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| Dear Thankful People,
“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.” - 1 Corinthians 1:4
What more can be said about this year? If I were to go through the list of all we have been through in 2020, you would be A) so over the litany of bad things you are ready to skip ahead or B) tired, sad, and ready to go back to bed.
Instead, I’ll give you the many reasons we as a staff thank God for all of you:
- In a global pandemic you have consistently been giving faithfully to St. Luke’s Operating Budget, helping us to have a giving rate higher than last year.
- You have helped us raise funds above and beyond our operating expenses to help assist people through our COVID-19 Assistance Fund ($113,000) and our weekly meal distribution to help feed our local arts community ($26,000).
- Your work helping us make community partners for the last few years through our Restoring Hope Initiative has helped us leverage partnerships with Society of St. Andrew, UP Orlando, and local businesses to receive tons of free food to distribute weekly to over 93,035 people at 16 churches, mosques, and food banks.
- You have worked with our Restoring Hope families who were precariously housed in our IMPACT schools, and because of your hours of support and care we have kept 20 families housed and moved 11 to more permanent housing.
- You have delivered and distributed more than 5,100 meals on a weekly basis to help end hunger.
- You have donated computers and laptops to bridge the technology gap during this pandemic so 27 families can have a virtual presence in school, meetings, and work.
- You have supported the Grow It Forward micro farm, which is a pilot for a community-based food production in low-income neighborhoods so residents can be food secure while making an income through food sales.
- You have helped student farmers learn to farm and sell the fruits of their labor with over 160 volunteer hours – volunteers ages 4 to 75!
- You continue to support our Circles families, who have been meeting virtually without missing a weekly gathering, with 6 Circle Leaders who graduated from the 18-month program in September.
- You helped a ZOE Rwanda children-led empowerment group of 120 children in 34 families graduate from a 3-year program, which helped them get out of extreme poverty and begin a thriving life.
- You have helped raise $41,500 for a new non-profit we are creating alongside the local theaters in Central Florida to provide resources to those in the entertainment and arts community.
- You have called everyone in our congregation over the age of 75 on a regular basis for the last nine months and reached out to those who have not been regularly attending to check in and connect.
- We have continued support groups like GriefShare, helping 15 grieving individuals move through this important ministry with people attending from as far away as California, Texas, and Ghana in western Africa.
- You have kept our online worship attendance consistent and helped us host on-campus worship in a safe, healthy, and sacred environment.
And the list of reasons to thank God for you go on and on. The hours of devotions, songs, and liturgy videos you have created, the hours in meetings pouring over data, details, and decisions. You have been with us through it all, proving that WE ARE St. Luke’s, and we are hope, healing, resilience, and unity.
It is a privilege to lead and serve alongside you. We pray you have a blessed Thanksgiving week and give thanks for the ways you have shown up to help God show out for our community. On Sunday, November 29, we will begin a new Christian year with the season of Advent. I’m not sure I’ve ever been in a year where the old song from the musical Mame rings more true... ”We need a little Christmas!” This is our Advent theme. As we recognize the need we have for Christmas, we will see that need is answered in the promise, healing, comfort, and presence offered to us as Jesus, God incarnate among us. This Sunday, we will kick off our new sermon series and Family Outdoor Advent Worship services on Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Families will need to register just like for on-campus worship (click here), but for these services you can also bring blankets or lawn chairs as we join in some relaxed carols, a message, and meet some new friends along the way.
May your homes and hearts be full of gratitude,
Your St. Luke’s Staff
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Inspired by one of our youngest St. Lukers who sent us his gift to Jesus, this Advent season we want to offer St. Lukers of ANY age a chance offer their present to God for the gift of the Presence of Jesus at Christmas.
Pick up a red Advent Offering gift box during on-campus worship on Sundays at 11:15 a.m., during outdoor Family Advent Worship on Sundays at 4:00 p.m., or at the church office. Each week add your coins, bills, or checks as an extra Celebration Offering to help St. Luke's finish 2020 strong. Pick up a box for each member of the family! Consider what you might give a loved one as a present this Christmas, and how much more you would want to give as a present to Jesus to celebrate all He offers us in His love.
When you pick up your gift box, you can also pick up an Advent Offering Wish List tag to learn more about what your Offering can do this year through St. Luke's Operating Budget and our Restoring Hope initiative. Make sure and write "Restoring Hope" or "Operating Budget" on your box to help our finance team allocate your gift to the right fund.
Bring your filled gift boxes back to St. Luke's by Sunday, December 20 to on-campus worship, or drop them off at the church office.
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| Click the button below to take a short survey to help
St. Luke's finalize plans for Christmas PreEve and Eve:
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| Reminder: The church campus is closed now through November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving. The Sanctuary will re-open on Sunday, November 29 for worship (registration opens at 9:00 a.m. at st.lukes.org/worship), and the front office will re-open on Monday, November 30.
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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.
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Click the button below to offer help to those in need:
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Click the button below if you need assistance:
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Click the button below to view a list of community resources:
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Looking Ahead at St. Luke's
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It’s almost #GivingTuesday! Show your support for St. Luke’s ministries and those who count on these programs by giving a special gift. Click the button below to set up a NEW recurring or one-time gift using “QuickGive,” or visit the app and click "Give."
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Looking for a central place for convenient and secure access to worship, connect, and give? The St. Luke's app has you covered. Click the button below to learn more and to download the app TODAY!
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Help spread Christmas cheer in our community this season!
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Volunteer elves are needed for TwELF Days of Christmas! Be a friendly face that welcomes guests to campus and guides them along this contactless, socially-distant, drive-thru event.
Click the button below for more information and to sign up:
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❤️ Donations Needed 💚
To transform the St. Luke’s campus into a Christmas wonderland, we need as many outdoor Christmas LIGHTS and DECORATIONS as we can get! Here's how U can help:
1) Visit our Amazon Wish List here to see what kinds of things we’re looking for, buy them right off the list, and have them shipped directly to St. Luke’s!
2) Once you see what we’re looking for on the wish list, you can purchase similar lights/decor at a local store and drop off your donation at the church office (please note that it's for TwELF Days of Christmas)!
Questions? Have another decor item you’d like to donate that isn’t on the list? We may still need it! Email Ben Adams at badams@st.lukes.org.
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Learn about the weekly free food distribution at St. Luke's for our neighbors in the arts community, and how to donate, by clicking the button below:
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Give to St. Luke's Ministries
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October 2020 Financial Update
Giving through October 2020 (less PPP): $2,748,197
Giving is up 2.66%
Expenses through October 2020: $2,930,287
Expenses are up 4.55% due to lack of income from revenue producing ministries because of the pandemic
Without the PPP funds, we are in an unfavorable 2020 YTD position of -$189,090
With the PPP funds, we are in a favorable 2020 YTD position of $379,910
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Thank you for your faithful stewardship and for sharing your gifts to support St. Luke's ministries and worship online. St. Luke's finance team is checking the mail at the church as well as the locked deposit box attached to Building C (by the office doors) frequently so you can feel confident that your offering is secure. You can continue to mail your contributions to the church (4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Rd. Orlando, FL 32819) or give online using our secure online giving platform QuickGive.
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.
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