Dr. Tom Pace, Dr. Tom Pace lll, Senior Pastor St. Lukes UMC, Sr Pastor St Lukes

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  you are bringing into being, the Kingdom of God, on earth as in heaven, springing up all around me.

Amen

KEY VERSE FOR THE WEEK
For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! Galatians 6:15

QUESTIONS FOR CONVERSATION AND REFLECTION
What signs do you see of being reshaped, remade by the Holy Spirit?
Where have you seen some seed lie dormant? Where have you seen some seed germinate and grow?

SOME THOUGHTS TO SHARE

Please Come! St. Luke’s CCSC Dinner in the Activity Center

On Thursday, November 30, from 6:30-7:45, you are invited to be our guest for dinner in the Activity Center to learn about God’s dreams and visions for the Christian Community Service Center and what St. Luke’s United Methodist Church can do to help make those dreams a reality. During our Advent and Christmas season this year, we will support CCSC as they seek to replace their old flooded facility near St. Luke’s with a new one, as well as seek to increase our volunteer support of CCSC’s fine ministries. This effort will be our 2017 Christmas Offering, and we will dedicate our entire Christmas Eve offering to this endeavor. CCSC was the brainchild of one of St. Luke’s associate pastors 40 years ago, and we have been a foundational partner for their work since it began in 1980. Please come and hear about how you can be a part of this effort. Click Here to RSVP

Advent and Christmas Events and Schedule

Yes, it is upon us! Everything Advent and Christmas is right here. It is going to be a great season as we lean into the coming of Jesus. Our sermon series is entitled “What Do You Expect?” and we will think together about how our sense of expectancy (not expectation) determines how we experience this season. Let’s expect God’s goodness, transformation, wonder, and love. 

Last week in “Life in the Spirit” Sermon Series

When I go into a someone’s house, I think to myself… “pretty nice house.” When my wife goes into a house, she thinks “O what I would do with this house!” It isn’t that she is critical of the house the way it is. In fact, she usually notes afterwards the great things about it. “Did you see that fireplace? That was beautiful.” But she is a woman who is always seeing the possibilities in a space. When God looks at you and at me, God sees possibilities, how we can be remade in the image of Christ. When God looks at the world God has made, with all of its broken places, God sees the new creation that is possible, and is assured in Scripture. How can you and I be a part of this re-creation work? Come and worship this Sunday, November 19, as we talk about “The New Creation,” the last in our sermon series on Galatians 5 and 6. It is also Thanksgiving Sunday, so we will make a special effort to thank God for the blessings of harvest and life itself. (Don’t we do that every Sunday?)

PRAYER CALENDAR

Sunday, November 19

Heavenly Father, thank you for your continual grace that you pour over us each and every day. Open our eyes today to see you in action, give us the courage to serve in your name, and then fill our hearts with your peace. Amen. -Prayer by Diane Bartley

Monday, November 20

Dear God, make sure that Neighbors In Action will get enough money for the people so they could have a great new building in which to play games and do fun activities. Amen. -Prayer by Yanis Diaz, 5th Grade

Tuesday, November 21

God, thanks for our family and friends. Thank you for our church. We give thanks to you and everything the Scripture has done to make us better people. In your name we pray. Amen. -Prayer by Parker Broach, 5th Grade

Wednesday, November 22

Dear Lord, there are so many things that we are thankful for. We appreciate all the safety you provided in the hurricane. We also thank you for making us who we are today and leading us through our lives. Amen. -Prayer by Jack Reid, 5th Grade

Thursday, November 23 – Thanksgiving Day

Dear Lord, thank you for the amazing Thanksgiving we all will have today. Thank you for the delicious platters of food you have given us, and may you please help those who don’t have enough food for Thanksgiving. May this Holiday open many hearts and so that tons of people donate food, money, clothes, and everything to the homeless and the poor people. Amen. -Prayer by a 5th Grader

Friday, November 24

Dear God, thank you for the food. Thank you for dogs. Thank you for drinks and desserts. And thank you for everything. Amen. -Prayer by a 5th Grader

Saturday, November 25

Dear God, we thank you for being nice to everybody and helping us with whatever we need help with. Thank you for giving us food and clean water. Thank you for letting everybody be safe and happy. Please let everybody have a great day today and a great day tomorrow. Amen. -Prayer by a 5th Grader

 

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