August 2024
St. Luke United Methodist Church
Message from the Pastor
School is almost back in session. During the first couple of weeks, teachers may begin to give some refreshers to remind students of items they covered the year before. It helps to start with this foundation before moving on to more difficult concepts. I remember always dreading this when I was a kid. The summer days had seemed to erase my brain of everything from the year before. How could I have forgotten something in just a matter of months? Slowly, my memory would be revived, and I would build upon roots from the year before.
We all need a refresher every now and then. Beginning this Sunday, August 4th, we will start a new sermon series called Roots in which we will seek to rediscover or refresh ourselves on some of the things that make us who we are as United Methodists. Whether you are relatively new to the UMC or are a cradle Methodist, I invite you to join us as we dig into the roots of our unique understanding of grace, baptism, holiness and mission, scripture, and communion and the power of small groups. If you would like to go deeper into UMC history, I will be leading a study group on Adam Hamilton's Revival that will share more about the early days of the Methodist movement in the life of John and Charles Wesley.
This Sunday, August 4th, we will have a Blessing of the Backpacks and Briefcases during worship (please bring your backpacks and planners).
The following Sunday, August 11th, we hope you will hang around after worship for a Back-to-School Cookout lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, watermelon, and ice cream treats. We hope you will make plans to join us.
On August 25th, the DSU Wesley Foundation will be visiting us during worship. We will listen to student testimonies and will receive a love offering for them. Plans are also in the works for a blood drive on that Sunday. MS Blood Services will possibly have their bus here and will be hosting a blood drive from 11:30-3. We encourage you to consider donating blood if possible as their supply is critically low.
May we see the start of this new school year as a chance to enter afresh into shared worship and life together. I hope you will join us as we return to our roots and find joy in rediscovering who we are, what we believe, and how God continues to call us forward as a people called Methodists.
Grace and Peace to you,
Rev. Hannah
New Sermon Series
Scripture Lessons for Sermon Series: “Rediscovering Our United Methodist Roots”
Sunday, August 4 — Grace
Ephesian 2:4-10Sunday, August 11 — Baptism
Mark 1:4-12Sunday, August 18 — Holiness & Mission
Micah 6:6-8
1 John 3:17-18
1 Timothy 6:17-19Sunday, August 25 — Scripture
2 Timothy 3:14-17Sunday, September 1 — Communion
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Matthew 26:26-30
Lectionary Readings for August
Sunday, August 4 — Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a
Psalm 51:1-12
Ephesians 4:1-16
John 6:24-35Sunday, August 11 — Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
Psalm 130
Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2
John 6:35, 41-51Sunday, August 18 — Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Psalm 111
Ephesians 5:14-20
John 6:51-58Sunday, August 25 — Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43
Psalm 84
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56=69
The Mission of St. Luke UMC is to be a Place to Belong, Believe, & Become Disciples of Christ
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELONG
The St. Luke family is invited to come to the opening of a showing of Jim Tims’ paintings at the Delta Arts Alliance on Thursday, September 5, from 5:30-7:00. Jim is self-taught and has been painting in oils since his retirement about six years ago. Even Frances thinks he is pretty good! Both Jim and Frances would love for you to join us for this exciting evening. Further details can be found in an announcement below.
During worship service on Sunday, August 25, a few of the DSU Wesley students will be with us to give their testimonies and talk about the wonderful things the Wesley is doing for them. We hope you can join us to show your support! A love offering will be taken up for the Wesley Foundation.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BELIEVE
St. Luke Sunday School will resume August 11. We encourage the Young(er) Adults and all children to be here for the start-up, and we commend the Coleman Class for continuing to meet throughout the summer. We will celebrate coming back together with a Back-to-School Cookout in the Fellowship Hall after the morning worship service.
United Women in Faith Lunch Bunch will meet at noon on Wednesday, August 28. All women are invited for a brief devotion and fellowship. Please bring your lunch and drink, dessert will be provided.
United Women in Faith Grace Circle will not meet in August. Next scheduled meeting will be Tuesday, September 3, at 10:00 a.m. in the St Luke Library.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME DISCIPLES
Plans are in the works for St. Luke to host a Blood Drive with the MS Blood Services on Sunday, August 25, from 11:30 am - 3:00 pm. When you see the MS Blood Service bus in our parking lot on that Sunday, please consider donating blood if possible as their supply is critically low. All blood types are needed. Your help could save a life!
Thank you to all who helped with the Christmas in July mission! Your generous support helped provide school supplies to two local families and 13 foster children from our community who are in various school districts across Bolivar, Desoto, and Pontotoc Counties. Plus, we were able to make a monetary donation of $315 to the Methodist Children’s Home to go toward their purchase of school supplies. Thank you for helping these kids start their school year in a positive way!
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 provide an altar arrangement sometime during the year, please look over the flower calendar located on the bulletin board across from the choir room, choose a date or two, and sign up. Your arrangement doesn’t have to be fresh flowers, it could also be a plant. If you sign up for two consecutive Sundays, we have a “flower fridge” where we can store your floral arrangement 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.
Blessing of the Backpacks and Briefcases
Back to School Cookout
Paintings by
JIM TIMS
Thursday, September 5, 2024
5:30 — 7:00
Delta Arts Alliance
Light Refreshments will be Served
The exhibition will remain open for the month of September.
All proceeds from sales to benefit DAA.
Dolly Parton’s
Imagination Library
Upcoming Events
August 4, Sunday
— Blessing of the Backpacks and Briefcases during Worship
— Trustees and Parsonage Committee Meeting, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
August 11, Sunday
— Second Sunday Mission Project for Helping Hands
— Back to School Cookout, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
August 13, Tuesday
— United Methodist Men, 6:00 p.m. (First UMC)
August 25, Sunday
— DSU Wesley Students Speaking at Worship Service
love offering will be taken up
— Blood Drive, 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (St. Luke Parking Lot)
August 28, Wednesday
— UWFaith Lunch Bunch, 12:00 p.m. (Fellowship Hall)
September 3, Tuesday
— UWFaith Grace Circle, 10:00 a.m. (Church Library)
September 8, Sunday
— Second Sunday Mission Project for Helping Hands
September 10, Tuesday
— United Methodist Men, 6:00 p.m. (First UMC)
September 22, Sunday
— Finance Meeting, 11:35 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
Memorials and Honorariums
By:
Kay Daves; Elaine & Larry Lambert; David McCullen; Jackie Pennington; Carol Tatum; Sean & Susannah Wessel
Memorials for:
Jim Burdine
Attendance and Offering Report
July 7
July 14
July 21
July 28
Monthly Total
Monthly Budget
General Fund
$ 12,752
$ 1,550
$ 771
$ 385
$ 15,458
$ 20,854
Special
Fund
$ 50
$ 892
$ 125
$ 295
Sunday
School
12
11
8
4
Worship
34
46
36
40
Online
74
63
70
79
Special Offerings:
Methodist Children’s Home
(Christmas in July school supplies)
Delta Children’s Advocacy Center
(VBS Mission)
$ 315
$ 198.12
August Birthdays
8/04
8/05
8/06
8/17
8/24
8/25
8/27
8/28
Lyndell Dilly
Beau Melton
June Williams
Claire Rogers
Trevor Runnels
Austin Armstrong
Jim Shempert
Melba Washington
August Anniversaries
8/09
8/22
Beverly & Mike Gressett
Al & Melanie Williams