A great opportunity to gather and celebrate will be on Christmas Morning at 11:30am. St. Luke’s food ministry, Toni’s Kitchen, will be serving a Christmas Dinner to anyone who wishes to attend, regardless of need or circumstances. Come to the Christmas Morning Worship Service at 10:00am and then follow up at Toni’s Kitchen for a delicious, nutritious, and wholesome meal with great company. Everyone is welcome to celebrate and break bread together and share a meal in fellowship and praise of the birth of Jesus. For additional information on St. Luke’s, please email info@slechurch.org.
Please join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ at any or all of the following services: Christmas Eve, December 24 5:00pm (with Junior Choir) 10:30pm (with Senior Choir) Christmas Day, December 25 10:00am Christmas Day Worship 11:30am Christmas Dinner at Toni’s Kitchen
Take a moment with your children and youth to reflect on the story of Christmas and the meaning of the birth of Jesus in our lives. St. Luke’s will have its annual pageant on Sunday, December 22 at the 10:00am service. To participate or for information, contact Director of Family Ministries, Kathy DeWalt, at dewalt@slechurch.org. Thank you for sharing in the joy of Christmas with us.
Benefit Concert and Carol Sing-Along Saturday, December 14 at 7:30pm
Benefit Concert for Climate Saturday, December 14 at 7:30pm in the Choir Room Seungho Lee will have a violin recital to raise funds to support The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a well-respected environmental organization. Seungho will play classical pieces such as Sibelius and Bach, and he will also accompany the audience as we sing-along some carols. Light refreshments will be served after the concert. Admission is free, but donations are requested to support NRDC and the environment. All the proceeds will be donated. You may make donation online at this link. Please RSVP to jlee1729@hotmail.com so we may plan accordingly.
Climate Committee Meeting Sunday, December 15 at 11:30am in the Davis Room The Climate Committee is happy to announce that Gray Russell, the Sustainability officer for the Township of Montclair, is visiting us for our December meeting. We will discuss what we can do as individuals and as a church to fight climate change.
Breakfast with Santa Saturday, December 21, 9:00-11:00am Breakfast with Santa will be Saturday morning, December 21 from 9:00 – 11:00am. Come for food, crafts, and Santa! It’s free to attend but registration is required (register here!). Teens (grades 6-12) can sign up for Friday night set up (and pizza & movies) from 7:00 – 10:00pm, which is another event of fun and quality time spent together! Please email Kathy at dewalt@slechurch.org with any questions.
Christmas Pageant Sunday, December 22 at 10:00am Take a moment with your children and youth to reflect on the story of Christmas and the meaning of the birth of Jesus in our lives at our annual Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 22 at the 10:00am service. We will have one rehearsal on Saturday, December 21 at 11:00am. To participate or for information, please contact Director of Family Ministries, Kathy DeWalt, at dewalt@slechurch.org.
Spiritual Explorers Book Club Monday, December 16 at 7:00pm in the Rectory Join us each month for an informed discussion about books that shape our understanding of faith. This month we are sharing our perspectives on Shunryu Suzuki’s modern classic Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. The book is available in store and online through Watchung Booksellers. Please contact Walter Booker at booker@slechurch.org for more info.
We’ve Got Friends Saturday, December 21, 4:00-5:30pm We’ve Got Friends will meet again on December 21. Teens and their parents are invited to gather with us for special projects, guests, and activities. We meet in the Rectory from 4:00 – 5:30pm every other Saturday (please check the calendar!), and families may attend for FREE. A light dinner is provided. Please RSVP to Candi at ccandicarter@gmail.com or 630-640-8371, and understand that this is NOT a drop off program. We request a Parent/Guardian and teen attend together. We hope to see you!
Signs in the Times Sunday, December 22 at 11:30am in the Davis Room Join The Rev. John Mennell for “Signs in the Times,” a group discussion with theological reflection on current events. This Adult Forum will return to the fourth Sunday each month at 11:30am.
The Service Continues Sunday, December 29 at 11:00am in the Sawtelle Room After 10:00am worship, all are invited to pack backpacks full of healthy staples for food insecure families. Donations for backpacks are welcome, small jars of peanut butter, canned tuna, cereal, and shelf stable milk are great! Email Vicki at vbfantozzi@gmail.com for more information.
2nd Time Around Shop is now Open and Taking Donations! The 2nd Time Around Shop is OPEN! Join us Saturdays from 10:00am – 3:00pm to shop and see the lovely refresh of this space. Donations will be accepted Tuesdays and Saturdays between the hours of 10-2, and may be left in the shop door hallway. In particular, we would welcome donations of clean gently-used clothing, shoes, outerwear, housewares, and children’s items. If you have items you wish to donate but are unsure if we can accept them, please do not hesitate to reach out. Please also consider signing up to volunteer at the Shop! Email us at shop@slechurch.org for more information or with any questions.
Caring Community Play Group January 8 at 10:00am in the Assembly Hall All are welcome at our monthly drop-in playgroup! We usually meet on the first Wednesday of each month in the Assembly Hall, but this month we’ll meet on January 8. Connect with us on Facebook (St. Luke’s Monthly Play Group) or by email to Ari Measday (measday@slechurch.org) or Stevie Tryson (tryson@slechurch.org).
Bible Study – The Parables Sundays at 9:00am in the Davis Room The Rev. Tom Laws will resume his Sunday morning Bible Study with a focus on the stories that Jesus told to guide us in our faith. No prior knowledge is needed to join the rich discussion that illuminates the passages we share. For more information, contact Tom Laws (laws@slechurch.org)
Wednesday Evenings at St. Luke’s Join us at 6:00pm in expanding our Contemplative Prayer Practices, in the All Souls Chapel inside St. Luke’s Church Sanctuary. During the hour we read and reflect on various works, pray in silence, and share from our hearts. Step into the quiet of the church on a Wednesday evening at 7:00pm to experience a peace-filled and intimate celebration of Holy Communion. This is a great opportunity to center and recharge mid-week.
Come by for Conversation with Our Rector Sometimes conversation makes clear the thoughts that seem scrambled when inside our own heads. Please feel welcomed to make an appointment to speak with our rector, Fr. John Mennell, about joys, troubles, questions, or how you hope to bring your unique gifts to ministry here at St. Luke’s. The easiest way to be included on John‘s schedule is to use appointlet to reserve a time slot.
Name Tags God knows us each by name and we need some help greeting each other. Please wear your name tag found at the back of the church and then deposit it into the basket in the Assembly Hall after coffee hour. If you need a new name tag, please contact Chris Corso in the church office at corso@slechurch.org
Stay in the Know with Diocesan News! The latest issue of The Voice is available in the back of church, and you can also view it atdioceseofnewark.org, where you can also sign up to receive it via email to keep up-to-date on what is happening within the diocese and what the leaderships are working on.
Caring Community Rides – Volunteers Needed The Caring Community provides rides to the doctor for those in need of a “lift.” The volume of requests for this service is light, but the importance for those in need of help is profound. If you would like to pitch in from time to time, we would love to have your support. For more information, contact Sue Singer at ssinger726@gmail.com.
Israel Pilgrimage January 2021 Come walk in the footsteps of Jesus on a 10-day trip that will change the way you hear the Gospels and know Jesus. The Rev. John Mennell will lead a pilgrimage to Israel leaving on January 10, 2021. The journey will take us from the Sea of Galilee to Bethlehem and Jerusalem where will visit some of the most holy sites in Christianity. The cost will be approximately $4,000. For more information, contact John at mennell@slechurch.org.
