline Mikel, Dennis Family, Jennie Martin
 
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

On-Going Events and Programs