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Acolytes: Each week our servers offer their time and talent to serve at the altar and assist the clergy not only at worship services, but also with Services of Evensong, convocational services, funerals and weddings.

St. Luke’s is blessed with a group of dedicated leaders who served as altar servers in 2021. In the continuation of the pandemic, it is necessary to scale back on having a full contingency of altar servers, and we continued just to have a crucifir for Sunday worship services.

The ministry is open to anyone between the ages of 6 and 100 who has a desire to serve!
Please contact Josh Taylor if you have any questions: misterjoshtaylor@gmail.com.

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Altar Guild: This is a ministry of preparing the altar for Sundays, weekdays and special occasions. Members serve on teams that are responsible for setting up and cleaning up the vessels and linens used, maintaining candles, changing frontals and performing other tasks as needed.

There are currently 5 teams and the Guild would love to add a few new names to these teams. Please remember, gentlemen, you are welcome on the teams as well. Serving on the Altar Guild will deepen your awareness of your spiritual surroundings. Please consider and pray about joining one of our teams.
Suzzette Patterson leads this ministry.
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Adult Choir:

Choir call for the principle service of Sunday is 9:00 am in the church, beginning October 1, 2023.
The choir rehearses every other Wednesday, 6:30pm – 8pm. The choir enjoys a social hour after rehearsal.
To join the adult choir, please contact the church office or speak with a choir member after a service; or drop in at weekly choir rehearsal.

And about our Nichols & Simpson organ…

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Bells of St. Luke’s: The handbells support the Liturgical Ministry throughout the year. Anyone ten and older can play.
If you have a child younger who is interested please contact me. Previous players AND new Ringers are welcome.

We have changed the practice schedule to take seasonal stress off the Ringers. I sincerely hope this makes it possible for more Ringers to join us. The bell ministry is important. A full choir (11 ringers) increases our frequency of playing which increases our presence with the congregation. Please contact me if you are interested. The music is easy, and marked for you. Thanks for your prayerful consideration.
Jeremy Wayne 501-753-4281 (Office)
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Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM) or Chalice Bearer: This lay ministry licensed by the Bishop assists the priests during all Eucharistic services. LEMs Lectors may read lessons when necessary, lead the congregation in the Prayers of the People, and distribute the consecrated wine at the Eucharist. Mark Holst leads this ministry.
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Lectors: Lectors read the First Reading and the Epistle during our services. If you are interested in serving, contact Mark Holst.
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Worship Leaders: A lay ministry licensed by the Bishop to led Morning and Evening prayer. Father Carey Stone leads this ministry.
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Ushers: A Sunday morning ministry whose participants greet parishioners and visitors, distribute service bulletins, facilitate Holy Communion, and orient visitors to the church. Suzzette Patterson and John Hooker lead this ministry.

Festival of the Senses is an annual performing arts series created in 2011 as a gift of the arts to the community to entertain, enlighten, and inspire. As North Little Rock’s only free year-long series featuring distinguished local and regional performers, it has presented artists in classical, contemporary, vocal, band, and choral music as well as dance, drama, and comedy. All our events are free and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of donors, series sponsors, and audience members and grants from the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Festival of the Senses presents the Natural State Brass Band in a concert of holiday music December 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Join us for a lively evening of tunes for the festive season! The concert is free and open to the public and a reception will follow the performance.

Parish Life Committee: A ministry of coordinating receptions, dinners or other special occasions. Participants prepare food, set up and clean up. Please contact the office if you would like to participate!

Daughters of the King: The Saint Emma Chapter of The Order of the Daughters of the King (DOK) is a spiritual sisterhood of women dedicated to a life of Prayer, Service and Evangelism. We have made a commitment to Jesus as our Savior, and we follow Him as Lord of our lives. We are an Order for women who are communicates of the Episcopal Church, churches in communion with it, or churches in the Historic Episcopate. We meet monthly on the second Sunday in the Parish Hall at 12:15PM.

Churchmen: An informal group, the ChurchMen supports projects of both St. Luke’s and the greater Episcopal Church. On the second Saturday of the month, the ChurchMen hold a breakfast at the Church, open to all. Parts of the proceeds from this breakfast are donated to needy projects at Christmas.

Small Group Ministry: St. Luke’s currently has one small group that meets in individual homes for study, reflection and fellowship. The group consists of 12 – 14 members each and each person has covenanted with others in the group to be regular in attendance, prayer and support of one another. The group meets on Monday evenings. The desire is to form more groups. If you are interested please contact the office at 501-753-4281.

St. Luke’s Community Outreach mission is to help our parish to reach beyond the walls of the church to serve our community.

Our goals are to understand the needs of our community, locally and globally and to make parishioners aware of opportunities to participate in projects available locally, through the Diocese, and the National Church. On behalf of those that we have helped, thank you!

If you would like to participate in some of our outreach ministries or you have suggestions for our outreach projects, please feel free to contact Jeannie Fry, Outreach Coordinator, at 941-0430.

St. Francis House (“SFH”)

—SFH is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas. It provides social services, a medical clinic and assistance for our veterans in the area. St. Luke’s has always actively been a part of SFH and, currently, our own Jeannie Fry serves on the Board of St. Francis House. St. Luke’s provides support to St. Francis House in the following ways:

VETS DINNERS: We provide quarterly dinners with entertainment for the Vets at St. Francis House.

BOX FANS: The vets need box fans for their rooms; if you want to donate, please leave the fans in the narthex under the table with the big white fan on top of it.

OPERATION ADOPT A VET: Thanks to the generosity of parishioners, in 2022 we continued the tradition of seeing that each SFH vet had presents to open on Christmas. Many thanks to Patty Sheen who coordinated assembling the presents and to John Hooker/Jerry Hodge for their delivery to SFH.

Family Promise Ministry

—with the support of a Keller Fund grant, a St. Luke’s Endowment Fund grant, and donations of appliances, time and money, and a partnership with our neighbors, Park Hill Christian Church, we began our first year with this ministry at St. Luke’s in 2016.

Since the pandemic, families have not be staying at the church, but will be housed in nearby apartments. In continuing partnership with Park Hill Christian Church, St. Luke’s will provide supplies for breakfast and noon meals once each quarter over the next 12 months.

Homeless Ministries

Feel free to donate money for items for our Homeless Ministry. We continue to accept donations of Clorox wipes and cleaning supplies for Dorcas House. Items may be left in the narthex or church office.

As an outreach ministry, St. Luke’s also runs a community “Clothes Closet” and “Home Goods” for used housewares:

Our Tuesday morning Clothes Closet “Roll Out” continues from 8:30-10:30am on Tuesdays, weather permitting. Donations of “gently used” clothing and household goods are accepted on Tuesday mornings at the clothes closet, at the church office and the first Sunday in each month in the narthex. Right now, we are having Spring/Summer “Sock Drive’; there is also a great need for men’s jeans and men’s shoes and shoelaces.

Houseware items primarily needed are gently used towels, bed linens, kitchen utensils, dishwares, small appliances small household items. Items are donated to Immerse, Dorcas House, St. Francis House, and those coming on Tuesdays. Immerse and Family Promise are in touch regarding furniture donations, and identify clients needing these items. Contact Betty Guhman with questions, or if you have furniture or large items to donate – 501.231.2302.

Volunteers are always needed for these ministries to help (1) sort donated items at your convenience and/or (2) on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 – 10:30 AM. If you have questions about this ministry, please contact Jeannie Fry at 501.941.0430.

Cooperative Ministries with Park Hill Christian Church

St. Luke’s has a history of partnering with our neighbors at Park Hill Christian in North Little Rock.

Food Pantry: So many people in this area depend on this for their food needs. There is a box in St. Luke’s church’s narthex where donations can be left, and they are taken to the Park Hill Christian Food Pantry. This month requested donations are for peanut butter or dry cereal.

We also work with Park Hill Christian in their “Christmas Store” and holiday food basket distribution.

Annie Lea’s Pantry

This is a “Little Free Pantry,” a mini-pantry feeding our neighbors in the community.
Anyone may access it at any time and take what they need. It is located in front of the church, where the sidewalk meets the parking lot. It is dedicated in honor of Annie Lea Shuster, and the motto is, “Take What You Need, Leave What You Can.”

You may donate either by cash, check (write “Annie Lea’s Pantry” in the memo line) or non-perishable goods. Water is needed in warm weather, and it is a good idea to leave some items that don’t require a can opener. The pantry is also sponsored by DOK. More volunteers are welcome to sign up to take one day a month to fill the pantry.

Contact Gay Hensley or Jeannie Fry with questions. 

If you know someone that is in need of pastoral care, please contact the church office.

COMMUNITY OF HOPE

Our Community of Hope Lay Pastoral Ministers are trained caregivers who offer their ministry through visitation, acting as a caring presence for those who are going through difficult or lonely times, including the sick, shut-ins, and those who are bereaved.

Our faithful chaplains continued to serve those in need through phone calls, cards, letters, and e-mails in the midst of the pandemic throughout 2021. If you know of anyone who can benefit from pastoral visits or prayer, then please let us know so that we can assist .

For more information contact:
Josh Taylor: misterjoshtaylor@gmail.com

SOUP PATROL

This group helps out with meals for families facing an illness, death, or hardship and who need a break from cooking. Please contact the office if you know of someone who is ill or might need a meal.

We currently have 15 families, with a total of 27 children and youth; including
6 infant/preschool; 6 elementary/middle school; 12 jr./sr. high school; and 3 college age.

Children and Youth Formation Programs

CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRIES TEAM
All are welcome (and needed).. parents, grandparents, friends, parish volunteers!
Children Chapel Curriculum, craft activities and event planning
Bimonthly volunteer assistance in nursery, children chapel and coffee hour
Donations/Fundraising for children’s worship materials, nursery, playground equipment
Volunteer recruitment, training and scheduling
Information Table in Narthex, Worship Activity Bags
Quarterly C&Y Ministries Newsletter; Bulletin Announcements

INFANT-PRESCHOOL (ages 1-5ish; preschool, kindergarten)
Sunday morning nursery during 10am service, On request for 8 am service,
Screened and trained caregiver staff and volunteers.
Baptism, including prep for parents and godparents;

ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL (ages 6-10ish, grades 1-6)
Worship service Procession with Banners
Childrens Chapel during first part of worship service (prayers, bible studies, activities)
Worship Service Activity Bags, Junior Bulletins, quiet play activities
Coffee Hour games and treats in Parish Hall
Service and outreach projects, Monthly fun outings

JUNIOR HIGH, HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH (ages 11-17ish, grades 7-12)
Participation in Worship Services (monthly schedule sign up)
Acolyte, Acolyte Training
Ushers, Oblationers (family)
Lectors/Lay reader
Assist with nursery/children’s chapel
Confirmation classes,
Service and outreach projects, Monthly fun outings

FUTURE PLANS/IDEAS
Acolyte and Lector/Lay reader training
Children’s Choir, Children’s Handbells
Monthly Children’s Chapel music program
Alternative Christmas Gift Market, Jesse Tree
Junior Altar Guild volunteers
EYC/EKC activities with other youth from central convocation parishes

Weekly Children’s Chapel and Nursery

Each Sunday during 10:00 service, all children participate in the procession (with Banners) and continue downstairs to two Christian formation rooms (with trained staff and volunteers). Younger children (ages 1-5) to nursery and older youth (ages 6-16) to children’s chapel next door. Older youth assist nursery and children chapel leaders in discussion of bible readings, aspects of Episcopal worship and church calendar and closing prayers.

Worship Team Participation

Youth are encouraged to regularly serve as members of worship team, including crucifier, acolytes, torch bearers, gospeller, lectors, ushers and banner/flag carriers. Currently have a total of 20 youth who participate in some role, including. 10 trained youth acolytes, 8-10 ushers/Oblationers and 7 lectors. An energized group of twenty young parishioners highlighted our 2023 Christmas Eve family service.

Stewardship and Youth, Outreach Projects

The importance of stewardship was highlighted throughout 2023. Topics included hospitality, sharing with others, and importance of pledges for supporting church operations. Pledge cards were developed specifically for children and youth, providing an opportunity for youth to consciously choose to support St. Luke’s throughout the year.

Pledge cards provided examples of sharing one’s personal gifts, including TIME (e.g. participating in ch chapel, worship service procession and filling Pantry) ; TALENTS (e.g. serving as acolyte, lay reader, ushers, thankyou notes, decorating church and grounds) and TREASURES (e.g. donating books/toys, sharing a portion of allowances and cash gifts, Church fundraising projects). Outreach projects included preparing veteran gift bags, Christmas stockings, Halloween Boo bags, Blessing bags for homeless and Advent Wreath kits.

Sunday Coffee Hour/Playtime

Dedicated youth gathering space and refreshments, ping pong table and wagon full of indoor/outdoor games ensure regular youth and adults on a regular basis.

Keller Mission Grant

In December St. Luke’s was awarded a $1500 competitive grant from the Diocese of Arkansas Keller Mission Endowment. The project “Revitalizing St. Luke’s Children and Youth Worship Ministry “ is designed to develop and implement a comprehensive Christian formation ministry which can be sustained and expanded as part of ongoing church operations.

Funding has supported setting and equipping up nursery and children chapel rooms, developing a resource library with lesson plans, activities and books for children/adults; collecting child focused music instruments, cd’s, dvd’s and books, and collecting season-specific banners for youth to participate in worship service processions.

The Year Ahead – 2024

Acolyte and Lay reader training
Children’s Choir, Children’s Handbells
Monthly Children’s Chapel music program
Junior Altar Guild volunteers
EYC/EKC activities with other youth from central convocation parishes

PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING OUR TEAM,
WITH AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE TIME AS YOU HAVE AVAILABLE!!

Betty Guhman, Children & Youth Ministry Team
501-231-2302; guhman@comcast.net