| This Week at St. Luke’s |
| Public Health Indicators: here Event risk assessment: here. Free COVID test from Durham County here. Click here and scroll down for Online Worship Bulletin Saturday 9:30 Girl Scouts – Johnson Hall 10-7 Pumpkin Patch – Gray Building Playground Sunday 9:30 In-Person Masked Indoor Worship signup here Rev. Kathryn Mathewson, Celebrant and Preacher 9:30 Livestream worship on Facebook 9:30 Children’s Sunday School 10:30 Youth – Youth Room – Gray Building 12:30 Girl Scouts – Johnson Hall 1-7 Pumpkin Patch – Gray Building Playground Tuesday 7pm Bible Study on Zoom Wednesday 8:45 Staff meeting on Zoom 11:30 Prayer and Share on Zoom 7 pm Handbell Rehearsal – Nave Friday 1:00 Connections and Support Group by Zoom Saturday 7:30 Work Day 9:30 Girl Scouts – Johnson Hall Upcoming Schedule of Clergy for Worship 11/7/21 Rev. Jim Craven, Celebrant; Sam Laurent, Preacher 11/14/21 Rev. Jeanine Driscoll, Celebrant & Preacher 11/21/21 Rev. Jim Craven, Celebrant & Preacher 11/28/21 Rev. Kathryn Mathewson, Celebrant & Preacher For Pastoral Care concerns, contact Jim Craven or Sr. Warden Eileen Morgan |
| New This Week |
| Vestry Transition Update After considering several clergy options for our transition, the Vestry has chosen the Traditional Interim Rector option. Bishop Rodman and Catherine Massey, the Canon for Transition and Pastoral Ministries, are currently screening candidates to present to the Vestry for consideration. Every Member Canvas update: One week to go! Thanks to all who have returned a pledge card for the EMC Campaign this fall, “Belong to the Lord”. We are making good progress, but we are still short of our aspirations for the 2022 St Luke’s budget. Remember, please return all pledge cards – or email/call Kathy with your 2022 pledge amount – by next Sunday, November 7th. Ingathering Sunday is an important milestone, and will help our church leaders as they faithfully plan and organize the good work of St Luke’s for the year ahead. “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord” (Psalm 24:1) El Buen Pastor Food Distributions will be held on Saturday, October 30 and Saturday, November 6. Contact Peter Jacobi for more information or to help. Request Vestry Election Absentee Ballot Now If you will not be present on Sunday, November 14 for the Vestry Election, we encourage you to vote for Vestry using an absentee ballot. Request one by e-mail or call the office. Vote for up to 4 candidates. Completed PRINTED ballot and attestations must be received by 10am on Friday November 12. You can mail with sufficient time or drop in the church mailbox (end of the drive between Johnson Hall/Sprague Room). Members who register and attend in-person worship on Sunday, November 14 should vote at worship, not before. Jeff Dawson Just as Jay Sidebotham announced he was leaving St. Luke’s, my wife, Linda, and I transferred from a smaller church in town. We had been over committed at our previous church, and our intention was and has been to keep a low profile at St. Luke’s. Our preference for the quieter and reflective early service has also limited the number of parishioners we know. In the past, I had experience serving on vestry (and senior warden) and was involved in clergy search/recruitment as well as several other parish activities, but my involvement at St. Luke’s has been very limited. Stephanie Yancy did manage to recruit me to help craft a set of guidelines for employee expectations and assessment that were forwarded to the vestry for consideration. So given this history, why consider a nomination to serve on vestry—and at this stage of my life? It is a fair question. Linda and I recently moved to Croasdaile Village and connected with an incredible group of parishioners here. It is through discussions with them that I thought I might be able to contribute to the difficult work of the vestry in the next three years. I retired “gradually” as a professor, administrator and faculty ombuds at Duke. In the latter position, I worked with many faculty having strained relationships with Duke and could bring this experience to the parish. In another capacity, I had been involved in medical school admissions for Duke and continue this for the new Duke-NUS School of Medicine in Singapore. As a consequence, I have a lot of experience in recruitment and assessment of talent. Hetty Kaiserlik My family and I have been attending St. Luke’s for about 10 years. I was not raised in the Episcopal church but I feel I have found my true home here. My husband Joe was on the vestry a number of years ago and I have been thinking about being a vestry member since then. I realize that St. Luke’s has come through some major changes in the last two years and that there are more challenges to come. I feel the working of God in our church and in our lives and I would like to lend my perspective and insights to our ongoing efforts to find the will of God for our church.I have a Master’s degree in Library Science and have worked in many different libraries over the last 40 years. I retired in 2016 from Forest View Elementary School here in Durham. My husband and I raised two children and also our granddaughter. She is now a college freshman and the “empty nest” is upon me. I would be happy to serve our church as a vestry member. Bob King When Mary Etta and I moved to Durham in 2019, we planned to visit a number of churches in order to learn more about the culture of the city. After our first Sunday at St Luke’s, however, we were so warmly welcomed that integrating ourselves into this parish family became more important than our prior ambitions. Our ties were deepened when we joined a supper group, Mary Etta began cooking for Clericus and the Episcopal Center at Duke, and I joined the Stewardship Team and Phillip Bass’s Priesthood Discernment Committee. Although Mary Etta and I each worshipped in a variety of traditions into our twenties, for the next forty years, we were active members of an Episcopal church in Lexington, Massachusetts. During that time, I co-taught 4th/5th grade Sunday School, Confirmation class, and a middle school youth group; coordinated Liturgy Teams; and served three terms on the Vestry. I was a warden for three clergy transitions, experience that may be helpful to the next St Luke’s Vestry. My most faith deepening ministry was working with five other leaders in an ecumenical effort to resettle thirteen Cambodian families over a period of ten years, an experience that makes me particularly encouraged by the excitement shown by St Luke’s members to work with St Titus, St Joseph’s, and Church World Service to resettle Afghani refugees over the coming months. Although in retirement I hoped to be done with parish governance, if elected I will gladly serve in gratitude for the love we have found at St. Luke’s. Barbara Longmire Dear people of St. Luke’s: My name is Barbara Longmire, and I am asking for your support for a Vestry position in the upcoming Vestry elections. My husband(Wilbur Longmire) and I have been communicants at St. Luke’s for a number of years. St. Luke’s is our spiritual “home” and the people our spiritual brothers and sisters. I have a special passion for adult formation, and have led various classes at StL. I have served on St. Luke vestries in the past, but I believe we are at a truly new crossroads with multiple possible directions for our ministry to each other and the wider world. Now is a time to think deeper, love stronger, and always be attentive to the still, small voice that is God. Should I be elected, I will serve God and this parish to the best of my ability, and with a listening ear.. E. June Santa Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, the Episcopal Church has been a part of my life since I was a child. I sang in the Children’s Choir and was involved in EYC. After my Father accepted a job here and prior to the family’s arrival, he visited St. Luke’s on Club Boulevard one Sunday. We have been members ever since. My active involvement at St. Luke’s has continued over the years. They include: Serving on the Vestry several times, Altar Guild, Choir member, Pastoral Care Committee, Lay Eucharistic Visitor Coordinator, Lay Reader, Chalice Bearer and Crucifer. As a member of the Vestry, I would welcome and listen to the views of all parishioners as we journey together during this time of transition. Babs Wise A cradle Episcopalian and preacher’s kid, Babs Wise and her family joined St. Luke’s in 1988. Since then, she has served on the vestry several times and has served as Senior Warden for three years. Additionally, she was chair of Christian Education for 10+ years, served on the 1990s edition of the Long Range Planning Committee, the 2010s Dream Team, on a search committee, on the Finance Committee, Every Member Canvass for several years, and as a delegate to the Diocesan Convention for two terms. She and some other St. Luker’s are now working with St. Titus and St. Joes to help resettle Afghan refugees in the area. Babs has been married to Jim Wise for almost 45 years. They have two children, two wonderful children-in-law and 5, almost 6 grandchildren. Babs is retiring from Duke in January. At Duke, her most recent position has been as a Fellowship Advisor working with students to attain nationally competitive scholarships like the Rhodes, Truman and Fulbright. She also serves on the board of a national professional organization. Coming out of a pandemic and without a rector, St. Luke’s now needs to find ways to re-build and strengthen our community. We have long been known for our involvement in outreach and found meaning in serving others. Babs looks forward to the road ahead for the parish. Durham Episcopal Coalition for Afghan Resettlement To assist Afghan people who have been evacuated from their homeland, a large group of St. Luke’s folks gathered in the parking lot a few weeks ago to imagine what we could do to help. Out of that gathering, we formed a committee, and we reached out to have St. Titus and St. Joe’s join us. All three vestries have now agreed that in conjunction with Church World Service we would form a team and co-sponsor a family as they settle in to Durham. We are responsible for finding housing, furnishing the housing, and supporting the family for four months as they gain self-sufficiency in Durham. A small team from the three churches will give direct service to our family under the direction of a CWS case worker. But there is work to do behind the scenes as well. How You Can Help: 1. Donate Money! Make checks payable to St. Luke’s and put “Afghan Resettlement” and your church’s name in the memo section. 2. Contribute! We will soon publish a Sign Up Genius for donations of furniture, household goods, and groceries. 3. Volunteer! Fill out this survey to let us know how you can help. In addition to money and goods, sign up to work on a committee to support our Afghan family. Contact Babs Wise or Joan Hodges for more information. |
| Announcements |
| PECANS FOR BELIZE 2021 – Last Chance to Order!St. Luke’s is once again selling delicious South Georgia pecans to raise money for Holy Cross Anglican School in Belize. We’re selling pecans in two varieties: Plain and Dark Chocolate Covered, both for $11.00 for a one-pound bag. All pecans are fresh from this year’s crop.The deadline for placing your order and making your payment to St. Luke’s is November 1. To order, either fill out and return this pdf order form to St. Luke’s (1737 Hillandale Road, Durham NC 27705) or order online at https://forms.gle/7WgxCvHBh3yy9REg6.There are also two ways to pay:· Mail a check to St. Luke’s with “BELIZE PECANS” on the memo line.· Pay through ACS, specifying “Belize Pecans” as the fund.Historically, our pecan proceeds have supported the Holy Cross feeding program. This year, however, we will be directing the funds to support for Leticia, the Holy Cross graduate we’ve been supporting through San Pedro High School on Ambergris Caye. We have one more year to support Leticia, leading up to her graduation from SPHS in June of 2023.Pecans will be available for pickup a few days before Thanksgiving. You’ll be contacted at that time with details on how we’ll be handling pickup.As always, thanks for your support. GO PLAY SAVE COUPON BOOKS St Luker’s the GoPlaySave coupon books have arrived! Coupons can be redeemed with participating merchants throughout the greater triangle area. Coupons are valid now until November 30, 2022. Cost $30.00 per book:. Cash, checks or credit cards Sales after Church on Sundays, or contact me and we can arrange a meeting date/time at St Luke’s under the breezeway. Contact: Beth Bonner CONTACT UPDATES Up-to date contact information can be found online at ACS, or the ChurchLife App for your phone or tablet. Contact Kathy if you have any problems logging onto ACS. You can also ask Kathy to send you a paper directory if needed. GARDEN/GROUNDS WORKDAYS FOR 2021 All workdays begin at 7:30 and last until 10:00 or as long as you can stay. Bring a hat, gloves, water and tools. Contact the workday leader for more information. Nov. 6th Hope Galunas |
| Articles this week from the Diocese You Are Invited: Be a Lay Preacher The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina is one of six dioceses awarded a grant from the Episcopal Preaching Foundation to pilot the Foundation’s Lay Preacher Training Initiative (LPTI). The goal of the program is to develop a robust cadre of lay preachers drawn from within their local communities who can supplement ordained clergy in the pulpit. By training and supporting lay preachers in The Episcopal Church, the program aims to establish lay preaching and lay leadership as a fourth dimension of diocesan leadership in the Episcopal Church alongside bishops, priests and deacons. The Rev. Canon Earnest Graham, canon for regional ministry, and Jenny Beaumont, missioner for adult and lifelong formation, invite you to become a part of this new initiative, as applications are now being accepted.Apply (by Nov. 22)Full program description Interested but want to know more? The Diocese is hosting two informational sessions for those interested in taking part in the program but would like to learn more and ask questions.Thursday, Nov. 4, 2p.m. (Join the meeting; no registration required): This meeting will be led by the Rt. Rev. Sam Rodman and the Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple. Information on the program will be provided, and participants will be encouraged to ask questions. The session will include time for prayer and discernment. A recording will be made available for later viewing.A second evening gathering will be offered; date/time coming soon. Advent Writing Workshop for All Ages Thursday, November 4, 3 – 4 p.m. Lauren Graeber, MDiv and member of St. Mary’s High Point will lead participants through a writing practice that families, youth, or adults can use as part of their Advent preparations. The prompts will assist writers to confront a loss or grief they have recently experienced. The hope is not to cure our grief, but to allow ourselves to explore it, and move forward as we prepare for the miracle of Christmas. After our time working with the writing practice Amy Campbell, children’s and family missioner, will offer some additional ways the materials may be used.  Register |
stlukesdurham.org 