The Weekly View

Sunday, December 1, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This coming Sunday we enter into the season of Advent. This marks the beginning of the liturgical year. The sanctuary will be adorned in it’s Advent blue and the Advent wreath will see the lighting of the Hope candle. 

We honor 300 years of the beloved hymn Joy to the World. As we “prepare Him room” in the sanctuary we also do so in our hearts, our lives and in the world. The joy we cultivate is not the same as the happiness we’re being sold in how to books and podcasts. Joy is born from something deeper and is gifted by God. While we can’t fabricate joy we can cultivate joy by placing God in the center of everything we experience. 

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy….(Psalm 98:7.8)

As we wait during Advent, we do so actively. We stay awake (Matthew 24:36-44) and live our lives with a new perspective on this one precious life gifted to us each hour of every day. God is about to be born again into our lives as a vulnerable baby. Get ready to embrace Him, hold Him and nurture Him into being all over again, with joy. 

With great thanksgiving for each one of you,
Nicole

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

St Luke’s November Food Drive Barrel ~
St. Luke will collect canned proteins/meats:  Beans, Peanut Butter, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Chicken, Turkey, Beef. You may also donate using the green envelope and with the notation FOOD DRIVE. $1 = 2 Meals!

Ritter Center Christmas Gift Barrel ~ Ritter Center Adopt-a-Family Christmas Gift Barrel
Ritter Center serves Marin families and individuals who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. This year St. Luke will be providing gifts for both children and adults, as we have adopted two families and five elderly adults for Christmas. Look for the signup board in the narthex - simply take a tag from the board and bring back an unwrapped gift to the office by Tuesday, December 10th.  St. Luke volunteers will deliver our gift-filled barrel to Ritter Center on Friday, December 13th.  

Street Chaplaincy Dinner ~ Tuesday, December 17th
This is our first call for volunteers to help serve on the evening. If you’re interested in serving, please email Michael Baranowski at .

Bible Study - Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
St. Luke Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
Women's Spirituality Group - Thursdays at 9:00 AM
Deacons Meeting - 2nd Tuesday, January 14th, 6:00 PM
Pizza and Theology - 3rd Tuesday, January 21st, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, January 27th, 10:30 AM
Session Meeting - 4th Tuesday, January 27th, 7:00 PM

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

St Luke’s November Food Drive Barrel ~
St. Luke will collect canned proteins/meats:  Beans, Peanut Butter, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Chicken, Turkey, Beef. You may also donate using the green envelope and with the notation FOOD DRIVE. $1 = 2 Meals!

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, December 2nd, Group B
The first Monday of each month Group A or Group B is assigned a meal item to provide.

Ritter Center Christmas Gift Barrel ~ Ritter Center Adopt-a-Family Christmas Gift Barrel
Ritter Center serves Marin families and individuals who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. This year St. Luke will be providing gifts for both children and adults, as we have adopted two families and five elderly adults for Christmas. Look for the signup board in the narthex - simply take a tag from the board and bring back an unwrapped gift to the office by Tuesday, December 10th.  St. Luke volunteers will deliver our gift-filled barrel to Ritter Center on Friday, December 13th.  

KIVA.ORG ~ St. Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years and they will be a Deacon’s Ministry in the Fall. KIVA is a San Francisco based non-profit that offers individuals or groups the opportunity to make a $25 or larger loan in many countries. 

Street Chaplaincy Dinner ~ Tuesday, December 17th
Look details in an upcoming email next week.

Bible Study - Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
St. Luke Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
Women's Spirituality Group - Thursdays at 9:00 AM
Deacons Meeting - 2nd Tuesday, January 14th, 6:00 PM
Pizza and Theology - 3rd Tuesday, December 17th, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, January 27th, 10:30 AM
Session Meeting - 4th Tuesday, November 26th, 7:00 PM

Pedal for Protein Update ~ The donations to Pedal for Protein for 2019 are at $43,031 with a goal of $60,000. We will keep the piggy bank open until Nov. 30. We can do it! Donate online at www.IMAthlete.com/legacy/events/PedalforProtein . Remember every dollar donated is multiplied 3 to 6 times by our food banks to feed hungry people in our midst. We appreciate your ongoing support of this ride for protein for pantries.  

Pedaling thanks… 
Patty Sanders ~ Hunger Action Advocate Presbytery of the Redwoods
Ride Director – Pedal for Protein www.PedalforProtein.com

Sunday, November 17th, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This Sunday is Acoustic Sunday. We have some great songs lined up for you including Drift Away. One of you sent me the song in a text one morning a few weeks ago. I’m guessing that’s how that person was feeling in that moment.

The opening two lines;

Day after day I'm more confused
Yet I look for the light in the pouring rain 

How often do you feel that way? Confusion is both a blessing and a curse. Much like following Jesus himself. Jesus reminds us of this in this Sunday’s scripture; Luke 21:5-19.

It’s a dire passage filled with doom, and then towards the end a word of reassurance in verse 19; By your endurance you will gain your souls. 

Looking for the light in the pouring rain is a lovely way of saying that no matter how confused, no matter how lost, we continue to search for Jesus who speaks to us; both internally and in the world. The more we can endure the confusion, the seemingly hopeless conditions around us, the closer we can come to our God who is with us in it, speaking to us like a light in the pouring rain. 

It takes listening, it takes opening up to possibility, and sometimes it’s just a choice; a choice between allowing the dark circumstances to pull is into isolation or choosing to come closer to God. To endure is to grow in depth, in resilience and in wisdom. Jesus promises to give us wisdom in verse 15, but I imagine that just can’t happen unless we are willing to search for that light no matter how heavy the down pour. 

And the last lines of that song;

Thanks for the joy that you've given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
Rhythm and rhyme and harmony
You help me along makin' me strong

 See you Sunday,
Nicole

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

St Luke’s November Food Drive Barrel ~ San Francisco-Marin Food Bank - Fill a Plate This Thanksgiving. Many families, homeless or not, won’t go hungry this Thanksgiving thanks to our help. St Luke will collect all varieties of canned proteins/meats:  Beans, Peanut Butter, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Chicken, Turkey, Beef. You may also donate funds using the green envelope and with the notation FOOD DRIVE. $1 = 2 Meals! When you fill an empty plate, you ease a worried mind and you improve nutrition to help kids eat healthier. Every food item and every $1 changes lives. Please give generously.

Ritter Center Christmas Gift Barrel ~ Ritter Center Adopt-a-Family Christmas Gift Barrel
Ritter Center serves Marin families and individuals who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. This year St. Luke will be providing gifts for both children and adults, as we have adopted two families and five elderly adults for Christmas. Look for the signup board in the narthex - simply take a tag from the board and bring back an unwrapped gift to the office by Tuesday, December 10th. St. Luke volunteers will deliver our gift-filled barrel to Ritter Center on Friday, December 13th.

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, December 2nd, Group B
The first Monday of each month Group A or Group B is assigned a meal item to provide.

KIVA.ORG ~ St. Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years and they will be a Deacon’s Ministry in the Fall. KIVA is a San Francisco based non-profit that offers individuals or groups the opportunity to make a $25 or larger loan in many countries. 

Bible Study - Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
St. Luke Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
Women's Spirituality Group - Thursdays at 9:00 AM
Deacons Meeting - 2nd Tuesday, November 12th, 6:00 PM
Pizza and Theology - 3rd Tuesday, November 19th, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, November 26th, 10:30 AM
Session Meeting - 4th Tuesday, November 26th, 7:00 PM