Blessing of the Backpacks
September 1
On September 1 we will bless the backpacks of those going off to school in the fall. We will also bless a some of the many Toni’s Kitchen backpacks that are sent out into our community. Anyone heading off to any grade of school is welcome to come and have his or her backpack blessed for the upcoming school year – teachers too! For more information, contact John Mennell (mennell@slechurch.org).

Register for Church School Classes Begin Sunday, September 15 Church School for youth from Pre-K through 12th Grade begins on Sunday, September 15 at 9:50am. To learn more about the programs look at the Church School under Youth at slechurch.org or contact Director of Family Ministries Kathy DeWalt. Sign up your children and youth today at slechurch.org and stay tuned for other exciting ways to get involved! Share Your Faith — Teach Sunday School This Year! We have a growing number of children in our Church School, and continue to find creative ways to show and tell them about the Love of God in their lives. Our Godly Play classes for Pre-K through 1st Grade tell stories and have a related craft; our 2nd – 5th graders are listening to stories in our “Living the Good News” class with minds that find new ways to hear them, and are getting ready to become acolytes and members of our Junior Choir. Please consider becoming a Church School teacher for our St. Luke’s children, we’d love to have you join our team! Please contact John (mennell@slechurch.org) or Kathy (dewalt@slechurch) to learn more.

Caring Community Play Group September 4 at 10:00am in the Assembly Hall All are welcome at our monthly drop-in playgroup! We usually meet on the first Wednesday of the month, and we will continue to meet through the summer. In July we will move to the second week to avoid the holiday. Connect with us on our Facebook group (St. Luke’s Monthly Play Group) or by email to Ari Measday by email atmeasday@slechurch.org or Stevie Tryson at tryson@slechurch.org.

Dance on the Lawn Festival 6th Anniversary Saturday, September 7 On September 8 we will host the 6th Annual Dance on the Lawn. If you would like to provide basic hospitality (like offering bottled water and directing people to restrooms we could use your help. Let us know and show up with your name tag. For questions or more information, email communications@slechurch.org or visit danceonthelawn.org.

We’ve Got Friends – Special Needs Teen Hangout Saturday, September 21 at 4:00pm We’ve Got Friends will return this Fall with our first meeting on September 7. Teens and their parents are invited to gather with us for special projects, guests, and activities. We meet in the Rectory from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. most Saturdays (check the calendar!) $10 per family covers food, drinks, and supplies. RSVP to Candi at ccandicarter@gmail.com or 630-640-8371. This is NOT a drop off program. We request a Parent/Guardian and teen attend together.

Ordination to the Priesthood — Deacon Peter Savastano September 7 at 10:00am Join us at Christ Church in Short Hills to celebrate the ordination of The Rev. Peter Savastano to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. The joyful service will be in Short Hills where Peter is currently serving. Choir members are invited to participate in the joint choir.

Celebrate! Kids in the Kitchen Sunday, September 8 about 9:30am Help us bake dessert for our guests at Toni’s Kitchen on Sunday, September 8, after Celebrate!, our 9:00 a.m. hands-on worship service. For info, email Vicki at vbfantozzi@gmail.com. We bake on first Sundays of the month to share time together and to teach the importance of serving as we follow Christ.

Bible Study – The Parables Sunday, September 15 at 9:00am 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) Peace & Justice Ministry Meeting Sunday, September 15 at 11:30am in the Davis Room The Peace and Justice Ministry was created as a response to the call for action on civil rights, immigration and reform. Join us on Sunday, September 15th at 11:30 am in the Davis Room for our next meeting. For information, please contact Dan Salvito via email at dsalvito@gmail.com. Signs in the Times Sunday, September 22 at 11:30am in the Davis Room Join The Rev. John Mennell at 11:30am 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.

Contemplative Practices Forum
Does your soul long for quiet? St. John of the Cross said, “Silence is God’s first language. Everything else is a poor translation.” We are currently scheduling this forum, and hope you will join us as we invite you to join our centering prayer or meditation group that meets at 6:00pm on Wednesday evenings. Martin Cowart, Sara Nally and Molly Ann Williams will share their meditation practices.

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 (https://mennell.appointlet.com/). 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! Wondering how you can view Bishop Curry’s and Bishop Carlye’s videos? The monthly Vlog posted by Bishop Carlye can be found on the diocesan web page (dioceseofnewark.org), where you can also sign up for The Voice online to keep up-to-date on what is happening within the diocese and what the leaderships are working on, as well any events planned within the diocese and the greater Episcopal church. Check outepiscopalchurch.org for Bishop Curry’s videos and insights.

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.