ST. LUKE’S COMMUNITY CHURCH
1140 McDuff Avenue South Jacksonville, Florida 32205-7551
Phone: (904) 389-7726 Fax: (904) 389-7626
stlukescc@bellsouth.net www.stlukescommunitychurch.org
Sunday Worship 9:45 a.m.
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

ACT 29 E-NEWSLETTER
Volume 2, Issue 12                   March 25, 2009

St. Luke’s – The name “St. Luke’s” was chosen as our name in 1984 because Saint Luke was the only Gentile writer of the Bible.  He was a physician and patron saint of healing.  St. Luke’s Gospel is the Gospel of women, gentiles, prodigals, and Samaritans.
Act 29 Newsletter -  Saint Luke also wrote the book of Acts, and it’s the New Testament book that records the history of the birth and growth of the church.  The Book of Acts ends rather abruptly in the 28th chapter, but the history and growth of the church continues.  Our e-newsletter strives to tell that continuing story of church growth and so the name Act 29 was chosen.  St. Luke’s Community Church might be considered the 29th act in the drama of God’s redemption.

-Reprinted from Act 29 Newsletter November 1985-

POLYNESIAN REVIEW

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

St. Luke’s Community Church’s 35th  Anniversary will be celebrated April 25 and 26.  We need volunteers to assist with planning of our celebration.  The Saturday evening dinner will feature a Polynesian Review with other talent. If you would like to assist in this area, please see Michael Vetrano, Rev. Jack Inman or Tim Jenkins as soon as possible. They also need volunteers willing to assist with serving and “clean-up” detail.  Tickets are now available for the Saturday evening dinner event @ $10 per ticket.  You can see any member of the Anniversary Team or Church Board for tickets. 

New Life Community Church

Palm Sunday, April 5, New Life Community Church, (Rev. Martae “Marty” Smith, Pastor), will begin meeting in our sanctuary for their Sunday Morning Services at noon and their Tuesday Evening Bible Study at 7:00 PM.  The boards of St. Luke’s Community Church and New Life Community Church have been working for several weeks to bring about this cooperation.  New Life Community Church is an African-American congregation of Southern Baptists and National Baptists.  A congregation of about 60 people, they have been worshipping together for about 2 years.  They will be renting our facilities until such time as they find a permanent “home.”  Rev. Harvey and Rev. Marty have been working closely to develop a close-knit working relationship between the two congregations.  This is a wonderful opportunity for our church to assist a “sister congregation” in ministry.

 

What’s in the Bible

and

Why Should I Care?

This Wednesday evening, March 25, will be the final chapter in the study “What’s in the Bible About God?” that Rev. Dr. Jack Inman has been leading as the first month of our 8-month Bible Study Series, “What’s in the Bible and Why Should I Care?”  It is proving to be an exciting journey as we discover just what the Bible does tell us to help us along life’s road.  This will be an interactive participatory study, and study guides will be given to all participants. Each study is a 4-week series.
During April Stephen Jones will lead us in a study of “An Expanded View Of God?”   The following studies will be –

“What’s in the Bible About Jesus?”
“What’s in the Bible About the Holy Spirit?”
“What’s in the Bible About Church?”
“What’s in the Bible About Us?”
“What’s in the Bible About Life Together?’

Join us for our Wednesday evening dinners at 5:30 p.m. followed by Bible Study at 7:00 p.m.

WORSHIP

If we haven't learned to be worshippers it doesn't really matter how well we do anything else. Worship changes us or it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change. Worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience.

~ Erwin Lutzer

LENTEN OFFERING

On Sunday, February 22, Lenten Offering Cards were distributed in our morning Worship Service.  The cards are designed with slots to hold quarters, enough slots to hold $10.  We then bring those filled cards to the church and place them in the offering as a special Lenten Offering. Several people have filled a card, taken another and filled it also. This year’s Lenten Offering will be used to complete renovation of the dais in the sanctuary.

Our 2009 Church Theme

James 1:22, “..be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…” teaches us we are to be more than “pew-warmers.” 

The neglect of prayer is a grand hindrance to holiness.
~ John Wesley

If you wish to be added to our prayer list, or know of anyone we should add to our prayer list, please call the church office or Rev. Harvey.

Our 2009 Church Board
Jerry Gardner, Stephen Jones, Bil Detore, Debra Vasquez, Bernadette Stephens

Our Interim Pastor
Rev. Dr. Harvey Carr

Our Minister of Music
Tommy Strong

Our Church Office Administrator
Terri Satterwhite

Our “Don’t Go to Church; Be the Church” Development Program

Our Extended Family

Barbara Stafford – Cancer
Bill Kimak – West Jax Rehabilitation
Bill Solomon
Connie & Saundra
Dale Elmblade – Sale of home in Jacksonville
Don Green
Don Rull’s Cousin David – Brain Tumor 
Don Rull’s Father
Florence DiGraziano – St. Vincent’s Hospital
Rev. Lee Carlton – Cancer
Lora Leatham – Incurable Brain Cancer
Louis King – (Reneé King’s Father) – Shand’s Hospital, Room 817 - Multiple Strokes
Rev. Marty Smith – Back Injury
P.J. Britt – Follicular Lymphoma
Prudencia’s Aunt – Cancer
Rich Goicoechea – Emphysema
Rick
Ruth Hightower – Cancer
Sue Birks – Sale of Property
Valenecia  - (Alice Hutcheson’s Partner) Knee Replacement on March 30

Should you know of any of our congregants or friends of the church who are ill and/or hospitalized, please e-mail or phone the church office so that we can properly arrange for prayer and visitation.

St. Luke’s Prayer Warriors
Available to provide you prayer and support

Barbara Stump – Call Anytime.  272-6256 (Home), 318-4187 (Cell)
Don Green – Call Tue., Thurs. – Sat. After 7:00pm, Sundays – afternoon & evening, 772-8466 (Home), 881-5922 (Cell)
Rev. Jack Inman – 672-9868

We now have 12 members on our Habijax Team and room for more. We will be working on our first house for 2009 on Saturday, May 2, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  If you would like to be a part of this team and minister to a family in need by assisting in the building of a new Habijax home, please see Rev. Harvey or Jerry Gardner or call the church office.  You do not have to have special building skills to assist with the building of a Habijax home.

Security Improvements

The church owned a multi-camera/monitor security system that had not been used and was in storage.  The system has now been installed and our campus now has 24/7 camera/monitor surveillance from a number of vantage points.  Thank you to Jerry, Dennis and Kenny for their work installing the system.

ST. LUKE’S FAMILY DIRECTORY

We will again be printing the St. Luke’s Community Church Family Directory within a few weeks.  You will find a card in your bulletin the next 2 or 3 weeks requesting you complete the information you wish to have included in the church’s Family Directory.  After printing, the directory will be available to our church family.  Should you wish to not be included in he directory you may also indicate that on the card.

 

JACKSONVILLE ENJOY THE CITY

The church was given 100 of the coupon books JACKSONVILLE ENJOY THE CITY to sell on a consignment basis (no money fronted).  The church will keep 55% of all sales and the entre sale of every 6th book.  Funds collected will go to completed renovation of the dais in the sanctuary.   There are 83 restaurants; 9 Entertainment/Recreation businesses such as Fiesta Falls, Jacksonville Zoo; and 9 Retail/Service businesses such as Alamo, Enterprise, Firestone offering nice discounts!  The first page alone is covered with coupons far in excess of the $20 cost of the book. 64 pages of fantastic discount coupons.  See Terri Satterwhite or Barry Snyder for your book of coupons and enjoy Jacksonville at less expense!

CHILDREN’S CHURCH

Ms. Monique Baker, our Children’s Ministry Leader, directs our Children’s Church where our children have a grand time with Bible studies, videos, crafts and games designed to teach about God and the love of Christ.

They meet every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.  Two adults are present with the children at all times.

Parents should bring their children to the Children’s Room located on first floor of the Educational Building (through the front gate and into the courtyard) and sign them in before going to the Worship Service.

We need more adults on the Children’s Ministry Team.  If you can take a Sunday to help out with the children please let Monique know.  We still need Children’s Bible Story DVD’s for this ministry, like “Veggie Tales” that are available at Wal-Mart.

Keep watching ACT 29 and announcements in services for special events being planned for our children.

 

BINGO

AND

FAMILY GAME NIGHTS

The first and third Friday night of each month we gather from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM for FAMILY FUN, GAMES, FELLOWSHIP and PRIZES FOR THOSE PLAYING BINGO!! 
Everyone is invited to attend, bring your favorite table games, and share in the fellowship of being together as a church family “at play.”   Hotdogs and soft drinks are available for $1 each.

For those playing bingo, you can play all bingo cards for a $5 donation.  $5 is added to the 50-number-cover-all when there is no winner. The cash grand prize continues to grow until it is won. The grand prize is currently $65. Sue Birks, director of the Bingo, is requesting donations of small gifts as prizes.

“Reflection” from Rev. Harvey

Lord, Who May Live on Your Holy Hill?

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. -- Psalm 15:3
Ruth attended every church function held, and she never refused to pitch in when there was work to do. She gave liberally of money, time, and talent. There was nothing she would not do for her church. Even so, she found that others did not welcome her or invite her to join in their special functions. One day she complained to the people she was with that, "Too many people think too highly of themselves, and they're jealous of me because I do so much." She began to list by name those whom she meant. Finally, one of her associates stopped her and said, "The reason you're not more welcome is because you always talk about others. You spend a lot of time doing good, then you undo it by gossiping. We get tired of hearing you criticize everyone who doesn't do things like you want them to."

We are all called to be Christian in thought, deed, and word. If the love of God truly dwells in our hearts, then we should show it by the way we treat and talk about others. What we say matters a great deal, and God will judge us on our words and feelings, as well as on our actions.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to love with Your divine love. Keep me from judging others, but never let me forget that to grow, I must continually judge myself. Amen.

FOOD PANTRY MINISTRY

Help St. Luke's do our part!  PLEASE bring food items to donate and place them in the red bucket in the narthex or the shopping cart in Twar Hall.  The food pantry is in need of toilet tissue, disposable razors, bar soap, bottled water, canned vegetables, canned meat, cereal, boxed meals, any non-perishables, etc.

Food given out on March 24: 41 bags (41families, 127 people), 7 homeless bags, and 15 new clients were served.

WE ALWAYS NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS TO WORK WITH THE FOOD PANTRY ON TUESDAYS from 10:00am to Noon. St. Luke's co-sponsors with Trinity Lutheran Church @ the corner of McDuff and Park. St. Luke's also has volunteers that work at the food pantry. If you can help, see Michael Vetrano or call the church office.

HOSPITALITY TEAM WISH LIST

If you can donate or help with any of these items, see Sue Birks or any Board Member.  Please help out with any of these items needed to improve our kitchen area.
Commercial Cook top/Oven
A/C Unit for Kitchen (currently NO VENTILATION) prefer 200 volt unit due to size of kitchen

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

HIV Testing – 1ST and 3RD Sundays of each month @ St. Luke’s Sacristy 1:00pm – 3:00pm
AA – Meetings held in the “Freedom Ministries” room (2nd floor) every Tue. & Fri. at 7:00pm
SLAA – (Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous) Meets every Mon. & Thurs. evening at 7:00pm in the “Freedom Ministries” room (2ND floor)
Retired & Plus 60 Club – Meets the 2ND Thurs. every month at 2:00pm in Twar Hall
PFLAG – Meetings held 3RD Thurs. of the month 7:00pm @ CCOP
NFAN Client Luncheon – Last Friday of every month in Twar Hall
World AIDS Week Committee Luncheon – Second Tuesday of every month in Twar Hall

RECYCLE ALUMINUM CANS

Bring them to the barrels in the courtyard under the stair.  Drink cans, vegetable cans, etc. are all great to bring, but please rinse them out so they don’t attract ants.  Proceeds go to help our Hospitality Team provide refreshments and supplies to run our kitchen.  Many thanks to all who contribute cans.

3/7       Starlett Gibson, Whit Gibson

3/10     Chryss Kohlman

3/12     Nancy Bernal

3/14     Bill Lancaster

3/15     Reginald Maffett

3/17     Nicole Hinchliffe

3/21     Tommy Strong and Jim Worden’s Anniversary

3/25     Renee Spooner, Michael Vetrano and Ralph Bryant’s Anniversary

3/27     Robbie Roberts

If your special day is not listed above, please e-mail stlukescommunitychurch@gmail.com
Want to add something to in our web site’s calendar of events?? E-mail stlukescommunitychurch@gmail.com

Reminders

Bingo and Family Game Night - Each month on 1st & 3rd Fridays at 7:00 p.m.  in Twar Hall. $5 donation for all bingo cards played 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Hot dogs and soft drinks will be available for $1 each.
Wednesday Bible Study - Join us at 5:30 p.m. for a fixed price dinner and at 7:00 p.m. for Bible Study. PLEASE join us and bring your Bible.
Choir Practice - Every Sunday 9:15am and 11:45 am.   See any choir member or Tommy Strong to join!
Board Meeting -  2ndSunday each month at noon in Twar Hall. 
RISEN CHRIST BOOKSTORE - Open every Sunday following Worship.
Potluck - Every fourth Sunday. In Twar Hall, bring a dish to share.

See our full Calendar of Events on our website:  www.stlukescommunitychurch.org