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St. Luke Lutheran Church
20 Candlewood Path
Phone (631) 499-8656 |
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By Pastoral Ponderings March 24, 2010
Dear Friends in Christ
Are you ready? Are you prepared? These are questions we usually ask as we approach the Christmas season but I would propose to you these are questions to ponder as we come to Holy Week and the season of Easter. Are we ready and prepared to make the journey with Jesus into Jerusalem? Are we ready to sit with Jesus in the upper room and celebrate first Holy Communion with him and his disciples? Are we ready to make our way to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and to watch Jesus be handed over to the authorities and taken off to Jerusalem for a trial before a kangaroo court? Are we ready to see him crucified on the Mount of Calvary and bear the sins of all mankind upon his shoulders and to complete the sacrifice for our sins? Are we ready to have our sins buried in the tomb with Jesus? Are we ready to celebrate the most important comeback that ever happened in the resurrection of our Lord on that early Easter morning?
It sounds like a lot to prepare for but just think we don’t have to fight the crowds to prepare for this. We don’t have to look for the special sales or the best prices on gifts for someone else and wonder if we are overspending and how will we pay for this when the bills come in.
We are the recipient of the gift which cost our gracious father his one and only son and cost his son his life in order that we might have life now and for eternity.
I invite you to walk with your church family through this special week wherever you might be as the church is a family beyond the walls of this congregation. Wherever you might be, set aside the time to worship together with the body of Christ.
Holy Week Worship March 28 Palm Sunday 8:15 & 10:45am and 6pm with Palms & Holy Communion April 1 Maundy Thursday 5 & 7:30 pm First Holy Communion April 2 Good Friday 12 Noon Family Service 7:30pm Service of Darkness with Choir and Soloists April 3 Easter Vigil 7:00pm April 4 Festival of the Resurrection 7:30, 9 & 11am & 6pm Holy Communion, Choirs and Brass Easter Brunch from 8-11am Growing in Faith Opportunities for children and adults Sundays 9:30am Sunday school for children 3 and up and Bible study for all after confirmation with Pastor Unger and Pastor Froehlich Sunday evening youth “the Shire” with Jim Dorner Monday evenings 7:30 with Pastor Kiesel Wednesday Mornings 10am “The Bible What’s it All About” With Pastor Froehlich
As we prepare for the summer we will also have Monday evening Bible Study and Barbeque again and we are looking for willing workers for our Summer Vacation Bible School week August 9-13
We are also making plans for the Fall and a special new look to our children’s ministry program including Sunday school, Confirmation, Children’s choirs, Youth activity days, Christmas Pageant and all other aspects of ministry with children. We are looking for more adults to be involved in planning and implementing these programs. We give thanks for Adrienne Evenson who has served as Sunday school Superintendant the past two years and are delight to announce that Chelsea Dorner and Pam Hansen will be taking responsibility for this ministry for next year. We are seeking to plan a calendar for the whole year of all Children’s Ministry.
Special Dates to Remember April 24 Alec’s Run, Help is needed. April 25: following each service a single item Voters meeting following each service to extend a part time call as Assistant to the Pastor to Pastor Mark Kiesel to coordinate our Sunday evening outreach ministry. May 1: A “Parish Visioning Day” as we look to our future ministry as a result of the Transforming Churches Weekend. We need as many people as possible to spend the morning of that day as we receive input from our members about our goals for the future. Watch for details about this day
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