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The Beacon - Our Monthly Newsletter
BEACON www.stlukes-sm.com St. Luke’s United Methodist Church February 2012 304 S. Talbot Street/P.O. Box 207 St. Michaels, MD 21663-0207
410-745-2832 Fax
Pastor Sam Hale
“Be a Star”
It’s something that we all do, but have you ever stopped and thought about what good it does? Have you ever dissected the process itself to discover why you do it? This “something” that I am talking about is what we call “complaining”.
I wonder why we complain in the first place. I wonder because the persons to whom we complain rarely have a part in the solution to our complaint. Do we complain to make ourselves feel better, to “get it off our chest”? Do we complain so that others may pity us and see how “tough” we have it – as if nobody else has problems? Perhaps we are hoping that God is listening and might step in and solve our dilemma.
So, why do YOU complain? What does it actually do? When others complain to you about their lives, what do you do?
Is there a good alternative to complaining? Two possibilities come to mind: 1. Prayer. Speaking to God about our difficulties would do more for us and our situation than talking to someone who either doesn’t really care or cannot do anything to help. 2. Praise. It’s easy to get stuck in a negative mode when you find yourself focusing on the negatives in life. Force yourself to find reasons to praise God and you will find that even in the middle of your problems there are many reasons to be grateful. If we all used the above two alternatives every time we felt like complaining, there would be lots of prayers and praises ascending to the heavens.
Philippians 2:14-16a says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be innocent and pure as God’s perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, as you offer them the message of life.”
I read an interesting comment the other day which said that whenever we are tempted to share our troubles with other people, we need to remember that half of our listeners aren’t interested and the other half are glad that we are getting what’s coming to us!!!
Peace, Pastor Sam
 NEED A RIDE TO CHURCH?
Do you find it a hardship to attend church because of difficulty with transportation? Let us arrange a ride for you. We will have you picked up at your door before church and dropped off at your door after church. This can be for a single occasion, a short term or a long term. To request this service please call the church office (410 745-2534) and leave your name, address and phone number. You will be notified as quickly as possible. Please don’t let a transportation problem keep you away. We need you in church and would love to help you get there.
CAN YOU GIVE SOMEONE A RIDE TO CHURCH? Many of us come to church on Sunday morning, one or two to an automobile. That leaves at least an empty rear seat. Others, because of transportation difficulties cannot attend church. If that is your situation, would you agree to give a neighbor a ride to church? We are attempting to establish a pool of members who would be willing to pick up a “neighbor” and bring them to church and take them home after church. We will make every attempt not to make drastic changes in your normal route to church. If you can assist with this program please call the church office (410-745-2534). You will be put on a list and called when needed. Thanks!!!
TALBOT MENTORS Talbot Mentors is a non-profit organization whose mission is “to match young people in Talbot County with volunteer mentors in order to support those children in the challenges and opportunities of adolescence through friendship, guidance, and education”. Volunteers with Talbot Mentors make an initial one-year commitment with the goal of spending 1-2 hours a week with the child they are mentoring. Popular mentoring activities include sports and outdoor activity, arts and crafts, reading and doing homework, playing board games, attending community events, and ‘just hanging out’. If you are interested in volunteering to become a Mentor, please contact our office at 410-770-5999.
1. THANK YOU NOTES Dear Pastor Sam and St. Luke’s Friends,
It was a wonderful surprise to be honored at Fellowship time with delicious refreshments and receive lots of hugs and good wishes for our move to Chestertown. Thank you for your prayers, and please thank everyone for the cake and the lovely basket of “goodies”. We truly miss all the dear friends there and we hope to stay I touch. St. Luke’s will always hold a special place in our hearts. We greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness. In Christian love, Jan and Cole
2. CHRISTMAS 2011 Dearest Friends,
This has been an interesting year for us filled with so many blessings. First of all, we are so thankful that at the age of 89 we are still able to get around and we are trying to accept gracefully this thing they called “ageing”. Our family is all well and gainfully employed. Grandson Aaron and Granddaughter Elizabeth presented us with two beautiful great-granddaughters, making a total of six great-grandchildren to brag about.
In May we decided our three bedroom apartment was too much for us and we decided on one about the third of its size. Downsizing once again meant parting with much loved goods which the family lovingly took, the rest going to Goodwill and a sale for battered women. In June the whole family came to help us celebrate our 89th birthdays and our 65th wedding Anniversary. During their visit, all pitched in helping with the move, making our new home so beautiful and cozy. We call it our little nest. How grateful we are to have such a loving family and to have David nearby to give us the help and support we are beginning to need.
Greetings to All,
Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Stinson 5300 Zebulon Rd. Box 1124 (notice new box number) Macon, GA 31210
3.THANK YOU NOTE: Jo Storey and Irene Preston want to extend hugs and many thanks to all the ladies who donated the delicious cakes and pies to the dessert table for the 22nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner. Kudos to the crew who helped to set up and maintain the table. Excellent job-well done! Special thanks to those who ate the various desserts. Your happy faces and smiles of appreciation made all of our efforts worthwhile.
ALTAR FLOWERS AND COFFEE HOUR 2011 Charts are up for the Coffee Hour and Flower Chart. Thank you. Please sign up for your weekly altar flowers; we need to fill in the dates.
HERE ARE THE NEEDS FOR ST. MICHAELS FOOD PANTRY: “Food of the Month” for February: fruit, fish (Tuna) or anything to make dinner, or starts with an “F”. They also need: corned beef hash, pastas, and cereals etc. Please take donations to Christ Church (8 am–12, 1-3 pm) or leave them in the Narthex for Bill Dunton to take to Christ Church. Thank you
MARK THE DATE FOR A GREAT LUNCHEON March 20 is the date that Women’s Fellowship will be going to Easton High School to have a delicious lunch prepared and served by the culinary student of Linda Brown and Jody Candel. All are invited (men included) but space is limited. Menus will be available soon. The total cost of the 4 course meal (soup, salad, entrée and dessert) is under ten dollars. We had a super time last year and if you didn’t come, you missed a wonderful day of fellowship and good food.
WEEKLY ENVELOPES The church weekly envelopes are out in the Narthex. Please always write your name, amount of check and envelope numbers on the check & envelopes. This will help the person who is entering the contributions into the computer. Thank you. Please pick up your envelopes, so we don’t have to mail them. It costs us to mail about $1.76 for each box.
EMPTY BOWLS FUNDRAISER BENEFITS FOOD PANTRIES Easton – The fourth annual Empty Bowls community meal to benefit Talbot County food pantries will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2012 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Easton (located on the westbound lane of Rt. 50, west of the Maryland State Police Barrack. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held on Sunday, March 4th. Tickets for the Empty Bowls meal are $20. In exchange for the cost of a ticket, diners will receive a meal of home-cooked soup and the handmade bowl in which it is served. Advance reservations are required. Purchase tickets by mailing a check for $20 per person to the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, 102 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD 21601. Make checks payable to Mid-Shore/empty Bowls. Please include your phone number. You can also order tickets and make a donation online at www.mscf.org. For more information, contact Anna Harding, 410-822-6452.
GREETERS ANNIVERSARIES HOME COMMUNION February February February – Betsy Fisk 05 Jo Storey 10 Suzanne & Kevin Baum 12 Joan Whiting 13 Becky & Ray Rampmeyer 19 Jon Powers 14 Sharon & Rickey Corkran 26 Betty Marie & Bill Best 18 Emily & Steve Creese 24 Rhonda & Eric Barnhart 27 Ailsa & Mark Salter
READERS BIRTHDAYS BIRTHDAYS (continue) 05 Linda Maule February 20 Ashby Steen 12 Christine Pitchford 01 Margaret Vivian 20 Ted Clark 19 Linda Pittman 01 Tanner Gottleib 20 Ruth Daffin 26 Judy Bittorf 01 Tellie Dixon 20 John Kunz 02 David Helgason 21 Meredith Johnson LITURGISTS 02 Marion Oughton 21 Kelly Stewart 05 Doug Collison 02 Larry Young 23 Mark Salter 12 James Pitchford 03 Fiona Cooper 25 Johnny Mlynarski 19 Steve Pittman 04 NathanWrotlen 26 Sn. Daniel Ball 26 Betsy Fisk 04 Nathan Wroten 27 Curt Connolly 06 Elizabeth Hubbard 27 Jerry Payne ACOLYTES 06 Linda Pittman 05 Will Pittman 06 Elliott Fisher 12 Hannah Seek 06 Sam Hale 19 Joe Prettyman 07 Ty Duncan 26 Owen Baum 07 Jan Taylor NEW HOME ADDRESS 08 Drew Mlynarski FLOWERS 10 Becky Hale Cole and Jan Taylor 05 Boy Scouts #741 11 Dana Haddaway 501 E. Campus Ave., Apt. 234 12 12 Joyce Younge Chestertown, MD 21620 19 ? 12 Suzanne Weiss 410-778-4072 26 ? 13 Tammy Swartz 13 Melissa Kunz COFFEE HOUR 15 Aaron Correa 05 Boy Scouts #741 15 Heidi Todd 12 Linda & Don Parks 18 Bran Kealy 19 Cheryl & Bob Wood 19 Amanda Phillips
19 Mickey Irions 19 Timothy Hale |
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