winter 2013-2014 In This Issue Note from Pastor Jake 2 Missions 3 Membership Updates 3 On Fire! 4-5 Women’s Events 6 L-Teams 7 Financial Updates 8-9 God Stories 10 Upcoming Events/Services 11 Staff 12 a chapter a day W hen I started my pastoral role here at St. Luke’s years ago, I had just graduated from seminary. Those four years at Concordia had me studying God’s Word, discovering church history and learning to preach. Yet even after those four intensive years, there was so much in God’s Word that I had left to explore. Pastor Vic (former Lead Pastor, St. Luke’s) would set the sermon schedule and sometimes I was fired up to be preaching on a text dear to my heart. Other times I was super excited as I dug into the parts of Scripture that Seminary taught me almost nothing about. But every time it became clear that the Word of God was talking to people in the midst of life. “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” --Hebrews 4:12 In 2014 St. Luke’s will be digging deep in the Bible seeking to hear, discuss and apply the Word of God. I am encouraging you to join together as we read a chapter a day. When I say I believe in God but don’t read the Word of God I miss out on His encouragement. There are many times in life where God has woken me up from my fears, reshaped my thinking and clarified my direction when I take time to open my eyes and read His Word. Are you ready to read a chapter a day? In order to help you understand how this applies, we have been writing daily devotions. We know it’s difficult to trust some of the words you hear about what Scripture means, so we are making a daily devotion available in the New Year about how the Scripture applies to our life. Over 75 members are writing this helpful book. All material will be checked for theological accuracy. Also, in 2014 many of our worship services will go hand in hand with what we are reading on a daily basis. This is a year for us, as a congregation, to grow deeper in our faith. For God to equip us as we share the incredible sacrifice of Christ. How exciting it will be to rediscover the incredible truth of God’s Word as it applies to our daily lives. Socks, hats and gloves will be collected at the Thanksgiving service, on Wednesday, November 27, 7 pm. The collected items will support Reach Out, one of our 10 For The World groups. Reach Out supports both the men’s and women’s Federal Way shelters.
Transcript
winter2013-2014
In This Issue
Note from Pastor Jake 2
Missions 3
Membership Updates 3
On Fire! 4-5
Women’s Events 6
L-Teams 7
Financial Updates 8-9
God Stories 10
Upcoming Events/Services 11
Staff 12
a chapter a dayWhen I started my pastoral role here at St. Luke’s years
ago, I had just graduated from seminary. Those four years at Concordia had me studying God’s Word, discovering church history and learning to preach. Yet even after those four intensive years, there was so much in God’s Word that I had left to explore. Pastor Vic (former Lead Pastor, St. Luke’s) would set the sermon schedule and sometimes I was fired up to be preaching on a text dear to my heart. Other times I was super excited as I dug into the parts of Scripture that Seminary taught me almost nothing about. But every time it became clear that the Word of God was talking to people in the midst of life. “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” --Hebrews 4:12
In 2014 St. Luke’s will be digging deep in the Bible seeking to hear, discuss and apply the Word of God. I am encouraging you to join together as we read a chapter a day. When I say I believe in God but don’t read the Word of God I miss out on His encouragement. There are many times in life where God has woken me up from my fears, reshaped my thinking and clarified my direction when I take time to open my eyes and read His Word.
Are you ready to read a chapter a day? In order to help you understand how this applies, we have been writing daily
devotions. We know it’s difficult to trust some of the words you hear about what Scripture means, so we are making a daily devotion available in the New Year about how the Scripture applies to our life. Over 75 members are writing this helpful book. All material will be checked for theological accuracy.
Also, in 2014 many of our worship services will go hand in hand with what we are reading on a daily basis. This is a year for us, as a congregation, to grow deeper in our faith. For God to equip us as we share the incredible sacrifice of Christ. How exciting it will be to rediscover the incredible truth of God’s Word as it applies to our daily lives.
Socks, hats and gloves will be collected at the Thanksgiving service, on Wednesday, November 27, 7 pm. The collected items will support Reach Out, one of our 10 For The World groups. Reach Out supports both the men’s and women’s Federal Way shelters.
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A NOTE FROM PASTOR JAKE
When do you start listening to Christmas music? Normally I don’t allow myself to listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving, but I might just have to start a little early this year. I miss it! It’s about to
be that time of year again. Stores already have their Christmas decorations out. It caught me off guard the other day! I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some last minute items for the Harvest Carnival from their Halloween section and it was already being torn down to make room for Christmas merchandise. It’ll be here before we know it.
Christmas has always been a very special time for St. Luke’s. It’s a busy time of year with special music, services, events, and more. All of it is done to proclaim the good news that, a long time ago in a tiny little town called Bethlehem, a baby was born for you and for me. Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh and was born of a virgin. We celebrate with the angels and the shepherds as we proclaim a Savior has been born!
I know I’m excited for the Christmas season. We begin anew the Church Year with the season of Advent—the time of preparation for Christmas—and Thanksgiving is just a few days before the start of Advent. We like to put our own little spin on Thanksgiving every year: we call it Thanksliving. God has richly blessed us and so we not only give thanks, but live it out! Our Thanksliving service is on Wednesday, November 27th at 7:00pm.
Preparations for Christmas include three Wednesday night Advent services on December 4th, 11th, and 18th at 7:00pm. These Advent services provide a special mid-week time of prayer and study as we prepare our hearts for the coming Savior. Our theme for these services is the book of Colossians and is entitled “The Image of the Invisible God.” Paul writes that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). We will explore in depth what the letter to the Colossians reveals to us about this baby born in Bethlehem. You won’t want to miss it!
Leading up to Christmas, our Sunday worship services (Saturday at 5:00pm, Sunday at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am) will focus on the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Entitled, “Before Christmas,” this series will also prepare us for the coming Savior by taking a look at the events that God had prepared in advance leading up to Christ’s birth. I bet you’ll learn something new!
Our Christmas theme this year will concentrate on that part of the Christmas Story where there was no room in the inn. The beauty of Christmas is that, in a world that didn’t have room, Jesus was born anyway. He was born for you. Christmas Eve services (December 24th) begin with the 3:00pm Children’s Service—a service with multiple children’s choirs, special music, a children’s message, and more. 5:00pm and 7:00pm are the main Christmas worship services topped off with a special candlelight ceremony to close each of them. We also offer a special 11:00pm service that brings us into Christmas Day. This late night service is a relaxed and powerful celebration of Christ with incredible music and poetry. It’s a busy day! Christmas Day worship is at 10:00am. It is filled with Christmas Hymns and meditations on Scripture—a wonderful way to start your Christmas Day celebrations. Take advantage of these worship opportunities and be filled with the good news over and over again: Jesus was born for you!
Shortly after Christmas we will usher in the New Year with a New Year’s Eve worship service on December 31 at 7:00pm. Many new and exciting things are happening at St. Luke’s. God has blessed us richly in Christ Jesus and we are ready for another year of the things that God has in store for each and every one of us! Many blessings to you all!
Mirror Lake Family Christmas EventSaturday, December 14, 2-4 pmMirror Lake Elementary School Gym
Many helping hands are needed to make this event a success. We are looking for volunteers on the day of the event and to help with set-up on Friday, December 13th starting at 6pm. Also needed are desserts and small paper plates and napkins. If you are interested in helping out or donating a dessert item, please contact Valerie at [email protected].
Giving TreeTis the season! The Giving Trees will be up and ready the weekend of November 23/24. The Giving Tree benefits families (almost 100 kids!) in need through our partnership with Mirror Lake Elementary. The trees also have tags for some patients who reside at Life Care Center in Federal Way. There are two trees with names from both places on them. One is located in the lower level near the preschool and kindergarten classrooms. The other is located on the main floor, across from the bookstore. Gifts purchased for names from the giving tree are due by Sunday, December 15. More details are available at the Giving Tree Locations. For questions, please contact Valerie Danforth at 253.941.3000.
OktoberfestThe second annual Oktoberfest was a success, raising almost $10,000 benefitting the H2O water project and the team we will be sending to Swaziland in 2015. Thank you to all who came and gave so generously! A special thank you to all of you who helped plan, cook, serve, set up and take down. Your time and efforts were greatly appreciated.
Reach Out Volunteer OpportunitiesThere are two shelters that operate during the winter months to help provide shelter, food and support services to homeless men and women in Federal Way. This winter, St Luke’s has offered to provide meals for two weeks. The first week is December 30 – January 5. We need volunteers who are willing to make dinners that week for the woman’s shelter. The second week will be March 17-23, providing meals for the men’s shelter. If you, your family, your friends or your Bible study group are willing to help with the meals, please contact Mary Ann Hopewell at [email protected].
Children’s ChoirIt is not too late to join Children’s Choir for the Christmas season. If you are in grades 1-6, join us on Thursday nights from 6-7pm in room # 101.
Kids for ChristCome to KFC on November 20 if your are in grades 4, 5 or 6 for “Love Your Neighbor Night” from 6:30-8:30pm in Malkow Hall. Bring friends! We will have breakfast for dinner! We will make things to be given away to friends in our community. There will be no KFC in December. In January we will meet at Laserquest for games and pizza on Wednesday, January 22 at 6:30pm.
Sunday School Christmas ProgramsOur 3, 4 and 5 year old Sunday School classes will present their Christmas Program on Sunday, December 8 at 9:30am in Great Room A, B and C followed by a cookie reception.
The grades 1-6 Christmas Program will be presented in the Worship Center at 11am on Sunday, December 15. There will be a dress rehearsal for grades 1-6 on Saturday, December 14 from 1-2:30pm in the Worship Center.
SPARK - (age 0 - kindergarten)
Meet the BabiesSunday, March 210:30-11:00amSt. Luke’s Nursery
Who are the parents of babies at St. Luke’s? This is a time to meet other parents and talk about the life change of having a baby in the house, sharing experiences, joys, frustrations, and help for others. Contact Carrie Andrew for more info: [email protected].
Starting RightJanuary 19 and 269:30-10:30amSt Luke’s , room 101
Envision your children as adults. What do you dream for them? What kind of characteristics would you like to be developed in them? Now is the time to lay the groundwork for all you will teach your children as they grow. Childcare available.
Birthday Party for One-Year-OldsSaturday, January 2510:00-11:00 amIf you had a child who turned “1” in 2013, we would like to help you celebrate their 1st year of life! Please join us in the Great Room for a Birthday Party just for you and your “1” year old. It will give you a great opportunity to meet other parents with children the same age, share experiences and trade advice! Bring a blanket for your child to play on if needed. (Childcare will be available for older siblings upon request. Please call the church office in advance with their names & ages.) Questions? Contact Jan Grothe: [email protected], or 253.941.3000
Preschool & Kindergarten Christmas ProgramOur 4-year-old preschool classes and Kindergarten class will present their Christmas Program on Sunday, December 15 at 2pm in the Worship Center followed by a reception in the lobby area.
Sunday School Service ProjectsFor the month of November all of our Sunday School kids are working on the “Keep Kids Warm” project by donating hats, scarves, gloves or mittens for boy and girls. Bring your warm items to Sunday School class ever Sunday in November and they will be given away to children in need. In December, every child in Sunday School will be given a special coin collection box. The money will be given to our local Women’s Shelter at Christmas.
IGNITE - (grades 7 - 12)CharisCharis, the special ministry for 10th-12th grade girls, began again this October! We are pleased to announce that 16 girls have made the commitment to grow in faith and sisterhood in this discipleship group. We ask that you encourage and support these young women, their parents and the leaders in prayer as they continue their faith journey. Some events for the girls to look forward to, in addition to weekly Sunday meetings, are the Tacky Sweater Christmas Party on Saturday, December 14 and the Father Daughter Olympics on Saturday, January 11.
Members: Leaders:Rachel Brandmire Elise Kleine Christina Allstaedt Jan GrotheDarcy Carlisle Sonia Klouse Kristin Emmert Becca StorkKyra Craig Jessica Lam Morgan Griffith Sara WoodBreann Evenson Kayla Larson Aurea GrotheKaylan Fossett Tessa ParisesauJillian Gamache Madison PutnamHannah Gillrup Madison RuppelMadison Hunt Stephanie Stahlnecker
Angel BreakfastCome as a family to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Saturday, December 7 at 9am in Malkow Hall. Tickets will go on sale November 17 at the Welcome Center. A full pancake and sausage breakfast will be served. There will be puppets, balloons, an angel choir, singing, treats, picture taking, door prizes, crowns, and Christmas activity bags. Invite grandparents, cousins, neighbors to come along.
Make-N-Take Christmas Craft FestivalGet ready for the Christmas season by coming to our annual Make-n-Take Christmas Craft Festival on Sunday, December 1 from 2-5pm in Malkow Hall. Be sure to invite friends! There will be music, refreshments, lots of different Christmas craft projects to make and take home, door prizes and Advent devotional materials.
Registration for Preschool and Kindergarten, 2014-2015Members of St. Luke’s have first opportunity to register for our preschool and kindergarten classes for the 2014-2015 school year. We offer classes for 3, 4 and 5 year olds. Registration packets will be available in the church office or at the Welcome Center by January 29. Call Heather at 253 839-0173 with questions. More detailed information is included in the registration packet
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WOMEN’S EVENTS
“SUPPORT BEAMS”
Do I Have To?January 4 – 9-11am We may say thee words with a whine, or in fear, or anger. God calls us to do things we would rather not do. One of these is to forgive. You really can find the freedom and the joy to follow Jesus, even in this! Facilitator: Jan Grothe
Heart HealthFebruary 2 – 9-11am
Staying in Your Own Hula HoopMarch 1 – 9-11am Facilitator: Sue Thode
Most of our events are on the first Saturday of the month from 9-11 am. The exception is the Ladies’ Tea in May. Check out the special time and date.
Jan Grothe, Director of Spiritual GrowthWhat’s the rest of the story? Many times as I read Scripture I would like to know more about people. (I have a list.) Joseph, Mary’s husband, is one of those people. He is somewhat in the background and has a supporting role in the “Jesus story.” Matthew 1:19 says, “Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly” when he found out Mary was pregnant, and it wasn’t his child. He is told in a dream to marry Mary. Later, in chapter 2, he dreams again and is told to go to Egypt – a trip of 300 miles or so. Then later in the same chapter, he has another dream telling him to go back to Israel. Joseph isn’t mentioned very much in the New Testament, only a few times more than these instances.One thing in particular caught my eye about Joseph. He did what he was asked to do in each instance. He was quick to respond and follow the Lord. He went where God led him. He served where God needed him. His role may not have been prominently mentioned throughout the New Testament, but it was big. He was the support for Mary and Jesus. God may be calling us to a supporting role in the lives of other people and in service to Him in the community and at church. All the parts are important. As 1 Corinthians 12:22
says, “…the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…” All of us have our part in growing the Kingdom. It may be in the background where other people don’t notice what is done, like setting up communion, sharpening pencils in the pews, cleaning the wood on the altar, cleaning out the baptismal font, setting up chairs and tables, working in the parking lot, pulling weeds, or mowing. It may be listening, fixing a meal, doing someone’s shopping, providing transportation, or cleaning a house. It may be helping someone with their finances or helping someone prioritize. Supporting others is essential for them to be able to grow and/or to use their gifts. We may become disheartened at times thinking, “what’s the point?” There is a definite point: we are part of God’s plan, whether known or unknown, to serve Him by serving others for His Kingdom.
Ladies’ TeaApril 5 – 11am-1pmLadies, moms, daughters, girlfriends…once again, it’s time to limber up your pinky finger, practice your British accent, and prepare to be treated to a very special lunch event. High Tea returns to The Great Room following its spectacular 2011 debut. You can indulge in a delectable feast of beautifully prepared and displayed treats, visit with your friends, and smile the morning away without even finding your passport.
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L-TEAMSWhat is an L-Team?
People engaging in a Live.Love.Learn. activity where relationships are built and Christ is shared.
L-Teams are not small groupsThey may or may not meet weeklyThey may or may not open a Bible or pray or talk about Jesus
L-Teams can include anyone, meet anywhere and do almost anythingThey are not just for St. Luke’s people - invite co-workers, neighbors and friendsThey can meet at your house, at church or at the bowling alley
L-Team samples: Sip ‘n Score, Reckless Faith Study, Christian Motorcyclists, BRIDGE Parenting, and Holiday Decoration. We have Mirror Lake School community service teams, boy scouts, small groups, hospital visitors, potlucks, and bowling.
For more information, contact Jan Grothe: 253.941.3000 or [email protected]
New L-Team?It’s easy to start an L-Team! Check out our website for the variety of L-Teams we have. Email Jan Grothe at [email protected] or go to the St. Luke’s website stlukes-church.com, log in, go to “Groups,” click “Create” at the far right, and fill out the form. We’ll process your form and schedule Captain (Leader) Training if you haven’t already done so. Not sure? Give me a call, 253.941.3000, and we can talk through your ideas and the process.
New L-Teams for JanuaryWhat has God put on your heart to do? What are you already doing? Now is the time to start processing the L-Teams you are thinking about starting in the winter quarter. January will be here quicker than we realize. (December 4 is the due date for winter L-Teams.) If you need help, direction, calendaring, or whatever, let me know. Email Jan, [email protected], or call 253.941.3000 to set up a time to talk about where God is leading you and for a short training session.
Membership ClassDiscover Life with God – This workshop and Next Steps events are designed to learn about the vision and purpose of St. Luke’s, as well as our ministries and L-Teams. We cover topics in the Christian faith, including Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The next dates are: January 17/18, and April 25/26.
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FINANCIAL UPDATE
Annual Vision MeetingWe will be gathering for our Annual Vision Meeting on Sunday, January 26, at 12:30pm in the Great Room. Together in this time, we will be discussing how God is developing the vision of His ministry at St. Luke’s. This meeting is open to the entire community of St. Luke’s.
St Luke’s FoundationBequests: Remembering St. Luke’s in Your Will
A charitable bequest is a gift to a charity made at death through a will or trust. You can make a bequest of any size, and direct the gift to support the purpose and vision of the St. Luke’s Foundation. The Foundation is a newly formed organization with the sole purpose to carry out the long-term vision and ministry development of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.
Bequests received help transform the lives of every person that come through our doors and interact through the various ministries of St. Luke’s. Whether it is through worship, L-Teams, the preschool-kindergarten and childcare programs or receiving care through Operation Blessing, the Word of God is reaching and changing lives. Your bequest can continue this vital work and leave a lasting legacy.
If you have already made provisions in leaving a legacy in your will to St. Luke’s, please contact Todd Zern, Director of Operations at [email protected] so that we can begin developing a master list of such members.
If you would like to learn more about how to include St. Luke’s in your will and also learn about the benefits of developing a Legacy Plan, please contact Todd Zern.
Revenue and ExpensesTotal YTD income of $455,143 falls below total expenses of $477,073 by $17,016 (97% to budget). After mortgage principle payments and capital improvements, the budget shortfall of $79,437 falls below FY14 YTD budget expectations by $5,978. The budget shortfall is absorbed by cash reserves.
General Fund CashGeneral Fund cash reserves at the end of this reporting period is $644,085.
Privleged in PartnershipThrough the efforts of the program staff, the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and a large number of members within the congregation, the FY2014 Mission Plan reflects specific strategies in which to lead the vision and overall focus for St. Luke’s over the next two years. The goals outlined from these efforts include allocating financial resources to add a 3rd pastor to focus on community outreach, improve our communication infrastructure in order to effectively foster relationships with members and guests, and develop a new ministry program geared towards those 18-35 years of age.
Considering the financial outcome from the 1st quarter, we understand the uncertainty this may cause emotionally, especially when factoring in today’s economic behavior. However, we have complete faith that God is guiding us towards something new and exciting. And we strongly believe that He has called us to boldly carry out the above vision for His ministry at St. Luke’s. This is a very exciting time for us, and we look forward to seeing how He will work in and around us during this time as we continue to grow as followers of Jesus. We hope you feel the excitement as well, and we would be honored to have you partner with us financially. Prayerfully consider how God is calling you and your family in helping St. Luke’s carry out this vision.
2013-2014 Capital ImprovementsFirst of all, thank you so much for your continued generosity in supporting the Building Fund. These restricted funds help finance large capital improvements projects that are necessary to maintain and improve the facilities that God has give us. Thank you again for your support!
In this last year, we have implemented two major capital projects. First, in the early summer, we replaced the sub-floor and installed new sheet vinyl in the main restrooms that are located off the Worship Center lobby. Total cost was $10,300, and we closed the project 17% below budget. In the late summer, we started a large project in which to improve the overall security of the preschool and kindergarten facilities. Because the facility has grown over the years, there are many public access points to the classrooms, and we felt it would be best for us to consider limiting public access to this part of the facility during the school day in order to provide a safe and secure environment for our children and staff. In this project, we replaced the doors located in the hallway between the childcare and preschool facilities; replaced all classrooms locks it both the childcare and preschool classrooms; installed a keypad lock at the main entrance to the preschool; installed new signage to help families locate the school entrance; and installed new security cameras in all public areas of the main church building. At the writing of this newsletter, we are 90% complete (we are still working with our elevator contractor to install a new keypad inside the car to limit access to the lower floor during the school day), and we are 81% to budget thus far.
The following projects are planned for the 2014 calendar year. Please prayerfully consider helping support these projects by donating to the Building Fund.
• Replace all remaining single pane windows in the preschool and kindergarten classrooms, as well as the Chapel - $67,000
• Replace the playground fence - $10,000
GIVING UPDATE (FY2014)Actual $ 282,653
Projection (Budget) $ 329,727
% Actual to Budget -14 %
Q1 2014 vs Q1 2013 -9%
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GOD STORIESFaces of Hoonah Children, Can You See Them?Linda CraftFaces of children – some smiling, some serious,Laughing, singing, jumping, dancing, clappingLooking to the olders for what to do.Each one with a story – Guess what? Did you know? Look at me, see me, hear me, know me, love me.
Little by little, like pages in a book,Corners of their lives revealed – One is very literal - questioning everything.
Any story re-enacted, no matter how portrayedProclaimed not possible, not true.One so introverted – one smile, one word, one hug, A celebration!One searching for ways to connect to others – Having only learned that physical touch Will cross that boundary.Are you ticklish – Here? Here? Here?What has this child been taught?
We teach hugs, handshakes, high fives.One has endless requests. Can I have this? I want that. Give me those.
World RaceKaitlyn Keyes
It’s been over two months since I stepped foot on American soil after having said good-bye to my family and friends a year ago September after participating in the World Race. I am in awe of how quickly the time went, especially when some of the days abroad seemed like an eternity alone. I still have few words that seem worthy to describe my experiences, but the gift of the opportunity to share Jesus with the world [almost literally] leaves me wondering if the past year actually happened. The lessons of His grace, mercy, LOVE, compassion, provision, and protection are endless. I found His Joy during a pick-up soccer game with young boys brought off the streets of Lira to ATIN Afrika in Uganda. The way they smiled and had an exponential joy was contagious. I learned of His infinite Compassion while I held a Malaysian boy with severe eczema that caused him to scratch his entire body until it was bloody and raw. The simplicity of a ride in a stroller changed his entire disposition from a painful sadness to utter happiness, which showed how uniquely the Lord works in each of our lives to bring us happiness and joy. I experienced His protection each and every day but was impacted by it most during walk home in Honduras. I didn’t have the protection of my earthly father that day but I experienced how safe I was and am in the arms of my Heavenly Father. My stories seem endless as I contemplate what to share but the biggest thing I took
from this past year was the importance of my pursuit after the heart of my Savior. I didn’t experience all that I did on my own but learned that the more I sought after Him the more I experienced all that He is. This year wasn’t anything that I expected it to be but so much more meaningful and precious than I could have ever dreamt.
(The World Race is an entity of Adventures in Missions (located in Gainesville, Georgia) designed to challenge young adults to further the Kingdom of God. Every day on the World Race looks a little different. Some days are packed full with construction, VBS, building relationships with orphans, or praying for the sick at a hospital. Some days are slower — shopping for groceries at the market, cooking for your team, and spending time praying for the community you walk through. Regardless of the pace or the activity, every day will be focused on being a part of God’s kingdom work. This is a non-denominational organization that seeks to spread the Word of God to all four corners of the world. For more information about The World Race and Adventures in Missions visit www.worldrace.org.)
What are they each saying in their own way?
What is this story you are telling me?Is this story real?
Can I trust you? Do you really care about me?Am I really going to be okay with you?
If I touch you beyond your comfort zones will you love me?This is what I know about relationship. Is there another way to connect with someone?
If I ask will you acknowledge me, see me, hear me?Will you say yes or no?Even if I don’t get what I want do you still care?Is God like that?Can I trust Him to love me no matter what happens?So many little faces, searching for answers – in so many ways.
God’s unconditional love answering each one’s questions with the outstretched arms of those who already know Him.
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worship services
Advent Weekend ServicesSaturdays, November 30, December 7, 14, 21
5:00 pmSundays, December 1, 8, 15
8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 am
Sundays, December 22, 29ONE Service - 10:00 am
Christmas EveTuesday, December 24
3:00, 5:00, 7:00, & 11:00 pm
Advent Mid-week ServicesThe Image of the Invisible God - Colossians 1-3
Wednesdays, December 4, 11, 187:00 pm
Sunday School Christmas ProgramA wonderful presentation celebrating the birth of Jesus.• 3, 4, and 5-year-olds
Sunday, December 8 at 9:30 am • grades 1-6
Sunday, December 15 at 11 am
upcoming holiday events
Tis the season! The Giving Tree benefits families in need through our partnership with Mirror Lake Elementary and patients who reside at Life Care Center. Gifts purchased for the Giving Tree are due by December 15.
Make-N-Take Craft FestivalSunday, December 2 from 2-5 pm
Begin the Christmas season by attending our annual Christmas Craft Festival. There will be craft projects to make and take home, door prizes, refreshments, devotional materials, music, and great fellowship. This is a free event.
Angel BreakfastSaturday, December 8 at 9 am
Celebrate Jesus’ birthday with us. We’ll serve a pancake and sausage breakfast. The event will include puppets, music, an Angel Choir, treat bags and ornaments, story telling, door prizes, picture taking opportunities, crowns and haloes and a giant birthday cake for Jesus! $6 per person; $20 max per family.
Christmas DayWednesday, December 25
10:00 amNew Year’s Eve
Tuesday, December 317:00 pm
pastoral staff leadership staff
support staff
general infochris davis
lead pastor
jake allstaedtassociate pastor
bob beckstromvisitation pastor
valerie danforthmissions coordinator
heidi francisdirector of communications
kathryn frostaddirector of childcare
jan grothedirector of spiritual growth
larry kruegerdirector of worship and arts
mitzie olliladirector of children’s ministries
todd zerndirector of operations
janet brittassistant to the lead pastor
donna breyerassistant to the associate pastor
heather halbakkenpreschool registrar
karla harvathassistant to dir of spiritual growth
worship servicessaturday - 5:00 pm
sunday - 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 am
sunday school available sunday mornings
childcare available weekdays - 6 am - 6 pm
preschool and kindergarten
available during the school year
contact515 s 312th street
federal way, wa 98003253.941.3000
www.stlukes-church.com
childcare253.941.3630
preschool - kindergarten253.839.0173
www.stlukes-preschool.com
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church515 South 312th StreetFederal Way, WA 98003
