 October is upon us, and so is the unofficial ‘eating season” that kicks off with Halloween, and sort of ends with a wrapped box of chocolates in a heart shaped box in the middle of February. Or it could end with a basket of candy delivered by the Easter Bunny.
Does it ever really end? We seem to live from one eating experience to the next – Halloween; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Valentine’s Day; Easter; Memorial Day and 4th of July cookouts. We commemorate birthdays, weddings, first dates, friendship, and funerals all with food. Hey guys, “I’ve got the grill fired up”, or “the coals are ready”, or “it’s a perfect night to roast marshmallows and hot dogs over the fire”, or “I’m not really hungry, but I just have to have something sweet”, are all common phrases in the lexicon of our lives. The list is endless. It shows in our grocery bill. It shows in my closet (does anyone one else have multiple sizes of thin clothes as opposed to current clothes?) It shows in our love for cooking and the rich heritage of family recipes and church cookbooks. I think it is well established that we like to eat. Offer food, and they will come. At St. Luke’s, we don’t just like to feed ourselves, but we like to feed others. Others who may not be able to feed themselves. We have such a love for others, and what better way to show that we love someone than to feed them? (Jesus had a better way, but we work with the tools we are given.) Did you know that eating is mentioned over 1200 times in the Bible? Eating is so fundamental; it is part of our tradition through the holy sacrament of Communion. At St. Luke’s we help those with food insecurity through our monetary and physical gifts (both with items and in terms of volunteering). We give to: VEAP, Loaves and Fishes, Meals on Wheels, Oasis, Fisher House, Feed My Starving Children and the Sandwich Project. I’m sure there are other projects that I have missed, but I believe this illustrates our passion for feeding those who are hungry. Our October Mission is the Sandwich Project. St. Luke’s held its first sandwich making event in the spring of 2016 when we partnered with the community to make over 1100 sandwiches for The Sandwich Project MN. That same year, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, “The Sandwich Man” Alan Law joined us at St. Luke’s, and we made 100 sandwiches that were delivered that evening by the Love One Another organization. On Wednesday, October 16th, we will be making 400 sandwiches for the Groveland Food Shelf. That evening we will also be holding our Fall Festival and Cookout. Please join us at 5:30PM in the Fellowship Hall to make sandwiches, followed by a celebration of our wonderful St. Luke’s family by (of course) sharing a meal together. With a grateful heart, Bev Brosam Missions
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 As people of faith, from “In the beginning…” God calls us to care for God’s creation and God’s people. Thank you, St. Luke’s, for the number of ways we do so throughout the year and throughout our history.
Fun Challenge followed by a greater challenge. Fun: Please follow the comment link below trying to name as many of the missions as a congregation St. Luke’s support and has supported. Bonus question, which one speaks most to you. Your comments will be shared as a part of next week’s blog. Greater Challenge: One of the missions St. Luke’s supports is Lutheran Disaster Response (This can count of one of your answers.) Join me in making an additional gift toward the relief effort of… The situation: In late September, Hurricane Helene hit the coast of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, dropping heavy rains on the southeastern United States and leaving millions of people without power. As the storm has moved inland, it has caused dangerous flooding and landslides, as well as downed trees and power lines. Our response: Lutheran Disaster Response collaborates with its partners to provide immediate relief, such as water, food, clothing, gift cards, tarps, and other needs. Since many hurricanes also require a long-term response, Lutheran Disaster Response provides support on the long road to recovery with disaster case management, construction management, attention to unmet needs, and emotional and spiritual care. What you can do: Pray Please pray for the safety of communities impacted by hurricanes, including people in their paths and any emergency services personnel who are responding. May God’s healing presence give them peace and hope in their time of need. Pray that God will deliver comfort to those who mourn and strength to those working diligently to rescue survivors. Give Your gifts will support disaster-impacted communities. Gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response equip us to respond to those affected by hurricanes and related disasters, such as mudslides, severe storms and flooding. These gifts also empower us to respond to disasters whenever and wherever they strike. Gifts to “Hurricane Response" will be used in full (100%) to assist those affected by hurricanes, until the response is complete. To give by phone, call 800-638-3522. Checks or money orders can be mailed to: Lutheran Disaster Response P.O. Box 1809 Merrifield, VA 22116-8009 Share Spread the word to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors…to give to Lutheran Disaster Response to make an even greater impact as it serves our neighbors on the long road to recovery. Connect To learn more about the situation and the ELCA’s response:
Thank you for your generous support to Lutheran Disaster Response and all the Missions St. Luke’s supports. I also look forward to reading your comments answering the Fun Challenge: Name as many of the missions as a congregation St. Luke’s support and has supported. Bonus question, which one speaks most to you. Your comments will be shared as a part of next week’s blog. |