july 1, 2017 st. lukes episcopal church • 435 peachtree st ... · deodorant a complete list of...

Vacation Bible School is this magical week that leaves me almost teary-eyed when it’s over. All the little munchkins I have played with, shared stories with, sang with, and got to know more than on any Sunday morning are gone for almost two months. We have all this fun together and then I realize that they’ll be an inch taller next time I see them or will have lost two more teeth and, of course, have lots of stories to tell about summer vacation. I miss the kids in the summer because I know

them and I value them. I know that sabbath is a very important Christian practice and taking rest with family is valuable. But, so is the feeling of missing the kids because of the importance of Christian community.

As Christians, we are always experiencing the feeling of missing someone in the community. The very nature of our faith comes from a place of giving thanks for Je-sus, but also a sense of loss because we can’t be with Jesus. This tension in our faith is what gives some realness to it amid all the mystery of the Holy Spirit, Sacraments and such. You don’t have to be an adult to miss someone. Any 4-year-old can tell you what it means to miss a parent who is traveling. The reason we feel loss or missing is because we care about the person and that is such an important feeling. People will always come and go in our community, but what is important is continuing to foster community for our spiritual life.

We are working toward the kingdom or reign of God because we miss Jesus and want to be with him, just like we work to create a loving church community. We want to know one another and care about one another – it’s that divine Spirit of God in us to love all of humanity. I think we feel pain when we don’t have community and that pain or loneliness is an important reminder to us from God that we need one another. I think St. Luke’s is a place where many are welcome, so what helps us at St. Luke’s care about our neighbor? Is it that God’s love for all is important to share? Is it our heart for justice for all God’s people? How do we help the world around us see that these values are important and missing in a world full of fear? How do we change the pain of isolation or distrust to the joy of loving community?

For God, being in community is as simple as coming together for prayers and a meal together. Sure, Episcopalians might make the gathering a little more fancy than oth-ers, but it is still a simple format. Just like at Vacation Bible School – we tell stories, we eat snacks, we help one another. It doesn’t have to have a special theme (though super heroes are pretty cool!). Being together is what God calls us to do. That is wor-ship. Worship is the work of the people and that means all the people. The ones who like Marvel heroes and the ones who like DC heroes.

May we all know that we are valued and needed members of God’s community!

i n s i d e t h i s i s s u e

st. lukes episcopal church • 435 peachtree st. ne • atlanta, ga 30308 • 404.873.7600 • www.stlukesatlanta.org

A twice monthly newsletterJuly 1, 2017

Parish News .................................... 2

Opportunities & Announcements ... 3Calendar ......................................... 4Birthdays ........................................ 5Adult Formation ........................... 6VBS Photos ................................... 7

WITH GROCERIESfor

M I D T O W NA S S I S T A N C E

C E N T E R

Staff InformationSt. Luke’s Episcopal Church

404-873-7600

RectorThe Rev. Dan Matthews, Jr.

Beth Kraft, Rector’s Executive Assistant404-873-7610 | [email protected]

2017 Vestry

ClergyThe Rev. Elizabeth Shows Caffey

Liturgy and Adult Education404-873-7612 | [email protected]

The Rev. Heather ChaseChildren’s Christian Education/Formation404-873-7622 | [email protected]

The Rev. Lauren R. HolderOutreach and Pastoral Care

404-873-7690 | [email protected]

StaffCaitlin Dowling, Music Associate


Valerie Freer, Receptionist/Admin. Assistant404-873-7600 | [email protected]

Brian Hummel, Manager of Facilities Support404-873-7647 | (c) 404-291-0059

Michelle Jemmott, Manager of Office Admin.404-873-7616 | [email protected]

Colleen Kingston, Assistant for Children’s Music


Jean Lamer, Accountant404-873-7617 | [email protected]

David Lowry, Parish Administrator404-873-7663 | [email protected]

Megan Petenbrink, Director ofYouth and Young Adult Ministries


Mark Simmons, Director of Stewardship & Membership


Dr. Arlan J. Sunnarborg, Director of Music404-873-7620 | [email protected]

Amanda Vaughn, Liturgy Assistant404-873-7614 | [email protected]

Hala Hess White, Director of Communications404-873-7630 | [email protected]

Phil Lamson - Sr. WardenArdith Barrow, Jr. Warden

Mignon Crawford, Treasurer Cap Putt, Finance Chair

Robert Long, IV, Chancellor

Debbie BachmannPat BrumbaughRussell CurreyScott InmanAnne Kimsey

Richard LeeSue McAvoyBrian OpsahlCarolle PerkinsSusanna Roberts

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Parish News

Summer Choir: Make a Joyful Noise

Members of the congregation (high school age and above), friends, and visitors are all cordially invited to sing as part of the choir without a long-term commitment. This is a great opportunity to make new friends, enjoy the music in a differ-ent way, and enhance the liturgy. The three basic prerequisites are: 1) some ability to read music; 2) some previous choral experience; and 3) the ability to match pitch. No advance sign-up is required but you must attend the rehearsal on Sunday one hour before service time in the Choir Room. That’s 8 a.m. if you’d like to join the choir for the 9 a.m. service, and 10:15 a.m. for the 11:15 a.m. service. If you have questions, please contact Director of Music Arlan Sunnarborg by email ([email protected]) or phone (404-873-7620).

Online Giving Is Now AvailableDid you know that St. Luke’s can now accept contribution payments via credit and deb-it card? You may now pay your pledge(s) through the church’s website (www.stlukesat-lanta.org). Look for the “parish login,” in red and located under the service times on the homepage. If you do not have a login, you may easily create one, and set up and sched-ule regular payments toward your pledge(s). If you have any difficulties, Michelle in the church office (404-873-7616) will be happy to help. Thank you for your continuing support of this faith community and the ministries we enjoy!

Children's Chapel is on "summer vacation." It returns Sunday, September 10, which is Rally Day.

Mark Your Calendar: Holy Comforter

Supper

All are welcome to join us at Holy Comforter to serve dinner Wednes-day, July 19 at 6 p.m.

Holy Comforter is a parish in Ormewood Park in which about 60% of the congregation live with mental illness. In support of the work of the parish, St. Luke’s serves dinner one Wednesday most months. It is a ministry not only of food but also of presence and fel-lowship. Questions? Contact Connie Wooten (404-432-0733/[email protected]) or David Davis ([email protected]).

RECEPTION FOR THE REV. HEATHER CHASE

Join the St. Luke's family in wishing Heather well as she heads out from St. Luke's to her new ministry at Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur. We will honor Heather for her service to our parish, especially her leadership in our Children and Families ministries, on Sunday, July 2 following the 11:15 a.m. service.

The church offices will be closed for the 4th of Julyholiday on Monday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 4.

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In July, we're filling the

Outreach Baskets for Midtown Assistance Center

Kids are out of school, so the need is especially great.

M A C ' s M o s t R e q u e s t e d I t e m s

Mac & cheese Peanut butter & jelly Breakfast/snack bars

CerealCanned meat

Deodorant

A complete list of requested items is online:StLukesAt lanta.org

orYou can pick up a shopping list at the church!

Announcements & Opportunities

How's your safety net?

Midtown Assistance Center was founded more than thirty years ago when a group of churches (including St. Luke's) joined forces to provide emergency assistance to the working poor during times of crisis in order to prevent homelessness and hunger.

Not everyone has a safety net. “My family and I fell on hard times when my appendix ruptured and I was out of work with no money for rent," recalls MAC client Shawna. "I called Midtown Assistance Center and they were very prompt with assisting me with my rent payment and the process was very fast. MAC made sure that we were taken care of and treated us with respect. I really appreciate Midtown Assistance Center for what they did for me and my family!"

63% of children in Georgia depend on school breakfast and lunch programs each day, ac-cording to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.When school is out and those meals aren’t available, many families turn to places like MAC for help.

Friday, July 14 | 7 p.m.

Join us to watch Fruitvale Station (2013), the true story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and feels something in the air. Not sure what

it is, he takes it as a sign to get a head start on his resolu-tions: being a better son, a better partner to his girlfriend, and a better father. His resolve takes a tragic turn, how-ever, when transit officers shoot him in cold blood at the Fruitvale subway stop on New Year's Day.

Faith and Film is a monthly opportunity for St. Luke’s adults to share a movie, snacks, fellowship, and a lively discussion of issues of faith raised by the film. Those who attend bring a snack to share and a beverage. All St. Luke’s adults are welcome. For location, contact Donna Church (404-522-3889 | [email protected]).

Join the Grief Support Group for a 3-part journey through grief incorporating mindfulness practices as tools to welcome and experience the present moment in order to navigate through the grief process.

Aug 17 Sept 21 Oct 1912 - 1:30 p.m. | St. Luke’s Parish Library

There is no cost. Space is limited. If you are interested, please call Meg Moye (404-483-3711) or Matt Wagner (404-876-6266, ext. 2004).

The grief support group will not meet in July.

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From time to time, St. Luke’s publishes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and photos of church members in the church bulletin, newsletter, directory and other church communications. As a policy, we will not use names with photos of children.

If you do not want us to use your photo or information in communications, please email David Lowry, Parish Administrator at:

d a v i d @ s t l u k e s a t l a n t a . o r g

Deaths

1 Caroline RogersSusan Reid2 Cindy TabbRob DennisPaulette StewartDavid Culp3 Hal DanielAllyson StewartStacey Lorish4 Catherine BenedictGreg RushHal LawtonKathy ColbensonHowell HollisLink Healan5 Jo HunsingerLibba McDonaldLily MuscarellaMark StowersDoris SmithChelsea FuttermanDawn PattersonCourtney Bryant6 Bill KinneyTrey VaughtShane PhillipsHunter BuddRobert RickmanElizabeth Bouldin7 Jimmie LebbosMike HowlandLisa DobbsKaren VaughtTracey FoosheeLuke Guberman

8 Betsy MooreVic McNeilElizabeth StoneJoshua LaBruyereStephanie Stephens9 Sam TedderNancy BurnettGeraldine BrayJonathan Okpala-EzechaLaura McDuffieSusan PoundLori Rush10 Chip PattersonScott MuirPaloma OsborneLuke GreeneFletcher Anderson11 Marilyn ZapfCornelia Bell12 Ann KimseyMrs. Mildred MillerPete ColbensonWes GaillardWesley EzigboWilliam EzigboAstrida GrecoJennifer Hill13 Eva PetiotLindsay FuttermanAsher Ebner14 Cindy SkidmoreHank SamuelsJane HansenLiz BennettSara PeeblesLara Wooten OldenburgJason Barringer

15 Clay StoneGina Mooney JonesGeorge DobbsAllie RustAnne MellenLogan CaseyErica ByrdBilly BenedictBrooks Rosenberg16 Katie Watt TinsleyJulianna StrackGinna McFarlingSeth MellenJoseph EarlesSallie WilgusDreagon GilleyAbigail Tashlein17 Eva PoundGlynn JonesMaggie DuncanWill LawBarbara SpeaksCharles SlickLindsey BrackenArje' JohnsonDoug Murrell18 Conor BurbyLigia PerryReynolds JenningsRhyne CannonRollin MallerneeVirginia ThomAudrey DeanCollin BachmannAudrey BachmannBrody BachmannJulie ShippRobert Jimison19 Madelyn TurnerEarlyn TurnerKurt UdeDean GriffinCaleb LloydChloe Raitt

20 Patrick WootenGloria OrakaRobbie Whyte-PierceJacquelyn SaylorCynthia AlfordEm Fougerousse21 Ginny EzigboWill TemplePhilip LawSallie DuncanMara JonesNelson Jones22 Joe ThomeMaggie NorrisAnna DavisAshley TaylorEnglish Toole BenningIke HammondCarter PeatmanMarian KalvertMary Webb23 Arch DavisNadia SchenckBarbara PettwayTerri RobertsonElizabeth LedbetterAlan Yurchuck24 Chris CannChris VaccaroPaige JonesSusanne GibboneyJohn Robert KennedyWilliam LancasterJane Peacock25 Chris PhillipsKippy RichbergRandy SewellAnna GraettingerMay HollisMiles Patterson26 Cherlyn MitchellDavid Smythe

July Birthdays27 Paige GirardotJohn CarelAudrey MellenKaleb MasonLeonard HayesStephen Schrope28 Chad HutchisonEden RowePortia CoyneRyan OverbayRebecca GrahamKelly StocksIjeoma Odihe29 Kathy MooreKatie LindsleyTad ZelskiTom ChapelZane DoddAndrew CopleyTimothy GunterEvan CunninghamLaura KoppStella Schrope30 Patsy AlstonJohn DavisCarole GaillardGregory JohnsonJoni TabbEmma JonesEaden JonesAndrew MillerHarrison Hannan31 Jan TillettPatrick AndersonShepard AnsleyGriffin FryRobert HoggWinde SullivanJames LaBruyereHayleigh Messina

Patricia Lehrer

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“God comes to us disguised as our lives.” Paula d’Arcy

Do you ever have a desire to understand the Bible, our Christian history, theologians of the past?Do you long for a community of seekers where questions are explored and encouraged?Do you want to deepen your relationship to God, deepen your prayer life, and discern your ministry in the world?

If so, EFM might be a great place for you!!

What we AREEfM is a four-year, lay-led program to deepen knowledge about our Christian tradition and discern one’s ministry through study, prayer and theological reflection. We are an intimate community of lay persons, seeking our call to be God’s hands and feet in the world. Members commit to the program one year at a time (you do not have to commit to the entire four-year program, although most partici-pants do complete the program). Each group is composed of two trained mentors and between six and ten participants.

What we are NOT EfM is not a pathway to the priesthood, although many participants have honored a call to formal ministry and ordination. We are not elite scholars but simply have a desire to understand the Tradition that we claim to be our own. We are not a Bible study, although we study the Bible seriously. We are not a self-help group, although we all share the blessings of an intimate, confidential environment that can hold all of life’s complexities.

Education Formation Ministry: EfM

WHENWe begin in September. There are two groups:Monday nights 7– 10 p.m.Tuesday mornings 9:15 a.m.-Noon

Any of our mentors will be happy to discuss the St. Luke’s EfM program further.Monday mentors: Micki Geshwiler ([email protected]) Jackie Lawrence([email protected])Tuesday mentors: Lisa Boswell ([email protected]) Elaine DeCostanzo ([email protected])

You can also read about efm online at efm.sewanee.edu/about-efm

“I am just concluding my 3rd year of EfM. I have to honestly say that all three years of this program and the time I have spent in our meetings has been so much more mean-ingful than I ever thought it would be. The “course work” is interesting, informative and thought-provoking. But the true learning for me comes from the discussions – sharing our stories, exploring our Christian traditions and culture and sometimes testing our long-held beliefs.”

Jeanne Daniels

“For me, EfM has been a wonderful learning experience. Being with a group of such nurturing people day in and day out, and hearing their stories, has helped me to appreciate other human beings more. I have learned to be more present when others are speaking, instead of getting lost in how I might respond to them. I also have a greater understanding of the liturgy, and have become an active lis-tener of the word rather than a passive one, which has allowed me to find deeper meanings in the scripture. This has led me to have a better understanding of the Bible and what has been passed down to us. It gave me the opportunity to understand more ways that I can serve the Lord fully and make a difference.”

Ifey Okpala

WHAT PARTICIPANTS HAVE TO SAY

Lots more photos of our week of fun on the St. Luke's Facebook page.

“Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, St. Luke’s welcomes you.”

Pastoral Crisis or Concerns?

Call Beth Elliott Kraft at 404-873-7610, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., weekdays: X To connect with our Pastoral Care staff for such things as illness, hospitalization, miscarriage, divorce, unemployment;X To add a name to our parish prayer list or;X To have someone placed on the St. Luke’s Intercessory Prayer list to be prayed for daily.

After-hours & on weekends, call the church at 404-873-7600 to get the name and number of the priest on call.

May God bless you and comfort you in your difficult times as well as your joyful ones.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit 486 Atlanta, GA435 Peachtree St. NE

Atlanta, GA 30308-3228

To Submit Articles

E-mail Hala Hess White [email protected]

or call 404-873-7630 to submit articles.

Deadline for the July 15

edition is:June 27, 2017

by noon.

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Looking for a good book to read this summer? Try the Parish Library.

Our catalog is online.

stlukesatlanta.org/parish-library

or go to the church homepage

(that’s stlukesatlanta.org)and

click on the Our Church tab,look for and click on the

Parish Library tab.

Discovering Strength in God at Vacation Bible School

july 1, 2017 st. lukes episcopal church • 435 peachtree st ... · deodorant a complete list of...

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