May 2022
St. Luke United Methodist Church
Message from the Pastor
I’m excited that St. Luke United Methodist Church has started a new partnership with a United Methodist missionary in Quito, Ecuador, Sara Flores, to support her work nurturing the growing Methodist churches in that South American country. Much of today’s newsletter is from information that Sara sent to us once she learned of our support. She was very happy to hear of this new relationship with us.
Sara is originally from Bolivia, and she’s married to Dakin Cook, who is a retired Global Ministries missionary who volunteers with VIM (Volunteers in Mission) teams for the Methodist Church in Ecuador.
Ecuador is a relatively small South American country, about the same square miles as Wyoming and Colorado, located on the equator. It has many rich and diverse cultures, with numerous indigenous populations. The Methodist Church in Ecuador works in the coastal area, the mountains, and the Amazon basin.
The Evangelical United Methodist Church in Ecuador is a new Methodist Church in Latin America founded in 2002. Much of the Church’s work is in marginalized urban and rural areas and among indigenous communities. The Church currently has 24 full congregations and 5 new mission congregations with a great potential for growth in God’s mission.
Sara’s work focuses on supporting and training pastors, supporting churches that carry out programs for women and children, supporting new outreach initiatives, building new congregations, supporting construction projects, organizing medical mission trips to the area, distributing food and health kits, and coordinating emergency relief projects with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (such as reconstructing damaged buildings and organizing emergency preparedness training).
Right now, St. Luke supports Sara’s work by sending $1,500 per year to her ministry through the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. We also have the option to visit as a volunteer construction team, visit as a volunteer medical team, and provide pastoral education and counseling. Sara especially asks that we pray for the church in Ecuador and her team of ministers.
Sara will be sending updates to us over time, so that we can keep abreast of the great work she and the United Methodist church is doing in Ecuador. You can see lots of her and her husband’s photos below.
I want to thank everyone who donates to St. Luke UMC, because it is from our regular donations to the general fund that this mission work is funded.
Peace be with you,
Pastor Brad
Lectionary Readings for May
Sermon Series: The Core Message of the Early Church
Sunday, May 1 — Third Sunday of Easter
Acts 5-7 — The Church is Harassed & Stephen is KilledSunday, May 8 — Fourth Sunday of Easter
Acts 8 — Phillip Expands the Movement in Samaria
Sermon Series: The Life and Message of the Apostle Paul
Sunday, May 15 — Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 22:3a, 21:39b; Philippians 3:5; Acts 22:3b; Galatians 1:14a; Acts 22:4
— Paul’s Background, Conversion, and Early MinistrySunday, May 22 — Sixth Sunday of Easter
Acts 13:1-4a — Paul’s First Missionary JourneySunday, May 29 — Seventh Sunday of Easter
Acts 16:6-10 — Paul’s Second Missionary Journey, Part 1
The Mission of St. Luke UMC is to be a Place to Belong, Believe, & Become Disciples of Christ
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG
UMM will meet Tuesday, May 10, at 6:00 p.m. at 1st UMC.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE
UMW Grace Circle meeting for Tuesday, May 3, is cancelled. We will resume meeting on June 7.
UMW No-Bake Sale – Once again a big THANK YOU goes out to all who so generously supported the spring No-Bake Sale which helps support many local and state mission projects. At this time the sale has netted $1,285. If you haven’t had the opportunity and still wish to give, please do so. Our deadline of April 24 is by no means absolute.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES
Don’t forget that on the second Sunday of every month we collect bags of apples, jars of peanut butter, and also canned good for the Helping Hands Ministry. That day is also our Dollar Sunday, when you are invited to drop a dollar or two into the basket in the narthex to help support our Compassion Fund, which the pastor uses at his discretion to help those in need.
We will have a special offering this month for Native American Ministries. This fund allows the United Methodist Church to collaborate with existing Native American ministries and create programs on behalf of Native Americans. Money collected also supports seminary scholarships for UM Native Americans. You may give a donation, earmarked “Native American Ministries”, any time during the month of May.
Vacation Bible School will be hosted by and held at First Presbyterian Church the week of June 26-30, from 4:30-7:00 pm. If you would like to volunteer to help with VBS, forms are available on the table in the St Luke narthex. Please fill one out and give to Pastor Brad or the church office. Information on registering your child/children will be available soon.
Worship Greeters are needed for June, July, and September - December! If you can help welcome people to the worship service, pass out bulletins, help people in and out of cars, direct visitors to pews or various areas of the church, and help pass the offering plates, please contact Bobby Horton or the church office.
Trustees Report
Our Board of Trustees have been busy in the church yard and have additional plans to improve the appearance of our church grounds. They have replaced several sections of the sidewalk leading to the office entrance, thus eliminating the customary standing water after rains. Soon they plan to have work done on the irrigation system and then will sod the area between the north side of the sanctuary and the street. We will also be seeing some flowering shrubs added to the beds around the church sign. A big thanks to our Trustees for all you do to care for our facilities!
Mississippi Blood Services Needs Your Help
For many years St. Luke UMC has hosted a blood drive, but in recent years the attendance has been low. This year there will not be a blood drive at St. Luke, but you are encouraged to give if you can, recruit others to give, or make a financial contribution.
There is a Mississippi Blood Services drawing station in Cleveland, #101B, 609 US 61 (across the highway from C-Spire). For questions call 662-441-2870. To schedule an appointment call 601-368-2673 or go to the MS Blood Services website - msblood.com. They are open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 to 5; and on Thursday from 10 to 6. The website has information on the different ways of giving. You can even fill out the questionnaire ahead of time. To donate blood, you must be healthy and feeling well, be at least 110 lbs. and at least 17 years old (or 16 with parental consent). See the website for more info on who can and cannot give blood.
In Mississippi, hundreds of pints of blood are needed every day. That means: friends, your spouse, your children, your children’s friends, coworkers, fellow church members, fellow teammates, even YOU are a probable recipient of the blood resources of Mississippi Blood Services. The fact is, with this kind of demand, every one of us knows someone, or will meet someone, who will need blood.
For example, a patient who has suffered injuries in an automobile accident requires an average of 50 units of blood. A cardiovascular surgery may require anywhere from 2 to 25 units of blood. A cancer patient will often require up to 8 units per week. When you donate blood, you are giving someone a second chance.
Another way to help is to make a financial contribution. Charitable Contributions can be mailed directly to MS Blood Services at 115 Tree Street, Flowood, MS 39232 to the attention of Lisa Kirkpatrick or you can donate online through Pay Pal or using a debit or credit card.
Calling All Graduates
We will recognize all high school and college graduates during the worship service on May 15. If you have a child or grandchild who will be graduating this year, please contact the church office by May 9 with their name, school, degree (if applicable)., and future plans (for high school graduates).
This year we have four St. Luke members who will be graduating from high school: Neely Anderson, Eliza Hardy, Carlie Rogers, and William Wessel. We will honor these four at a reception/potluck following the worship service May 15. If you wish to give them graduation gifts, there will be a gift table set up in the Fellowship Hall.
Upcoming Dates for your Calendar
May 1, Sunday
—Education Committee, 11:35 a.m. (Church Library)
May 3, Tuesday
—UMW Grace Circle, 10:00 a.m. (St Luke Library)
May 8, Sunday
—Mother’s Day
May 10, Tuesday
—United Methodist Men, 6:00 p.m. (First United Methodist)
May 15, Sunday
—Graduate Reception/Potluck, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
May 22, Sunday
—Finance Committee, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
May 30, Monday
—Memorial Day (Church Office Closed)
The St. Luke Scene
Memorials and Honorariums
By:
Frankie Brewer, Caroline Gaines, Carol Tatum
Caroline Gaines
Frankie Brewer, Caroline Gaines
Martha Damico
Frankie Brewer
Frankie Brewer
In Memory Of:
Kathryn Cain
Mary Dalton
Bettye Johnston
Bettye & Robert Johnston
James Moore
Sue Pearson
Attendance and Offering Report
April 3
April 10
April 17
April 24
Monthly Total
Monthly Budget
General Fund
$ 13,518
$ 6,078
$ 2,617
$ 645
$ 23,065
$ 20,872
Special
Fund
$ 50
$ 1,465
$ 50
$ 0
Sunday
School
27
25
17
27
Worship
55
65
94
55
Online
77
91
87
82
Special Offerings:
UMCOR: Ukraine Relief Total
”Virtual Lilies” for Camp Lake Stephens Total
$ 660
$ 390
May Birthdays
Kelly Horton
Abby Bassie
Hart Rogers
Mary Jayson Rogers
Wyatt Williams
Sheryl Stump
Brad Corban
Bette Simpson
Candy Vickers
Eliza Hardy
5/02
5/06
5/07
5/16
5/21
5/29
May Anniversaries
Beverly & Roy Jacks
Lindsey & Mae Givens
Shana & Trapper Bolden
5/10
5/14
5/22