Lifelong Learning

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This fall, Lifelong Learning invites us to keep asking questions, deepening our faith, and engaging thoughtfully with the world around us.

This season’s topics will range widely, including baptism and our new baptismal font, providing feedback for possible revisions to the ELCA Social Statement on Human Sexuality, caring for the mental health of children and adolescents, James Cone and liberation theology, historic missionaries serving in Indonesia, the ELCA Social Statement on Civic Life, worship volunteer training, our annual vaccination clinic, and even a conversation on “Longevity: Eat Your Ice Cream.”

Whether the topic is theology, public life, health, worship, or the way we care for one another, Lifelong Learning is a place to bring your curiosity and your questions. Click below for are most current schedule!

You are Enough

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Dear church,

There are so many voices willing to tell us we are not enough. Not successful enough or faithful enough or productive enough. And sometimes the loudest voice is our own.

My best friend recently preached a line that has stayed with me: Baptism is death to the lie that you are not enough.

In baptism, we are joined to Christ’s death and resurrection. And among the things drowned in those waters is the idea that we must prove our worth before God, one another, or ourselves.

Baptism does not mean we have nothing left to learn or change. It means our belonging does not depend on our performance.

God has already claimed you. You are marked with the cross of Christ forever.

And perhaps part of living as baptized people is letting that promise drown the voices that insist otherwise.

I hope you’ll plan to join us on Sunday as we dedicate our new baptismal font and re-center ourselves around these promises.

See you in worship,
Pastor Kyle

Baptism

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Dear church,

Baptism is the center of our faith. It is our welcome and immersion in grace, forgiveness, and life. We are excited to share that St. Luke’s will soon be receiving a new baptismal font that has been commissioned specifically for our space. Our current font has served this congregation faithfully for generations. The new font is being designed with that same kind of horizon in mind, a font for the next 100 years of baptisms at St. Luke’s. It will honor the beauty and character of our sanctuary while also allowing us to practice baptism with fuller immersion of infants in the baptismal waters.

Handmade Cards

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Support ELCA World Hunger with a Card!
Handmade Cards by the Card Ministry
St. Luke’s Card Ministry has been busy in crafting beautiful, handmade cards for variety of life celebrations and special occasions. Cards are $5 each, with all proceeds supporting ELCA World Hunger.

Alive

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Alive! — Wednesday, September 9 & 23
Join us for Alive! on Wednesday, September 9, in Henderson Hall for an evening of fun, food, and fellowship!

6:00 PM — Dinner
Enjoy a delicious Baked Potato Bar with all the fixings, including chili, chicken, cheese, sour cream, bacon, and more. Drinks and dessert will also be served!

7:00 PM — Card & Board Games
Play a favorite game or learn a new one! Bring a game you enjoy or join in with others for an evening of laughter, friendly competition, and fellowship.

Everyone is welcome! Come for dinner, stay for the games, and enjoy a fun evening together. We hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, please contact: Rita Hoffer ritamhoffer@yahoo.com

Masks of God

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Dear church,

This Sunday, we are celebrating a Backpack* Blessing, and the asterisk is intentional.

For many of our children and young people, the backpack marks the beginning of a new school year, filled with books and folders, lunches and Chromebooks, and all the hopes and anxieties that come with heading back to the classroom. So we will bless those backpacks, and especially the students who carry them.

But the blessing does not stop there.

Sprituality Retreat

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Baptism isn’t a one-time event. Rather, throughout our lives we return to baptism as a source for renewal, forgiveness, sustenance, and mission. As St. Luke welcomes a new baptismal font, come explore deeper meanings of baptism from theological, liturgical, and practical perspectives. Led by Craig Mueller, lead pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago and auxiliary professor of spirituality at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Welcome Vicar Hannah

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Dear church,

We are delighted to welcome Vicar Hannah as they begins their year of internship ministry among us. We look forward to a year of learning, growing, serving, and sharing in the excitement of ministry together.

We also offer a heartfelt thank you to Ethan, who has provided such steady, creative, and beautiful musical leadership through this season of transition. His gifts have helped carry our worship with grace and joy, and we are deeply grateful for all he has shared with us!

As one season gives way to another, we give thanks for the people God sends to walk with us along the way. I hope we can step into what’s next with gratitude for what has been, openness to what is emerging, and trust that the Spirit is still leading us forward together.

See you in worship,
Pastor Kyle