 St. Luke’s is once again joining the annual Minnesota FoodShare Campaign, the largest grassroots food and fund drive in the state. This spring drive brings together various community organizations, businesses, and faith communities to help stock nearly 300 food shelves statewide, including VEAP.
VEAP has experienced an unprecedented need for pantry items due to ongoing inflationary pressures, and there are many items it cannot easily procure. Whether it’s food, hygiene, or household products; VEAP needs it all. For those unfamiliar with VEAP, St. Luke’s for a long time has partnered with it. They collect household items and food year-round to be made available for families in our community who may not be able to afford it. We also do a VEAP drive in July into August for school supplies. Our VEAP bin is inside Door C, the main outside doors leading into our sanctuary. Janet and Roger Lyson who serve on our Missions Team do a weekly drop-off of items donated. Member Becky Olson volunteers at VEAP helping stock shelves or at the check-out. During the month of March we humbly ask for you to donate what you can to help families during the Minnesota FoodShare Campaign (Click here for more information) Some of the most needed items include (but are not limited to):
You can also make a financial donation through St. Luke’s, simply by giving including an offering directed to VEAP or online through Simply Giving: https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z4NZ/campaign/C-12AC8 Give to one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. – Jesus. (Matthew 5:42) I know for me, it never occurred to me that they would be so in need of gluten free products, so I will be picking some of that stuff up to bring to church this week! I will pass that challenge off to you. I invite you to think of a product that you would have never thought of and bring it in to church over the course of March! Another idea is to donate your favorite food item. Hope you’ll join me and the Missions Team in making a contribution. - Britt Halaas, Missions Council Representative St. Luke’s is once again joining the annual Minnesota FoodShare Campaign, the largest grassroots food and fund drive in the state. This spring drive brings together various community organizations, businesses, and faith communities to help stock nearly 300 food shelves statewide, including VEAP. VEAP has experienced an unprecedented need for pantry items due to ongoing inflationary pressures, and there are many items it cannot easily procure. Whether it’s food, hygiene, or household products; VEAP needs it all. For those unfamiliar with VEAP, St. Luke’s for a long time has partnered with it. They collect household items and food year-round to be made available for families in our community who may not be able to afford it. We also do a VEAP drive in July into August for school supplies. Our VEAP bin is inside Door C, the main outside doors leading into our sanctuary. Janet and Roger Lyson who serve on our Missions Team do a weekly drop-off of items donated. Member Becky Olson volunteers at VEAP helping stock shelves or at the check-out. During the month of March we humbly ask for you to donate what you can to help families during the Minnesota FoodShare Campaign (Click here for more information) Some of the most needed items include (but are not limited to):
You can also make a financial donation through St. Luke’s, simply by giving including an offering directed to VEAP or online through Simply Giving: https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z4NZ/campaign/C-12AC8 Give to one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. – Jesus. (Matthew 5:42) I know for me, it never occurred to me that they would be so in need of gluten free products, so I will be picking some of that stuff up to bring to church this week! I will pass that challenge off to you. I invite you to think of a product that you would have never thought of and bring it in to church over the course of March! Another idea is to donate your favorite food item. Hope you’ll join me and the Missions Team in making a contribution. - Britt Halaas, Missions Council Representative
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 These are the words you will hear tomorrow as ashes are put on your forehead or hand in the sign of the cross.
This past week I had an encore performance of COVID. Having to isolate, I was unable to officiate at two funerals this week. The Ash Wednesday words echoed in my head, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” However those are not the words announced at funerals. As humans we live in finite time, full of hardship and sickness, between birth and death. As Christians we live in the promise of the eternal. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” – John 3:16 So at funerals we announce, “Let us celebrate the life and resurrection of our beloved.” “When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” See Ash Wednesday is the kick-off to Lent that ends on Easter morning with an empty tomb. So not only at the end of a funeral, but each and every day… Marked with The Cross of Christ may we go in peace. Amen. Join us for Ash Wednesday Worship – February 22. 11 AM and 7 PM, both in person and online: stlukesbloomington.org  Celebrating Charter Sunday on February 26, 2023
God so loved the Town of Bloomington (Oxboro), Minnesota that the Spirit moved seven (a nice biblical number) men to sign a Certificate of Incorporation on February 18, 1923. Remember women could not hold leadership positions at that time. We’ve come a long way since then. I’m excited to see where the Spirit will lead us in the next 100 years. “God is love” 1st John 4:8 God’s love is for all – each person, every community, the nations, and all creation for eternity. The church should never deviate from this mission. If fact, if it does, I argue it is no longer church. The local church is the Body of Christ at work in the world. Remember Jesus’ commission to the disciples: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 This seems quite daunting. However Jesus before his ascension followed up with this charge and promise: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Jesus, Acts 1:8 And what is the power of the Holy Spirit? “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22b-23a Notice what the first fruit of the Spirit is? Love! The love of God made known by the salvation in Jesus and to welcome others to know this love through the power of the Holy Spirit – so much better than chocolates, flowers, and cards . St. Luke’s members you are invited sign our Next Century Ceremonial Charter. And what we are saying to the world is – “Be My Valentine!” Daily Remembrance – Wednesday Worship – Bible Study – Give
On Wednesday, February 22, we will begin our Lent Journey with Ash Wednesday Worship. At both the 11 AM and 7 PM, you are invited to receive a sign of the cross on your forehead and hear these words… “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19b) The words allude to when God admonished Adam and Eve as they left paradise in the Book of Genesis. For more than fifteen hundred years, Christians have used these words to mark the day. Lent is a way of joining Jesus in his walk to Jerusalem and eventually the cross. You are invited to participate in a faith practice. Below are some Daily Remembrances: Many people often give something up, a sacrifice. People try to stop a bad habit or deny themselves something they enjoy like: chocolate, sugar drinks, alcohol, tv, buying fancy coffee, etc. Others take something on, such as worship, Bible Study, service, or a donation. Wednesday Worship Five-Week Series on Jesus the Healer. I would love to hear your story if who have experienced healing attributed to faith, whether it was physical, emotional, relational, financial, etc. There will be worship in person at 11 AM and 7 PM. 11 AM Worship is Service of the Word. Worship will begin with the St. Luke’s Preschool Students sharing a song or two. Following worship a light lunch will be available in Fellowship Hall. 7 PM Worship will be Holden Evening Prayer. This will also be online. If you would like to watch from home, books are available at the office. (Please return at the end of Lent.) Bible Study will be offered on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, at 7 PM, for five-sessions here at St. Luke’s. Come for a session or the whole series: February 21 – Story of Jesus according to Matthew March 7 – Jesus the Healer March 21 – Jesus the Teacher April 4 – Jesus the Messiah April 18 – Follow Jesus Today Give your time, finances, or items: There are a number of volunteer opportunities available here at St. Luke’s and in our community. I appreciate the website, https://www.volunteermatch.org/search. Platelets can be donated every week. Use this season of Lent to try something out. There are Lent Wednesday Offering for those who have the giving envelopes. For those who do not, simply use an envelope from the sanctuary or online: https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z4NZ/home Donation of items is quite timely. March is VEAP Foodshare Month. Here is a link of their most needed items: https://veap.org/most-needed-items. You can also make a donation online through St. Luke’s: https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z4NZ/campaign/C-12AC8 Another popular donation are clothes or other items, a great way to kick-off your Spring Cleaning. Our family did this one year. I would pick out a piece of clothing each morning while getting dresses – an outfit to wear and an item to give. All of these qualify for the 100 ACTS OF KINDNESS. Please add a leaf to our tree outside the sanctuary. If you’re unable to come to church, contact the office and we will add a leaf for you. What Faith Practice will you choose this year? Would love to hear in the comments. |