Message from the Pastor

The Lord God said, “It’s not good that the human is alone.”

From the beginning, we were made for relationships. Each one of us has gifts that can meet another person’s needs. And each one of us has needs, and everyone needs help.

Whether it’s through parenting, marriage, friendship, or caring for older family members, God calls us to love folks other than ourselves. Love is lived out best in committed relationships.

In a sermon series entitled “Love, Sex, and Relationships,” we’ll start off the new year thinking about marriage and all committed relationships. Most of the best advice for marriage also applies to friendships, parenting, and even church relationships. For example, by “respecting differences” (which is Rule #1 in a book I have called “Marriage Rules”), I can remember that “differences don’t mean that one person is right and the other is wrong.” Intimacy requires that I not equate closeness with sameness. In other words, someone doesn’t have to be like me for me to enjoy them and serve them well. (Sometimes this is easier said than done!)

Indeed, while reading my “Marriage Rules” book, I replace the word ‘marriage’ with ‘church’ and the advice still works: Apologize when you slip up, people of all ages need praise for their specific qualities and behaviors (so we should avoid generalizations), and aim for a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. In other words, give more compliments and encouragements than criticisms. (This is good to try even in our own heads!)

Much of this relationships advice you already instinctively know. (Rather than learning something radically new, we often come to church to be reminded of our best wisdom—our “God-selves” as I call it.) I’ve already begun asking some of you for your marriage advice. When I asked one person (who wanted to remain anonymous) for their best marriage advice, she said “Don’t spoil him! My mother waited on my father hand-and-foot, and I swore I would never do the same.” I look forward to hearing similar insights, humorous and serious, from the rest of you. I’m still learning as well.

Seven years ago, I used UMC Pastor Adam Hamilton’s book “Love to Stay” to preach a sermon series on marriage. I had only been married for three and a half years at the time, and for about half that time Kathleen lived in New York going to graduate school. In that sermon series, I barely had any idea what I was talking about. But that’s why I enjoy reading books, talking to older congregants, and learning the wisdom of more experienced folks. Thankfully, Kathleen says I’m a better husband now than I was seven years ago. Maybe I’ve learned a thing or two that I can pass on, but I’m still growing. This coming month, I’m looking forward to learning together and reminding ourselves of the Rules of Love that God has given us.

Peace,
Pastor Brad

Lectionary Readings for January

Sermon Series: Love, Sex, and Relationships

Sunday, January 3 - Second Sunday after Christmas Day
Genesis 2:18, 21-25
Sunday, January 10 - Baptism of the Lord
Philippians 2:1-5
Sunday, January 17 - Second Sunday after the Epiphany
1 Corinthians 7:3-5
Sunday, January 24 - Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; Proverbs 5:18-20a
Sunday, January 31 - Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Colossians 3:12-13

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

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG

Both St. Luke reading groups have been postponed and will not meet in January. Members will be notified of plans going forward.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

The 2021 Flower Calendar is available on the bulletin board across from the choir room. With worship services slowly opening back up, we need your help to provide altar arrangements throughout the year. Please look over the calendar, choose a date or two, and sign up. You can contact Sandi Melton, Flower Steward, or the church office for more information.

The Worship Team will meet Sunday, January 10, at 11:35 in the Fellowship Hall. If you can help in this area, please come.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

If you would like to help deliver our “Second Sunday” mission project food items to Helping Hands in 2021, please contact Lisa in the church office.

The new list of Committee Members for 2021 is available in the church office. Please stop by and pick up a copy or email the church office at stlukeumc@cableone.net and we can send you a copy.

The Finance Committee will meet Sunday, January 17, at 11:35 in the Fellowship Hall.

Many thanks to all who shopped and contributed monetarily to our White Christmas project. Even during this particularly stressful year, your generosity allowed us to provide Christmas cheer to 12 residents in two nursing homes and to 9 families with 23 children. We all have so much to be thankful for and we are blessed to be able to share our good fortune with members of our community who have less.

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

A REPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM

We have had to make lots of changes this year due to Covid 19. However, one thing we did not want to change was our budding relationship with our neighbors at Parks Elementary. Last year we collected books, had an ice cream sundae party, and had a cotton candy party, and the youth helped paint a room in the school. We knew we could not do the parties this year, so we contacted Parks to ask them how we could help. They asked us if we could provide pizza and drinks for the students who met their accelerated reading goals, so that is what we did. However, we also had more money budgeted that we could spend, so we wanted to help out the teachers as well.

On Friday, November 20th, Pastor Brad and Susannah Wessel delivered Domino's Pizza to the students as well as lots of leftover pizza for the teachers and staff to enjoy. In addition to that, they delivered thirty $45 Amazon gift cards for the teachers. The teachers told Susannah and Brad that they have to buy things like sanitizing wipes that the school will not buy for them, and that usually comes out of their own pocketbooks.

Due to Covid, there was very little personal interaction between Susannah and Brad and the teachers. They also were not allowed to see the students, but Parks was sure to send a picture of some of the students who got to enjoy the pizza party.

It felt good to reach out to our neighbors and bring smiles to their faces, even when we had to be extra careful and do things differently. We hope to continue this relationship with the school and look forward to doing more in the spring.