Epistle. get Bell Street Amarillo, TX (806) Office (806) Fax

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1 Epistle NAN KEMP & MELISSA SHIELDS, CO-EDITORS OCTOBER 018 VOLUME 5, ISSUE 10 W H A T S H A P P E N I N G A T S T. L U K E St. Luke members, friends, and the public are invited to Consider the Women: A Provocative Guide to Three Matriarchs in the Bible, led by Rev. Debbie Blue. This seminar will take place at St. Luke on Friday and Saturday, October 19 and 0. The three women featured will be Mary, Hagar, and Esther. All sessions will be in Fellowship Hall. The Friday session is 7:00-9:00 p.m. and the Saturday sessions are 9:30 11:30 a.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m., with lunch in between. Please pay $10 for lunch at the door; RSVPs to stluke.amarillotx@gmail.com are appreciated. Rev. Blue will fill the pulpit at the Sunday worship service, 11:00 a.m., October 1. Childcare will be available at all sessions. Rev. Blue is one of the founding pastors of House of Mercy, a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is the author of Sensual Orthodoxy, From Stone to Living Word, and Consider the Birds: A Provocative Guide to the Birds of the Bible. Brochures about the event are available on the table outside the sanctuary. Take a few to give to your friends, and we hope to see you there! The Session has issued a call for a congregational meeting following worship on October 7 to hear and act on the report of the Nominating Committee. get 3001 Bell Street Amarillo, TX (806) Office (806) Fax Contact information for Rev. Kati Collins coming soon! By DARCY CASTLEBERRY We have an exciting October ahead of us. October 3 is we will be having breakfast for dinner! October 10 is night. You guessed it we will be having baked potatoes. Enjoy a night at the on October 17. We will be having chili dogs and celebrating October birthdays. October is, when we will have a service project at the High Plains Food Bank. There will be more details to come regarding Mission Night. On October 31, we will be taking our fall break, so enjoy the night off and eat lots of Halloween candy! stluke.amarillotx@gmail.com St. Luke Presbyterian Church of Amarillo StLuke.AmarilloTX 1

2 Have you ever been depressed, or do you know someone who is and don t know how to help? Now is the time to learn and get the answers! St. Luke is hosting a mental health seminar led by Margie Netherton of NAMI. It will be about the nature of mental illness, some needs of people living with mental illness, tools that help in recovery, and area resources. St. Luke Women will meet on Wednesday, October 10, at 9:30 a.m., when Medora Williams and Donna Clopton will provide a brunch for us. Nan Kemp will present a devotional, and a Bible lesson to be led by Betsy McCampbell will follow. The lesson this month is God Is with Us in Our Uncertainly, from the Horizons Bible Study. Kendra Jones will lead the business meeting afterwards. When: Tuesday, October 16, p.m. Where: St. Luke Fellowship Hall All women of the church are invited to these Bible studies. You don t have to read the lesson beforehand, although it s helpful. We hope to see you on the 10th! This is open to all! Come, bring a friend, and learn!! Detailed financial reports are always available for review by church members. Simply stop by the church office during regular hours and request to examine the previous month s financial documents. Year-to-Date August Finances

3 Watercolor II, a continuing education course led by Sharron Fitzner, will be available through AC this fall. It runs from October 13 through December 1. Each Saturday session lasts from 1 to p.m. Class size is limited. Watercolor I is the prerequisite for this class. Call the downtown campus to register Please give directly to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program. Give by phone Send a check. Presbyterian Church (USA) P.O. Box Pittsburgh, PA Give online. donate/make-a-gift/ gift-info/dr00019/ DR00019 This designated account supplements the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering to enable a significant response for relief and recovery from hurricanes and typhoons that cause widespread destruction internationally and in the United States. Fourth Thursday Lunch Bunch Ladies meet at 11:30 a.m. on fourth Thursdays for a Dutch treat meal at Cheddar s (located at Western Crossing). Eveline Rivers Sunshine Cottage BY DALE BALLARD Blessings from the Mission Committee. If your birthday is not listed or if there is an error, please call the church office * Steven Jarvis Camille Ashley* Bea* Jim Jennifer Cailyn Joe* Cali Linda Jean Nathan Abby Bonnie Margaret Marilyn Eddie Roger friend of St. Luke A big thank you to St. Luke for your participation in the Amarillo College Food Pantry Drive. It was big success for a very worthy cause. We will be having a Thanksgiving AC food drive in November. Contact Sallie Amason. Meals on Wheels - Volunteers are Thank you to all who participated in the Mesa Verde school supply drive. St. Luke will also be helping serve the Mesa Verde Thanksgiving dinner. On November 0, St. Luke will again have the privilege of preparing a meal for approximately 65 to 70 people at the Hope and Healing Generational Meeting. Watch future announcements for details for the three upcoming projects. The Mission Committee routinely supports: Amarillo Children's Home - Contact JoAnn Jolley. Partners in Education (Mesa Verde Elementary) - Contact Stacy Clopton Yates or Krista Berry. needed to deliver meals one day a week. Contact Dale Ballard. A Time to Share (a Christmas mission) Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Prayer Shawl Ministry / Threads of Love - Contact Ann Hefner and Susan Barnes. Helping Hands - Contact Tom Heyde. Amarillo College Food Pantry Contact Marcie Robinson. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance - To make a donation, see the article above. High Plains Food Bank - Food bank barrels are located in the storage area in Fellowship Hall. Peanut Butter Sunday - On the first Sunday of every month, bring a jar of peanut butter to church. A collection basket is located in Fellowship Hall. The Hope and Healing Place - Contact Marcie Robinson. Thank you to all who make these projects possible. The deadline for the November edition of the Epistle will be October 8. The newsletter will be mailed on November 1. As always, please send your news to editor Nan Kemp. 3

4 Purple Ponderings My farewell blessing comes from our sacred stories. Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly with God. Love God. Love your neighbor as you yourself desire to be loved. It is all that simple and all that hard. Goodbye! Farewell! And Amen! Amen! We use this word often at the end of prayers to signify they are done. The actual meaning of Amen is so be it. And so I offer you an Amen for all that has been, for all that is now, and for all that is yet to come! By REV. ELAINE BESTHORN, Interim Minister MASH was (and continues to be) one of my all-time favorite shows. I have seen the episodes so many times I know exactly what is going to happen next and the accompanying dialogue. The combination of humor, acting, writing and the ability of the writers to weave relevant, and sometimes hard issues, into the story line is part of its brilliance. The title of the very last MASH episode is Goodbye! Farewell! And Amen! It seems an apt way to write my final Purple Ponderings for St. Luke. Goodbye! These final weeks have been rich with conversations, tears shed, cards, lunches, remembrances, gifts, and so much more. Part of being an interim (or any pastor for that matter) is leaving well. I would not trade any of these experiences for all the fame, power, or money in the world. They truly are priceless, as have been the two years here. (OK I will trade some of the many meetings but that s a different story.) Saying goodbye well is important for the church as well as for the interim pastor. Thank you! I am blessed beyond all measure! Farewell! I admit I am writing this on September 19th, but I already know that on the 30th we will have worshipped together for the last time, and then in the evening, we will gather for a Mexican potluck (thanks Fellowship!) It will be a marvelous time with an array of delicious food, fun, and laughter. Cont. With deepest blessings, gratitude, gratefulness, appreciation, and love, Elaine Congratulations to Sue Rankin and Jill Trollinger, who were united in marriage on September 1 at St. Luke with Pastor Elaine officiating. Christian sympathy is extended to the family of Beth Littlefield, 98, who passed away on September 11. She was a member of St. Luke in the early 1960s. A memorial service was held at St. Luke with Pastor Elaine officiating. STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE By now, everyone should have received via or picked up a printed form for reporting their own estimate of giving for 019. Let us all prayerfully consider our own response in light of all that we have for which we are grateful to God. These estimates need to be in the church office as soon as possible so that our budgeting process can be completed in a timely manner. If you prefer not to make an estimate for 019, just check the appropriate box. We all have gifts and talents galore, and another way to give back to the church is sharing your time and talents. Please return your time and talent sheet to the church office as well, so we can create a master list of people willing to help in all the many ministries of St. Luke. Our time, talent, and treasure are gifts meant to be shared. Thank you for sharing yours. We need all the forms returned to the church office no later than October 7, 018. We appreciate your promptness. Ashley Denham placed 1st Place in Adult Color at the Tri-State Fair 018, and her photograph was named Best in Show. She is also being interviewed by a journalist for AC about her photography. Congratulations, Ashley! Kyle Hadley, director of education for The Don Harrington Discovery Center, recently announced the center has been officially accepted into the nationally recognized No Excuses University program. The Amarillo Globe-News had an informative article on September 13 about this accomplishment. Good going, Kyle!

5 Sun Mon Tue Wed 1 FALL SUNDAY SCHEDULE 9:5 am Choir Rehearsal 11:00 am Worship Service 8 World Communion Columbus Day PB Sunday 9 Deadline for stewardship forms Mission Com. Elder David Kemp Office Admin. will will fill the pulpit. be on vacation. Called Congregational Elder Kary Wingo will fill the pulpit. 1:00 noon Fellowship Com. 1:00 noon LOGOS Com. 15 Pastor Debbie Blue will fill the pulpit. 1:00 noon Finance Com. :00 pm :00 pm Cong. Care Com. LOGOS Hot Potato 16 World Food Day Rev. Kati Collins first official day 17 LOGOS Circus Night 7:00 pm Mental Health Seminar Reformation Sunday 5 6 9:30 am Church Women United Mission Tour Office Admin. will be on vacation :00 pm St. Luke Seminar Session I 9:30 am St. Luke Seminar Session II 11:30 am Lunch 1:30 pm Session III 3 United Nations Day LOGOS Mission Night 9 18 :00 pm 6:00 pm Creative Class :30 am St. Luke Women Sexton will be on vacation thru 19th Sat 6:00 pm Worship Com LOGOS Backwards Night 9:5 am Sunday School Fri :00 pm 6:00 pm Creative Class Moving day for Pastor Elaine! 9:30 am - Coffee & Fellowship Thu :30 am Lunch Bunch :00 pm Halloween 7:00 pm No LOGOS Farkle Game Night Epistle deadline :00 pm Stated Session 5

6 The session held its regular monthly meeting on September 16. Below is the clerk s report: August 018 average attendance for worship 81 Active membership as of August 31, Communion was celebrated on Sunday, September 9. Isabelle Nancy Bryan entered the Church Triumphant on August 19, Jill Trollinger and Sue Rankin wedding on September 1, 018 (non-members) with Rev. Elaine Besthorn officiating at the wedding and presiding at Communion during the wedding. 6. Beth Littlefield (former member) memorial service at St. Luke on September 1, 018 with Rev. Elaine Besthorn officiating. Cont. below Church Women United will have its annual mission tour on October 5, 018. The two facilities to be visited are Heal the City, 609 South Carolina Street, and Panhandle Adult Rebuilding Center (PARC), 13 SW 6th Street. Lunch will be at Napoli s, 700 South Taylor Street. Gather at 9:30 a.m. at First Christian Church, 3001 Wolflin (east side) to carpool. If you need directions, call Evelyn Riedt at or The first tour is 10:00 at Heal the City. All women of the church are invited. Sunday, October 7 Elder David Kemp will fill the pulpit. World Communion Sunday Rev. Murray Travis, HR will preside at the table. Sunday, October 1 Elder Kary Wingo will fill the pulpit. Sunday, October 1 Rev. Kati Collins first official Sunday. Pastor Debbie Blue will fill the pulpit. COMMENDATIONS Rev. Elaine Besthorn for outstanding service as session moderator. Ashley Denham for running the sound system during the wedding on September 1. Melissa Shields for assistance with the Debbie Blue seminar and designing the brochure for that event. Ross Clopton, Tracye Farrar, and Pastor Elaine for preparing the stewardship letter for the current campaign. Pastor Elaine for her insightful advice on financial matters. Bill Beaty, Kyle Hadley, Eldon Wingo, Tim Lacey, Chip Newell, and Ross Clopton for the good work accomplished on the workday, September 8. Cont. right Ross Clopton, Stacy Yates, and Bob Hansen for pulpit supply August 6 and September. Donna Clopton for teaching children s Sunday school in September. Helen Thorsheim for doing research on apartments for Pastor Elaine so the new pastor will be able to move into the manse a day after Elaine s contract ends. Kim Lacey for visiting and checking out the apartments with Pastor Elaine. Bob Hansen for all the time and effort spent in juggling pulpit supply on short notice. The members of the PNC: Donna Phipps, Kary Wingo, Paige Hadley, Kaci Jones, Travis Kemp, and Ross Clopton. Chip Newell for his service as elder for St. Luke. The people and staff of St. Luke for allowing Pastor Elaine the honor and privilege of being interim pastor for the past two years. 6