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 33 November 05, 2008
Sunday Worship 10:00am Wednesday Bible Study 7:00pm
FORUM THIS SUNDAY
Remember this Sunday is the Congregational Forum following our fellowship time. Every year we have the Forum two weeks before our Congregational Meeting to have a Q&A and discuss the major issues that we will be voting on at our Congregational Meeting on November 23. Watch for the official notice about our Congregational Meeting going out this week. Everyone will be able to pick up an informational packet on Sunday. The items we will discuss are:
1) proposed 2009 budget
2) proposed by-laws including the church name change
3) candidates running for Board positions
Rev. Harvey is October 2008 Dab's AIDS Bear Angel
Rev. Harvey has been selected as the October 2008 Dab's AIDS Bear Angel because of his work with HIV/AIDS. Please check out the following link: http://dabtheaidsbearproject.com/dabsangels2008.html.
If you click on Rev. Harvey's picture at the bottom of the page you will see the article about Rev. Harvey and his ministries.
Rev. Harvey felt so honored, as well as shocked to be chosen, to represent the fight against HIV/AIDS.
RISEN CHRIST BOOKSTORE SALE
The bookstore will be holding a clearance sale every Sunday in the month of November. A table is set up in Twar Hall with gently used books, CDs and MCC Memorabilia. Please help us clear out the Bookstore and get some great bargains! Everything on the tables is $1.00. We are getting the store ready for the Holidays and 2009!
“SOUPER” SUNDAYS
November is the month of Thanksgiving. One way we show thanks is to follow Christ’s teachings and feed those who are less fortunate. This month we will be celebrating our thanks to God for all the blessings we have been given by having a month of “Souper” Sundays. Every Sunday this month, bring at least one can of soup with you when you come to services and place it in the Food Pantry Ministry collections tub in the church foyer. (If you choose to bring other non-perishables they are gladly accepted.) We will dedicate these weekly gifts to God and our Food Pantry Ministry Staff will distribute your gifts to those in need.
World AIDS Luncheon
You are invited to attend the 7th Annual Community Awards Luncheon on Monday, December 1. This luncheon is held each year during the World AIDS Week activities in Jacksonville. Princess Kasune Zulu of Zambia will be the keynote speaker. It will be held downtown at the Wyndham Jacksonville River walk. Ticket prices are $30 per individual or $300 for a table of 10. Call the church office or see Rev. Harvey so everyone from St. Luke's can sit together and possibly reserve a full table. The deadline to turn in your money is November 23. FYI- Next year's World AIDS Service will be held at St. Luke's in December 2009.
Thanksgiving Mission Project
The annual Campus Crusade Here's Life Inner City Boxes Of Love Project is coming. All are invited to to go a training on Saturday mornings. Boxes of Love contain a complete Thanksgiving meal for a family of 4-6 people, a Bible and a gospel tract. Trainees will be able to pick up the Boxes of Love at no charge. Last year 99 churches and ministries participated in this. Call the church office if you would like more info.
A MONTH OF SAINTS
For those from liturgical backgrounds, Saturday, November 1, is All Saints Day. All of us have known, or have known of, people who lived so God-like that we considered them "saints." We will celebrate some of the great saints of scripture and contemporary history during the month of November with a 4-week series entitled "People Who Have A Heart Like God's," with foundational scriptures found in Hebrews 12:1-2 and Ephesians 2:1-6.
Sunday, November 2 - Abraham, Lot, Moses, and David
Guest soloist: Rev. Dr. John Hancock, Tenor Vocalist, singing "Thankful"
Sunday, November 9 - Jeremiah, Daniel, and Joseph Cardinal Bernadin
Guest musicians: Ned Green and Kathy Braswell, Harpists .
Sunday, November 16 - Esther, Deborah, Ruth, and Mother Theresa
Guest: Bruce Ross with Holiday Helpers, Guest Soloist: Harriet Sorenson
Sunday, November 23 - Christ
New members will be received into fellowship during the service
Our Chancel Choir of "saints" will present a special "Service of Thanksgiving and Praise" on Sunday, November 30, featuring music, dramatic readings, scriptures, and congregational participation, as we celebrate the Season of Thanksgiving as a church family. Bruce Ross will be with us again to finalize the Holiday Helpers Campaign.
This will also be the First Sunday of Advent as we begin preparing our hearts for the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ,.God is giving us many opportunities for worship and for service. Invite your families and friends. Invite those you notice missing from services.
If you think November is packed with opportunities, just wait until December!!!
FLOWERS FOR SANCTUARY
Thank you to Miguel Portillo for the beautiful flowers that graced the altar on Sunday. If you would like to provide flowers for services, you may call one of our members, Robert Wheeler at American Beauty Florist, 388-0094, or you may call the florist of your choice.
Donations Needed for These Areas
>Trash Collection Fee- annual fee of $172.49 is coming due to the city.
>St. Luke's Ad for Out In The City- $299 full page color ad for the December issue for all our Advent events. This is a discounted price from the normal $568.
>Postage Stamps- for the church office.
-Reminders-
Fall Barbeque- Saturday, Nov. 15 at 6:30pm. Church will provide BBQ Chicken, Dessert, & Drinks. Please bring your favorite dish to share. $5 tickets are available now. See Hospitality Team. Tickets purchased on day of event will be $7.00
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.
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!
Board Meeting- 2nd Sunday each month at noon in Twar Hall. (See Congregational Meeting Reminder regarding this Sunday.)
RISEN CHRIST BOOKSTORE- Open every Sunday following Worship. (See announcement above about their big sale!)
New Members Class- We are attempting to schedule another New members Class for those who work on Saturdays and are unable to attend Saturday classes. 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: 11/09- 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
The Quilt Project Need Volunteers
The Quilt Project's NE Florida Chapter has relocated 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.
Information Available
We have booklets on UCC and info on ICCC available in Twar Hall on the side table. The congregation will vote on what path St. Luke's will take since we are no longer a part of MCC. No date for this decision has been made yet. Take time to read up 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-
Fall Barbeque- Saturday, Nov. 15 at 6:30pm. Church will provide BBQ Chicken, Dessert, & Drinks. Please bring your favorite dish to share. $5 tickets are available now. See Hospitality Team.
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.
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!
Board Meeting- 2nd Sunday each month at noon in Twar Hall.
RISEN CHRIST BOOKSTORE- Open every Sunday following Worship.
New Members Class - Sunday, Nov. 16. 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 CHURCH MINISTRY
Monique Baker is heading up our Children's Ministry. 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.)
John Ferguson (Heartland on Normandy Blvd.)
Don Green- home recovering
Carmen Santos -recovering at home from 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
Margaret Chambers
Robert Ford
Lora Leatham—Incurable Brain Cancer
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. 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. The choir from Sovereign Ministries will be performing with the St. Luke's choir.
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! THANK YOU to Riverside UCC for donations to the food pantry and also everyone at St. Luke's that has donated.
Food given out on November 04, 38 Bags to families and 5 Bags to "NEW" clients, also 6 Homeless bags (totaling about 49 bags in ALL feeding Approximately 146 people).
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.
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.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
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
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
• 11/4 Florence DiGraziano
• 11/9 Curtis Meece
Mary Beth Holewinski
• 11/10 Patricia Jean Britt
• 11/17 Don Green
• 11/18 Eric Moeller
Lee O’Quinn
• 11/19 Carol Harris
Robert Wheeler
11/21 Kendall Guthrie & John Cook Anniversary
• 11/26 Clark Meek
• 11/27 Calynda Rowland
Gene Lyman
• 11/28 John James Gillespie
• 11/29 Martin Smellie
Thomas J. Rowlands.
If your special day isn't listed above, please email stlukescommunitychurch.gmail.com
Want to add something in our web site's calendar of events?
Email stlukescommunitychurch@gmail.com
"Reflection" From Rev. Harvey
“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” – Joshua 3:5
With God there is always a tomorrow. Adam and Eve blew it, they really blew it, but God did not blow them away. God watched Adam and Eve walk out of the Garden of Eden in disgrace, losing their pride, their self respect, their self esteem. That was their sin, and they walked out of the garden humiliated, not honored. And as God watched them, God planned a tomorrow! There was a flood, but God through Noah planned a tomorrow. And God designed a rainbow, with a heavenly promise that if you are going through a flood, and if you don’t throw away tomorrow, yu are going to have some wonderful surprises that you couldn’t have expected in your low times.
On Good Friday when Christ hung on the cross and this bleeding, dying young man of 33 cried out, “It is finished,” and He died, God was planning a tomorrow! It happened three days later on Easter morning. We all need a vision of tomorrow and when it comes we must grasp it. Keep full of positive thinking. Negative thinking will produce what it promises, nothing but heartache. Positive thinking will produce something better for others and for you.
For 34+ years, St. Luke’s has ministered in Christ’s name to the Jacksonville Metropolitan area. Yes, there have been some difficult times, but there have been more very grand and glorious times of ministry than the bad experiences. We must learn from the experiences of the “bad times” but we must treasure the great times when God moved mightily and used St. Luke’s to minister---establishing other churches, having the first Buddy program for those with HIV/AIDS, providing a housing facility for those with HIV/AIDS, hundreds brought to a new life in Christ, and the list goes on and on.
God is not finished with our church. God is ready to move in mighty ways amongst us! We are seeing many volunteer to assist in our ministries. We are seeing growth in all areas of ministry. We are seeing new members and baptisms. We are seeing numbers of visitors every week. We are not a social club. We are not a political entity. We are a church, a group of baptized believers who represent Christ as we reach out in His Love to those around us. Christ gave us some specific teachings of responsibilities as Christians. We have spent weeks studying the Sermon on the Mount to better know how to love one another and to minister to those within and without our church family. We adopted a Church Vibrancy Action Plan. God is alive! St. Luke’s is alive! We must look to the future, putting aside all personal agendas and seeking to follow the teachings of Christ and His agenda.
Following the Civil War, a great American said – “The past is dead; let it bury the dead, its hopes and aspirations. Before you lies the future – a future full of golden promise, a future expanding national glory, before which all the world shall stand amazed. Let me beseech you to lay aside all rancor, all bitter sectional feeling, and to take your places in the ranks of those who will bring a consummation devoutly to be wished – a reunited country.”
Our church really has a glorious past as we reflect on the positive life and let go off the negative experiences! To paraphrase, “Let me beseech you to lay aside all rancor, all bitter sectional feeling, and to take your places in the ranks of those who will being a consummation devoutly to be wished – a reunited church!”
To submit something for the ACT 29 e-Newsletter email stlukescommunitychruch@gmail.com
++ 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.
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.
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