Dear St. Lukers,
In the middle of the night, a smart, educated man, probably top in his profession, comes to Jesus. Seeking, questioning, wondering if this man he has been listening to, watching, truly has the answers to his questions. Is this the One who has the answer for that nagging, persisting feeling of emptiness, or the wrestling in his soul? He has heard of this Jesus and his vision of the Kingdom of God, is this the One they have been waiting for? Whatever questions, curiosities, or longings drove Nicodemus to find Jesus for a one-on-one conversation, the answers he was sent away with had the power to be life changing. It was all up to him…just like it is for us.
This week we continue to move through the Gospel of John with our study of chapters 3 and 4. It’s in chapter 3 that we encounter Nicodemus’ darkness-cloaked conversation that led to the Scripture that sheds light for all the world, John 3:16-17. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to our guest lecturer on the podcast, Dr. Jonathan Groce, click here to listen as you prepare your hearts and minds for worship this week!
This Sunday is a very special day, as our guest preacher is really no guest at all! In fact, 43 years ago this summer, The Rev. Dr. James A. Harnish became the first to welcome people to a new church called St. Luke’s UMC. As founding pastor of St. Luke’s, it was Jim and those in the first congregation, many of whom are still St. Lukers, who set a table of welcome and hospitality, and planted the seeds of our Wesleyan heritage that have become the roots we continue to grow from as a church today. Rev. Harnish will be bringing us our message in both Contemporary and Traditional worship on campus at 9:30 a.m. If you can’t join us in person, we invite you to watch worship live online (Contemporary at 9:30 a.m. and Traditional at 11:00 a.m.). We are so excited to have Jim back at the pulpit, and so are you, as we have read all the memories you have shared on social media! Jim is going to help us wrestle with the same choice Nicodemus had, as well as Fagin, one of the lead characters in Oliver! When faced with the moment to “Review our Situation,” will we let ourselves be born anew?
You will not want to miss this Sunday as we welcome home Jim and Martha, so we hope you join us, because it’s not St. Luke’s without U!
Jenn.