Betty Owens Geary, lifelong Methodist, veteran of countless church meetings, married to Bob Geary Matthew 25:34-46 (The Message) 34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I [...]

Craig LaFollette Colossians 1:13-14   For He has rescued us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.    Psalm 103:10-14   He has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins, for His mercy toward those who fear and honor Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.   Reflection:  As a professing Christian, faith is central to my life and underpins everything that I believe.  Knowing that God gave his only son for the forgiveness of my sins sometimes causes me to [...]

Mike Mosby   1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Reflection: John Wesley teaches us that God has given three kinds of grace to us. Prevenient grace, which means the grace that “comes before,” is given to all of us at birth. This is God’s presence in our lives, it is freely given, and is just sort of there for everyone. I like to think about prevenient grace as the chips and salsa that come to your table for free.  You didn’t [...]

Richard Ethun proud husband of Karen, father of Elizabeth, Angela and Cecilia, member of St. Luke’s for 30 plus years, GoodWill Sunday School Class teacher, Sinner and Saved by Grace Galatians 6:1-5 1 My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. 4 All must [...]

Amy Kelley, Dir. of Program Ministries 1 Timothy 4:8-11 (CEB) Train yourself for a holy life! 8 While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come. 9 This saying is reliable and deserves complete acceptance. 10 We work and struggle for this: “Our hope is set on the living God, who is the savior of all people, especially those who believe.” 11 Command these things. Teach them.   John 1:2-4 (CEB) The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 Everything came [...]

Warren Fisher, Genesis Sunday School Co-Leader, Member since 1988   Romans 3:21-26  But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this [...]

Cindy Donaldson Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created heaven and earth.  John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Revelation 21:1, 3-4 Then I saw a new heaven and new earth…And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look, God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning [...]

Nancy Walker Luke 18:18-22 A certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?”  Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good?  No one is good except the one God.  You know the commandments: Do not murder.  Do not steal.  Do not give false testimony.  Honor your father and mother.”       Then the ruler said, “I have kept all of these things since I was a boy.” When Jesus heard this, he said, “There is one more thing.  Sell everything you own and distribute the money to the poor.  Then you will have treasure [...]

Karen Limmer, St. Luke’s member since 2009 Proverbs 11:2 (NRSV) When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. James 3:17 (NRSV) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. Reflection: It is interesting that everything I found about wisdom in the Bible does not point to newspapers, books, classes, and experts. All the verses I read encourage humility, empathy, silence, and listening to gain wisdom. Growing up, I was not taught to acknowledge when I was [...]