Greetings St. Luke’s Family,
The Church as “the Connection” is one of the reasons I fell in love with Methodism having grown up Lutheran. It’s not just a clever method of connectivity we have inherited as Methodists, but it’s one of the powerful ways in which God’s kingdom is revealed to us.
At a time when a lot of devastation is happening in the world and news and social media algorithms seem to conspire against our mental wellbeing, it’s hard to feel hopeful. However, we are people of the Good News. The good news is that there are an equal number of great things happening that should restore our hope. For example, we can rely on the United Methodist systems and agencies to be instruments of hope and healing across the globe in the midst of suffering in Cuba, Afghanistan, and devastation we have seen in Haiti.
This coming Sunday, United Methodist Churches in the Florida Conference have the opportunity to show up for our siblings in Christ in Haiti through our prayers and a special offering. The people of Haiti have been devastated by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake and the continued storms. Financial donations can be sent to UMCOR (the United Methodist Committee on Relief) here. UMCOR is the best United Methodist agency through which we can come together as a body of Christ to offer relief and development globally.
If you’re looking for local connections, we have multiple opportunities for you to Learn, Live, Love, and Lead. Learning about the barriers our neighbors with low income and low wealth experience is one of these opportunities. Join St. Luke’s Missions Team and other organizations in the community for a virtual Cost of Poverty Experience hosted by Poverty Solutions Group on Monday, August 23 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Be sure to drop in Sunday online or in-person for worship and then Bible study with our pastors and friends on Sunday evening. Our Wednesday Life Together discipleship groups are another way to engage with St. Luke’s this fall. If you missed last Sunday evening’s Bible study, you can catch up on the all new “Your Week with St. Luke’s” podcast.
Make time to take the next step on your spiritual journey this week and connect with your church family because it’s not St. Luke’s without U!
Hope & grace,
Mariam Mengistie
St. Luke’s Executive Director of Missions