NEWS OF THE ST. LUKE COMMUNITY

 Ooooooh!
Semantics and his wife Mardea's baby arrived a couple weeks ago.  Luke Jeremy King was born on April 29, 2012 at 8:56 am at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Luke weighed 7 pounds and 8 ounces at time of birth. 

  Summer Worship Hour - Remains the Same!!
Please join us for worship all summer long at 10:30 am.  There will be no adult or children's education except for a special Spirited Learning offering on Father’s Day, June 17.

  Office Schedule
Anne Deuring will be on vacation this coming week, May 21-24.  There will be partial phone coverage.  Be kind to Don.  Thank you.

  May Change for Change
The mission of the Centro Arte para la Paz, where Jenna and Chris Horgan will be for two years, is to develop and promote a culture of peace through the arts, creativity, imagination and cultural exchange.  The arts center is located in Suchitoto, El Salvador, a town which was hard hit during the El Salvadoran Civil War.  In 2005, an abandoned school building was renovated and Centro Arte para la Paz was born.  Programming includes parenting classes, visual art, harp workshops, choir, guitar and yoga.  The arts center also provides structure and alternative programs to violence both in Suchitoto and nearby villages.  With our donations, Jenna and Chris will purchase music, arts and other equipment and supplies for the center.  http://capsuchitoto.org/en/

As always, in addition to coins or paper clipped bills, you may write a check to church.  This month put " Centro Arte para la Paz " in the memo line. 

  St. Luker again heads to NCAA Tennis Nationals!
Carleton senior Kathryn Schmidt and her women’s tennis team made school and conference history by beating perennial powerhouse Gustavus, who hadn't lost a conference match in twenty years! Carleton's third and final win this season over Gustavus in the MIAC Playoffs gave the team a berth in the NCAA Div lll Team Nationals this weekend!  Kathryn couldn’t be prouder of her team!  And for the fourth straight year, Kathryn also will be one of 32 singles players in the NCAA Div lll National Championships in Cary, NC in late May.  Go to Carleton.edu/athletics to read about Varsity Women’s Tennis and to see Kathryn in a video!

  More Spring Cleaning
Please check the shelves outside the kitchen for dishes and containers you may have left.  All non-drinking vessels remaining after May 27 will find a new home.  Thanks.

SPIRITED LEARNING/ADULT EDUCATION
Sunday mornings 9:15 - 10:15 am

  Critical Issues - West Room

May 20:  Health Care for All- Minnesota - St. Luker's will have the opportunity to learn about a program that might, with support, become the blueprint for health care delivery in the State of Minnesota.

Due to the present highly partisan nature of politics in Washington DC, many States, including Minnesota, are considering a universal access, single-payer, health care program.

The presentation at St. Luke on Sunday May 20 will be lead by two members of the health care profession who are founding members of Health Care for All – Minnesota, an organization that is dedicated to establishing single-payer health care for all Minnesotans though advocacy, education, lobbying and community organizing.

You will learn about the many advantages of a single-payer health care system: How it saves lives, time and money. How it creates choice and why it is good for business.

It’s not like this is a step into uncharted territory for America.  Every industrialized country in the world offers access to health care for their citizens.  The United States stands alone in having no such program.

Please attend on Sunday May 20 at 9:15am. and be ready to take notes!

June17:  Father’s Day Special - Kim Ratz

  Theology/Spirituality - Music Room (unless otherwise noted)

May 20:  Two years in El Salvador:  St. Lukers Jenna and Chris Horgan will talk about their upcoming two-year mission to El Salvador. St. Luke has commissioned the couple as missionaries for peace.  They leave in early June.  What’s ahead for them?  You will get a chance to know them better before they head out, and to learn what assignments and projects each of them expect to be doing. Learn how St. Luke will be involved in supporting their mission, and discuss opportunities to visit during their time there.

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE

  St. Luke Spring Clean Up Day - June 2
Summer is just around the corner and it is time once again for a little spring cleaning around the church.  The Building and Grounds Focus Group will be hosting a Tidying Party (not to be confused with a Tye Dying Party) on Saturday June 2 from 8:00 am to Noon.  So grab your partner, broom, rake, or squeegee, and join us for a morning leisure avoidance where we will tackle cobwebs, windows, weeds, the circle drive, and our special guest, the junk pile in the woods.  Any questions?  Contact Rod, Tom, or any of the BG's (not to be confused with the BeeGees).  Hope to see you there!

  Just Coffee For Sale
The Latin America/Haiti Focus Group has organic coffee from Chiapas available in the Garden Court at $10/bag.  Contact Frank Babka or Jeanne Meyer of interested.

  St. Luke Peace and Justice Action Network
Sign up now to be part of the St. Luke Peace and Justice Action Network to receive one e-mail a month containing a quick, easy opportunity to influence government and public opinion on issues important to St. Luke. 

Put your name and email in the box at the back of the church or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

  St. Luke Connect Team
Can You Help Welcome Visitors?

The Connect Team has the responsibility of being on the watch for visitors or persons who seem to be alone and not talking with anyone before and especially after worship.  We want to welcome visitors, see if they have questions, introduce them to others, and offer them printed information about St. Luke.  For those persons standing alone who may be more introverted, we want to make sure that they feel included and a part of St. Luke.

If you would be willing to help by being a Connect Team participant, please let the church office know or contact Nancy Kizilos-Clift, Marion McNurlen, or Marc Well Nagel.  There are no meetings to attend.  You can volunteer for as few or as many Sundays as you would like.  Your gift of hospitality to others will make St. Luke a more welcoming and friendly church.

  Seasoned Lukers Events
Please Remember to Call the Church Office to Sign-up for Events

June 6 (from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm - A Behind the Scenes Tour of Minnesota Public Radio followed by Lunch Together - Join us for a trip to downtown St. Paul to see what goes to bring us all the wonderful programming of Minnesota Public Radio.  Our tour will last from 10 to 11:00  am.  We will find a fun, enjoyable place to have lunch afterwards.  We will meet at St. Luke at 9:00 am to carpool to St. Paul. Please rsvp to the church office no later than May 14. 

June 21 (from 12:30 to 4:30 pm) - An Architectural and Behind the Scenes Tour of the Guthrie Theatre - Would you like to know more about the new Guthrie Theatre?  What the architects ideas and plans were in building it, where set construction happens and the dressing rooms are located, and what goes on backstage in order for you to enjoy a play.  Join us for the tour of the Guthrie.  The cost is $10.  Our initial tour is limited to 25 persons.  If we have more, there is a possibility of having 2 groups on the same day.  Get your reservations in early for this one!  Please rsvp to the church office by May 18.

July 19 (from 11:00 to 3:30 pm) - Potluck Picnic at the MN Landscape Arboretum with Tram Tour - Join us at the Arboretum for our summer potluck picnic (we're making this an annual event ... with no rain this year).  We will gather at 11 am for lunch and fellowship in a covered and enclosable shelter at the gardens.  At 1:30 pm, we will have a guided tour on the tram for all to enjoy.  Of course, we can play games or wander the gardens before and after the tram tour.  The cost is $13 per person.  This includes the facility rental, the tram tour, and entrance into the arboretum.  Please rsvp to the church office by July 10 as we need to give them our numbers for the tram tour.

September 8 (4:00 to 6:30 pm) - Fall Kick-off Wine & Cheese Gathering at the Nagel's - Get the date on your calendar early.  We will have our second annual Wine & Cheese Fall Kick-off at the Nagel's house. It will be an "appetizer potluck" this year.  Reconnect with friends who have been at the lake for the  summer and be part of our planning for the next year.  Please rsvp to the church office by September 5 so we can plan for the wine and cheese.  Of course, you can always come at the last moment with no rsvp.

September 24-25 (Monday & Tuesday) - Fall Retreat at St. John's Abbey Guesthouse - We already have 28 people signed up for our fall retreat.  So, get your reservations in.  We will leave St. Luke at about 8:00 am on Monday and return mid-afternoon on Tuesday.  More information will be forthcoming on retreat details.  But, you can sign up now.  There are single rooms and 2 suites (for 2 people) still available.  Bob and Carolyn Cuthill will be our guest leaders for this event.

September 26 - The Minnesota Twins vs the New York Yankees - We could be a in a playoff run and playing the dreaded Yankees!  Really, miracles do happen.  Join us for a great time together and a nice, autumn afternoon baseball game (it will be warmer this year).  It's a 1:10 pm game, so we will meet at the Hopkins Crossroads/I-394 bus stop at noon to head to the game.  We will be in the center field near the front of the second deck (section 237, rows 5 -7). These should be very good seats.  There are elevators to get to this level. The cost is $19.  We only have 30 seats.  Please reserve early (by July 15) with the church office as we will sell the tickets that are not taken.  (I know this is the day after the Fall Retreat, but it is the only afternoon game for which I could get a group of tickets together.  All tickets are going very fast.)

To sign up for any of these events, contact Anne in the church office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 952-473-7378.  If you have question, contact Marc Well Nagel at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 763-232-0737.  More events are being planned ... be on the look out! 

NEWS OF THE WIDER COMMUNITY

  Supporting His House Foundation
His House, a local grass roots foundation supporting those in need in our community, is starting two important collections. 
• The annual prom dress collection is underway.  His House will be collecting prom dresses until May 14.  His House makes the dresses available to local teens for $5.00 or free with a referral from their family, school, or church.  Dresses can be dropped off at His House Thrift Store near Hwy 7 & Vine Hill. (The store is on the Hwy 7 frontage road 19245 Hwy 7, next to Tino's on the lowest level. They share their entry with the barber shop). Any proceeds, from the gowns, are used to pay rent, utilities, etc. for families in need.  

• His House is also starting a new program of collecting and distributing bikes for local children in need.  Summer is almost here...and for some local families a bike would be an extravagance they could not afford.  Please consider dropping off a working bike at the His House Thrift Store (19245 Hwy 7, next to Tino's) or coordinating a pick up by calling Lori Cocking at              612 670 3030 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call Martha Brannon at His House at 612 325 4693.  Submitted by Lori Cocking

  Speaker series focusing on family diversity starts June 14
Corporal Andrew Charles Wilfahrt was killed Feb. 27, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  The oldest son of Jeff and Lori Wilfahrt of Rosemount, Andrew was serving in the U.S. army military police force and an openly gay man.  Since Andrew’s death, the Wilfahrts have been outspoken about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, gay rights and the proposed Marriage Amendment that is scheduled for the November ballot.  Andrew’s story has received national attention as his parents work to promote equality in Andrew’s memory, leading Jeff to run for state office in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

On Thurs., June 14, the Wilfahrts will speak at the first of 10 summer gatherings called Spectrum, hosted by St. Paul’s Without Walls (SPWoW) an extension of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minnetonka.  Spectrum embraces issues of family diversity.

The June 28 topic will be “Perspectives on the Marriage Amendment,” a panel presentation and discussion on the political, legal, theological and linguistic considerations associated with Minnesota’s upcoming constitutional amendment question.  The panel will highlight the trends for such amendments across the country, the dialog associated with the issue, and its impact.

Other topics on Spectrum’s schedule range from same gender-parenting to the governor’s state task force on preventing bullying. Confirmed speakers include Randi and Phil Reitan and their son, Jake Reitan, founder of Equality Ride, a non-violent resistance movement targeting colleges and schools that openly discriminate against GLBTQ youth, and Senator Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka), who opposed the Minnesota bill for a constitutional amendment to ban same-gender marriage.

All are invited to attend the Spectrum Thursday night gatherings from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 13207 Lake Street Ext, Minnetonka.  There is no charge and light refreshments will be served.

  WHS Empty Bowls
Wayzata High school will host its 21st annual Empty Bowls event, 5:00-7:00 pm Thursday, May 17 at WHS, 4955 Peony Lane, Plymoth.  Attendees will choose from more than 1,000 handcrafted bowls and enjoy hot soup and bread.  The bowls were made by students, staff and alumni with donated clay and were made during the school year.  Last year the event raised more than $8,000 for IOCP to directly benefit the fight against hunger in the community.  In the 20 years WHS has held the event, Empty Bowls has raised $70,524 for IOCP.  A $10 per person donation is suggested and tickets can be purchased at the door.
Info: iocp.org or Connie Ryks 763-473-1539

  Learn More About Bridging
Bridging has a new user friendly web site.  If you are interested in learning more about BRIDGING such as becoming a volunteer or donating your stuff, go to www.bridging.org.  You can even schedule a pick-up on line.  Recently clients have been fortunate to receive a bath towel, hand towel and wash cloth for each family member.  Your contributions have been greatly appreciated and all your household things are VERY welcome!!  Submitted by Dickie Smith

  Diapers Needed
Northside Women's Space at Kwanzaa Community Church needs diapers!  Now that the Women's Space is in operation, there are many, many requests for diapers for the women's young children.  Any size or type will be much appreciated.  Please leave in the box marked Diapers for NWS in the church lobby.  Many thanks, Katie Williams

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

  For Parents
This is the end of the program year and the last CYF Newsletter for the year. Join us this Sunday for Celebration Sunday! Have a great summer!!!

  Sunday School

Explorers in the Garden, The Wilderness, Middle School & High School
This week all the Sunday School classes we’ll be working together in the Explorer room as families create thank you’s for our teachers, which will be handed out during worship. Parents are invited to join with their kids for this last day of Sunday school.

Then bring a dish to share for a picnic and kickball game following the service.

Don’t forget to bring an offering for our Change for Change program. This month our offerings go to support Centro Arte para la Paz. This organization located in El Salvador will host St Luke’s Missionaries for Peace – Jenna and Chris Horgan.

  Calendar of Events
Sunday, May 20 – Celebration Sunday – During Sunday school this day parents are asked to help their kids create a thank you for the Sunday school teachers, which will be given out during a recognition during the service that day. Then following church we will hold a potluck picnic and play kickball to celebrate the end of the program year.

June 18-29 – Creative Arts Camp - We are starting the process of organizing for the 2012 Creative Arts Camp. If you are interested in volunteering for the camp or helping in the planning process, please contact the church office.

For a more complete list of upcoming events you can always log on to stluke.mn

  We Get You!
LGBTQ Allied Youth Gathering
Welcoming High School and Middle School Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, Questioning, and Allied Youth

Eat supper, play games, talk . . .
We meet the 2nd Friday of every month from 5:00-9:00 pm.   Come and go when you can.
Lake Fellowship Unitarian Universalist building, 24575 Glen Road, Shorewood, MN 55331

Just Show Up...anytime you can make it between 5 & 9!
For more information, check us out on Facebook or contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it