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Just like the women who prepared the spices and oils to worship Jesus that first Easter Sunday, St. Luke’s had so many people help make our Lent Journey and Holy Week so amazing. There were 17 Lent and Holy Week worships offered. A few members volunteered for half or more of them. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you cannot be said enough for… …55 people who participated in Worship Leadership (Lectors, Worship Assistants, Video Tech, Sound Tech, Camera Tech, Communion Assistants, Ushers, Dishwashing Team, Holden Prayer Candlelighters and Crucifers) …Music provided by the Choir, Bells of Praise, Jubilee, Holden Prayer Music Team, Holden, Preschool Children, and Brass …Children’s Ministry helpers …Altar Guild, Flag Changer, Treat Providers and Hosts …Anyone else that was missed, plus all of you, Members of St. Luke’s who live out our mission of being a Welcome and Growing Community of Faith, busy Making Christ Known to the World. I would like to close with a post written by Aubrey Kollodge, a St. Luke’s Confirmation Student: 
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 This week we will gather at a Table, a Cross, and an
Empty Tomb. We do all this in remembrance of Jesus – who did all of this for you. Imagine being one of the disciples seated at the table when Jesus announces that “One of you will betray me?” How would you respond? Imagine being one of the disciples at the table when he takes the bread and announces, “This is my body given for you.” Then he takes the cup of wine and announces, “This is my blood shed for you? We hear these words every time we take communion. This coming Maundy Thursday, I invite you to think about this again, for the first time. Imagine being one of the disciples in the garden as he announces, “Keep Awake.” Can you? Imagine being one of the disciples who watches Judas kiss Jesus and then be arrested. Would you follow? Imagine being Simon of Cyrene on the side of the road watching Jesus collapse at the “weight” of carrying in the cross. Then a soldier tells you to pick up the cross. Would you carry it? Imagine being one of the people watching Jesus hang on the cross and hear him cry out, “Father forgive them, they know not what you do.” Will you do likewise? Imagine being one the women going to the tomb to find the stone rolled away, a young man sitting where Jesus laid and tell you, “He has Risen.” Would you tell anyone? We don’t need to imagine any of this. We are invited to do this in remembrance of Jesus… Maundy Thursday Worship – April 17th, 7:00 PM Good Friday Worship – April 18th, 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM Easter Sunday – April 20th, 8:30 and 10:00 AM You’re almost there… For all who gave something up or took something on for Lent, you’re down to 9 days, the end of the journey is near. Remember Sundays are “Little Easters” a day of grace, so enjoy your coffee or take the day off from picking up trash around your neighborhood – although you are welcome to continue to do so during Lent Sundays along with all the days that follow…
As has been stated in the Lent Messages, “Let us be disciplined in our discipleship as we follow Jesus’ Way.” Our messages have called us to… …Have mercy by caring for the neighbor – Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) …Choose the better thing by listening to Jesus – Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) …Be generous by sharing what you have – The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) …Be forgiving by offering second chances – The Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9) …Be gracious by welcoming the lost – The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) …Make amends by helping others – The Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-18) …Be compassionate by giving to the poor – The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) …Converse with God by praying authentically – Prayers at the Temple (Luke 18:9-14 …Be accepting by welcoming the unacceptable – Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) This Wednesday, April 9 for our final Lent Message, I invite you to decide what the message calls us to do – Luke 19:11-27 Palm Sunday is this coming week. The Lenten journey ends at the gates of Jerusalem and Holy Week begins. All that we have been doing is living The Jesus Way. This is the song that inspired the Lent Theme. Read the lyrics or better join in singing the song with Jubilee at our 10 AM Worship. Lent may be ending but may we continue to choose The Jesus’ Way. The Jesus Way, Song by Phil Wickham ‧ 2023 (Condensed Lyrics) If you curse me, then I will bless you If you hurt me, I will forgive And if you hate me, then I will love you I choose the Jesus way. If you're helpless, I will defend you And if you're burdened, I'll share the weight And if you're hopeless, then let me show you There's hope in the Jesus way. I follow Jesus, I follow Jesus He wore my sin, I'll gladly wear His name He is the treasure, He is the answer Oh, I choose the Jesus way. If you strike me, I will embrace you And if you chain me, I'll sing His praise And if you kill me, my home is heaven For I choose the Jesus way. And I choose surrender I choose to love Oh, God my Savior, you’ll always be enough I choose forgiveness I choose grace I choose to worship, no matter what I face. Oh, I choose the Jesus way! Songwriters: Jonathan Smith / Phil Wickham The Jesus Way lyrics © Be Essential Songs I am serving on the St. Luke’s council as Treasurer. My wife Mary and I have been members of St. Luke’s since 1987 and were married here in 1988. While we were preparing to be married, we knew that we would be settling in Bloomington and began searching for a church home. We visited St. Luke’s and found a welcoming and supportive community of believers. That is still true today and we have been here ever since.
Over the years, my faith journey here has involved participating in more bible studies and adult education events than you can shake a stick at. I have also had the opportunity to be involved in a wide variety of ministry activities. Those include everything from Habitat for Humanity to Confirmation mentoring and even babysitting a cantankerous FM transmitter during our pandemic parking lot worship services. These days you will often find me back in the corner, running the live stream of our worship services. All of those study and ministry activities have played an important role in my own faith formation. That is also true of serving on the church council. When I was asked by the Executive committee if I would consider coming back as Treasurer, I realized that there was a need that I could meet, and here I am. The duties of the Treasurer include some routine tasks like reporting the financial status of the church to the council every month and leading the effort to build an annual budget. There are also some ad-hoc projects as many new ministry ideas or service projects have a financial component. That said, I believe that the most important duties of the Treasurer are to help the council be the best stewards we can be of the funds entrusted to us by the members of this congregation, and to report the financial condition of the church as accurately and transparently as possible. I will do the very best that I can to accomplish both of those duties. |