THE EPISTLE Jan.12, 2009 to Jan.19, 2009 St. Luke United Methodist Church 1306 West Lynn Street Austin, TX 78703 Sarah Currie, Pastor E-mail: [email protected] Church Office: (512) 476-8164 E-Mail: [email protected] Web site: www.stlukeumcaustin.org

+ Norma Wood’s sister, suffering complications after surgery Homeless Kits need the +Barbara Schwab’s sister-in-law Diedre, following items: with lung cancer + Delores Pasley, mother of Diana’s breakfast, cereal and fruit bars, sister-in-law, with congestive heart small bottled water, travel size failure toothbrushes and toothpaste, + Alfred and Louise Schmitz + Lucille and Walter Timberlake soap, deodorant, socks, and + Adam Hinman gloves-- also please include + everyone at Oak Run apts, & all chap-stick—thanks! displaced by a fire + Joe Soto and the Oak Run maintenance staff for the loss of their maintenance & pool shop in the fire

Happy Birthday To: We are looking for folks to January 12, Bob Newell serve as Sunday morning January 13, Nancy Quick greeters and hosts of January 15, Bill Dorman fellowship time. Call the January 16, Max Rychlik office or sign up downstairs January 17, Kristen Word January 25, James Silver on the bulletin board in the Ben Quick fellowship hall. Tom Word world will benefit in remarkable, healing ways.

I hope you’ll come to worship with me on Sunday, and hear once more some words of inspiration from leaders past and present. Dancing the days,… I hope you’ll join with me in claiming this new year as a beautiful launching Hello, Friends! ground for a newly conscious, newly On Sunday we celebrated Jesus’ dedicated, newly hopeful journey as baptism, his calling and anointing by followers of Jesus’ loving, life-giving God, his conscious choice to accept that way. calling, and claim his true identity as the I look forward to journeying with you most human of holy men, the most holy this Sunday, and all our days to come. of human beings. Jesus was unique, and he sets the Shalom, bar impossibly high, it may seem to us Sarah+ mere mortals. Yet throughout his teachings there runs this urgent, insistent, tough and tender theme:

I’m showing you who you really are. God is doing a new thing in you. The kingdom of God is within you. Let there be You can do great things, too. Just keep Love at the center. peace 0n earth, Nothing can kill Love. You are Love’s perfect instrument— and let it begin Just like me. Be who you really are. with us! This coming week we have a momentous, never-to-be-duplicated opportunity to channel that Love, claim that promise, embrace that calling for ourselves, our faith community, our nation and our world. All we have to do is remember who we really are—creatures emanating from the heart of a Creator whose essence is Love. On Monday, our president-elect has asked us to do something, to commit ourselves to service in our community in a new and deeper way. I’m going to march, and join our Bridge Builder friends at Wesley UMC (see the announcements in these pages). On Tuesday I’m going to call Mathews Elementary, and see if they need me to volunteer for an hour once a week as a mentor, a reading buddy, or another kind of companion for one of the beautiful kids in that population. On Thursday or Friday I’m going to volunteer at Hope Food Pantry. My plan this new year is to tithe my time, to give at least four hours a week to the community in service beyond the church. In the scheme of things it’s not much, but if we all do just a bit, and if we all embrace the spirit of service and sacrifice called for by our new president, I have no doubt that our nation will shine, our people will thrive, and the Other Dates to Remember : Human Relations Sunday is January 18. Come for Thursday, Jan. 15—Trustees, 7 pm worship at 10:50 am, for Friday, Jan. 16 and 17- Sarah, Dianna, inspirational readings in the and Gale, will be in San Antonio for tradition of Dr. King. the Holy Boldness Academy

Tuesday, Jan. 20—Denim Dames & Dudes, 7 pm (a brainstorming/planning session— everyone is welcome)

Friday, Jan. 30— Capital Outing Denim Dames & Dudes, Everyone interested in touring the Capital, please meet at St. Luke at 9:30 a.m. We will lunch at a local restaurant and be back at St. Luke by 3:00. Join members of Bridge Builders Everyone is welcome! You may reach for the march from the Capital to Lisa Adkins at 282-1763 who is the Huston Tillotson, starting at 10 a.m. contact person Then come for lunch and Conversation at Wesley UMC, 1160 San Bernard St. Contact Karol McMahan for more info —217—2282.

Scripture Readings

Sunday, Jan. 18 1 Samuel 3: 1-10, 11-20 Psalm 139: 1-6 13-18 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20 Sara Hickman John 1: 43-51 and Elizabeth Wills Sunday, Jan. 25 “Sisters in Song” Jonah 3: 1-5, 10 Here at St. Luke UMC Sunday evening, January 18 Psalm 62: 5-12 or 787 6 – 8 pm 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31 Tickets are $15; a percentage Mark 1: 14-20 will benefit our ministries. Spread the word! We’re starting a book group MY JOB WORKSHOP on Thursday, February 5, AUSTIN DISTRICT LEADERS’ 7 pm, at the parsonage, TRAINING 1613 W. 14th. Saturday, Jan. 24 Our first book: 9 am-12:30 pm Manchaca UMC Gilead, 1011 FM 1626 by Marilynne Robinson Manchaca, TX 78652 We hope to meet monthly. Let Sarah know if you’re coming, Workshops include: and be thinking about another *Creating a Culture of Growth *Developing the Next Generation of book! Leaders Today *Introduction to SPRC *Introduction to Trustees *Introduction to Finance *Christian Giving in Economic Uncertainty *Personnel/HR Practices for the Local Church *Healthy Leadership in an Age of Anxiety All are welcome—no preregistration necessary. For more info., contact Rachel Wright at [email protected] or 444-1983

A note from Sarah about this: NEW GROUPS BEGINNING I really hope we have a good DURING LENT—SIGN-UPS showing from St. Luke —call me if STARTING SOON! you are interested, or have any questions! We’re undertaking a study of Robert Schnase’s book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. Robert Schase, author of Groups will meet for one hour during Five Practices of Fruitful the five weeks of Lent, beginning Congregations, Sunday, March 1. will be leading a workshop on the Group times are: book Saturday, Feb. 21, at University Sunday morning, 9-10 am UMC, 5084 DeZavala Rd., in San Antonio. Calll Lynette Ramon at Sunday evening, 6-7 pm 210/408-4515 or email her, Wednesday, noon-1 pm [email protected] for more info. Wednesday, 6-7 pm Online registration is available on the Contact the office, or call Sarah, to conference website, www.umcswtx.org order your copy of the book, @$15 per issue.