October 2016 Newsletter

                          
         Seek God, Serve Others, Share Life   

IN THIS ISSUE
Upcoming Church Events - October
Message from the Pastor
Message from Our Council President
Worship
Spiritual Growth /Ministry
Social Ministry
Youth and Family Ministries
Parish Talk
October Anniversaries
October Birthdays
Lawn Care Schedule
October Good Stewards
Stewardship
Upcoming Church Events 

October Events

Saturday, October 1 10:30 AM -12:30 PM Britta Hall's shower
Sunday, October 2 Food First Sunday
8:30 AM LifeBlood
Contemporary Service
9:45 AM Handbells
Sunday School - All Ages
11:00 AM Traditional Communion Service
12:00 PM Participant Mtg-Christmas Musical
12:30 PM Sr. SLY Block Painting
Monday, October 3 5:15 AM Jazzercise
5:30 AM Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, October 4 9:00 AM WOW at Panera
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Wednesday, October 5 5:00 PM WEB Meal
5:30 PM Praise Team
5:45 PM Christmas Musical Rehearsal
6:00 PM Cherub Choir
6:30 PM Confirmation Class
7:00 PM Adult Choir
WELCA
Thursday, October 6 8:00 AM Al-Anon
1:30 PM Women's Bible Study
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Friday, October 7 6:30 AM Men's Bible Study
Saturday, October 8 Lawn Team-BROWN
7:30 AM Habitat Build
Sunday, October 9 8:30 AM Contemporary Communion Service
9:45 AM Handbells
Sunday School-All Ages
11:00 AM Traditional Service of Word
Monday, October 10 FALL BREAK
Jennifer Vacation
Pastor-Synod Meeting
2:00 PM Grace H/C Party
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Tuesday, October 11 FALL BREAK
Jennifer Vacation
Pastor-Synod Meeting
10:00 AM Ladies Bible Study
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Wednesday, October 12 FALL BREAK
Jennifer Vacation
Pastor-Synod Meeting
5:30 PM Praise Team
6:00 PM Social Min. Meeting
7:00 PM Adult Choir
11:59 PM OneHarvest Orders Due
Thursday, October 13 FALL BREAK
Jennifer Vacation
Pastor-Synod Meeting
1:00 PM Al-Anon
1:30 PM Women's Bible Study
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Friday, October 14 FALL BREAK
Jennifer Vacation
Pastor-Synod Meeting
6:30 AM Men's Bible Study
Saturday, October 15 Lawn Team-GREEN
10:00 AM Saturday Sisters
6:00 PM Oktoberfest
Sunday, October 16 Healing Service-Feast of St. Luke
8:30 AM Contemporary Service
9:45 AM Handbells
Sunday School-All Ages
11:00 AM Traditional Communion Service
3:00 PM More Than a Meal
Monday, October 17 5:15 PM Jazzercise
6:30 PM Church Council Meeting
Tuesday, October 18 10:00 AM Ladies Bible Study
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Wednesday, October 19 5:00 PM WEB Meal
5:30 PM Praise Team
5:45 PM Christmas Musical Rehearsal
6:00 PM Cherub Choir
6:30 PM Confirmation Class
7:00 PM Adult Choir
WELCA
Thursday, October 20 1:00 PM Al-Anon
1:30 PM Women's Bible Study
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Friday, October 21 6:30 AM Men's Bible Study
Saturday, October 22 Lawn Team-GOLD
BerryHill Neighborhood Event
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM OneHarvest Order Pickup
Sunday, October 23 8:30 AM Contemporary Communion Service
9:45 AM Handbells
Sunday School-All Ages
11:00 AM Traditional Service of Word
12:15 PM All SLY Jumping World
4:00 PM New Members Class
Monday, October 24 5:15 PM Jazzercise
6:30 PM Worship Committee Meeting
Tuesday, October 25 10:00 AM Ladies Bible Study
5:15 PM Jazzercise
Wednesday, October 26 5:00 PM WEB Meal
5:30 PM Praise Team
5:45 PM Christmas Musical Rehearsal
6:00 PM Cherub Choir
6:30 PM Confirmation Class
7:00 PM Adult Choir
Thursday, October 27 1:00 PM Al-Anon
1:30 PM Women's Bible Study
5:15 PM
TBA		 Jazzercise
Beer and Hymns
Friday, October 28 6:30 AM Men's Bible Study
Saturday, October 29
Sunday, October 30 Family Promise Hosting
New Member Reception - Both Services
Reformation Sunday
8:30 AM Contemporary Service
9:45 AM Handbells
Sunday School-All Ages
11:00 AM Traditional Communion Service
Second Grade Bible Presentation
4:30 PM Trunk-r-Treat
Monday, October 31 Family Promise Hosting
5:15 PM Jazzercise



Weekly Recurring Events:

Sundays
8:30 am
9:45 am
11:00 am		 Contemporary Worship Service
Sunday School, All Ages, Hand Bells
Traditional Worship Service
Tuesdays 10:00 am Ladies' Bible Study
Wednesdays 5:00 pm
5:30 pm
6:00 pm
7:00 pm

 WEB Meal
Praise Team
Cherub Choir
Adult Choir
WELCA (1st & 3rd Wed.)
Thursdays 1:00 pm
1:30 pm		 Al-Anon 
Thursday Ladies Bible Study
Fridays 6:30 am Men's Bible Study


Please refer to the  Church Calendar  on our webpage for further information 
about upcoming events

A Message from our Pastor
"Faith is personal, but it is never private, nor is it lived apart from other Christians. "

This quote is a one of the many reasons it is good to be back with you at St. Luke. I was blessed to have time away during my sabbatical, but faith is lived with other Christians and St. Luke is where I live my faith with each of you . The first three Sundays I have been back have reinforced the importance of th is . We fellow-shipped for Jersey Day/Labor Day, then we worked together for God's Work, Our Hands Sunday and dedicated the new pavilion. This past Sunday we shared in t he Affirmation of Faith service as six young adults were confirmed. This service was a time for all of us to respond to God's great love to us.

In October we will celebrate an Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 15. We will gather under the new pavilion for food, games and libations. The feast day of St . Luke the Evangelist follows on Sunday, October 16 with a healing service. Luke was a physician, and it is customary to have a healing service on this feast day. These two events are opportunities to invite friends. We all have friends who would be willing to join in our Oktoberfest festivities if they were invited. Likewise, we know other s who may be struggling with health issues and would be comforted by a healing service. Be a friend and invite them to join you at St. Luke.  

Faith is personal, but faith is not private. Invite others to join us at St. Luke. God is active here, and God is working in and with us, as we worship, serve and fellowship.

Your partner in ministry,
Pastor Cliff


Here is a link to an article I feel you might appreciate:
Fall Equinox

 
A Message From Our Council President
"
" . ..let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16
Greetings, Saints :
     Soon after his inauguration President Carter received a plaque from Admiral Hyman Rickover, father of the US nuclear submarine navy , that read "O God, Thy sea is so great, and my boat is so small". Makes sense from the perspective of a submariner where the boats are solitary hunters in a vast ocean.
     Sometimes it seems like we are that boat in a vast sea of humanity. With the world population approaching 7 billion people it is easy to see how this could happen. The population is concentrating more and more into cities which add to this feeling of insignificance amid the masses. And in our connected society it seems that we know almost instantly what is happening around the world. Maybe I should go back to bed and hide.
      But we should not fear because we do not have to face the challenges of life alone . As Christians we have inherited Jesus' teachings as seen in Matthew 10 where He tells his apostles that "even the hairs of your head are all numbered" So don't be afraid...". If we are that significant to God, who knew us before we were born, then we should have the confidence to live our lives fully and boldly. And as Christians our lives are best lived in community with other Christians.
      The early believers huddled together out of fear, but then they received the Holy Spirit. This changed everything and they started meeting and preaching about Jesus life and death in public, "adding to their numbers daily". Well the Holy Spirit is still present to give us strength needed t o carry on the work of telling others about the good news of Jesus Christ. Some of us are good at doing this through word while others rely upon showing others through example and deed .
     St. Luke is a Christian community where we worship and study about God. But it is also a place where we can invite others to come share in the good news. Where we can tell others about our faith and our God. And where we can show others the light of the Holy Spirit through deed and example. Deeds like feeding the poor and housing the homeless. Examples like God's Work, Our Hands weekend - there were a lot of yellow shirts running around. And Habitat  coming up this month. Last year St. Luke turned out the biggest team for both weekends assigned to us .
      From my Daily Bread archives I leave you with this thought "Recognizing our own smallness can cause us to embrace God's greatness".

P e ace of Christ be with you,
Gary Conway

 

Worship

A Message from ELCA
Grace and peace,
As you know, the voting members of the Synod Assembly approved 'A Resolution Concerning Congregational Advocacy', which encourages the 50,000 members of the Southeastern Synod to fully participate in public life. The 'Church' is called to serve our neighbors and do justice; advocacy is the means by which we can address the root of the problems that plague our society today. 
The Southeastern Synod Advocacy Team is currently preparing for the 2017 legislative season; in order to be successful in this important ministry, we need people with a passion for God's mission in the world to get involved. 
 
Thank you, 
Hilton Austin Jr.
Chair   
SES Advocacy Team


Worship Notes
Contributed by Tanya Bolkcom


Spiritual Growth / Ministry


August Bible Worship
The  Thursday Women's Bible Study  
group  meets each  Thursday.  Please come join us for Bible study and fellowship in the Narthex at  1:30.  We are studying Couples of the Old Testament.   Everyone is welcome!  

Saturday Sisters 
will meet  October 15th  from  10:00 AM - 12:00 PM  at the home of Pat Conway.  Cindy Wright will be leading our study.  Bring your Bible and join us for good fellowship and discussion.     For further information call or email  Pat or Cindy.


Discovering Membership Class
If you are interested in learning more about St. Luke and becoming 
one of the "St. Luke Saints", sign up for the New Member Class on October 23, 4-7pm.  See Pastor Cliff or 
email patti@stlukememphis.org for more information.


  Evangelism Moment  
Evangelism is NOT a sales pitch!  
It can simply be telling someone, when the time is right, how much our Lord means to you.  How do you know when the time is right? Don't worry, the Holy Spirit will tell you!  And how do you 'hear' the Holy Spirit?  That comes with loving the Lord, reading His Word and spending time talking with Him (that's called Prayer!).   Evangelism can also be 'Liking" the St. Luke Facebook page!
Evangelism is a command and the  Holy Spirit will be there to help you obey it! [Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 12:12]     

                                                    
  Stephen Ministry Moment 
   
Do you know someone who is new in this area?  Is there someone who has just had some very distressing news? Is there someone who needs to know that Jesus is there for him/her?  
A Stephen Minister can be there for that person. They can be the welcome to our church, a friend in need when a hurting person needs another ear to hear. The Stephen Minister  meets with this special person on a weekly basis to listen, care, encourage, pray, and provide emotional and spiritual support. Men are paired with men; women with women.
Over the years, well over one-and-a-half million people have benefited from the one-to-one, Christ-centered care of a Stephen Minister. This care is entirely confidential-no one knows the identity of a care receiver except for his or her Stephen Minister and the pastor or Stephen Leader who paired the two together. 


Webcasts with Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
Thursday, Oct. 27  7-8 PM CDT

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

Please mark your calendars for the next live webcast, "Ecumenical and Interreligious Witness on the Eve of the Reformation Anniversary," on  Thursday, Oct. 27, at  7 p.m. CDT. As Lutherans, we have 499 years of history, but on this day we will explore:
  • What was the Reformation, and what does it mean for Lutherans and ecumenical partners?
  • What is "Declaration on the Way," and why is it significant for Lutheran-Catholic relations?
  • What might ecumenical and interreligious relationships look like in the future, and what does this mean for our faith community?
Tune in to the live webcast on Oct. 27 by visiting ELCA.org/webcast, where a link to the recorded video will be made available after the broadcast. A live stream also will be available at Facebook.com/Lutherans. If you would like to submit a question to be considered during the live webcast, please send it tolivinglutheran@elca.org and provide your name and your congregation's name, city and state.

Check our website for future information concerning our participants and selected resources. We also invite you to participate and join the conversation by using #ELCAwebcast on social media.
God's peace,

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Social Ministry

      Since 1983, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis has served more than 430 local families through its new home ownership program. In 2012, Memphis Habitat expanded  its mission and launched its Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative in the Uptown neighborhood near downtown Memphis. The affiliate will build 50 new homes and  complete 100 critical repair projects in Uptown, and to date, 26 new homes have been built and work has been completed on more than 75 commercial and historic properties  and single-family homes.
 
St. Luke has one Saturday work day this year.
October 8 , 2016, 101 N. Third St.
Interior/Exterior painting
Interior hardware/blinds

If you have any questions, please contact John Wadovick at wadofam1@gmail or 901-628-5512.


Thanksgiving Baskets 2016

    St. Luke is collecting food items for the upcoming Thanksgiving Baskets.  We are once again aiming to help 40 families.  This year we will focus on families that have graduated from our Family Promise ministry, Tonie Robinson/ Peace Lutheran and of course our Outreach families.  
         We are asking for all Sunday School classes to participate in this worthwhile project.  The packing of the baskets will take place at the Youth Lock-In on Friday,  November 18th. Delivery will be on Saturday, November 19th or Sunday, November 20 th .                   
        Each Sunday school student will receive a grocery bag.  We ask that you bring the bag back to your Sunday school teacher along with the designated food items assigned to your class.  We will be collecting for the baskets the following Sundays:  October 30th, November 6th, and November 13th.  Again we are asking the Adult Sunday School classes to participate with a specific item.  There will be a sign up on the Communication card in the bulletin for turkeys.
    This is a great opportunity as parents and caring adults to teach our children the importance of reaching out and helping those less fortunate.  Thank you for your help and participation.  Any questions please call Vikki Ernst at 378-8829.

Pre-school and Kindergarten:   Large cans of soup and Cereal                        
1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd graders:   Large cans of soup and Cereal
4 the, 5 th , and 6th graders:   5 lb. bags of sugar and 5 lb. bags of flour
7 th and 8 th graders:   Large jars of peanut butter and 5 lb. bags of flour
High School:   5 lb. bags of sugar and Large jars of peanut butter
Women of Faith:   Cookies
Pastor's Class:   5 lb. bags of flour and 5 lbs. bag of sugar
Men of Faith:   5 lb. bags of sugar and 5 lb. bags of potatoes
Real Faith for Real Life: 5 lb. bags of potatoes and 5 lb. bags of flour
Bell Choir:   5 lb. bags of potatoes and Large jars of peanut butter
Shady Oaks School children: Cereal      
                                                       
If you are not involved in an Adult Sunday school class please feel free to bring any of the items listed above to the CFC.          




Women of Wisdom (WOW) will meet for coffee and conversation at Panera on Germantown Parkway (note change in location) on the first Tuesday of each month - October 4 at 9:00.   All women of St. Luke and their friends are welcome.  




Pecan Sales Have Begun
We are selling pecans now through  Sunday, Oct 23. 
Pre-order sheet  will be in Narthex.
Prices $13 plain, $14 flavored (milk & dark chocolate,  praline). These are full pound bags. Cash or checks made out to Family Promise accepted either before or at time of delivery.
Delivery should be mid Nov, before Thanksgiving, with sale concluding by early December.

Family Promise Hosting!
Oct. 30-Nov. 6
Sign-up sheets are available in the Narthex.  
Please volunteer to serve our friends!

WELCA on Wednesday Nights
The  Wednesday evening Women of the ELCA (WELCA) has started back.  We meet for devotionals, Bible study, fellowship and the occasional service project at  7pm  on Wednesday evenings at St. Luke, the first and third  Wednesday of each month.  October's schedule includes  October 5 and 19.  If you are interested, come join in one of our meetings - we would love to have you!  
If you have questions, please contact Barbara Anderson.




OneHarvest!
October menus are out; order online at OneHarvest.com 
 by October 12 (11:59 PM)
Pickup date October 22 between 12:30- 1:00 pm



Oktoberfest

OKTOBERFEST, Saturday Oct. 15, 6pm
Join us at this  fun festival!  
We'll have BBQ, beer tasting, corn hole, and other games.  
Please help with the food-Names ending in A-M bring a side, and N-Z bring dessert.  
Adults only please! 
Sign up on the Communication Card or at fellowship@stlukememphis.org.  See you there!





 
BEER AND HYMNS!
Thursday, October 27, time TBA
A gathering of local Lutherans for beer and fellowship. 
Details to follow.





Youth and Family Ministry
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Like us on Facebook: 

   

Confirmation Class Graphic
Congratulations to all of our youth who were confirmed on September 18th

Pastor Cliff Bahlinger, Brad Anderson, Jacob Dolph, Maggie Carkeet, Annika Thompson, Abbi Duke, Megan Mathers, Jennifer Wright



October 2nd-  
We will begin collecting candy on October 2nd for our Trunk-R-Treat games.
PLEASE DO NOT DONATE ANY CANDY CONTAINING PEANUTS. There will be a box in the Narthex to collect the candy donations.



October 2nd - Sr. SLY Block Painting   
Sr. SLY (grades 9th-12th) will be meeting on October 2nd to paint their block in the Sr. SLY room. Each youth gets to choose a block on the wall to leave their mark. If you have already painted your block, we will be painting rocks for the 901rocks project. We will leave a little piece of St. Luke around the city along with some encouraging messages. We will meet in the Sr. SLY room at 12:30pm and eat lunch before painting. Please bring a dish to share. I will be attending the beginning of the meeting for the musical and then head down to the Sr. SLY room. If your youth would like to attend the Church Musical meeting at 12pm they can join us for painting after the meeting. Please RSVP to Jennifer Wright (jennifer@stlukememphis.org) by Friday, September 30th. If you would like to help chaperone this event, please let Jennifer know.


October 12th- No Confirmation due to Fall Break


October 23rd- All SLY Jumping World- 
All SLY groups are invited to join us for Jumping world on October 23rd. We will meet at 12:15pm in the Sr. SLY room for lunch. Please bring a dish to share. After lunch we will carpool to Jumping World and Jump for an hour. We will be back to the church by 2:45pm. Cost will be $11 + tax / person. Please RSVP to Jennifer Wright (jennifer@stlukememphis.org) by Friday, October 21st. Please let Jennifer know if you would like to help chaperone this event.

October 30th- Trunk-R-Treat 
Join us on October 30th for our annual Trunk-R-Treat celebration. Trunk-R-Treat is a fun, safe, and friendly environment where kids can walk around the church parking lot and trick or treat as they go from trunk to trunk. We will have games, food, music, prizes, and of course lots and lots of CANDY! The games and activities will begin at 4pm while the adults decorate their cars. Trick or treating will begin at 4:30 (Don't forget to bring your candy to hand out!) and food will be served afterward. All games, food, and activities will be outside so please dress appropriately for the weather.  Trunk-R-Treat is for all ages so bring the whole family and don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors.  We can't wait to see all of your amazing costumes!

St. Luke Lutheran Church's 
Christmas Musical
Why the Chimes Rang
A Christmas Musical for All Ages
By Julia R. Neufeld and Margaret R. Tucker

Children and youth 3 rd  grade and up.  This is a wonderful opportunity to invite a friend to get involved at St. Luke during this Advent season. 
If interested, please contact Becky Arendt (  rearendt@hotmail.com or  720-227-4669) or Jennifer Wright (  jennifer@stlukememphis.org )
Practices will begin in October on Wednesday evenings and go through the beginning of December.
Sunday, 10/2/16- 12:00PM Parent/Participant meeting
Wednesday,10/5/16-  5:45-7:00
Wednesday, 10/12/16- No rehearsal FALL BREAK
Wednesday, 10/19/16-  5:45-7:00
Wednesday, 10/26/16-  5:45-7:00
Wednesday, 11/2/16-  5:45-7:00
Wednesday, 11/9/16-  5:45-7:00
Wednesday, 11/16/16-  5:45-7:00
Wednesday, 11/23/6- No rehearsal THANKSGIVING BREAK
Wednesday, 11/30/16-  5:30-7:30 rehearsal 1st hour, Dress Rehearsal second hour
Saturday, 12/3/16, time: TBD-- Final Dress Rehearsal
Sunday, 12/4/16 call time  7:45AM; performances  8:30 & 11:00



 


Parish Talk

Fellowship News:

Leaders Needed
The nominating committee is looking for three leaders to serve in 2017.  The open positions are:  
Vice President - as a member of the Executive Committee and Council they work closely with the President to support the ministries at St. Luke;
Secretary - as a member of the Executive Committee and Council they maintain the official records of our church;
Council Representative, Social Ministry - as a member of Council and the Social Ministry Committee they are a key leader of the committee that is St. Luke's hands and feet in the community.

 The Executive Committee is where much of the business of the church is conducted with the resource ministries of Mutual Ministry, Property and Finance reporting to this committee.  Council has the responsibility for intra ministry communication and approval of business matters as proposed by the Executive Committee.  If you are interested in discussing any of these positions, please note this on your weekly communications card or call Gary Conway - 901-493-3095.       
    


FALL BREAK!
October 10 - 14 is Fall Break for our schools.  We will not have WEB Meal or Children's Activities Oct. 12.




OTHER PARISH TALK
(Sue Malone is the contributor for "Other Parish Talk" and "Sermon Notes")

     Welcome home, Pastor Cliff and Lisa! We hope your sojourn was restful and relaxing.  We're so glad to have you back at St. Luke!  Praises!!
     Hooray for our new pavilion!  After many hours of planning and building, our newest facility is ready for use.  We dedicated the pavilion in September as part of our "God's Work, Our Hands" event and now we're ready to enjoy it.  Many thanks to all who had a part in this creation - now get ready for our next project!
      Here's to everyone who took part in the work day at St. Luke.  Blessings to our youth and adults for all their dedication.  We could just kiss ourselves, we're so pretty! AND the community is a happier place, as well.  
     The Silver Weed-Wacker Award goes to --- ta da!--- Burk and Roberta Renner, winners of the "yard of the month" from the city of Bartlett, in August.  Everyone who is surprised, raise your hand.  Right - I don't see any hands, but we'll put our hands together for this creative couple.  Congrats, you two!
      And more awards!  George Malone took home two ribbons at this summer's Delta Fair:  First Place and Best In Show for his Puffin bird carving.  This guy has a way with a knife, that's for sure.  Great job, George!
     The St. Luke Bionic Babes welcomes its newest member, Jane Johnson, who has a new knee.  Jane judged it was judicious to just join the joint jumpers and juxtapose a new joint over the jinky joint that left her in a jam.  The jury's out on how jolly Jane is, but Harry is jubilant and not joking a jot about her jerky jostlings.  Yeah!          
     
     We congratulate our new confirmands in their affirmation of baptism.  We  are proud of them for maturing in faith and life.  Blessings to all these young folks.
     

And we celebrated Pastor Cliff's Sept. 13 birthday!


Sermon Notes
     Wise words from Paul White:  First of all, don't park in the pastor's parking place!  Ask Paul about this...  Next, ask yourself what your gifts are.  We all share the gift of hospitality; there are no "throw-aways" when it comes to human beings.  You may entertain angels and not know it.  Words and actions should provide shelter and a sense of healing.  Minister to others in their weakness.  Jesus showed us how to do this when the Word became flesh and gave us  redemption.  How do we define a stranger?  He or she is a person of different ethnic or culture.  So-spread the Word and your hospitality!
      Jesus said, "Follow me."  Like Timothy, the faith of generations before us now resides in us.  Jesus doesn't wait until our faith is perfect to invite us to follow Him.  We may not feel good enough in our brokenness, our failures, but we have been chosen.  Remember Jesus knows rejection!     Don't give up on the church - we are making a difference!  We all need God's love and mercy; understanding our failures pushes us to Christ, our source of love.  He meets us where we are - He chooses us!    
     More notes:  We cannot serve God and wealth.  The poor will get their reward in heaven, but we need to share blessings and abundance now. We need to be an example to others by sharing God's word (Albert Schweitzer).  It's generosity vs greed, so don't hold on!  Serve others, act and live in God's kingdom now.  "The only ones who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."  (Albert Schweitzer)
      Many thanks to Tanya for her gift of decoration!  The altar area reflects God's abundance and her talent.  Bless you, Tanya!
      Our very special guest, Mr. Nubar Yacoubian witnessed to us about the incredible influence the Gideon bibles make, all over the globe.  God's word is sharper than any sword.  2 billion bibles have been distributed in over 200 countries and we are invited to share in these gifts.  The Gideon motto is:  Christ in every heart.
      We were honored with a beautiful song, written and sung by Carl Fritsche, son of Paul and Shirley.  What a blessing he is to others - his music touches the hearts of so many and we are so fortunate to have heard him share his gifts.                                                

                                                                                                                                                                    
PICTURES PLEASE!!!
Jane Johnson is updating our member photo album.  Please bring or email a current photo of yourself and/or family to patti@stlukememphis.org.  Thanks!


God's Work, Our Hands Sunday

Here are some samples of the service we performed for others on Sept. 11...






 
 
  
October Anniversaries
 CONGRATULATIONS!   
           

Don & Thelma Sheneman   10/4/1986 
Brad & Jennifer Hamil          10/4/2008
Pete & Britta Hall                  10/5/2013
Bob & Lorre Pietenpol         10/7/1989 
Danny & Theresa Graham   10/12/1996 
Dan & Sandra Glover           10/13/1982 
Mike & Jennifer Sampson   10/14/2006 
S teve & Carrie Leder           10/17/2000 
Matthew & Ginny Searight   10/17/2014 
Kent & Tammy Anderson     10/18/1986 
Jim & Andrea Steadman     10/25/1997 
C arol & Blaine Mattison       10/31/2002 

At 34 Years Dan & Sandra Glover are the special couple for the month of October!

October Birthdays 
  
October Birthdays!!


Donna Lee 10/1
Jennifer Hamil 10/1
Jaden Miskowiec 10/1
Tom Millican 10/2
Joan Kaswinkel 10/2
Lucas Hutchison 10/3
C.J. Millican 10/3
Joyce Spillars 10/5
Greyson Clegg 10/5
Mary Westphal 10/7
Tom Drochner 10/9
Barbara Stavely 10/10
Les Morley 10/10
Catie Greenwald 10/11
Sammie Blackburn 10/13
Steve White 10/15
Sam Sedlacek 10/16
David Wright 10/16
Sharon Lehner 10/16
Brittany Betts 10/17


Joseph Williamson 10/17
Cindy Metz 10/17
Christopher Harvey 10/18
Evie Apple 10/18
Logan Miskowiec 10/18
Samuel Houston 10/19
Christopher Vacante 10/19
Paul Blair 10/19
Ji-Jeong Villasenor 10/21
Tommy Muhs 10/23
Jason Richardson 10/24
Richard Morgan 10/25
Allison Tidwell 10/26
Shannon Clayton 10/26
Brandi Cowan 10/26
Liliana Long 10/27
Arlene Oleartchick 10/27
Ken Westphal 10/28
Beverly Rickert 10/29
Jim Allay 10/29
Bethanie Dolph 10/29
Andrew Carbonell 10/30
Margie Lehner
 10/31
Deb Miltner 10/31


Lawn Schedule
  
  Oct. 1   -   BLUE
  Oct. 8   -    BROWN
  Oct. 15 -   GREEN
  Oct. 22 -   GOLD




   









Brown Team is the team of the year. Jimmy and Jacob Dolph are MVP and Rookie. Bill Frye and Burk Renner receive the Special Recognition Award for service beyond the call of duty.

Good Stewards
 
The Good Stewards List for October  has been posted. Please note your scheduled times; if you are unable to serve, please make arrangements to switch with someone and notify your Chief Steward and Patti of your change.  

Click on this link to access the schedule: Good Stewards

The Good Stewards schedule is also found on our church website under Calendar and Events from the "Get Involved" icon.

Are you having trouble with Planning Center?  Please contact David Potter at:

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES-KIDS & YOUTH & ADULTS
 

Sunday School Classes
Preschool
Cradle Roll (ages up to 2 y/o)      Nursery

2's and 3's                                      Room #106           Amy Wright
                                                                                             Carol Mattison
                                                                                             Meredith Watson
 
Pre-K 4's and K 5's                       Room #113            Wendy and John                                                                                                             Wadovick

Elementary
1st, 2nd, 3rd grades                    Room #108             Vikki and Dale Ernst


Youth  
4th, 5th, 6th grades                   Room # 154               Thomas Summers
                                                                                              Priscilla Hughes

7th and 8th grades                    Room # 142               Jim Allay
                                                                                              Sophia Bahlinger                 
9th - 12th grades                        Youth Room             Jennifer and Paul                                                                                                       Wright

Bell Choir                                    Sanctuary                   David Potter


Adult
Women of Faith                          Room # 152               Jennifer Carkeet
Study- Little Miss Perfect:
Discovering God's Purpose 
Without the Pressure

Real Faith for Real Life             Room # 111                Paul and Connie         Study-                                                                                       White
"Prayer; Does it                                                         
Make any Difference"  

Men of Faith                               Room #135                Chris Carkeet
Study- Gods At War

Pastor's Class                           Old Kitchen                Pastor Cliff
Study- How Lutherans Read 
the Bible (class begins 
September 4th) Great for those
new to the Lutheran church 
and those who want to become 
better acquainted with the Bible. 

FINANCIAL UPDATE

September 25 Contributions to General Fund
This Week
    5,780
Budget per Week     8,173
This Year YTD
321,154
Budget YTD
318,750
Last Year YTD
353,876


STEWARDSHIP

OV ER 70-1/2?
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD's) have been permanently extended to individuals 70-1/2 and over. These are direct contributions from a qualified IRA (traditional or Roth) to a qualified charity (St. Luke). They do not first go to the owner of the IRA, but instead go directly to the charity from the IRA trustee or custodian. So what are the advantages?
QCDs are included in meeting the test of Required Minimum Distributions (RMD's) from your IRA upon reaching 70-1/2 years of age;
Deductibility limits do not apply to QCDs up to a maximum of $100,000;
If you do not itemize you could possibly still get a tax deduction for charitable contribution s through lower income assuming that you would otherwise withdraw your charitable contribution from your IRA;
If you pay taxes on a portion of your Social Security, QCDs may reduce reported income below the RMD . This may also help in cases where you are subject to tax on Net Investment Income, or phase-out of personal exemptions or itemized deductions.
If you feel that this is something that would be of advantage to you, talk to your tax advisor. QCD's only became permanent this year so a lot of folks are not familiar with the new law.


 
You now have the option to give to St. Luke by scanning our QR code with your Smartphone!  
The code will be on the back of the bulletin each Sunday.  Thank you for supporting the ministries 
of St. Luke!
 
St. Luke Lutheran Church
2000 Germantown Parkway N.
Cordova, TN 38016
901-756-8850
 
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