SEPTEMBER 2020 the Symbol of St

SEPTEMBER 2020 The Symbol of St. Luke LIVE STREAM WORSHIP SCHEDULE CONTINUES FOR ALL 3 SERVICES 4pm Saturday 9am Sunday 10:30 am Sunday Livestreamed at www.facebook.com/StLucasLutheranChurch HOLY COMMUNION PROCEDURE At each weekend service you have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament. You are invited to have a small amount of bread and a small amount of wine (enough to consume at once) prepared for the conse- cration. Bread only suffices if you don’t wish to receive the wine. Please do not substitute anything for the bread and wine. Jesus promised to be present in bread and wine, not any substitute. We take him at his word and receive by faith. You do not need a Facebook account to bring up our page online and view services. THANK YOU JOYCE In about serving in the thrift shop ministry? June Joyce Mason made Joyce: Helping the people who came in to the shop. We the decision to retire from know we were providing a service for our low income leading the Thrift Shop neighbors. You know, they could come into the shop ministry at St. Lucas. and then have lunch here (at Cindy’s Corner Café). Joyce has been directing the thrift shop since Octo- AOSL: What has been the most challenging part of ber of 2004, so she directing the thrift shop? served for sixteen years. Joyce: Nothing really. Our volunteers were always won- The thrift shop was derful. Maybe dealing with the pastor (laughs). Some- formed in what was the “Vintage Shop” of the rummage times getting so many donations that it was hard to sort, sale on the second floor of the Sunday School building. and also when some donations would come in with dirty At some point it was moved to the first floor in the main clothes. [St. Lucas stopped taking anonymous dona- rummage sale room. Pastor Billmieier had the idea that tions at the door for this reason]. It also got challenging since we had rummage being donated year round for our when my back began to bother me. I couldn’t do the rummage sales, it might be a good service to our neigh- standing it required. bors in need to offer low cost clothing and household AOSL: How do you see the thrift shop in relation to goods year-round. We interviewed Joyce regarding her the gospel of Jesus Christ? years of service with the thrift shop: Joyce: I think it’s been a very important ministry. We AOSL: What made you say “yes” when asked to di- have met people who have become church members rect the thrift shop at St. Lucas? because of the thrift shop. I think the Lord is very happy Joyce: I had worked for many years with Mary Frances we have done this to help people. Berger and Ruth Smeltzer in the Vintage Shop of the spring and fall rummage sales. When Ruth turned you Yvonne Reed has taken over as thrift shop director. down for running a thrift shop, I thought, “That’s some- For an interview of Yvonne see page….. thing I would like to do.” I thought I had the skills and would enjoy doing it. AOSL: What has been the most rewarding thing Pastoral Acts Pastor Martin E. Billmeier Dear St. Lucas Faith Community, A number of years ago my partner, John, put the message to the left on our sign out front. “Come celebrate with God.” Is it still an appropriate message today? What do we have to celebrate at such a time as this? Much. We always have Jesus Christ to celebrate. He is our Savior. His mercy and steadfast love endure forever. We have the first article of the Creed to celebrate as well, “I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” God created this world in love and will not abandon us. God’s steadfast love endures forever. While we are at it, let’s also celebrate the Holy Spirit, who as Luther put it in the Small Cate- chism, “calls, gathers and enlightens” the whole Christian church on earth. Holy Spirit is why we are here at St. Lucas, why anyone who contributes in some way to this faith community is here. The Holy Spirit’s steadfast love endures forever and shows up in the church, as the Spirit witnesses to the Christ within us. We also have other things to celebrate. In spite of a pandemic that has precluded in person worship, we have the technology to continue worshiping together via Facebook live stream. Not too long ago that would have been impossible. Holy communion is still being offered in various ways, whether via live stream worship or Zoom meeting. People who couldn’t worship with us before are now worshiping with us because we are on the internet. Something to celebrate. We also have all the volunteers to celebrate, who come in during the week . We still serve lunch at our door and give out pantry food thanks to our volunteers who feel called to serve. We have reopened the thrift shop through sidewalk sales. Ministry is happening. That’s something to celebrate. Cindy’s Corner got a new stove for the kitchen. Something to celebrate. The community garden is producing food for our neighbors and members. Volunteers are coming in to work the garden. Something to celebrate. The St. Lucas leadership team comprised of church council also is able to meet thanks to us having the Zoom technology to do it online. Leaders are seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance as they also seek to plan our way through these unusual times. Something to celebrate. We have a rich variety of people at St. Lucas. Some like to work in the kitchen. Some in the garden. Some in the thrift shop. Some like to be on church council. Some have gifts of music. Some are good at liturgical arts. Some enjoy serving in the scrip program. Some have gifts for finance. Some like to serve in the worship space. Some have gifts for property maintenance. Some are good at prayer for this community. Some are very generous in giving to support the mission. All are reason to celebrate and all are celebrating with God the joy of knowing Jesus, whom we continue to serve unusual times or not. It’s still appropriate to say, “Come celebrate with God.” Whether you come to the community virtually or in person you are invited to celebrate with God our salvation in Jesus Christ and all that God is doing in the community of faith called St. Lucas. In Person Worship Policy at St. Lucas During Covid-19 Pandemic When we are in a level one (yellow) risk we will have in person worship every Sunday with all advised protocols followed. If we are at a level 2 (orange) risk we will have in person worship every other Sunday with all advised protocols followed. For levels 3 & 4 (red or purple) risk we will have live stream worship only, no in person worship. Right now Lucas County is at a level 3 (red) risk, so we will have live stream only. In the event that we move from the current level red to a level orange or yellow in the middle of a week, we will wait one Sunday before re-instituting in person worship. If you are in a high risk group due to age or health condition we encourage you to stay home and watch the live stream worship, which will continue even if we are offering in person worship. 2 Acts of Education by Sharon Schaefer, Sunday School Correspondent Love, Learn, and Serve God Surprise Surprise Surprise For those of you who are younger than I am, you may not hear Jim Nabors in his overly orchestrated Southern accent when you hear those words. For the rest of us, well . In the Surprise Department, Joyce Mason handed over the reins of the Thrift Shop to Yvonne Reed. Although the Thrift Shop hasn’t been open for months because of COVID-19, limited work goes on. Hilde, as she is affectionately known, continues to sort, sort, sort with lots of sanitizer, masks and careful handling. A few weeks ago, a Sidewalk Sale was envisioned and hap- pened very soon after, scheduled every Thursday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 until the weather no longer permits it. Only 1s, 5s and 10s can be used for purchases – no change please. Yvonne is well known at St. Lucas for her many, many contributions. She was baptized at St Lucas, the only child of George and Dorothea Etue, was confirmed here and has attended St Lucas her entire life except for the period of time her husband was transferred to Cleveland. Yvonne is a talented cook. A big part of the contributions she has made have been in that area. She was making homemade brownies yesterday to be included in the to go bags for Cindy’s Corner lunches. She orchestrated the publication of a St Lucas cook- book. She participated in countless Vacation Bible Schools and Sunday School picnics. She has been a Sun- day School teacher, has shared crafts with children, listened to children, been a friend to children, fed children. She has children and grandchildren. She has been active in WELCA and all the programs and events that are sponsored by WELCA and is the current Treasurer. She has been an Elder and a Visiting Elder. She has worked in the Thrift Shop for years, she cannot say how many, and has made many friends among the volunteers and the shoppers.

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