Dear St. Lukers,

There was a couple in my life who always remembered everything! Birthdays, anniversaries, special moments, and with those days there always came a card or email from this couple. They wanted you to know they weren’t just thinking of you, but they remembered YOU and YOUR particular story. I know this practice wasn’t just for me, they had been in ministry long enough to have a list miles long but faithfully they never missed a moment. Both of them have passed away and I must admit, when those days come around in my life, I miss their little something special I always used to receive. Especially now that I’m older and often skip some of those former “special days” in my life because of busy schedules or other pressing events. 

They believed this is what the church should be for one another, a community with which you navigated life sharing experiences, moments, and journeying in support of one another. This week our 2020+ Vision Pillar is just that: Navigating Life: A Vision for building Community and Support. The tag line is simply this “We’ll stand by you.” Good, bad, ups and downs, twists and turns, we want to create a sacred community where we stand by one another through all life offers. Through intergenerational ministry practices, mentoring relationships, and networking with those seeking new milestones in life, we want to create a culture of celebration and support in our congregation and for our community.

One of the new ministry ideas already beginning from this vision is a new monthly “St. Luke’s Celebrates” email newsletter. Through Connect and Care ministry strategies we will include personal milestone celebrations including moments like birthdays, anniversaries, Church partnership (membership) milestones, new family additions, graduations, retirements and some other fun ways to celebrate life with one another.  We will also include letting people know how to pray for one another who might be struggling with a season of loss. This newsletter will also be a way to share the diversity and inclusiveness of our congregation as we share personal stories, pictures, and quotes from our congregation and community to share how we continue to live into each of these pillars. Be on the lookout for how you can sign up to receive this new monthly information.

Part of this pillar is also the creation of a thriving senior’s ministry to value and reach the growing number of baby boomers and older retirees. Bill Barnes is working with a team to start creating ministry to add to our current Senior Ministry events to engage people in a variety of ways. We will have the opportunity to hear from a group of newly retired baby boomers on Sunday in worship as they share what it means to use their wisdom and experience to strengthen our congregation in this next phase of life. Bill and I will be having a conversation with Carol Banga, Joline Krolicki, Art Brown, Barnett Warren, and Ron Blocker.  A great deal of navigating life and reaching new people depends on people who have “been there before” sharing wisdom, insight and an assurance that it will be alright. I can’t wait to share with you what this team of people has to offer!

See you Sunday and know that when we say “It’s not St. Luke’s without U” – it means ALL of U(s)!

Grace and Peace,

Jenn.

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