Weekly Update - February 18, 2021

Welcome to The Hero’s Journey,

Welcome to Lent 2021. Last night we began our Lenten journey with Ash Wednesday, marking a 40-day journey with Jesus to Jerusalem, the cross, and resurrection. This year we will dig deep into the lectionary gospel stories when Jesus predicts his death, and connect those stories with the baptismal vows we take in the United Methodist Church. We will go on a journey with Jesus creatively expressed as a virtual multi-player adventure called The Hero’s Journey, and the intergenerational, multi-racial group of people participating who want to take The Vows and become the hero of the quest. The journey will require all of us to recognize that the vows of baptism require much more of us daily than we often realize. Watch The Hero's Journey trailer we aired on Ash Wednesday below:

This Sunday we begin the journey with the story from the gospel of Mark 1:9-15 that tells the condensed story of Jesus' baptism, and the urgent drive of the Spirit for Jesus to enter the wilderness. To mark the beginning of The Hero’s Journey in Lent, we will head to the baptism waters to reaffirm our baptism and repeat the vows Jesus will challenge us to live during Lent. Baptism reaffirmation is always an important service in the lives of St. Lukers, and we didn’t want you to miss your annual baptism “gift." We have a special Lenten bracelet for our baptism reaffirmation. If you are participating in worship virtually, you can stop by the church office and pick up bracelets for your family. We will have a safe way for you to participate in worship on campus, so if you have not registered please click here.

The bracelet is a means to help you ENGAGE and ECHO the story of Lent throughout your week. We invite everyone to wear this bracelet as a daily reminder of the vows we will dig into each week. We have a unique way we want all St. Lukers to ECHO the story of Lent with a very specific goal of raising $50,000 through the spiritual discipline of fasting and almsgiving. The scriptural call to such disciplines from Jesus can be found in Matthew 6. Click here to read this Scripture, as well as our other Lenten lectionary texts.

On Wednesdays, for 24 hours beginning either at lunch or dinner, we invite you to fast – from 1 or more meals, from caffeine or something you tend to spend money on daily, from negativity, criticism, something that will push you, challenge you. We ask you to move your bracelet during that time and spend dedicated time in prayer over the vow of the week, as well as putting aside a portion of money (maybe the money you would have spent on the meal or meals you fasted from). This weekly discipline of “almsgiving” will go to our Lenten Offering to reduce food insecurity in our city through our meal distributions, and globally through ZOE ministries.

Each Wednesday in Lent, a morning devotion, and a special "Did You Know?" message with information about food insecurity, a reminder of our goal, and more information about the connection of this spiritual discipline of fasting and almsgiving in our traditions will be posted to St. Luke's Facebook page. Then on Wednesday evenings, you can join the pastors and listen as Pastor Bill teaches on the upcoming Scripture and engage together to LEARN the historical and cultural context, meaning, and theological connection to the Scripture we will ENGAGE on Sundays in worship. The next step to deepen your engagement with the Scripture is to LISTEN to how God is working on others as well. If you haven’t participated in the Wednesday Night Bible Study yet, now is a great time to start. Click here to register and receive the Zoom link. This is also a great time to join a Life Together group, sign up your children and youth for Sunday School or small group time as we LISTEN to how God is deepening and expanding our relationships and challenging us on this journey together. You can find GROW opportunities for all ages by clicking here.

We can’t wait to see what we learn together on the journey as we listen to Jesus' words and engage deeply in our baptismal vows, all in an effort to COME ALIVE on Easter.

Grace and peace –

Your Clergy Team.

St. Luke's Celebrates

Black History Month

This week in Black History we honor the father of the blood bank, Dr. Charles Richard Drew. Click here to read about Dr. Drew’s many contributions to the medical field, including the mobile blood donation programs still used today.

Click the image above to learn more about connecting to one of the classes or programs you can participate in online or listen to on the phone. If you need help connecting to one of the groups on the schedule, email Liz Vasquez or call 407.876.4991 ext. 216.

Live Online Worship Sundays:

Contemporary at 9:15 a.m. and Traditional at 11:15 a.m.

On-campus Worship Sunday, February 21:

Contemporary at 9:15 a.m. and Traditional at 11:15 a.m.

Click here to watch previous worship service videos

St. Luke's in Review

Community Resources

View COVID-19 Resources

The Hero's Journey: Lent at St. Luke's

Experience Lent at St. Luke's as we go on The Hero's Journey together. Click the button below for:

Details about various Lent events at St. Luke's (Prayer Labyrinth, worship services, etc.)
Information about this year's Lenten Offering and weekly fasting, and how it will help our neighbors locally and globally who are facing hunger
Weekly devotion videos and facts about food insecurity (published every Wednesday to St. Luke's Facebook page)
And more

Learn More about Lent at St. Luke's

Looking Ahead at St. Luke's

Donate blood at St. Luke's on Sunday, February 21 between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. All blood donors will receive a free COVID-19 antibody test, a $10 E-Gift card, a long sleeve shirt, and a free wellness checkup. Appointments are encouraged.

Click the button below to learn more and to make an appointment:

Spiritual Gifts are given by God, and when they are used for spiritual purposes, we truly Live God's Story. Learn how your Spiritual Gifts can help U thrive in ministry with St. Luke's in this online class on February 21 at 5:30 p.m.!

Develop a new spiritual discipline during Lent by joining our church-wide Bible study on Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m., resuming February 24. Register now to join online via Zoom or in-person (programming available for preschool and elementary-age children)!

Resumé and Mock Interview Coaches needed (virtual opportunities) for Jobs Partnership! Click the button below to learn more about volunteering with this ministry:

Volunteer with Jobs Partnership

Come shop fun, unique items at the UMW Gift Shop! All proceeds benefit local and global missions and charities. Visit st.lukes.org/umw for more details.

*Face coverings and social distancing are required on St. Luke’s campus.

Registration for VBS Volunteers is now open! Volunteers are able to register children early. General registration will open March 15.

VBS Dates: June 21-25

Volunteer Serving opportunities webpage link

St. Luke's has all new opportunities to volunteer remotely or semi-remotely with our marketing and communications team. Be part of sharing Kingdom moments with our congregation and community in one of the follwoing roles:

Volunteer Social Media Ambassador (immediate need)
Volunteer Graphic Designer (immediate need)
Greeting Card Writers (email Antony Larry to express interest)

Click the button below to learn more and express interest:

Learn More about Marketing Volunteer Opportunities

Connect with Youth Ministries

Give to St. Luke's Ministries

December 2020 Financial Update

Our overall giving (including Missional giving) in 2020 was up compared to 2019, even though our budget revenue came up just short of expenses.

We collected an additional $358,000 in Missional giving to help with pandemic-related needs for our community.

Giving to the budget through December 2020 (less PPP): $3,500,781

Budget Giving was down 1%

Budgeted expenses through December 2020: $3,526,525

Budgeted expenses were up 4% due to lack of income from revenue producing ministries because of the pandemic.

Without the PPP funds, we finished in an unfavorable 2020 YTD position of -$25,744

With the PPP funds, we are in a favorable 2020 YTD position of $536,942

Click the button below to start giving online or call the finance office at 407.876.4991 ext. 227 to learn more about additional ways to give.

Click to Give

Ministry Links

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