“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken;
  you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  Genesis 3:19

      We are in the middle of the Season of Epiphany, which began when the Wise Ones found God’s Light, a child born in a stable to parents who lived a normal peasant life.  Epiphany is the season that brings a growing light into a dark world.  Just when the light looks as if it is getting to its brightest, the Church year seems to plunge us again into darkness during the Season of Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday on February 22.  
        Most of you know that my sister Sara, her family and I were “plunged into darkness” during the week of January 15 by the life-threatening illness of her oldest son, Mike.  As I write this, Mike has had his 5th surgery in one week – yet the light seems to be growing stronger.  With each surgery, Mike has less infection and is growing stronger.   I am so grateful to all of you, to my colleagues and their Prayer Chains and to my friends for your deep prayer support.  I believe this connection to God through so many caring people has indeed brought about Mike’s healing.  This has also made Mike more aware of his own need for prayer and a deeper connection with God.
       Human beings continually search for a deeper connection to that which is greater than they.  We are born with a desire for a deeper bond with our Creator.  The Season of Lent offers us that opportunity.  Beginning with Ash Wednesday, a day of repentance, we enter a 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting.  During this time, we have an opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with God.  In Lent, Christians from around the world prepare themselves for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This is a time when many commit to giving up selected distractions from their relationship with God and for many, those distractions center on food and money.  "Giving It Up" invites us to rethink the Lenten themes of sacrifice, repentance and renewal in new and unexpected ways.
       I’d like to also propose that we consider a different sort of giving up.  What sort of Christians could we become after 40 days of giving up things like worrying, or judging others, or underestimating ourselves?  My hope would be that such inward and personal sacrifice would be accompanied by external, sacrificial giving, such as filling Lenten folders, making extra donations to the Food Bank, doing unexpected favors for others and paying forward those blessings we have received.
       I invite you to join us on Ash Wednesday to begin our journey “grounded” by our earthly nature:  “for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  Being made of ashes we must reconcile with God in order to become living instruments of God’s grace.  Come – begin the journey from the lowly place of ashes and dust, as we humble ourselves that we might grow into all God has created us to become. 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;

but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

(Matthew 6:19-21)

Dear friends, Advent is upon us!  As I was preparing for this new season, I was looking at several Advent study books.  In one, Christmas Gifts that won’t Break, the author, James W. Moore, was remembering a Christmas where his son’s brand new toy broke several hours into Christmas Day.  His young son came to him crying in despair, “Daddy, my Christmas is broken already!”

            As Moore was reflecting on that Christmas Day and the above passage from Matthew, he said, “Jesus was giving us a much-needed warning.  He was saying, in effect, ‘Be careful now.  Don’t get your heart too set on material things.  Material things aren’t permanent.  They wear out, they break, they erode, they go out of fashion, they can be lost or stolen.  Material things are nice, but don’t get too attached to them.  Rather, build your happiness on things you cannot lose, on things that are independent of the chances and the changes of life.’”

          Having just celebrated and given thanks for the blessings we have received as individuals, families, communities and a nation, I wonder, if going forward into Advent, we might look anew at our blessings and reflect on them as Christmas gifts that won’t break.  What are the treasures of our hearts?  What are the treasures we have “stored in heaven” that cannot break?  There are many, of course.

          In this four-week season of Advent, we will focus on four gifts, four treasures, as represented by the four Advent candles we will light: hope, love, joy and peace.   I pray, that as we reflect of these gifts we receive from God, that we will be so blessed we will be persuaded to bless others with Christmas Gifts that won’t break!

            God’s blessings of hope, love, joy and peace!

Summer is here!  Hurray!  We have just finished the busiest few weeks of the Church year - Easter up to the Ascension, followed quickly by Pentecost and Trinity Sunday.  Now we can take a breath - - - -  because we are beginning the longest and most relaxed season of the Church year - the Season after Pentecost.   During this season we continue to learn about Jesus and his ministry.  This year in the Old Testament, we return to the beginning with Abraham and his son Isaac.  We learn of the ancestors of the faith - Jacob and his encounter with God, Joseph's betrayal by his brothers and Moses as he becomes God's leader for the Israelites.   Follow the Lectionary scriptures with us - come learn with us - come worship with us at our Blended Worship each Sunday at 9:30am.

Come also at 7am on Wednesday mornings as we share God's love through smiles and waves!  Yes, the Wednesday Wavers are back for their 4th year of fun - waving from 7-7:30am each Wednesday morning to those who drive past St. Luke's.  We receive smiles, waves, honks - and donuts!  What a joy.

We will host Vacation Bible School July 11-15.  Then Saturday, July 16 we will have our 3rd Annual Food Drive, adding a small business fair as well.  Science Camp is next, followed by Drama Camp.  Summer is an exciting and busy time at St. Luke's.  We offer possibilities for fun - for learning - for fellowship - and for food.  Come - join us in these "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!"