CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk fundraising event created to support the global mission of Church World Service (CWS), a faith-based organization formed in 1969 to beat hunger and poverty. After a CROP Hunger Walk ends, 25% of the funds raised is returned to the Park Ridge/Niles community to support the local Maine Township Food Pantry and the remaining donations support CWS Worldwide projects.
Blood Drive is held at at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Sunday, September 28, 12:00 Noon to 5::00 p.m. Appointments preferred.
Sunday School begins Sunday, September 14th
We are excited to invite all children in PreK through 5th grade to join us in Henderson Hall at 9:30 a.m. as we begin our new year of faith formation.
This year we’ll explore stories from the Bible that reveal how God loves, promises, and cares for us – from Abraham and Sarah to Jesus feeding the 5,000 and teaching us to love with kindness and justice. Through engaging storytelling, music, art, and hands-on activities, children will grow closer to Jesus and deepen their understanding of God’s promises.
You may someday save a life! The Park Ridge firefighters will be at St. Luke’s on Saturday, October 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to teach you the life Savings skills of CPR.
Volunteers needed for Sunday Night Suppers
Sunday Night Suppers is a Park Ridge ministry supported by local churches and organizations that provides free meals and fellowship to our neighbors in need each Sunday from September through May. This year, the suppers will be held at First United Methodist Church, with St. Luke’s and St. Andrews as co-hosts. St. Luke’s teams will serve as hosts (on-site coordinators) for nine Sundays and as sponsors (providing and serving the meal) for four of those Sundays.
ALIVE! is coming “to life” again on Wednesday evenings: September 3, 17; October 1, 15; November 5, 19; December 3, 17.
6:00 pm Devotion and Dinner
7:00-8:30 pm Game time: Board games, card games, inside ball games; (any new ideas for games are welcome)
Questions, please contact: Rita Hoffer (ritamhoffer@yahoo.com)
Many Gifts, One Spirit: A Hymn Festival
A service of music and readings developed and led by Jan Kraybill, organist,
along with Jennaya Robison, choir director and soloist. All are welcome!
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
Thursday, August 14 at 7:00 p.m .
PHOENIX — The Rev. Yehiel Curry was elected July 30 to serve a six-year term as presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly being held July 28–Aug. 2 at the Phoenix (Ariz.) Convention Center.
Curry was elected on the fifth ballot. There were 799 votes cast, with 400 votes needed for an election. Curry received 562 votes, and the Rev. Kevin Strickland, bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Synod, received 237 votes. Curry is the first Black presiding bishop of the ELCA.
Speaking to the assembly after his election, Curry reflected on his membership at Shekinah Chapel in Riverdale, Ill., where he eventually became a lay mission developer while he participated in the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program, which prepares individuals for ordained ministry in the ELCA, with a focus on emerging ministry contexts like ethnic-specific, multicultural, rural and inner-city settings. He spoke to the assembly about his initial hesitation in accepting that first ministry role.
“Perhaps I’m out there in one of you,” Curry said. “I never saw myself as good enough, so for two years, I said no. I finally said yes. When I said yes, your support, this church’s support, of that ministry meant everything. So if you want to know what your benevolence dollars look like, it looks like me, and I want to say thank you. Thank you for your investment.”
Curry has served as bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod since 2019. He previously served as mission developer (2009-2012) and pastor (2012-2019) of Shekinah.
He received a Bachelor of Arts from Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill., in 1995 and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) in 2013. LSTC is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting under the theme “For the Life of the World.” The assembly will participate in plenary discussions to make decisions about the work of this church. They will also spend time in worship and engage in various ways of theological reflection.
Live video of the plenary sessions will be accessible at www.elca.org/CWA.
The Park Ridge Chorale in concert at St. Lukes on Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.. Tickets are available on thier Website or at the door.
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Church headquartered in England. It is also the 6th largest charity in the United States. Join us on Wednesday, July 9th, for a visit to the Salvation Army to learn more about all the wonderful work that they do. We will meet at St. Luke’s at 11:00 am for a brief orientation and then carpool to the Salvation Army to meet with Captain Norman Polusca at 11:30 am, and to learn more about this interesting church that accomplishes so much with a small amount of people. [Continue to read here]
Here’s the plan:
Please meet at St. Luke’s at 2:30 p.m. and then carpool to the Shrine.
Then afterwards Janet Hoiberg will welcome us at her home for a simple picnic supper (inside or out, as the weather invites) and for discussion.
To facilitate planning, please let Janet Hoiberg or Kathryn Johnson know you are coming.