St. Luke's Community Church
1140 S. McDuff Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32205 (904)-389-7726 www.stlukescommunitychurch.org
ACT 29 E-NEWSLETTER
Volume 1, Issue 29 October 9, 2008
Sunday Worship 10:00am Wednesday Bible Study 7:00pm
A Nite With Friends Fundraiser Dinner
This Saturday, October 11, 2008 is the annual 'A Nite With Friends' Fundraiser Dinner to be held at 7:00pm in Twar Hall. The proceeds of this year's Dinner will go to St. Luke's building fund for repairs and maintenance for our buildings and grounds. Come join the fun and enjoy a delicious prepared meal and stay for the silent auction! If you have not already gotten your $12 ticket for the event, please RSVP at 350-9188 and leave your name and the number of tickets that you wish to purchase at the door! The ticket price includes admission to the dinner, beverage, dessert and the silent auction. The silent auction items will be available for you to take that evening should you have the highest bid. If you would like to help with the event see Stephen Jones or Ray Kelly.
New Members Class on November 1
Several people have been asking about the next New Members Class. The date for the new class has been set for Saturday, Nov. 1 at Noon. See Stephen Jones or Rev. Harvey to sign up or to get more information. You may attend the class if you've like more information about St. Luke's. You are not required to join if you attend the class, but you must attend the class to join the church.
By-Laws Team Formed
We have volunteers for a By-laws Team in place to look at possible ammendments to our by-laws. The team will consist of 2 Board members, 2 St. Luke's members at large(not on the Board), and Rev. Harvey. The team is as follows: Stephen Jones, Bil Detore, Robbie Roberts, Nancy Bernal, & Rev. Harvey Carr. The team will be meeting to have amendments to present to the Board before the 30 day deadline prior to the Congregational Meeting.
ANY St. Luke's member may also submit a by-law amendment or change by following the procedures in our by-laws under the 'Amendment' section. They must be submitted in writing to the Board at least 30 days before the Congregational Meeting and include the rationale.
We follow our by-laws because they are put in place by St. Luke's members at our congregational meeting. Our by-laws are the voice of the people and can only be changed by a vote of the congregation.
The Quilt Project Moves To St. Luke's
The Quilt Project's NE Florida Chapter is relocating to St. Luke's! The local chapter stores and cares for a certain number of panels which are part of the AIDS Quilt Project. Their new home is in one of the offices upstairs. Call the church office if you like to sew and would like to volunteer for this organization.
Visit Our New WEB SITE
Work is underway to continue building St. Luke's Community Church's new web site. You can view it now at www.stlukescommunitychurch.org A special thank you to James Creekmore for all his work on this.
Information Available
At the Forum(11/09) we will be discussing what path St. Luke's will take since we are no longer a part of MCC. We have booklets on UCC and info on ICCC available in Twar Hall on the side table. Take time to read about these options.
Transportation Needed To Attend Church
A person needs transportation to be able to attend Sunday Services at St. Luke's. The person lives north of Orange Park, off 103rd Street & Firestone Road. If you can be an angel and help out some or all weeks, please see Rev. Harvey or call the church office.
-REMINDERS-
A Nite With Friends Fundraiser Dinner- Saturday, October 11, 7:00pm in Twar Hall. Benefit for the St. Luke's building fund to cover some needed repairs around our church home.
Board Meeting- THIS Sunday at noon in Twar Hall.
Bingo Night- Each month on 1st & 3rd Fridays at 7:00pm @ Twar Hall. 20 Games with $5 donation for all 20 cards. Hot dogs and soft drinks will be available for $1 each. NEXT Bingo night is NOV. 17.
Wednesday evenings- Join us at 7:00pm in the Sanctuary. PLEASE join us and bring your Bible.
Choir Practice Every Sunday 9:15am and 11:45pm. See any choir member or Rev. Harvey to join up!
RISEN CHRIST BOOKSTORE- Open every Sunday following Worship.
New Members Class- Saturday, Nov. 1 at Noon. See Stephen Jones or Rev. Harvey to sign-up.
Congregational Meeting- Our annual Congregational meeting is coming Sunday, November 23. Other important dates leading up to our annual meeting: 11/02- DEADLINE to turn in application to run for the Board, 11/09- FORUM to discuss proposed 2009 budget, by-law amendments including the church name change, Board candidates, etc.
Check out our new web site for a Calendar of Events: www.stlukescommunitychurch.org
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY TEAM MEETING THIS SUNDAY
Monique Baker is heading up our Children's Ministry. She is asking for all the children's volunteers to meet this Sunday briefly after Service in the Children's room. Parents should bring their children to the Children's room off 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. Two adults will be present at all times with the children.
We still need Children's Bible Story DVD's for this ministry, like "Veggie Tales" that are available at Wal-Mart.
PRAYER LIST
Remember them in your prayers.
Bill Kimak (West Jax Rehabilitation)
Jean Levy (Heartland on Wells Rd.)
Don Green (West Jax Rehabilitation)
Carmen Santos (Brooks Rehab) knee replacement
Valencia, Alice's partner -knee replacement
Michael Mundy, Gary DeBusk's former partner- non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Connie & Soundra
Don's father
Prudencia's Aunt with cancer
Rick
Bill Solomon
Rev. Lee Carlton- cancer
Ruth Hightower - cancer
Barbara Stafford- cancer
PJ Britt- Follicular Lymphoma & upper respiratory infection
James Creekmore
Robert Ford
Should you, or you know of any of our congregants or friends of the church who are hospitalized, please email 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(H), 318-4187(C)
Don Green- Call Tue., Thurs.-Sat. after 7:00pm, Sundays- afternoon & evenings 772-8466(H), 881-5922(C)
Angela Moody- 861-7533
Rev. Jack Inman- 672-9868
FUNDRAISING AND RISEN CHRIST BOOKSTORE NEWS
Drop in the Bookstore (located on the far side of the courtyard)- home crafted bath salts are available, as well as books, devotions, rainbow stickers, and other items.
Name the COOKBOOK CONTEST has been decided!! The name for the cookbook has been chosen! St. Luke's Family Favorites. Robert Woodward will help design the cover on his return. We hope to have it completed by the holidays. Ernestine is also collecting your recipes, especially Vegetable recipes are still needed. Make sure your favorites are included!!
CHRISTMAS CANTATA
This year's Christmas Eve service will feature the Christmas Cantata "Ring the Bells." We are inviting anyone, male and female, who wishes to sing in the cantata to join us for the presentation. We especially need more females to sing. Rehearsals have already begun at 11:45 every Sunday in the sanctuary. We will also need some dramatic readers --Zacharias, Mary, One of the Shepherds, Simeon, One of the Wise Ones. All readings are very short, but will need to be memorized and spoken in dramatic manner. Please see Rev. Harvey if you wish to participate as a singer or a reader. The community is being invited to join us for this special Service.
CHANCEL CHOIR
The Chancel Choir is still looking for more members, especially female voices. We rehearse at 9:15 AM and 11:45 AM on Sundays. See Rev. Harvey or any choir member for more information.
FOOD PANTRY NEWS
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. Be a blessing to someone in need!
WE ALWAYS NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS TO WORK WITH THE FOOD PANTRY ON TUESDAYS from 10:00am to Noon. The Food Pantry may also begin opening on Fridays and Saturdays. 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.
The food pantry is in need of toilet tissue, disposable razors, bar soap, bottled water, canned vegetables, canned meat, cereal, etc.
-RECYCLE ALUMINUM CANS-
Bring them to the barrels in the courtyard under the stairs. 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.
Hospitality Team Wish List
If you can donate or help with any of these items, see Jerry Gardner or any Board member. Please help out with any of these items needed to improve our kitchen area.
+ First Aid Kit
+ 2 or 3 100ft extension cords
+ commercial cooktop/oven
+ new faucets (need 2)
+ A/C unit for kitchen (currently no ventilation) prefer 200 volt unit due to size of kitchen
+ need donated commercial refrigerator repaired
+ supplies to build a pantry wall like 2x4's, sheet rock and concrete screws, etc.
FUSE Meeting (Faiths United for Sustainable Energy)
FUSE, a Florida based non-profit organization, Faiths United for Sustainable Energy, is working with Faith communities throughout Florida to make an impact on the most pressing issues of our time by helping to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. They will be coming to Jacksonville on October 27th for an evening of interfaith discussion about faith, fossil fuels, and our future. The event will be hosted at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 7 p.m. You and members of your community will be able to join them and other faith communities from around Jacksonville to find out how faith communities are already having an impact through education, conservation, and advocacy and learn ways that you can take action. You can learn more about FUSE at their website, www.fusenow.org.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
WOMYN'S WORKS ART FESTIVAL- Saturday, 10/18, all day. The COE is having their annual art festival in St. Luke's courtyard. Women may sign-up to display and sell their artwork there. ALL are welcome to attend this event.
Transgendered Fashion Show & Dinner- Saturday, 11/01, at 7:00pm. Sovereign Ministries is holding this event in St. Luke's Twar Hall. All are invited to attend.
HIV Testing- 1st & 3rd Sundays of each month @ St. Luke's Sacristy 1:00-3:00pm
AA- Meetings held in the "Freedom Ministries" room (2nd floor) every Tue. & Fri. at 7:00pm
SLAA- (Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous) Meets every Mon. and 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
PFLAG- Meetings held the 3rd Thurs. of the month, 7:00pm @ CCOP
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
10/11 Clark Meeks
If your special day isn't listed above, please email Stephen Jones at sjonesjax@aol.com
Want to add something in our web site's calendar of events?
Email stlukescc@bellsouth.net
DEVOTIONAL- Dying To Self
"I die every day."- 1 Corinthians 15:31
Did you know you speak over nine million words a year, and more than half of them are I...me...my...and mine? So God's response calls for dying to self. Paul said: "I die (to self) every day." But for many of us, "Behold I live for evermore." is more in keeping with how we conduct our lives! The Bible says as followers of Jesus, "Everything connected with getting our own way...is killed off for good." (Gal 5:24). But self-interest won't just roll over and die, it must be "killed off for good." It's a constant battle because we've a tendency to cling to our own interests with a death grip. Jesus told his disciples, "Whoever desires to be first...let him be your slave.(Mt 20:27). A slave was the lowest servant on the totem pole. Seasoned followers of Christ are called to higher levels of selflessness than beginners. And when you aspire to lead others, God raises that bar even higher! Many times God will leave you with a permanent reminder of how God managed to get through to you in an area where you were stubborn. "Moses was...a powerful speaker" (Ac 7:22), but after he hit 'the big 40' and decided to do his own thing, an encounter with God left him with a stutter. A limp became Jacob's trademark. Even the Apostle Paul "was given...a handicap to keep him in...touch with his limitations" (2Co 12:7). What's your handicap? The habit you battle or the fear that never leaves? "Why doesn't God just take it away?" you ask. Because anything that keeps you dependant on God is a plus, not a minus.
-taken from 'The Word For You Today' devotional.
To submit something for the ACT 29 e-Newsletter email sjonesjax@aol.com
or call Stephen Jones at 350-9188
++ Interpretation for the deaf available during Sunday Worship Service.
++ Children's Ministry available during Sunday Worship Service.
GOD IS LOVE. Whoever lives in love lives in GOD, and GOD in them.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out all fear.
1 John 4:16b, 18
What's in a name?
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 Samaritions.
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.
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