Sunday, March 22, 2020
Dear St. Luke Community,
Virtual Gatherings
Shepherding groups: there are plans in the works as I type to create shepherding groups. You will be receiving a call, text, or email from someone in addition to myself to check in on you and see how you are doing, whether older or younger. For those that may be at higher risk, please remember to reach out should you need a store run. We have a list of folks willing to deliver.
Continued Prayers
In addition to the prayers for St. Luke members I sent out the past few days, we continue to hold in prayer those all over this world who are sick and have lost their lives. Please pray for our healthcare workers, those who are keeping grocery shelves stocked and all those affected by job loss including restaurant workers. I think of Mike Hislop and Janet Abrahamson in our own community and so many more affected. If you’d like to add a prayer, please email Nicole or Joanne.
Worship this Sunday
In order to comply with the county and state shelter-in-place mandates, I will be streaming worship from my home on Sunday at 10:00. And just like last week, we will then post it on YouTube.
To join service live: click here to go to St. Luke’s Facebook page at 10am. You should not need a Facebook account to watch the video. However, you might want to set one up and “like” our page so you are notified when service starts, and you can also keep up with the happenings at St. Luke!
If you are not able to watch live, you can also watch it later on Facebook, or on our new YouTube channel as well (St. Luke YouTube channel).
The scripture this Sunday is Psalm 23 and Mark 14:3-9. An unknown woman shows up at a dinner where Jesus is present. She anoints him with the finest oil. I love that she’s unknown. Things unknown are very familiar to us right now. We don’t know what the next few weeks or months may hold. We really don’t know. And because of that it’s more important than ever to learn how to live with the discomfort that comes with that. Embracing uncertainty doesn’t mean we have to only embrace fear. We can also embrace what’s known. See the Spiritual Reflection at the end for more on this.
Getting Ready for Zoom
The following Sunday, (March 29th) we hope to move to Zoom Worship. This will give everyone a week to figure out how to attend our Zoom worship. We have room for 100 and you’ll all be able to see one another’s faces, which should be quite meaningful. Beth and I will be holding test run Zoom meetings Tuesday and Thursday. Specifics about the meetings will be distributed on Monday.
Other Zoom Gatherings
We are holding Bible Study, Women’s Meditation, the Book Club (The Universal Christ) and a newly-added Social Connections on Thursday evening the 26th at 6pm. We will eat our dinners together and share our lives. An email will go out early in the week with all of the links for the coming Zoom gatherings.
Musical Reflection
In Bible Study this week, we talked about Psalm 23, and what it means to us individually. Beth shared some lovely musical versions with us, and we thought we would share a few with you this evening.
A classical version: The Lord is My Shepherd, Howard Goodall
A more modern version: Psalm 23 (Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy)
Spiritual Reflection
This comes from Terry Hershey
When life is upside down, we easily forget the fundamental truth that we live from sufficiency, not scarcity.
Even in times of distress.
Church was cancelled.
March madness was cancelled.
Public gatherings have been cancelled. There is more to come.
But hope will not be cancelled.
Conversations will not be cancelled.
Friendship will not be cancelled.
Gardening will not be cancelled.
Watching the moonlight filter through the trees will not be cancelled.
Love will not be cancelled.
Music will not be cancelled.
Reading will not be cancelled.
Self-care will not be cancelled.
Prayer will not be cancelled.
And lifting one another’s spirits will not be cancelled.
May we lean into the good stuff that remains.
Yours in Christ,
Nicole