Message from the Pastor

“Let me start by saying that the best thing you can do when you start to pray, however long or short your time of prayer is to be, is to tell yourself, and mean it, that you are going to die at the end of your prayer. I am not joking when I tell you this: … this special feeling of how short a time you have left… will concentrate your mind wonderfully…”

These words are from a spiritual director writing in the 1300s in England, the author of the classic text The Cloud of Unknowing. He is echoing advice from centuries of Christian pastors: Remember that you are going to die. In scripture, the book of Ecclesiastes is perhaps the most famous for reminding its students that “the same fate awaits everyone.” In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus preaches about a coming justice and judgment that awaits us all. He hopes we’ll reform our lives and follow his commands, in light of the coming judgment.

So, is this depressing, to think about your death every day? To the saints of the church, it was not. They found it remarkably refreshing and helpful, because it forces us to focus on what’s most important. If we bring to mind our death, we might put our priorities in order. Less important obsessions will fall away. We’ll move the essentials to the top of our to-do list.

We start November by celebrating All Saints Day, specifically giving thanks for the members of our churches who have died in the past 12 months, commending them to God. We also are invited to remember all of the people who have died in Christ and who therefore celebrate with us. While they are in full communion with God, our own communion with God is partial, faulty, and incomplete.

We are always invited to grow closer to God in our minds, hearts, and souls. We are invited to attain such an overlapping communion with God in this life, so that when we die, we will barely notice a difference. We are invited to be so in love (and therefore in God, who is Love), that when we die into the arms of God, we will be crossing a narrow stream, not a broad river.

Charles Wesley wrote a bold hymn, celebrating the communion we share with the saints above:

1. Come, let us join our friends above
who have obtained the prize,
and on the eagle wings of love
to joys celestial rise.
Let saints on earth unite to sing
with those to glory gone,
for all the servants of our King
in earth and heaven are one.

2. One family we dwell in him,
one church above, beneath,
though now divided by the stream,
the narrow stream of death;
one army of the living God,
to his command we bow;
part of his host have crossed the flood,
and part are crossing now.

Charles writes in the 4th stanza: “O that we might now grasp our Guide!” Indeed, the invitation is to get yourself a Guide today, and wait no longer. Get a Guide for your life. Stop following the selfish instructions of many foolish voices that surround you (and live inside you). Furthermore, get a Guide who can show you the way across that last threshold, the great boundary of death. My advice: Get a Guide who has been there, who has crossed the threshold, who has died and, behold, is alive forevermore. Only this living God knows the best way forward.

Peace be with you,
Pastor Brad

November 29th begins a new year in the Christian calendar—the first Sunday of Advent. Click here for a copy of Pastor Brad’s preaching plan for this new year, going through November 2021. Print out this Preaching Plan Calendar and keep it in your bibles, so that you can prepare for the Sunday scriptures by reading them ahead of time.

Lectionary Readings for November

Sermon Series: Jesus’ Sermons During His Last Week

Sunday, November 1 — All Saints Sunday
Psalm 43; Matthew 23:1-12
Sunday, November 8 - Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
Matthew 25:1-13
Sunday, November 15 - Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Psalm 90:1-12; Matthew 25:14-30
Sunday, November 22 - The Reign of Christ the King
Matthew 25:31-46; Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

The Mission of St. Luke UMC is to be a Place to Belong, Believe, & Become Disciples of Christ

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG

Charge Conference via Zoom with the District Superintendent will be Wednesday, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. Details will be forthcoming. Please let Pastor Brad know if you need help participating via Zoom video conferencing.

The Finance Committee will meet in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the worship service on November 8.

The PPRC will meet in the Fellowship Hall Wednesday, November 18, at 6:00 p.m.

Both St. Luke Reading Groups will meet in the Fellowship Hall Tuesday, November 17, at 2:00 and 6:00. Frances Tims and Joy Spain will lead the discussion of The Book of Longings, by Sue Monk Kidd. This is a thought-provoking work of fiction and the main character is Jesus’ wife. Come join us!

UMW Grace Circle will meet on Tuesday, November 3, 10 a.m. in the fellowship hall. We will have our 2021 pledge service and World Thank Offering service. Recipients who will be honored with a Special Mission Recognition Pin will be chosen. We have money that was budgeted for meetings that was not spent due to the virus and extra income from the No-Bake sale that we will allocate to mission projects.

Masks are required. We are a small group and can easily socially distance. Please make every effort to attend. You can plan to vote before or after our meeting if you haven’t already voted.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

The Greenwood District is offering Fall Lay Servant “Zoom” classes. The first class took place October 31 but you can still sign up for the second class, which will be on Monday, November 9 ,from 6:00-8:30 p.m. The topic is Reclaiming the Wesleyan Band Meetings. The cost is $25 and the class will be capped at 12 participants. If you are interested, email your name, church, and your mailing address to greenwood@mississippi-umc.org.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

St. Luke folks turned out on a beautiful fall Saturday recently to pick up trash around the pond at Bear Pen Park. Thanks to all who participated and especially to Allyson Hardy, who was the point person and passed out the trash bags, gloves, and water bottles. Good job, people!

Soon it will be time to carry out our White Christmas project. If you know of a family with school aged children who are struggling financially and might be in need of help with a few Christmas gifts, please consider acting as a sponsor for that family. Contact Lisa at the church office or Deb Cole. November 8 is the deadline to recommend a family. The Christmas tree loaded with paper ornaments will be in the narthex on Sunday, November 15. When you see it, take as many ornaments as you can, purchase those items listed, and help make this a special Christmas for those families in need.

This year the Methodist Children’s Home is designating November and December for their This Little Light of Mine Special Offering. 100% of the offering will fund programs helping children and families of MCH. Let’s help bring hope and a little light of love into the lives of the children who have been abused and neglected. Deadline to give is December 13.

UMW No-Bake Sale – The fall sale was a huge success. The total given is $1,370 netting $685 for UMW and $685 for a mission project to be determined by the Finance Committee. We received contributions from 39 families/members including one former member. Thank you for supporting this vital mission.

DSU Wesley Yard Sale

Christmas Poinsettias

It’s time to order Christmas Poinsettias for the Chancel Area at St Luke. If you would like to purchase a Poinsettia in memory or honor of a loved one, please click here to access a fillable form. Make your check payable to St Luke, earmarked “Poinsettia” and mail it along with your form to St Luke UMC, 1227 Deering St, Cleveland MS 38732, or drop it off at the church office.