Coffee and Conversation This Sunday:

Christian Nationalism—What It Is and Why It Matters

Please join us for Coffee and Conversation as we take up this timely and important topic.

This will not be a conversation about whether Christians can love their country. Of course we can. Gratitude for the place we call home, for the people who have sacrificed for the common good, and for the ideals of liberty and justice can be good and faithful things.

But Christian faith also asks us to be honest about the difference between love of country and worship of country.

This week, we will look at the history and theology behind Christian nationalism, how it has shown up in American life, and why it is so important for Christians to recognize when the language of faith is being used to bless power, exclusion, fear, or domination.

We will also ask a deeper question: What does it mean to belong first to the kingdom of God? Jesus never calls us to contempt for the world, but he does call us to a loyalty deeper than nation, party, tribe, or flag. Our baptism asks us to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to strive for justice and peace, and to respect the dignity of every human being.

This is a conversation about faith, history, humility, and Christian witness in a complicated time. Join us Sunday at 9 in the Kramer Room for what we hope will be a thoughtful, honest, and faithful conversation.

Children’s Chapel in Johnson Hall

Families are invited to drop their children off before the 10:30 service begins. They will gather for Children’s Chapel and then be led back into the church in time to join the community for the celebration of the Eucharist.

During Children’s Chapel, our children experience Godly Play—a Montessori-based approach to spiritual formation that invites them into the stories of our faith through wonder, imagination, and reflection. It’s a gift to watch our children grow in faith in ways that are both grounded and imaginative, and then return to the table with the whole community.

We offer nursery care from 9-11:45 in our nursery in Johnson Hall, just across the breezeway from the church.

This Sunday we give thanks to God for Wendy Cook’s music ministry at the Offertory. A member of St. Luke’s since 1990, serves on the Vestry, and was recently Junior Warden. She has been an active choral singer since 1976, participated for two years in All-State choirs and has sung with the St. Luke’s Choir since 1992 and has played handbells at St. Luke’s since 2021. She earned her dark blue ribbon in the Voice for Life music curriculum. She founded and continues to serve the parish’s healing ministry and is active in the church’s livestream ministry.

July/August Newsletter

Due to summer schedules, there will not be a July newsletter sent out before the month begins, so the deadline for submitting materials has been moved to July 18. The next newsletter will contain information for both July and August.

If you know of a student connected to St. Luke’s who has recently graduated from high school or college, or who has received honors or other recognition, please let us know!

A Note from our Treasurer

Historically, our pledge contributions and unpledged contributions decline in the summer months, and many of us increase our travels and take vacations. Please remember St. Luke’s and keep your giving current. This will help us greatly with our cash flow.

Thank you all for your continued generosity and commitment in the support of St. Luke’s mission and ministries.

Summer Parish Office Hours

During the summer, the parish office is open Mon-Wed 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The parish coordinator is available by phone or email from home on Thursdays. If you call the church office on Thursdays, your call will be forwarded to her phone. Greg, David, and Monnie will be working and reachable by cell.

IMPORTANT: Please be wary of emails containing an invitation link from someone whose name you may recognize. These are fraudulent. Numerous parishioners have received these recently. Do not open the link in the email. And please be advised that neither the clergy nor your vestry will ever ask for help, gift cards, etc. through emails or text messages.

Notary Public

We are grateful that a St. Luke’s parishioner has recently become a Notary Public to be available to St. Luke’s people who cannot get to a Notary Public. Those who are homebound, hospitalized, etc. and need notary service may contact the parish coordinator who will contact the parishioner. There is no charge for the parishioner’s services.

This Week’s Calendar

(Please check parish calendar at stlukesdurham.org for

updates that may have occurred since printing.)

Friday, June 19

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Connections and Support, Zoom

Saturday, June 20

8-10 a.m. Garden Work Day

9:30-10:30 a.m. Altar Guild setup, Nave

10 a.m. Labyrinth Walk, behind Gray Building

Sunday, June 21

8 and 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II

  Presider and Preacher: The Rev. Greg Farrand

9-10 a.m. Coffee and Conversation—Christian Nationalism: What It Is and Why It    Matters, Kramer Room

10:15-11:30 Children’s Chapel

12:30 p.m. Iglesia El Buen Pastor Holy Eucharist, Nave

Monday, June 22

10 a.m. Calendar Team meeting, Kramer Room

6:30-8:30 p.m. Vestry Meeting

7-10 p.m. Church Campus Cleaning

Tuesday, June 23

9 a.m. Centering Prayer, Nave

10-11:30 a.m. Staff Meeting, parish office closed

11 a.m. Croasdaile Eucharist

Wednesday, June 24

10 a.m. Newcomers Ministry meeting, Kramer Room

11:30 a.m. Noonday Prayer, Zoom

3-4:30 p.m. Pastoral Care Ministry meeting, Kramer Room

Thursday, June 25

6-8 p.m. Music Room reserved for Iglesia El Buen Pastor choir rehearsal

7-10 p.m. Church Campus Cleaning

Friday, June 26

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Connections and Support, Zoom

Saturday, June 27

9:30-10:30 a.m. Altar Guild setup, Nave

More About St. Luke’s

Newcomers

If you are a newcomer, welcome! We are glad you are with us today. Please join us to say hello! Stop by the Newcomers table in the Sprague Room where you can learn more about St. Luke’s, request a nametag, and maybe make a new friend.

St. Luke’s Email- What’s in it for you?
Our email list lets you stay up to date on parish news and fellowship events (weekly announcements email), stay aware of difficult times facing your fellow parishioners (weekly e-prayers email), and know when the latest issue of our monthly newsletter, Acts of Faith, is published. But, to paraphrase a saying, you have to be on it to get it! Make sure the parish coordinator has your email address, or subscribe automatically by going to our homepage at stlukesdurham.org, “Connect with us.”

St. Luke’s Calendar

Our parish calendar is up to date on our website at stlukesdurham.org. Weddings, baptisms, funerals, and other special services are scheduled by the clergy. The parish coordinator can help you arrange meetings or other events. Contact her at the church office at 919-286-2273.

Online Church Directory

St. Luke’s parish directory is now exclusively online. To view and update your contact information or photo, or look up contact information for other parishioners, you must activate your account using the email address you placed on file with the parish office. If you are unsure what email you used, or need instructions for activating your account, please contact directory@stlukesdurham.org.

Ways To Give: 

  • Check (drop it in the plate or mail to our Parish Coordinator)
  • Use PayPal with a debit/credit card via St. Luke’s website (no need for a PayPal account)
  • Push payments from your bank or credit union to the Church, just like bill-pay payments for your regular bills  
  • Initiate a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA if you are 70 1/2 or older 

Stewardship At St. Luke’s
In the Episcopal Church, we ask our members to make a pledge, which is an estimate of giving in the coming year.  It represents your commitment to God’s work in this place.  To make a pledge, please email our Parish Coordinator, Kaye Saunders, at parish-coord@stlukesdurham.org.

Submission of Materials for the Newsletter

The deadline for submitting materials for the monthly newsletter is the 20th of each month. Please email your materials to Babs Wise.