July 2022
St. Luke United Methodist Church
Message from the Pastor
For our July newsletter, I’m turning over this space to an update from our sponsored United Methodist Missionary in Ecuador, Sara Flores. You can find some pictures she has sent in the photo gallery of the newsletter:
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it. - Proverbs 22:6
At a recent meeting of Pastors at the end of May, one of the speakers shared about the church in the post-pandemic time, and how worldwide churches have suffered a decrease in membership attendance. During the time of sharing, we were able to affirm this reality, but we could also confirm that a large part of our churches in Ecuador have maintained and have grown especially in the attendance of children.
A big factor in this growth is that during the pandemic, churches never stopped attending to ministry with children, whether thru virtual tools or face to face in Sunday School, or vacation Bible school, Bible meetings, health and food supply campaigns, school support programs, or home visits, etc. These show in a concrete way God's love and care for the lives of children and the most vulnerable populations.
The children ́s programs, even in the most precarious conditions, become spaces that children recognize as a place of love and that they always want to attend; in many cases, the church is the only beautiful, clean, and safe place that they have. And this is not only a physical place, but it is special because of the presence of teachers and volunteers who accept them, strengthen them, train them, guide and share the love of God.
On June 1 Children's Day is celebrated in Ecuador, and during the week, celebrations and programs have been developed to promote the rights and protection of children. Remembering the children in Ecuador and in the world, we thank God for mothers, fathers, teachers, and volunteers who give their time and their lives as a testimony of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for every child.
In our daily prayer time each day at 3pm, all the Methodist churches of Ecuador are united in prayer, especially this month we dedicate our prayers for children, for the families and teachers who respond to God's call to form the life and faith of the little ones, with tenderness.
As churches began to pray, we heard the terrible news of the massacre of children at a school in Texas. Together, adults and children, we pray for the lives of these little ones, for the families who suffer this mourning; for all the children who suffer hunger, malnutrition, abandonment, for those who suffer all kinds of violence around the world. We pray for you, we pray for us, we pray that God can give us strength to care for, protect, and educate the children; that in the love of Jesus Christ we may believe and work with hope for a society that respects and raises them in love.
Today we also pray and thank God for the life of every person and every church that commits and offers support for children ́s ministries. Your love and support mean so much to us.
May God bless you,
Sara Flores
United Methodist Church General Board of Global Ministries Missionary serving in Ecuador
Lectionary Readings for July
Sunday, July 3 — Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
2 Kings 5:1-15 — Namaan the General is Healed
Sunday, July 10 — Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 7:1-17 — Amos is Shown a Plumb LineSunday, July 17 — Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 8:1-12 — Amos is Shown a Basket of Summer FruitSunday, July 24 — Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Hosea 1:2-10 — The Lord Tells Hosea to Marry a ProstituteSunday, July 31 — Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Hosea 11:1-11 — The Lord Recalls the Love Shown to Israel
and Promises Their Return to Their Homes
The Mission of St. Luke UMC is to be a Place to Belong, Believe, & Become Disciples of Christ
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG
United Women in Faith Grace Circle will NOT meet on July 5. We will meet on August 2. If members plan to contribute to Candle Burning extra giving, I will need your form (given out at June meeting) and check by July 24. If you missed the June meeting and would like a Candle Burning form, call Jackie. You can also get me your pledge and I’ll get it deposited.
The June newsletter contained a lengthy explanation of our new name and new possibilities for organizing. Please read it if you haven’t already. United Women in Faith (formerly United Methodist Women) is a wonderful organization. We are working on changes so that more women can participate.
Lunch Bunch has not met since March of 2020, but will resume in August. Elaine Lambert asked that we watch for the meeting date in the Sunday bulletin or in an email from her.
The Annual Conference of the MS United Methodist Church will take place July 13-15 in Tupelo. Please be in prayer for our own representatives as well as all the others in attendance who will be making decisions on behalf of all of us.
Our Lay Leader, Jim Tims, reports that Bishop James Swanson has announced that he will once again delay his retirement until December 31, 2022. The Southeastern Jurisdiction Conference will take place early in November, 2022, at which time a new bishop for the MS Conference will be appointed, to begin serving January 1, 2023. We appreciate Bishop Swanson’s willingness to continue in service to our church until that time.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE
As we give our wonderful Sunday School teachers a well-deserved break this summer, we encourage everyone to continue to be consistent in church attendance when you’re in town, even though you’re not having to get up to come to Sunday School!
Our St. Luke kids spent the last week of June laughing, singing, and learning at Vacation Bible School, which took place at 1st Presbyterian Church this year. Watch for fun photos in the August newsletter.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES
Our Christmas in July tree is up in the narthex! Please take as many ornaments as you can from the tree and help purchase school supplies for families in need. All those notebooks, markers, and backpacks add up, and we can help lighten the burden for some families while getting their children off to a good start in the new school year. Please attach the ornaments to the supplies (you can gather them in shopping bags) and bring them to church on July 24, when we will have the “Blessing of the School Supplies.”
Don’t forget that on the second Sunday of every month we collect bags of apples, jars of peanut butter, and also canned goods 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.
Worship Greeters are needed for October and 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.
The Flower Calendar is available on the bulletin board across from the choir room. If you would like to help provide an altar arrangement sometime during the year, please look over the calendar, choose a date or two, and sign up. We also have a “flower fridge” so you can sign up for two consecutive Sunday, store your arrangement in the fridge during the week and re-use them the second Sunday. You can contact Sandi Melton (Flower Steward) or the church office to sign up and for more info.
Upcoming Dates for your Calendar
July 4, Monday
—Church Office will be Closed
July 5, Tuesday
—United Women in Faith: Grace Circle, —CANCELED
July 10, Sunday
—2nd Sunday Mission for Helping Hands, 10:30 a.m.
July 13 - 15, Wednesday - Friday
—MS Annual Conference (Tupelo)
July 24, Sunday
—Evangelical Covenant Mission Work Group arrives (St Luke SS Wing)
July 28, Thursday
—Pizza Party for Mission Group, 6:00 p.m. (Fellowship Hall)
July 30, Saturday
—Evangelical Covenant Mission Work Group departs
United Methodist Missions in Ecuador
Memorials and Honorariums
N/A
Attendance and Offering Report
June 5
June 12
June 19
June 26
Monthly Total
Monthly Budget
General Fund
$ 11,713
$ 2,121
$ 2,159
$ 496
$ 16,692
$ 20,872
Special
Fund
$ 0
$ 0
$ 1,214
$ 0
Sunday
School
11
0
9
10
Worship
39
28
31
30
Online
82
82
52
64
Special Offerings:
United Methodist Peace w/ Justice
$ 110
July Birthdays
Florence Jo Corban
Anna Melton
Elaine Lambert
Julianne Bailey
Kathleen Corban
Trapper Bolden
Molly Bassie
Kolby Horton
Frances Tims
Glynn Neal
Deb Cole
Edith Corban
Melanie Williams
Megan Armstrong
Loretta Burdine
Larry Lambert
Neely Anderson
Bob Card
Rani Richard
Woody Earls
7/01
7/03
7/05
7/06
7/07
7/09
7/12
7/15
7/16
7/17
7/22
7/26
7/27
7/29
7/31
July Anniversaries
N/A