St. Luke Lutheran Church

20 Candlewood Path
Dix Hills, NY 11746

Phone (631) 499-8656  
 Fax: (631) 462-6496

 By
Reverend Charles W. Froehlich

By
Reverend Charles W. Froehlich

January

March 19, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Sunday March 16^th we began our journey through Holy Week with loud shouts of “Hosanna” and then the words of the hymn Jesus I will Ponder Now on thy Holy Passion.

This began the most important week of our lives and the hope of our salvation.  As
Pastor Unger said in his sermon on Palm Sunday “I need you to be here with for the journey” I want to encourage you to continue to exercise spiritually during this most holy week by joining us for Maundy Thursday Worship at 5 or 7:30pm.  It will be a joy to welcome 17 young people to the Lord’s Table for the first time after their four weeks of special instruction with their parents on the meaning of receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

And the journey continues on Good Friday as we gather at 12 noon for the Family Worship service and then for the 7:30pm Service of Darkness with special music from the choir and soloists.  A time to ponder again the great sacrifice the Lord has made for us and for all people of all time.

Our spiritual exercising continues on Saturday evening at 7pm with the Vigil of Easter which is a special service that begins in darkness and moves into the light of Easter.  This is a moving liturgy that brings us to the tomb and the first look in as we reflect upon our Baptism and the feast at the Lord’s Table.

We then welcome back the Alleluias on Easter morning with special worship at 7:30, 9 and 11 with choirs and brass and special hymns and an Easter brunch between the services.  It is at these services that we again leave with a benediction and sending of the Easter people out into our communities to proclaim Christ’s victory over sin and death.  I then look forward to celebrating Easter each Sunday at our regular exercising times of 8:15 and 10:45 as well as the education hour at 9:30.

Spiritual exercise is great for our spiritual well being and I need you to exercise with me as that also encourages me to keep on exercising spiritually as well as physically.  I look forward to greeting you at the Family Table during this special time of the year.

CHALLENGE GRANT

Thank you to all the families who have returned their “Intention to give” forms for our Challenge Grant.  As of March 18 we have received $109,000 in pledges and gifts toward the challenge grant with new commitments and gifts coming in every day.  We hope to have the forms in by the end of March so that we can inform the Foundation what we can expect.  Even if you can’t make a specific commitment at this time please return your form and try and make some regular gift as you are able.  I was touched by some of our teenagers who have made commitments to give a monthly gift toward our goal as well as some of the children who have made gifts in the offering. If we all make an effort to support our mission and ministry we can continue to great things for the Kingdom of God.  If you have misplaced your commitment form there are extras in the narthex as well as on the literature table in the tower in the back of the church.  There is also a box in which you can place the form.

Bible Studies

Sunday mornings at 9:30am in the Memorial Gathering room Pastor Unger leads a study on the book of Philippians

Monday evenings at 7:30 there is a Women’s Bible study based on the book by Joyce Meyer “Secrets to Exceptional Living”

Wednesday Evenings at 9pm there is a study group that is making their way through the book of Acts

Men’s ministry meets the first Saturday at 8:30am of the month and our Bible study is based around the book by Max Lucado “Facing Your Giants”

Pastor Froehlich will convene a new small group gathering around the topic of “Journeying through Grief” the exact date and time that this will begin will be determined after Easter and upon the schedule of the leader we are seeking to help with this group.

Upcoming Events

April 12 Property Committee Spring clean up 8-11am Help is needed

April 19 Family Service 5pm

April 26 Alec’s Run at Half Hollow Hills High School West.  Sign up to run or to volunteer to help put this together.  Sign-up sheets are in the church or can be accessed online

May 17^th Family Carnival at St. Luke

A wonderful day of family fun and activity and all the proceeds go toward our Challenge Grant and the completion of the playground. Volunteer to work or become a sponsor for the event.  We need many willing hands

On a very personal note Kathy and I want to thank everyone for their prayers, cards memorial gifts, hugs and words of support and comfort to us at the death of Kathy’s dad Arthur Winter.  He was a man of great faith who loved the Lord and he is resting in the Lord.  We feel very much loved and cared for and as we celebrate Easter and our Lord’s resurrection it takes on additional meaning for us at this time.

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