November 2018 | St. Luke's United Methodist Church

30 11, 2018

Waiting for the Baby To Come, by Suzi Pitts

Sally Penning2018-11-30T09:30:08-06:00November 30th, 2018|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

I’m waiting for a baby to come. I’m waiting for the phone to ring. The anticipation is delightful, and I’m preparing to jump on a Southwest Airlines flight to see this little one as soon as she’s born. My prayers have been with her ever since we learned that she was conceived. I remember where my husband and I were when our son let us know. There was quite the celebration as the champagne they sent to our table was popped.” Everyone! We are going to be grandparents again!! Celebrate with us!” We asked for extra glasses, and [...]

30 11, 2018

Keep It Simple!

Sally Penning2018-11-30T09:22:03-06:00November 30th, 2018|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of love, It is getting pretty crazy. Stuff to do at work. Planning for next year. Thinking about year end. Lots of worship services. Wanting it all to be just right. Stuff to do at home. Christmas gifts to think about. Parties coming up. Christmas cards to send. Thank you notes to write. So in the midst of all of this, what really matters? It was in the cacophony of Bethlehem, packed full of people because of a census taken by a crazy king, that a simple ordinary thing happened in a simple ordinary stable. A little baby was born, [...]

20 11, 2018

Thanksgiving, by Shelby Olive

Sally Penning2018-11-20T13:17:12-06:00November 20th, 2018|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

My very first job right out of college was at the Galveston County Daily News. I worked the night shift as a copy editor and layout designer, and for the most part, it wasn’t too bad. That is, it wasn’t too bad until the holiday season. I no longer had the luxury of stepping away from work and celebrating these days with my family. On Thanksgiving Day, my mom made a plate of turkey and all the sides for me to take to work, and I cried the entire way to the office. This one Thanksgiving away from [...]

16 11, 2018

Worry, worry, worry…

Sally Penning2018-11-16T09:20:32-06:00November 16th, 2018|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

Our inside-out habits: We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER God, Last night, I lay awake and couldn't sleep. There was this concern spinning around in my head, and I couldn't seem to shake it. It wasn't a really big deal, but it got bigger the more I worried about it. And then today, I thought it would just resolve itself. But it is still there. I can't do anything about it, so I guess I will just worry. I wonder... [...]

9 11, 2018

Setting the Lord’s Table, by Nancy Walker

Sally Penning2018-11-09T12:21:49-06:00November 9th, 2018|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

Several years ago, I learned how unaware I had been about how a church service happens. As I entered the building on Sunday mornings, everything was in place: bulletins, collection plates for the offertory, attendance pads, children’s activity packets, Communion elements, ushers at the door, pews filling with the congregation. All I had to do was sit down and hopefully not fall asleep during the sermon! My perspective changed when I became a member of the Altar Guild. Many mornings of the year, I now arrive at 7:30 a.m. The church is already humming by the time I [...]

9 11, 2018

Maybe if I just ignore it…

Sally Penning2018-11-09T12:12:27-06:00November 9th, 2018|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of light, Another mass shooting, God. I wonder how many times I will lift up to you families of people killed for no good reason. As always, I pray for comfort and strength for them, and for a community of love to surround them and share in their pain. And I grieve that it has become so common that we simply gasp one more time and then move on with life. Is there something we can do about it, God? Can you do something about it, God? Or maybe we will just glance at [...]

2 11, 2018

Don’t miss today

Sally Penning2018-11-02T09:17:34-05:00November 2nd, 2018|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of love, I have been thinking that today might be my last day on earth. Who knows what today, or tomorrow, or the next day will bring? I might have 10,000 days left in my life, and I might have just this one. I don't want to throw today away or miss the experience of this hour or even this minute. And yet, I am always hurrying on to the next thing, always running from one thing to the next, living in tomorrow, regretting what I missed or did yesterday, reminiscing about the good old days, dreaming [...]