9:30 a.m. every Sunday
Church School 9:30 a.m.
(Nursery School-High School)
St. Luke’s is a welcoming and inclusive community of faith, bound together by our common commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
News and occasional thoughts from our pastors and others
The Lord spoke to Moses: Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. Leviticus 23:9-11
But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
Sunday November 24th, St. Luke’s celebrated Thanksgiving with a very special First Fruits service. Our congregation brought fruits and vegetables to church to fill a bountiful table with edible offerings. These offerings will be given to the less fortunate for their Thanksgiving meal. The congregation came forward during the singing of the first hymn “Now Thank We All Our God” and placed the offerings in numerous baskets laid out on the table.
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church
Invites you to our annual
Wassail Christmas Party
Sunday 12/8/2013
5:00 P.M. To 7:00 P.M.
Join us in the Sanctuary for
Potluck supper,
Christmas carol singing,
and
games for the kids.
R.S.V.P. Church Office (310.377.2825)
To give, visit : presbyterianmission.org/give/peacemaking-offering
There is a plethora of types of mental illnesses and eccentricities as well as their impacts on not only the lives of the inflicted but those of their families, associates, and general society. Almost half of mental disorders go undiagnosed and perhaps almost a third of the diagnoses are incorrect. Any catalog of recognized mental illnesses probably is a work in progress subject to later developments. The American Psychiatric Association recently released its latest catalog, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition: DSM-5. It lists criteria for the identification of the currently recognized mental illnesses; however, it does not venture into the treatments. While proper identification is critical for determining appropriate treatment, classification plays a significant role in legal decisions and access to valuable programs. Most mentally ill people are not dangerous, but how do you recognize and help those that may be suicidal, and those few that could become mass shooters? In 43 mass shootings over the last four years, none of the shooters was prohibited due to mental health by federal law, from having a gun.
How can we be aware of mental illness issues important to our lives? The National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI (www.nami.org), advocates for mental health services, treatments, education, and research. There are hundreds of NAMI State Organizations working to raise awareness and providing free education and support-group programs. NAMI South Bay (www.namisouthbay.com) meets monthly and has a number of sub-groups for more specific needs such as the Peer-to- Peer group for mentally-ill persons and the Family Support Group, which has separate groups for English, Spanish, and Japanese speakers.
To facilitate an understanding of mental-health issues and available support sources in our community St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church will host a Mental Health Awareness Sunday on November 3rd. The program will have five parts: 9:30 – 10:45 am Worship Service with focus on mental health, 10:45 – 11:15 am Complimentary Brunch, 11:15 – Noon NAMI “In Our Own Voices” speakers with compelling personal stories, Noon – 12:45 pm Psychiatrist talks about myths and reality of common mental illnesses, 12:45 – 1:30 pm Questions & Answers. Everyone is warmly invited to attend any or all parts of this event. St. Luke’s is located at 26825 Rolling Hills Road, Rolling Hills Estates CA 90274. For more information call (310) 377-2825 (Monday through Friday between 9 am and 1 pm).
On Sunday, September 1st St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church will hold the 9:30 AM Worship Service in its lovely garden. While the gardens have been utilized for other events such as the free Garden Concerts, outdoor services have not been used. Introducing the breaking out of the traditional sanctuary box is a consequence of the spiritual exploration that has engulfed the church as it searches for its identity and new pastoral leadership. Currently the pulpit has been filled with a sampling of ministers, some from different denominations of various theological traditions. Each has provided broadening and enriching perspectives.
The Rev. Tom Cooper, a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Lutheran Theological Seminary, will be the guest speaker in the garden worship service. He “retired” from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Westlake Lutheran Church, and Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica. Tom also developed missions and pastored five other churches in Hawaii and California. He has been a member of the Board of Regents at Cal Lutheran University and on the Board of Directors at Cal Lutheran Homes. Thousands have enjoyed his popular Easter Sunrise Services at Marineland from 1974 to 1989. Tom has produced, directed, and hosted programs for ABC-TV. In addition he creates beautiful marble sculptures and volunteers at The Canterbury several days a week.
A Study on Role Reversal will be the sermon topic. How do we balance self esteem and true humility? How do we maintain our rights without destroying or diminishing those of others? Tom will also give a children’s sermon.
As it will be the first Worship Service of the month, the usual jazz combo will provide the worship music, and a free brunch will be provided following the service.
A new book group at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church will discuss Raising Happiness by Christine Carter, PhD, a sociologist and happiness expert at UC Berkeley. The book covers ways to foster skills, habits, and mind sets that have been shown to contribute to human happiness from childhood and beyond.
What does this have to do with the Presbyterian Church? The first question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism is “What is the chief end of man?” Answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him for ever.” Certainly happiness is a part of that enjoyment, and something to be appreciated not only in certain religious dogma, but in spirituality and in the beliefs and non-beliefs of those caring for neither. Even for those that believe any happiness is only transitory, it definitely beats the alternative.
Contact sara@stlukespres.com for more information, to sign up, participate in the online discussion group, or ask any questions.
St. Luke’s is a wonderful place! Ours is a plain sanctuary which helps us focus on God’s presence among us. Surrounding St. Luke’s is a beautiful garden, a peaceful space for rest and quiet reflection. Each Sunday, our sanctuary’s windows afford us a fresh view of this small slice of God’s magnificent creation. But above all else, St. Luke’s is a place of community.
