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807 N Stapley Drive
December 20/21, 2014
“Living Lives for Christ”
www.stlukemesa.com
Sermon Series
Bethlehem: House of Tears
December 21 ~ “Tears for Peace”
2 Samuel 23:13-17
December 28 ~ Pastor Flohrs
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Welcome to Worship!
Whether you've been around St. Luke's for many years or
you're just starting, whether your life is going well or
falling apart, whether you're convinced in your beliefs or
questioning everything - we're happy you're here. We
want to be a community that brings Jesus to you.
January 4 ~ “Tears for Children”
- Pastor Luke
Matthew 2:13-18
Reflections
“Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.” - Jesus, John 4:14
“David expresses a sudden longing to taste the sweet water he remembers from that well by
the gate of his native town, though he scarcely intends this as a serious invitation. Presumably
the three warriors understand that. But, as daring fighters, they decide to take him at his word
and risk their necks to execute a seemingly impossible mission. It is easy to understand how
such an exploit would be vividly recalled.”
- Robert Alter
as we gather...
Children are welcome in our worship services. As an alternative, a
nursery for infants through 3-year-olds is available down the hallway to
the east of the lobby. The nursery is staffed from 8am to 12pm on
Sunday mornings, but is available for your personal use any time. The
worship service can be heard in the nursery.
Holy Communion First and third weekends at 5 PM and 8 AM. Every
Sunday at 10:30 AM. We welcome all who have been instructed and
confirmed in the faith, who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and
in the true presence of His body and blood in the sacrament.
Connect Cards We ask everyone at each service to turn in a
Connect Card or scan this QR code to let us know you're
here. If you are a guest, we'll be in touch with you this week
to ask if you have any questions or comments.
Prayer Requests Please fill out the Prayer Request card and
hand it to an usher.
Encouragement Cards Send a message to the homebound, elderly,
sick or hospitalized. Address the card, and place it in the offering plate.
Sermons Online
http://www.stlukemesa.com/#/media
Pew Bibles We encourage you to use the Bibles in the pews to enhance
your worship experience. If you are in need of a Bible, please feel free to
take one as a gift from St. Luke’s.
Transportation to Worship Are you willing to provide transportation to
worship for someone in need or interested in receiving transportation to
worship? Either way, please fill out our "Worship Transportation Form"
in the lobby. Turn it into the office and we will connect people who go to
the same service and live in similar parts of town.
sunday
education ~ 9:30 am
Adult Study - That the World May Know
Fellowship Room
Women’s Bible Study - Simply Relevant {Chocolate Boutique}
WC Room 311
Adult Study - Through the Bible (Isaiah/10:30-1 Corinth.) Ed Bldg., Room 400
Young Adults Bible Study
Ed Bldg., Room 404
Youth Study (9th-12th)-Why Can We Trust the Bible?
Ed Bldg., Room 406
Confirmation (7th-8th)-Luther’s Catechism (No Class)
Ed Bldg., Room 405
Bible Boot Camp (5th-6th)-Old Testament (No Class)
Ed Bldg., Room 403
Sunday School (Grades PS-4th)-Get Buzzing About God Ed Bldg., Room 409
st luke staff ~ office: 480.969.4414
Luke Hennings, Senior Pastor [Ext. 306; luke@stlukemesa.com]
Kim Cramer, Director of Music (Ext. 305; kim.cramer@stlukemesa.com)
Kip Fox, Director of Praise & Worship (kip@stlukemesa.com)
Kelly Buckwalter, Director of Youth (Ext. 304; kelly@stlukemesa.com)
Dorel Phillips, Office Manager (Ext. 301; office@stlukemesa.com)
Kathy Paulson, Business Director (Ext. 316; kathy.paulson@stlukemesa.com)
Kathleen Hoffmann, Operational Coordinator/Director of Care Ministry
(kathleen@stlukemesa.com)
John Hollmann, Care Ministry Asst. (john.hollmann@stlukemesa.com)
Dorothy Johnson, RN (480.354.2453; dorothy.johnson@stlukemesa.com)
Bob Kolden[8am] & Carol Schroeder [5pm], Organists
T his Week
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 AM—4:30 PM
Sunday, December 21—Baptism Day!
8:00 am Worship [Worship Center]
9:30 am Bible Study/Sunday School
10:30 am Bible Study: New Testament [Room 400]
10:30 am Worship [Worship Center]
Monday, December 22
7:00 pm Handbells [Worship Center]
Tuesday, December 23
10:00 am Adult Bible Study [Fellowship Room]
Wednesday, December 24—Christmas Eve
Church Office Closed
4:00 pm Christmas Celebration [Worship Center]
6:00 pm Christmas Celebration [Worship Center]
11:00 pm Candlelight/Communion [Worship Center]
Thursday, December 25—Christmas Day
10:00 am Worship w/Communion [Worship Center]
Friday, December 26—Church Office Closed
Saturday, December 27
7:30 am NO Habitat Build [Holiday]
8:00 am Men’s Bible Study [Fellowship Room]
5:00 pm Worship [Worship Center]
8:00 am
9:30 am
9:30 am
10:30 am
Sunday, December 28
Worship [Worship Center]
Adult Bible Study [Oasis]
NO Confirmation/Sunday School
Worship [Worship Center]
Serving Next Weekend
Usher Team: Zuber[5pm]
Muth[8am]
Hoffmann/Duchrow [10:30am]
Greeters: Sherry Olson (5pm)
Daly/Ewert/Halsey [8am]
M & K Schelin [10:30am]
Info Center: Dorothy Johnson (5pm)
Kim Cramer [8am]
Kelly Buckwalter [10:30am]
Reader: Kathy Kolden [8am]
Coffee: Gayle Householder
Transportation: Gary Kosloske
Counters: Berck/Doede/Lozano
Our Response to God Las t Week
Worship Attendance: 361(54, 182, 125)
Education Attendance: Children/Youth: 24
Adults: 68
Budget Offerings: $8,927
Beyond the Walls Total Given: $277,358
(Gen. Fund=$60,000/Debt Pay Down=$217,358)
our community
Baptized into God’s Family on this Sunday at the 8:00
AM worship service is Zachary Stephen Swinehart, son of
Stephen and Tara Swinehart. His Christian sponsors are
Krista & Raymond Einsphar. Also baptized at the 8:00
AM worship service is Katelyn June Vark, daughter of
Charles & Samantha Vark. Her Christian sponsors are
Krystle & Cody Henderson. Baptized this Sunday at the
10:30 AM worship service are Teigan Mylee Angelica
Clark and Draevyn Clark.
Christmas Eve
4 PM & 6 PM ~ Christmas Celebration
(Childcare provided)
11 PM ~ Candlelight Communion
Christmas Day
10 AM ~ Festival Communion
Worship
Poinsettias for our Worship Center: Order by signing
up at the Information Center. Cost: $8 per plant. Place
your payment in the offering and mark it for poinsettias.
You may take your plant home on Christmas Day.
Sunday School and Confirmation will not meet NEXT
Sunday. Classes will resume on January 4th, 2015.
Habitat State Tax Credit.... Help support Lutherans
Building for Christ and Habitat for Humanity. Give the
gift of a home, and get the gift of lower taxes. The Arizona
tax credit for the working poor will allow you to donate
$400 (married) or $200 (single) to Habitat and receive a
direct dollar-for-dollar credit from your Arizona taxes.
Make your check payable to Habitat for Humanity
Central Arizona and put “St. Luke Lutheran Church –
Lutherans Building for Christ” in the memo line & place
in offering. Pick up a 'tax credit flier' at the Info
Center. For more details visit www.CCLPhoenix.org .
ACSTO Changes Lives...Financially challenged children
are able to receive a Christian Day School education as a
result of generous donors like you, supporting the
Arizona
Christian
School
Tuition
Organization
(ACSTO.org). By recommending “Christ’s Greenfield
Lutheran School, Gilbert” on the ACSTO donation, a
Lutheran education is provided to a child in need while
you receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. Can you help
us bring more children to Jesus? For more information,
contact Mrs. Bean (480.892.8314x130 or email
sbean@cglschool.org). Thank you!
Offering Envelopes...Your 2015 Offering Envelopes are
in your mailbox in the Worship Center lobby. Please wait
to begin using your 2015 envelopes until after January 1,
2015. Offering envelope users have been assigned a new
number for 2015. Your mailbox is ABOVE your name. If
you have questions, please go to the Information Center.
Thank You to everyone that came in last week to help
clean the sanctuary. The pews were polished and
vacuumed, and we cleaned all the carpets in preparation
for Christmas.
New Year’s Eve Worship & Pre-Party
5pm in Oasis
Bring an hors d'oeuvre to share for the
pre-party following worship.
4th Annual
Celebration of Music
Sunday, January 4
4:00pm
Join the music ministry of
St. Luke’s as we celebrate
Epiphany with your favorite
songs from Christmas.
Pastor Luke
Kip Kelly
Dorel Kim
Kathleen
Kathy Dorothy
The church staff prays that you have
a Merry Christmas and that God will
guide and bless you in the coming
year. Thank you for your cards,
prayers, and other expressions
of God’s love!
Lieber/Travis Ueke/Josh Tolbert & others
we pray for... Jason
serving in the Military and/or deployed & their
families; Scott Phillips and others who are
unemployed & looking for work; Alyssa [Volk’s niece-health/healing/migraines];
Craig [Volk’s bro-in-law: healing-cancer/back pain]; Judy Moeser [comfort/
strength/health]; Terry Sharp [health/healing/strength-chemo treatments]; Dick
Fall [health/healing]; Melba Fall [health/healing-hospice]; Lyle Fettig [peace &
comfort-hospice]; Pat [Mardy Knudsen’s friend: health/healing-cancer]; Kris
[Mardy Knudsen’s daughter: health/healing-chemo treatments]; Lawrence Nelson
[health/healing/strength-rehab]; JoAnn [Karen Eckelberg’s cousin: health/healing/
comfort]; Paige Pearson [Rebecca McCraw’s daughter: health/thanksgiving-finally
had her baby– David Raymond/both doing fine]2; Jan Henning [healing-hearing
loss]2; Phil Abbott [peace & comfort-making quality-of life-decisions]2;
Alec Stocker [healing-cancer]1; Dorothy Johnson [health/healing-weak]1;
Peace and comfort to the Knaub family on the death of Millie on Wednesday, December 17th.
Our goal for our Beyond the Walls campaign is to pay down the first third of our debt. Extra
debt payments are sent to our lender every month in addition to our regular mortgage
payment, and the chart below tracks our progress each month. If you have any questions, or
would like to be a part of Beyond the Walls, please contact our business director Kathy
Paulson.
Under $1 Million in Debt!
Original Goal: $250,000