Message from the Pastor

While the rest of the world rushes on, as Christians we begin our year with a season of waiting, of intentional and holy patience.

Intentional waiting? Who wants to sign up for that? To be honest, Advent used to annoy me. I didn't want to wait for Christmas. I wanted to extend it. 50 Nights of Lights? Sounds good to me. I joyfully get caught up in the excitement, the decorations, the shows, the music, and all manner of themed holiday snacks (here's looking at you Little Debbie). I think I read somewhere on Facebook (so it must be true right) about a study saying that the sooner you decorate, the happier you are. My husband must have read the same article because he had our Christmas trees up before Thanksgiving and now we have a 12-foot inflatable yeti in our yard.

I wonder if my aversion to waiting is because it causes an interruption in the flow of my everyday life. Or maybe I assume that waiting means I'm not getting anything done or being unproductive. Waiting means I have to stop, to pay attention, and to slow down. The late pastor Eugene Peterson used to talk about how interruptions in his daily routine and ministry would annoy him, until one day he began to realize that the interruptions were the ministry. After that, he began seeking to become what he called an unhurried pastor or someone who was prepared to pay attention to life's interruptions, prepared to wait. Henri Nouwen said that "the word patience means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there. Waiting, then, is not passive. It involves nurturing the moment." Advent interrupts the broadcast of our life so that we tune in to the present, we nurture the moment of waiting upon the Lord.

While I may not have liked or even fully understood Advent years ago, I have come to realize that I need it. I need a divine interruption. I need to sit and wait for the dawning of the light of the world. I need a thrill of hope, the herald of peace, the banner of love, and the light of Christ. I need to join the chorus of a weary world rejoicing. I need a little Advent, and maybe you do too. I hope you will join me. I promise it is worth the wait.

Lectionary Readings for December

Sunday, December 3 — First Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 64:1-9
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Matthew 13:24-37

Sunday, December 10 — Second Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8
Sunday, December 17 — Third Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Sunday, December 24 — Fourth Sunday of Advent
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Luke 1:47-55
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
Sunday, December 31 — First Sunday after Christmas Day
Isaiah 61:10 - 62:3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7
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

The Coleman SS Class Christmas Party will be Dec 10 at 6:00 p.m., at the Cards. Everyone is asked to bring an hors d'oeuvres and a gift for Dirty Santa. Anyone who was ever a member of the class or anyone who is thinking of joining us is welcome.

UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH invite all women of St. Luke to a celebration of Christmas on Tuesday, December 12, at 5:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Pastor Hannah will have our program and O’Hara will help with Christmas music. Members of Lunch Bunch and Grace Circle are asked to bring finger foods. We will provide childcare.

We are not asking you to commit to being members of UWFaith (though that would be wonderful). We just want to celebrate this wonderful season of the year with all women in our church family. You may think that you don’t want to add one more thing to what is probably already a busy December, but I promise that you will feel better when you go home than when you came. There is just something about a supportive community of women that lifts our spirits. Put the date on your calendar now! December 12, 5:00 p.m.

You are invited to join us on Sunday, December 10, during our 10:30 a.m. service for our Christmas Cantata performed by our St. Luke Choir. Invite a friend or neighbor!

UNITED WOMEN IN FAITH honored seven members of the St. Luke congregation on Sunday, November 26. They were presented with a certificate and a Mission Minute Person pin. A monetary gift to mission which will benefit women, children and youth was given for each person. Those honored were Kay Daves, Rani Richard, Wade Overstreet, Cade Holder, Melba Washington, Frankie Brewer and Rev. Hannah Shempert.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE

Join the outreach committee for one more event before the end of the year! Meet downtown at the Cleveland Railroad Museum on Saturday, December 9 at 10:45 a.m. to assist with a Letters-to-Santa event and spread some seasonal cheer with milk and cookies!

Life After Loss - Fall 2023 Invitation: Are you grieving a personal loss or tragedy? Do you know someone who is? Losses come in different sizes, at different times, and different types. No one escapes loss. Some losses - death of a spouse or family member, divorce, major illness or disability, etc. can be devastating. They can leave us overwhelmed, broken, and lost. We search for answers. How do I go on? When will it end? Will life be good again?

Grief is a journey. Survivors face choices that are urgent, stressful and confusing. Survivors may lack energy or interest in things that once made their lives meaningful. Strong negative emotions may erupt, and changes can create feelings of isolation and loneliness. Others may notice what is happening but be unsure what to do. If this describes you or someone you know, then I am inviting you to join us and learn how you can help yourself and others grieve. We will be seeking and sharing ways to recover well-being, adjust to life changes, and restore hope and joy.

Beginning December 7, 2023, at noon in the Parish Center at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church, 215 Bishop Rd., and continuing on Thursdays to January 11, 2024, six one-hour sessions on recovering from loss will be held. The sessions are free and open to all. Sessions last from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. They will be led by Larry L. Lambert, a Licensed Professional Counselor. For more information, contact Larry by email at larry@mazzy.com. If you have friends and loved ones who may be struggling, please let them know.

OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES

Join us on Sunday, December 3 for our White Christmas celebration! We will have a potluck at 5:00 p.m. with the White Christmas Program, put on by the children and youth, following in the sanctuary. There are still several paper ornaments on the tree if you would like to stop by during office hours this week to pick up two or a few. You can bring your gifts to the morning worship service and place them under the tree or to the White Christmas celebration that evening.

Help the service project committee by assisting the Accelerated Readers at Parks Elementary School with a Christmas Cookie Decorating Party on Friday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m.

We are going Christmas Caroling on Sunday, December 17. We’ll meet in the St. Luke parking lot at 1:45 p.m. and then caravan to Indywood, Azalea Commons, and the homes of a few of our St. Luke members. We’d love to have you join us in making a joyful noise!

The months of November and December have been designated for the Methodist Children’s Home “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 those children who have been abused and neglected. Deadline to give is December 10.

United Methodist Student Day is celebrated with a special offering during November and December. When you give to the United Methodist Student Day offering, your gifts support the Gift of Hope Scholarship program that is awarded to United Methodist students pursuing a higher education. Deadline to give is December 10.

Many thanks to everyone who helped in the “hanging of the greens.” Our sanctuary looks beautiful in its Christmas finery, and it was fun, wasn’t it? It will all have to come down and be packed up for next year on January 7, so please keep in mind that we will need your help then, too.

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 their discretion to help those in need.

If you would like to help deliver our “Second Sunday” mission project food items to Helping Hands in 2024, please contact Lisa in the church office to sign up. Drop off times for Helping Hands are Wednesdays or Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and noon.

Worship Greeters are needed for next year! A Greeter is a very important part of welcoming people to our worship service and helps by passing out bulletins, helping people in and out of cars (when needed), directing visitors to pews or various areas of the church, and helps in other capacities of the service. If you feel called to volunteer and want to sign up, please contact Al Williams or the church office. A sign-up sheet will also be available in the narthex.

The new 2024 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 Sundays, store your arrangement in the fridge during the week and re-use them the second Sunday. Please contact Sandi Melton (Flower Steward) or the church office to sign up or for more info.