November 2017 | St. Luke's United Methodist Church

28 11, 2017

The Life of Jesus in Israel – A Holy Land Tour

Sally Penning2017-11-29T16:00:28-06:00November 28th, 2017|News|0 Comments

Led By Dr. James Fleming and Hannaniah Pinto and Hosted by Dr. Linda Christians, St. Luke’s UMC Sept. 28 - Oct. 9, 2018 | $ 5500.00 per person | Round trip from Houston Explore the settings of the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels as Jim Fleming and Hannaniah Pinto weave the context of Scripture through history, geography, archaeology and theology. Discover the time, places, customs and physical settings into which Jesus was born. Follow Jesus as His ministry unfolded around the Sea of Galilee and as He turned His face toward Jerusalem. Israel: Sept. 28 - Oct. 9, 2018 | Jordan [...]

22 11, 2017

Harvey Update

Sally Penning2017-11-22T08:36:45-06:00November 22nd, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

St. Luke’s continues to partner with families in the Houston area as we work together to rebuild our community! Last week, a team served with a family living on the west side of Houston, in the Energy Corridor.This family requested help spreading topsoil in their front yard. The homeowner said, “This may seem like a strange request with the many priorities we have (mold remediation, plumbing, electrical and structural damages to name a few) but driving up to our home and walking through a yard of clay speckled with glass and broken tile is so difficult.” This sweet family—including [...]

21 11, 2017

Thank You

Sally Penning2017-11-21T10:27:12-06:00November 21st, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, On Thanksgiving morning, I am reminded that being thankful should be like breathing. Your apostle Paul says to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. All of these commands remind me that giving thanks isn’t something I should just stop and do sometimes. Rather, gratitude should be the very flavor of all of my thoughts, words, and deeds. It seems funny to have a single day dedicated to such a thing. We don’t have a national breathing day, or a day set aside for seeing or hearing. Giving thanks is simply a way of being [...]

17 11, 2017

Finding a Church, by Kelley Mohr Rodriguez

Sally Penning2017-11-17T08:53:31-06:00November 17th, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

In February 2015, I decided it was time to find a church for my family. I grew up in Houston and spent my childhood very involved in my neighborhood Methodist church. I participated in about everything it had to offer from Sunday School to choir and being an acolyte. My parents instilled in me and my siblings a solid foundation to start our journey with Jesus. In college and most of my young adult life, I remained spiritual but sporadically attended church. I was building a career, moving to different cities and just got busy. That all changed [...]

17 11, 2017

I need a makeover!

Sally Penning2017-11-17T08:48:19-06:00November 17th, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

God,I could use a makeover, like on television, when they show those before and after pictures. As I am now, my heart sags. My eyes look down instead of up. I have bags under my spirit. My motives have grown dark like circles under my eyes. My hope is giving out like flabby arm flesh. And I have bald spots where I no longer have any works of love. I need a makeover, God.Come and recreate me in the image of your Son, my Lord, my savior, and my brother. Make me new again, that I may be a part of the new creation [...]

10 11, 2017

Spared to Serve, by Tina Throckmorton

Sally Penning2017-11-16T10:35:39-06:00November 10th, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

Thankfully, my family and our home were spared the wrath of Hurricane Harvey. However, my grandmother died in mid-September, and her passing felt all the more heartbreaking after the difficult weeks we had all just endured. Reflecting on what a wonderful Nana she was, my thoughts turned toward the beautiful Christmas stocking she made for my daughter. She worked on it months before Tessa was born so that it would be ready for her first Christmas. It is a family treasure. That’s when it hit me like a ton of bricks... families who lost everything in Harvey also [...]

10 11, 2017

Love is Hard

Sally Penning2017-11-16T11:16:13-06:00November 10th, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

God, sometimes love is easy. Showing up to help a friend. Making a phone call to a grieving brother or sister in Christ. Loving folks who love me right back. Thank you so much for that kind of amazing love, those relationships that make life full of joy and peace, patience and kindness, generosity and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. That kind of love makes me get up in the morning, and fills my heart until it overflows. There are other days, God, when love is more like work. Sometimes, when I love others, it doesn’t seem to make much difference. Their pain isn’t [...]

3 11, 2017

Mucking Out

Sally Penning2017-11-03T09:24:10-05:00November 3rd, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYERGod,There is stuff in my life that needs “mucking out.” You know my stuff, my challenges, my issues. I say things that are hurtful and then wonder “where did that come from?” I find myself dividing the world into “us” and “them.” I decide to do what feels good, even if I know it doesn’t help build your kingdom in any way. I choose to spend the resources you put me in charge of on things that are not consistent with your purposes. And pride - oh my own pride and ambition – that is what takes me over. The list goes on. [...]