We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. It is Time! This week, Scripture+Shared launches. St. Luke’s leadership set a single lofty goal for this year, what we call “The One Big Thing” – 2000 people in regular Bible Study with others by the end of 2017. I believe this experience can change the life of participants, and change the life of our whole congregation. Please join us! Download the app on your smartphone, or go to stlukesmethodist.org/bible. Join a LIFT group. Find a Bible Buddy (see more info in the “Some [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service.  A PERSONAL PRAYER  O God, I need to succeed. I don’t want to be a failure. I need to be valuable, to make a difference in the world. I need to become a good person. I need to be a wonderful son, husband, father, grandfather, friend. I need to make you proud of me, God. I am Martha, working away, putting my shoulder to the wheel and leaning forward for your kingdom. What? No? I don’t need to [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER Loving God, Sometimes I get all excited or resolved regarding some goal, and my enthusiasm lasts only a few weeks or days. Then the questions and thoughts beset me: “Why am I doing this anyway?” “Of course I will quit. I always do.” “I can’t change. The old self is just who I am.” “This is just too hard.” “I’ve tried this a thousand times with no success. Why do I think this will [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. SOME THOUGHTS TO SHARE This week, we continue our series called “Unstuck.” Two weeks ago we heard Jesus’ challenge to get up and get moving. Last week, we talked about our callings: what it is God calls us to do? This week, we will talk about whom God calls us to become, looking at Philippians 3, when St. Paul says “one thing I do…” It is getting closer to the launch of our new Bible Study ministry: Scripture + Shared. St. Luke’s leadership set [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I believe you created me with purpose. You put a passion in my heart. You planted within me the seeds of specific spiritual gifts, all ready to be activated by the Holy Spirit when I respond to your call. You formed me using the experiences of my life. And I have been one of the lucky ones who has a sense of what you want me to do. Nonetheless, I sometimes wonder what [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER OK, I admit it, God. I am a bit stuck. I have struggled with some challenges for some time, and I want to be different. At least I say I do. You asked the paralyzed man by the pool of Bethzatha, “do you want to be well?” My heart says yes. My actions say no. My life is so dominated by habits – habits of thought and behavior – and so I find myself [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER God, Thank you for 2016. There have been some difficulties in this year, some losses, some pain. But there have been some wonderful moments as well. And I praise you in the midst of all of them. I praise you for your very character, your goodness, your love, your light. Thank you for walking with me through all of those moments. God, as the wise men followed a star from the east to find [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER Loving God, Yes, it is Christmas or almost Christmas. I am going to see lots of people tomorrow. I will place into their hands the wafer and offer them the fruit of the grape. I will look them in the eyes and remind them that these “gifts” are the very presence of your son Jesus Christ, given out of your great love for them. I will tell them that you showed up for them. [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER Gracious God, Some people are easy to love. I feel love for them in my heart, and genuinely want them to know how much I love them. These are my wife, my parents and in-laws, my children and grandchildren, my friends and colleagues and partners in ministry. I feel so blessed to have these people in my life. Still, I don’t let them know how much I love them, at least not enough. I confess that I [...]

We pray. We study the Bible. We make friends. We tell our stories. We give ourselves away in generosity and service. A PERSONAL PRAYER Gracious God, Today is your day. It is a wonderful and amazing day. You made it. You gave it to me as a gift. And what is most important – you are going to go through it with me. That, in and of itself, is the root of my joy. So I will rejoice, today. I bet we have some great stuff today, you and I – some laughter, some fun, some sharing of hearts, [...]