| This Week at St. Luke’s |
| Public Health Indicators: here Free COVID test from Durham County here. Click here and scroll down for Online Worship Bulletin. We ask that if someone attends a service and then tests positive for covid, that they please contact the Interim Rector or Sr. Warden for both pastoral care needs and also to inform others that may have come in close contact. Sunday, October 9 8 and 10:30am Holy Eucharist – masks recommended, required while singing The Rev. Dr. Rhonda M. Lee, Preacher and Presider 9:10 – 10 am Adult Learning – Kramer Room 12 – 7 pm Pumpkin Patch Monday, October 10 1 – 7 pm Pumpkin Patch 6:30 pm Finance Committee Tuesday, October 11 1 – 7 pm Pumpkin Patch Wednesday, October 12 8 am Morning Prayer on Zoom 8:45 am Staff Meeting on Zoom 1:30 am Prayer and Share on Zoom 1 – 7 pm Pumpkin Patch 7 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal – Nave Thursday, October 13 11 am Music Lessons – Nave 1 – 7 pm Pumpkin Patch 7 pm Bible Study on Zoom Friday, October 14 1:00 pm Connections and Support Group by Zoom 1 – 7 pm Pumpkin Patch 6:30 – 8 pm Friday Fling Saturday, October 15 8 am Fall Fling 9 am Altar Guild – Nave 10 am – 7 pm Pumpkin Patch 10 am Girl Scouts – Gray Building |
| New This Week |
| We are beginning to receive responses to the Every Member Canvas mailing. Thank you!! If you have not yet returned your response, please do so at your earliest convenience.. Celebrate St. Luke! October 16th following both services, we will have a celebratory fellowship time with festive cupcakes and ice cream in honor of our patron saint, Luke (St. Luke’s day is October 18). We hope to see lots of you wearing red this day in celebration! Outreach Funds – At the September vestry meeting six Durham non-profit organizations, and El Buen Pastor Episcopal Church, were proposed for the disbursement of $9,000 available Outreach funds. The proposal was discussed and approved. Checks have been sent with letters from St. Luke’s informing the recipients of their being selected. Outreach funds are collected from plate donations at Christmas, Easter, and various fundraising events (such as Pumpkin Patch and Fall Fling) during the year. The November Newsletter will have more information about Outreach. For now, we give thanks to everyone who helped make our Outreach efforts possible. Voting at St. Luke’s too! There will be a preliminary meeting of the parish on October 30th to report on vestry nominations, take nominations from the floor, and inform regarding amendments to 2 sections in the bylaws. Our election for the vestry, as well as bylaws amendment approval, will be on November 13th after both services. Peace, Lisa D’Amico, Ted Triebel, Julia Hoyle; St. Luke’s 2022 Vestry Nomination Committee Durham Habitat for Humanity is excited to share that they are hosting the first Interfaith Build since before COVID on Friday, October 21st. Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church and Beth El are co-leading the event, and there are still spots for additional volunteers to participate. St Luke’s has had a long and deep connection with Habitat’s work here in Durham. There will be two volunteer build shifts (morning from 8:30 – 11:30 am and afternoon 12:30 – 3:30 pm) with a meal, provided by volunteers, shared in between. The details on how to sign up are below. If you are interested in volunteering to build, or helping with lunch, please contact Rich Kells at Durham Habitat (rkells@durhamhabitat.org or 919-943-2172). All are welcome. Thank you for stepping out in faith to support Habitat’s work. Prayer Shawl Ministry Do you knit or crochet? Do you want to learn? Do you have yarn that you would like to donate? St. Luke’s Prayer Shawl Ministry could use your help. Prayer Shawls are given to people who are ill, recovering from an illness, or grieving the loss of a loved one. In addition to prayer shawls, we also make chemo caps for the Duke Blood Cancer Center and are hoping to start making scarves for homeless neighbors. We do our knitting at home and meet once a month in the Kramer Room to knit/crochet and enjoy each other’s company (date and time to be determined.) However, it is not necessary to attend the meetings to participate. If you are interested, please contact Grams Gutknecht for more information. Join the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham to honor and remember 49 lives. All were taken from us by violence in Durham County during 2021. Over 90% (46 or 49) ended by gunshot wounds. Each one is a tragic reminder of over 900 more lives in 30 years, similarly snatched away and still powerfully missed. Every one an immeasurable, unforgettable loss to our community. The 30th Annual Vigil Against Violence will be held outdoors Saturday, October 15 at 10:00 am on the grounds of Elizabeth Street United Methodist Church (1209 N. Elizabeth Street). As a Coalition seeking to be of and for all of Durham, we invite people of faith and goodwill to unite in public mourning for the inequitable human toll of our collective violence. |
| Announcements |
| It’s Time to Order Belize Pecans 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 the same two varieties as in previous years: Plain and Dark Chocolate Covered, both for $11.50 for a one-pound bag. All pecans are fresh from this year’s crop. You may fill out an order form in the Sprague Room and leave it in the box, or order online at https://forms.gle/VTAZf9k4nrSZyAzDA . Instructions for paying for your pecans are included on the forms. The deadline for placing your order and making your payment to St. Luke’s is October 31. Pecans will arrive from Georgia in time for us to distribute them before Thanksgiving. Questions? Contact Bob Moore. Fall 2022 Adult Learning Offerings, Sunday mornings, 9:10-10:00, Kramer Room(opposite the narthex/vestibule as you enter the church from the north side visitor parking) Please note: on Sundays when no adult learning is offered, we will enjoy extended fellowship time. October: Diocesan Intern Kate Rademacher will lead a four-part series, “Finding Rest in a Weary World”· October 9: Seeking Sabbath in an Overscheduled World· October 23: What Does Mindfulness Mean to Christians?· October 30: Protecting the Right to Rest for All Thirty copies of Kate’s most recent book, Reclaiming Rest, are available free of charge in the Sprague Room (next to the Kramer Room), courtesy of the Adult Learning Budget. First come, first served. November: Rector Rhonda Lee will lead a discussion of the communion of saints.· November 6: What is the communion of saints?· November 13: How good does a saint have to be?· November 20: Making friends with the saints December: Diocesan Intern Kate Rademacher will lead a discussion of evangelism, adapted from the curriculum, Embracing Evangelism—The Episcopal Church.· December 4: Embracing Evangelism by Sharing Our Stories· December 11: Embracing Evangelism in the Age of Social Media Diocese of NC Video and Book Club The Diocese of North Carolina is offering a 10-part video and book study of Jemar Tisby’s second book How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey toward Racial Justice on Tuesdays 12:00 -1:00 PM on October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 1, 15, 22, and January 17, 24, 31. During the weekly meeting via Zoom, participants will watch the video series together and engage in conversation. Through the ARC of Racial Justice model—Awareness, Relationships, and Commitment—Tisby provides a practical framework for pursuing racial justice with hands-on suggestions bolstered by real-world examples of change. This book study is for anyone who believes it is time to stop compromising with racism and courageously confront it! Register here: https://bit.ly/HowtoFight22 Confirmation/Reception/Reaffirmation/Inquirers’ Class Coming in October and November A Joint Venture Between St. Luke’s and St. Joseph’s If you’re new to St. Luke’s or the Episcopal Church and want to learn more; if it’s time for you to be confirmed, or to be received into the Episcopal Church if you’ve already been confirmed in another Christian tradition; if you’re feeling called to reaffirm your Christian faith: Please participate in an adult formation opportunity jointly offered by The Rev. Dr. Lauren F. Winner of St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church and our own Rector Time Certain Rhonda M. Lee. We expect that the group will include members of both congregations. Dates: Tuesdays the 25th of October and the 8th, 15th, and 29th of November, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Topics: 25 October: Our common life: Episcopal church governance 8 November: Reading the Bible as Episcopalians 15 November: Prayer 29 November: Sacraments Location: St. Luke’s, Kramer Room (next to the narthex/vestibule as you enter from the north side visitor parking)The date of confirmation/reception/reaffirmation is still to be determined and will depend on the date of a bishop’s visit or a convocation-wide confirmation service. Need more information? Ask Rhonda. “Cast your vote, not on a partisan basis, not based on your biases, but vote your values. Vote the values of human dignity and equality. Vote the values of the rock on which this country was built. Vote.” -The Most Rev. Michael CurryFall is voting season! Early voting begins October 20- Nonpartisan voter resources are available here. And here’s an appeal from The Rev. Sally Johnston and Ms. Aleta Payne of the Bishops’ Council of Advice on Public Policy: “We call on all churches to encourage members to get out to vote. This is not to say who to vote for, but to encourage informed, active, activated voters. You all are trusted narrators in time when there is such mistrust and doubt. The Episcopal Church does not take positions on any political candidates or parties, and clergy are not allowed to tell others how to vote.” Just vote! And encourage your friends and neighbors to vote, too. Rector to be in the office on Tuesdays. Starting the 13th of September, I will work in the church office on Tuesdays, approximately 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feel free to stop by or make an appointment to see me. Before dropping by, you might want to call to make sure I haven’t stepped out for lunch, or stepped into another meeting. Exceptions to this “office day” will be announced ahead of time whenever possible. One exception is October 4th, when I’ll be out for continuing education. If Tuesdays don’t work for you, please call or email me to make an appointment for another day. I will look forward to seeing you! Rhonda Blessing of the Animals will be held on Saturday, October 8 from 3:30 – 5 pm on the lawn at St. Luke’s. All family pets are invited to receive a simple blessing. Water and treats will be available. Parking in the rear of the church. Please note for everyone’s safety, all pets must be restrained – on a leash or in an appropriate carrier. If this would be too stressful for you or your pet, you may bring a picture or a video instead. In case of rain, we will offer the blessings as a drive through. Celebrating Bishop Anne! A series of farewell celebrations have been planned in honor of Bishop Anne Hodges-Copple’s upcoming retirement. Hosted at four sites throughout the Diocese, each drop-in event will feature hors d’oeuvres, music and lots of local flavor. We hope you’ll join us to say goodbye to Bishop Anne and to thank her for all of her work on behalf of the Diocese! Dates and locations have been set, and registration links are becoming available. Please save the date and register! Sunday, Oct. 16, 2-4 p.m., at St. Michael’s, Raleigh Saturday, Oct. 29, 2-4 p.m., at Good Shepherd, Rocky Mount Sunday, Oct. 30, time TBD, at St. Andrew’s, Greensboro If you’d like to make a gift to Bishop Anne’s discretionary fund in honor of her retirement, you can do so here. St. Luke’s Pumpkin Patch and Pumpkin sale October 1st-October 31st. Please consider helping with our Pumpkin Patch and Pumpkin sale this year. We have many needs: Poles and lights set-up, pallet placement, wheelbarrows and wagons, many, many hands to unload the semi- truck, cashiers, sales and general “patch” help. Sign-up sheet available at St. Luke’s south door entry or here. Contact Beth Bonner for any questions. Preowned Christmas Decorations Sale, Saturday, November 5th, 8 am – 12 noon. Volunteers are needed to help set up Johnson Hall, help with pre-pricing items Wednesday through Friday, Nov 2-4. Cashiers and sales persons are needed for the sale Saturday, Nov 5. Check with Beth Bonner. After two years of waiting, the time is now to mark your calendars and clean out those closets for the Annual St. Luke’s Fall Fling! Returning this year will be biscuits and coffee all day, outside in the breezeway! Also, returning this year is the Friday Fling on Friday, October 14! New this year: gently used sportswear with your favorite (and least favorite) team names. Donations for the sale will be accepted beginning October 9 through October 14 before noon. Masks will be required inside Johnson Hall and food and beverages must be consumed outside. We hope to see you then! Any questions, contact Joan Hodges or Lisa D’Amico. Sports apparel for sale at the Fling (October 9-15)… Here’s a new addition to this year’s Fling. Do you have a well-loved UNC sweatshirt that you just don’t wear anymore, or maybe a Duke Blue Devils tee that doesn’t quite fit like it did a few pounds ago? Normally, clothing is not accepted for the sale. However, this time around we’re creating a special category for college and sports team logo clothing such as t-shirts, sweatshirts/ hoodies, caps, jackets, and related items. Good examples are items from area schools and teams such as Tarheels, Blue Devils, Eagles, Hurricanes, and of course the Durham Bulls(!), other professional teams such as the Carolina Panthers or Atlanta Braves, or even your far-off alma mater, no matter how big or small. We’d like to be able to offer really nice items for a good price, so please hold back anything that isn’t in great shape. Marlys Ray will be organizing these items, and would love to receive your donations in advance so they can be sorted and priced early. Join us online for Morning Prayer – Wednesdays at 8am – Join our diocesan intern, Kate Rademacher, for Morning Prayer on Zoom on Wednesday mornings at 8am. As part of her discernment to potential ordination, Kate is strongly encouraged to pray the Daily Office, and she is eager to do this in community with people at St. Luke’s who may want to participate. Whether you have a long-standing practice of praying the Daily Office or whether it’s brand new to you, everyone is welcome! Join us online using this Zoom link: https://bit.ly/3dsRusD . For questions, please contact Kate. |
| Full Article – A New Chapter at LEAP! An important step for any nonprofit is to grow beyond its founding and continue to evolve. LEAP has taken an exciting step in that direction with a change in leadership. On October 3rd, Megan McCurley will begin working with LEAP as the new Executive Director. Megan is ideally suited to assume the role of Executive Director. She is the parent of two children who attended Nuestra Escuelita. She has worked with Durham Public Schools as a parent liason. She is an experienced fundraiser and has led other organizations. She is proud of her Columbian heritage, has a track record of supporting Latino families and is excited about empowering our parents and children. Meanwhile, our students at Nuestra Escuelita are rolling right along. Almost fifty children are enrolled and quickly adjusting to the routines of the school day. We are always looking for an extra pair of hands to help in our classrooms. We are wearing masks inside but spending most of our time un-masked and outside – where there there’s plenty of fresh air. To apply to be a Volunteer Teaching Assistant, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/mr239za3 . Our tutoring program is continuing to operate remotely. The advantage of this mode is that the time and day are flexible for each tutoring pair. We are accepting applications for new tutors. No teaching experience or Spanish is required. It is important for tutors to be comfortable with zoom and using an (easy-to-follow) online curriculum. To apply to be a tutor, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/tedd2szs . Our 11th Annual Jingle Bell LEAP is coming up on Saturday December 3rd. Details about registration will be posted on our website soon. Mark your calendar to come out and run, walk or stroll with us! Fall is the perfect time to link, or re-link, your Harris Teeter VIC card with LEAP, naming us as the school you’d like to support- for free! You can link your card online at: https://tinyurl.com/45cmm5ez or at the service counter at Durham Harris Teeter stores (ask them to link you with LEAP, Nuestra Escuelita or #2840). Every time you buy a HT product this school year, they will send us a donation. (If you’ve linked with us before, that link has expired; you have to re-up each fall.) Thank you for keeping LEAP in your prayers. To keep up with what’s happening at LEAP, please follow us on social media (durhamleap). |
| Please be advised that neither the clergy nor your vestry will ever ask for help, gift cards, etc. through emails or text messages. There have been more bogus texts being received. 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. |
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