Highlights from Session meeting

     Here are the highlights of October’s Session meeting: 

1. Active membership is 237.

2. Holy Communion was celebrated on October 4 during the worship service, as well as with several homebound members.  Rev. Jim Wallace, Charlie Rush, Darcy Castleberry, Alli Castleberry and Kelsea Goetz participated in the homebound communion.

3. Souper Sunday funds collected by Leslie Pray Circle were designated to purchase mattresses for hospital beds in Congo. 

4. A new ministry called “Prayer Shawl Ministry” was approved.  More details will be available in the future.

5. The Session approved a Thanksgiving Food Drive to start two to three weeks before Thanksgiving.  Members will be given grocery sacks to collect non-perishable food items to be brought to the church sanctuary.

6.  The Session approved a donation from memorial funds for immediate use by Bobby Hernandez’s family. The Session also approved a Minute for Mission asking for a love offering from the congregation for the Hernandez family. 7.  The following commendations were offered:

a.  To Shelley St. Clair and Jean and Bill Beaty for volunteering during photo sessions.

b.  To Shelley St. Clair for donating paper towels for the restrooms.

c.  To Bill Beaty and James May for trimming trees at the manse.

d.  To men from the property committee who worked on the lawn at the manse.

e.  To Brayden Lacey for receiving his Eagle Scout award.

f.  To Dale Ballard for all his time and special care and love to the Phipps family.

g.  To Jennifer Denham for documenting all elders at St. Luke.

h.  To Chris Newell for leading the yoga class.

i.  To Chip Newell, Tom Amason and all the persons involved in updating the filing system.

j.  To Travis Ellis for his work in the library.

     Thanks to Kary Wingo for serving as clerk for me during this meeting.  

                                               David Kemp, Clerk

Worship news

     We are entering into a very busy time of year at St. Luke. On Sunday, November 1st, we will celebrate All Saints’ Day by recognizing family and friends of St. Luke we've lost in the last year. Candles will be available before the service with the ushers for anyone wishing to light a candle in memory of someone special. Holy Communion will be observed by intinction during this special service.

     The beginning of Advent will be celebrated on November 29th with the Hanging of the Greens Service. We will also celebrate Holy Communion on the 29th as we enter into the Advent season.

     Looking ahead to December, the chancel choir will perform a Christmas cantata, “Nowell, Nowell, Emmanuel,” on December 6^th during the morning worship service.

     If you would like to purchase a poinsettia for the advent season, please contact the church office or Kary Wingo (358-8376). The cost will be $6 each.

     Each Sunday's worship service is now being recorded onto CDs. (Thank you, Travis K.) Please contact the church office or Kary Wingo with the date of the service you'd like to hear, and a copy will be forthcoming.

     Worship welcomes you to stay for fellowship hour following the All Saints’ Day Service on November 1st. The food is on us!

                                                         Kary Wingo

Mission activities

November

* Nov. 1 - Minute for Mission by Sallie Amason about Eveline Rivers Elf Duty and ER Coat Drive.

* Nov. 2  - Coalition for the Homeless Beans & Cornbread Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Civic Center. St. Luke will purchase three tables this year.

* Nov. 3 - Downtown Women’s Center monthly meal  – Tim & Kim Lacey

* Nov. 8 - Minute for Mission by Nancy Haning, from Time to Share

December

* Dec. 1 - Downtown Women’s Center monthly Meal - Art Crosser and Eleanor Glazener

* Dec. 16 - Christmas Caroling . We’ll gather at the church at 5:30 p.m. to receive song sheets and form car pools and will leave at 6:00 p.m.

Coalition for the Homeless luncheon on Nov. 2

      The annual Coalition for the Homeless Beans & Cornbread Luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, at the Amarillo Civic Center. St. Luke has purchased three tables. A sign-up sheet is on the Mission Committee table in the hall. Liz Murry is returning to inspire us with more of her life story of “From Homeless to Harvard.”

LOGOS plans busy month,
invites veterans on Nov. 11                   
November will be a short but busy month for the LOGOS members and staff. 

     All St. Luke members who are veterans are invited with their spouses to a special LOGOS evening on Nov. 11^th. After the meal at 6:30 p.m., the younger children will perform a musical piece, then the older children ask their honored guests to join them for fellowship and conversation. We invite St. Luke veterans to bring any family members who are also veterans; we ask only that you let us know by Nov. 4^th so we can plan the meal and activities. However, latecomers will be welcomed as well.

     The Wednesdays of November and December will be full of recreational and worship activities that the children are sure to enjoy. Here is a schedule for the upcoming weeks:

11/4     Community night - Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, chocolate chip cookies

11/11   Salute to Veterans - Mexican Pile-on, salad, cake

11/18   Giving Thanks - Baked potatoes with lots of toppings, sherbet

11/25   Week off for Thanksgiving

12/2     Winter Wonderland - Soup, sandwiches, cake

12/9     Early Christmas - ham, mashed potatoes, pudding and bananas

Leslie Pray Circle to meet

     The next meeting of Leslie Pray Circle is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov.11, at 9:30 a.m. We will have refreshments furnished by Liz Krodel. Betsy McCampbell will lead the next lesson in our Joshua study, entitled "Land of Promise or the Promised Land?" It's not too late to join in this interesting and meaningful examination of a very challenging Biblical story. All women are welcome.

Women's winter retreat to be January 8-9,
DeFalco Center

     Great things happen on a retreat. Whether they are the focus of a meaningful subject, the blessing of a quickly but strongly cemented community, the lack of distractions, or just being away from normal routine and having time to think - great things do happen!

     If you have never been on a retreat of some kind, you are in for a treat. As we are caught up in the busyness of everyday activities, there is more need than ever to take time to relax in a quiet place, and Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center is that perfect "quiet place." Registration will begin Sunday, November 15, 2009, and will continue through the end of December. A fee of $70 will be collected. This fee includes supper on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and guestroom (double occupancy) with linens, towels and soap. You will find more information on the Christian Education bulletin board which you may remove and keep.

     Please register as early as possible so that we can continue the planning process. Please call Janet Kelly (467-8614) if you have any questions.

SLY activities

     SLY went to Maxwell's corn maze on the 23^rd  of October. Carissa took Rhett McAdoo, Emily Chapmond, Ashley Denham and her friend Alisha - a small group, but they had a lot of fun!

     This last Sunday, the 25^th, SLY decorated picture frames to put in the auction on November 8th. They turned out great so the kids are hoping for some big bids.

     Nov. 1^st SLY will take a week off, as Carissa will be out of town celebrating an early Thanksgiving.

     The youth are getting very excited about the auction and are hoping for a great turn out. If you have items; please remember to bring them in early to the SLY room and put them against the west wall. Thank you for all your support.

     The Warp'd Retreat is coming up the weekend before Thanksgiving. Jennifer Denham and Carissa and tentatively Don Goetz, Kary and Eldon Wingo are going as sponsors. Reminder to parents and kids - we need to get the papers and money in as soon as possible. We don't want to get left off the list; so if you are going, get that in pronto.                   Carissa Mains, SLY Director

SLY plans auction, dinner

     On Nov. 8^th after worship, the annual SLY auction and spaghetti dinner will take place in Fellowship Hall. After a one-year hiatus, we hope this auction will come back stronger than every and have great items for everyone to bid on. This auction is the major fundraiser for the youth and is the primary source of funds for their annual mission trip and other activities. Everyone in the congregation is encouraged to think about what unique crafts, gift baskets, gift certificates or one-of-a-kind items they can donate to this endeavor. SLY will be collecting items in the youth room before the auction. Please mark your calendar now for this fun and exciting event, and invite your friends. We’ll even have a former professional auctioneer this year!

     The Session has approved a Prayer Shawl Ministry for St. Luke. This project had its beginnings in 1997 when two graduates of the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT, saw the need for a way to comfort and affirm women who are undergoing stress, medical procedures, bereavements, etc. Shawls can also be presented on joyful occasions such as the birth of a baby or a marriage.

     According to Janet Bristow, one of the women who organized the ministry, "Shawls [have been] made for centuries, universal and embracing, symbolic of an inclusive, unconditionally loving God.  They wrap, enfold, comfort, cover, give solace, mother, hug, shelter and beautify. Those who have received these shawls have been uplifted and affirmed, as if given wings to fly above their troubles."

     Shawl makers begin with prayers and blessings for the recipient. The intentions are continued throughout the creation of the shawl. Upon completion, a final corporate blessing is offered before the shawl is sent on its way. Recipients are asked not to sell the shawls when they are no longer needed, but rather to pass them along to others in need of comfort and cheer. In this way a ripple effect of love and kindness is created and perpetuated.

     The instructions for making the shawls are very simple, either for knitters or crocheters. On Saturday, Nov. 14, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m,  Marlis Fisher and I will conduct a tutorial on knitting for those who do not know or have forgotten how to knit. (We would love to have an experienced

crocheter join us..If you can, please let me know.). You will need 3 large skeins, at least 600 yards of yarn ( any color but be sure to make sure all are from the same dye lot listed on the label),

one skein of fun fur yarn (a coordinating color), and one pair of straight (long) size 15 knitting needles. For crocheting, you will need a size "M," "N," or "P" crochet hook and 740 yards of thread for longer shawls and 60+ stitches.

      If you do not wish to knit or crochet a shawl, you can participate in the project by purchasing yarn for knitters or crocheters. In other congregations, men, as well as women, participate by making shawls for men who are in need of their sheltering warmth. Thus, all members of the congregations are invited to participate. If you know how to knit or crochet and would like the patterns, please contact me (355-9357) or Marlis Fisher (359-1957)                           Ann Hefner

Defibrillator now on premises

     You may have noticed something mounted on the wall next to the choir room door. It’s an AED (Automatic Electronic Defibrillator). Recently training was offered to ushers and others, so St. Luke now is a safer place.

Amarillo Master Chorale to perform Nov. 6

     The Amarillo Master Chorale choral concert is coming up on Friday Nov. 6th at 8:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church. It is entitled "Jubilate" and is a concert of uplifting choral music - much of it Christian text. Tickets are available at the door or at Premier Vision on Soncy - $20 for adults and $10 for students. Steve Weber will be conduct and Cathy Weber will sing.

Daylight Saving Time ends 11/1

     Please note that Daylight Saving Time will cease on Sunday, Nov. 1.  Remember to “fall back” and set your clock back one hour before you retire for the evening on Saturday. If you don’t, you’ll wonder why the whole church is late on Sunday...

Young at  ©  to meet Nov. 18