December 2020
St. Luke United Methodist Church
Message from the Pastor
“Don’t be TOO thankful.”
We celebrate Thanksgiving with food, family, and festivities, but we aren’t culturally encouraged to celebrate the holiday with real gratitude. “Don’t be too thankful, or else you’ll be too happy with what you already have. Don’t be too thankful, or else you won’t feel you need MORE.”
The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday, the “traditional” start of the Christmas shopping season. I always find the pairing of these cultural holy-days a bit amusing. We’re supposedly thankful one day, and we’re shopping the next, out of a perceived scarcity. “Surely we need more, better, and newer possessions, in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones.”
(Before I get too preachy, I’ll admit I waited until the discounts of Black Friday to buy myself a new pair of pants. Perhaps I was not grateful enough for the pants I already own…)
How often do we really express our gratitude? We love receiving the thanks of others, but we might not give it away enough ourselves. Indeed, our loved ones might prefer our gratitude—a heartfelt letter—more than one more trinket. Most of us have more than we need, so the more Christian act of giving would be to donate to the poor this Christmas, rather than spending on ourselves or our loved ones. Some churches encourage their members to spend as much on the needy as they spend on themselves. I like this challenge.
When I teach people to pray, I reach back to a form of prayer I was taught as a child: A.C.T.S. — Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. I like this order, because it names who God is first: “I adore you as my Good Shepherd, my Counselor, my Master, my Friend.” Then, it names who we are: “I am a sinner, and here’s what I’ve done wrong this week.” We’re invited to be thankful for what we already have before proceeding to ask for a supply of things we want. Thanksgiving before Supplication is a wise form of prayer. If we’re grateful for the good that is already in our lives, we might not think we need so many new things.
I’m thankful for my congregants steadfastly supporting the church’s ministry amidst the strangest year of ministry most any pastor has had. I’m thankful for your encouragement and experimentation. I’m thankful we’re at a turning point—a new Christian year is upon us, the days will start getting longer again on December 21st, and a vaccine for the coronavirus is on the horizon.
“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” is what we will sing the first Sunday of Advent. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” we repeat in a minor key. “God, please be with us.” I’m most thankful that I have Jesus available to me—available to all of us—sometimes in subtle and soft ways. We turn from the harrowing Judgement of the Nations (the last Sunday of the Christian year) to the comforting presence of a child born unto us. The balance is nice. A warning from John the Baptist is accompanying by the uplifting song of Mary. The sadness of a grieving people—from the ancient Israelites to modern mourners—will be met with the joy of Jesus’s arrival. Finally, we have an answer to our prayers. We have a God who loves us so much that God joins us in person. We have someone for whom we can be very, very thankful.
Peace on earth,
Pastor Brad
Lectionary Readings for December
Sermon Series: Jesus’ Sermons During His Last Week
Sunday, December 6 — Second Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 40:1-11; Mark 1:1-8Sunday, December 13 - Third Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; John 1:6-8, 19-28
Sunday, December 20 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Luke 1:26-38, 46-55
Thursday, December 24 - Christmas Eve
Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Luke 2:1-20
Sunday, December 27 - First Sunday after Christmas Day
Luke 2:22-40
The Mission of St. Luke UMC is to be a Place to Belong, Believe, & Become Disciples of Christ
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG
Thanks to everyone who stayed after church November 22 to help decorate the sanctuary and narthex for the Christmas season. We’re very fortunate to have such a pretty church, and with the “hanging of the greens,” it looks very special. Big thanks to Bob Card and Dillard and Beau Melton for risking life and limb on high ladders! Thanks also to everyone who purchased poinsettias to add to our holiday decorations.
St. Luke Reading Groups will meet Tuesday, December 15, at 2:00 and 6:00. The afternoon group will discuss Hannah’s Dream, by Diane Hammond. (Hannah happens to be an elephant.) Becky Fisher will lead this session. The evening group will discuss The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See, with Lynne Lambdin leading. Both groups will meet in the Fellowship Hall and participants are requested to wear masks.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE
Due to the Covid pandemic, we will be unable to have our traditional potluck and White Christmas service on Sunday evening, December 6. In lieu of a program presented in the sanctuary by the children and youth, we will record videos of them singing songs and performing a skit. The videos will be posted online on our St. Luke Facebook page on the evening of the 6th for everyone to view. We still invite you to purchase White Christmas gifts. You may put them under the tree in the narthex the morning of the 6th or bring them to the church office on Monday, December 7.
On Sunday, December 13, at 6:00 we will have our Lessons and Carols service, concluding with candle-lighting.
We will be offering two Christmas Eve services this year. Please come to the 5:00 service if your last name begins with the letters A—M, and the 6:00 service if your last name begins with N—Z. As always this year, masks are required.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES
There’s still time to take ornaments from the White Christmas tree in the narthex and purchase gifts for local children and nursing home residents. Take as many of the ornaments as you can, buy the gifts listed, wrap them in white (tissue paper is fine), and attach the ornament to each gift. If you prefer to make a monetary donation, just mark your check or cash envelope “White Christmas.” Such gifts will be very helpful in fulfilling the wish lists. You may place your gifts under the large tree in the narthex by the morning of December 6 or bring them to the church office by Monday, December 7.
This year the Methodist Children’s Home is designating November and December as 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 the light of love into the lives of children who have been abused and neglected. Please give by December 13.
United Methodist Women honored three women in the St. Luke congregation with a Mission Minute Person pin and certificate on November 22. Sue Givens, Frances Tims and Lauren Williams were chosen this year for all their contributions to the health and vitality of the St. Luke family and beyond. The Mississippi Conference UMW raises extra money for mission through these gifts to mission in honor or in memory of individuals. It is titled Mission Minute because the amount given is the amount spent on mission by the National Organization of United Methodist Women (total yearly budget divided by the number of minutes in a year). Thank you Sue, Frances, and Lauren for all you do.
New Church Directory
We are gathering contact information for a new church directory and need everyone to help us update our files. Click here for a fillable form that you can complete and email to the church office at stlukeumc@cableone.net, mail to St Luke UMC (1227 Deering St, Cleveland MS 38732), or drop it off at the church office. You may also stop by the church office to pick up a form.
The St Luke Scene
Congratulations to St. Luke member Neely Anderson, who was selected to the Homecoming Court at Cleveland Central High School. Neely is the daughter of Neal & Sonya Anderson, and is shown with her father.
