Masks are required at all times in the church.
If you do not bring a mask with you, one will be provided.
FROM THE OFFICE August 24th -28th Sarah Young will be on vacation. During this time her office will be closed. Pastor Jeff will still be working from home and serving limited office hours. If you need immediate assistance during her absence, please contact Pastor Jeff at 570-220-3631 or jefflecrone@gmail.com<mailto:jefflecrone@gmail.com> and he will respond as soon as possible, Thank you.
ST. LUKE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2020 if you haven’t done so already, please pick up your beautiful handmade knitted or crocheted afghans outside the of office entrance, in the glass foyer. **Please check the inside of the bag for your name.
You may also call Sarah Young to make other arrangement if needed at 570-323-7309 or 570-932-1753.
ATTENTION ONLINE WORSHIPPERS In order to provide communion to those who are continuing to worship online, Pastor Jeff will be available following the in-person worship service (approximately 10:45-noon). Please park in the front lot and Pastor Jeff will meet you either in the courtyard or come to your car to offer communion. If you haven’t already done so, please contact Pastor Jeff at jefflecrone@gmail.com<mailto:jefflecrone@gmail.com> with your intention to come so that he can be aware of the demand and (if necessary) schedule a time to avoid crowds.
ORGANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR St. Luke Lutheran Church, Williamsport, PA seeks a part-time organist/choir director for playing Sunday morning and other services along with leading the church choir. Those interested in the position should contact St. Luke Church office at info@stlukeweb.com or 570-323 -7309 for an application and full job description.
THE PRE-SCHOOL AT ST. LUKE Classes will begin on Tuesday, September 8, 2020!! Our FALL MUM SALE is starting Sunday, August 23rd! Please call Sarah Young at 570-932-1753 or Lynn Shade at 570-971-2422 to make [preschool_5940c-909×1024[1]] arrangement to purchase a mum coupon(s). One 9-inch mum of your choice is $5.00, coupons are valid 9/720-10/10/20 and redeemed at Simmers Nursery, 101 Park rd., Montoursville.
VISITING? If you’re not a member or regular attendee of St Luke Church but have been “visiting” us during this time of online worship, we’d love to connect with you! If you’ve been watching from afar or have just been using this time to “check us out” online, please send us an email at info@stlukeweb.com<mailto:info@stlukeweb.com>!
LUNCH FOR SOJOURNER TRUTH MINISTRIES Service and Outreach Ministries have teamed together to provide 60 bag lunches for the center’s participants on Saturday, August 22. Volunteers from these ministries will assemble the lunches in the morning and deliver them to the center. A BIG THANKS to them and the cookie bakers!
LWR SCHOOL KITS Even in these difficult times, you have managed to respond to the needs of others. Because of your donations of school supplies and left-overs from last year, we have managed to fill 30 backpacks! Thanks be to God!
FOOD PANTRY Please read carefully as instructions have changed.
The St. Luke Service Ministry invites you to join your fellow members, family and friends during these difficult times to fill “disposable” grocery bags with grocery items for the Food Pantry. The food collection basket is now located in the Bell Hall glass vestibule (across from the office entrance) for your donations. Please do not use our St. Luke canvas bags, due to the COVID19. Thank you. Trish Whelan and her son, Danny will check the basket and deliver the food to the United Churches Food Pantry, as needed. The pantry can always use any kind of: soup, ramen noodles, pasta, macaroni and cheese, granola bars, canned chicken or tuna, tea bags, hot chocolate packet, coffee, pop tarts, saltines, oatmeal packets, sugar, flour, ketchup, mustard, and all canned fruits and vegetables.
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FROM THE PASTOR
Dear St Luke Church Family,
With no newsletter having been sent over the summer (due a pandemic-related decrease in activity), I am writing this summer letter to bring you up to date on the happenings at St. Luke!
As the school year approaches, it is my hope that we can look forward to a robust (if not completely normal) ministry in the fall. It’s been a tough last few months, but I am very pleased with the way this congregation has responded – I believe that we have acted faithfully by continuing our ministry while being concerned for the safety of all.
With that said, here are the current plans for moving forward into the fall. Please know that any plans that are laid out here should be thought of as fluid; any of the following could be changed depending on the situation.
Worship – It has now been over a month since our return to in-person worship. The attendance over the last six weeks has suggested that only one service is necessary for the time being. So, even when the school year starts, we will continue with one online and one in-person service. Starting on September 13, however, we will move the time of those services back to 10:30 am.
The key word here is flexibility. If conditions allow for higher attendance, we can return to two services. Of course, there are also conditions which could lead us to a return to online worship only. Either way, if changes are made, we will communicate them through email, a posting on the doors of the church, the church voice mail announcement, and the church’s Facebook page. Please check one of these outlets prior to Sunday morning worship for any last-minute announcements.
Communion – For those who chose to continue with online worship, I am now offering communion after the in-person service. It will be available from 10:45-11:30 am. You can park in the front lot and either come to the Nave doors, or pull up to the edge of the courtyard and I will come to your car.
Sunday School – We are scheduled to resume classes on Sunday, September 13, and we hope to be able to hold to that date. The default mode will be remote instruction using Zoom or similar technology. However, we are capable of holding in-person Sunday School, should there be a unanimous desire for it in a given age group. Ultimately, the decision on format will be made on a class-by-class basis. Parents can contact the church office or the individual teacher to express a preference. More information will be made available via a letter that will be going out in the coming weeks to school-aged children and their parents.
Unless the worship times change in the meantime, the default time for Sunday School classes will be at 9:15 am. However, for those classes that meet online, there can be flexibility on a meeting time. For example, it has been suggested that Sunday evening might be a good time for some. Again, these decisions can be made on a class-by-class basis once the Sunday School year has begun, and any changes beyond the default will require a unanimous decision.
The adult Sunday School class has met online over the summer and will continue to do so until further notice.
Ministries and Committees – All ministries and committees are encouraged to resume activities for the fall, with appropriate safety measures being taken. Meetings can be held online or in-person. For in-person meetings, we ask that the following measures be taken:
* Please schedule all future meetings with Sarah Young in the church office, even if your group has had a regular meeting time in the past.
* Please wear a mask at all times during your meeting.
* Cleaning materials will be available to wipe down any surface that was used (tables and chairs).
For those who choose to meet online, the church has a Zoom account that you can use. There are even options to join via phone for those who do not have access the computer technology. I can provide you with assistance if necessary.
Pastoral Visitation – I am currently available for visits upon request, but I am also bound by the policies of care facilities, many of which are still not allowing visitors. I will attempt to stay abreast of any changes in those policies, but I would like to request your assistance. If you know of a particular residence facility is allowing visitors, please let me know and I would be happy to resume visitation for you or your relative!
Office Hours – Sarah and I are maintaining limited office hours to accomplish things that need to be done on site, but we are still doing most work from home. Sarah checks the office voicemail regularly and is in the office throughout the week, but can also be reached at 570 -932-1753 and sarahyoung@comcast.net<mailto:sarahyoung@comcast.net> during regular office hours.
I want to thank all of you for your patience, for your encouragement, and for your persistence during this time. It is my hope that with the return of a school year, we will have enough activity to resume regular newsletters beginning in September.
May the peace and strength of our Lord and Savior be with you all!
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Pastor Jeff