Flu Shots
Walgreens will administer a Fall Flu Clinic at St. Luke’s Sunday, Octobeer 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They will offer vaccines for the flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, RSV, and tetanus vaccines.
Walking for Peace
Date: Monday, October 26
Time: 6:00 pm–7:00 pm
Starting Location: St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 205 N. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge (please park at St. Luke’s)
Route: St. Luke’s Lutheran Church to First UMC, then to Community Church and back to St. Luke’s
Questions: Pastor Scott Himel (shimel@parkridgeumc.org)
Christians in the Holy Land
On October 25, 2026, we will hear about the Christians of the Holy Land, and be hosting a nice display of olive wood religious handicrafts from Bethlehem available for donations. The olivewood carvings include Nativity sets, crosses, Christmas ornaments, candle holders, angels and others. They are carved by Christian families from Bethlehem who rely on their crafts for their daily bread.
God’s Good Creation
Dear church,
We hold some of our confirmands, Gerry, and Vicar Hannah in prayer as they head to LOMC for retreat, a time to deepen relationships and enjoy God’s good creation together.
On Sunday, we’ll celebrate another part of that good creation with our St. Francis Day Pet Blessing, giving thanks for the animals who bring joy, companionship, and love into our lives.
And during Lifelong Learning, I hope you’ll join Julie Rooney and Tonya Halfpenny for an important conversation about youth mental health, a timely opportunity to learn together and consider how we can better support the children and teens in our families and community.
See you in worship,
Pastor Kyle
Blood Drive
Blood Drive honoring Joel Kwasigroch, a former St. Luke’s member. This drive is proudly supported by Joel’s family.
We’re turning Sunday 9/27, 12–5 PM into the most legendary day of the year!
Blood Drive + Bone Marrow Registry Drive! DOUBLE the hero energy, ONE epic event!
Donate blood. Join the registry. Save lives like the absolute legend you are.
Part of Something Larger
Dear church,
This weekend brings two meaningful opportunities to engage with the wider church and the work we share together.
On Saturday at 3:00 p.m., the Rev. Erik Christensen will be installed as Bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. I have the honor of serving as Director of Liturgy for the installation service, helping to shape the celebration.
Then on Sunday, we are delighted to welcome the Rev. Dr. R. Guy Erwin to St. Luke’s. President Erwin serves as president of United Lutheran Seminary and previously served as Bishop of the Southwest California Synod. He will preach at both worship services and lead our Lifelong Learning forum.
Lifelong Learning
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
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
Sunday School News
Yay! Sunday School Begins Sunday, September 13th!
We are excited to invite all children, Pre-K through 5th grade, to join us in Henderson Hall at 9:30 AM as we kick off our new year of faith formation, “Growing in God’s Love: Exploring Promises of Faithfulness.”
Baptism
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.