BAPTISMS FOR OCTOBER:  

Inspired by the congregational pledge made in the service of Holy Baptism (see page 228, EvLW), we will be including names of those baptized at St. Luke's Zion in our monthly newsletters. 

We hope this will be a reminder to lift them up in prayer, wherever they may be in their faith-walk. The following were baptized in the month of October in previous years: 

Dianne S.  

Madison Isabelle M.
Aiden Fredrick D.                   

Alyssa Monique B.
Jessica Jean B.         

Chloe Emily Joyce H.                  
Noah Kory R.                     

Sarah Elizabeth G.
Helen J.                      

Ryan Trevor J.
Corey Scott J.          

Malakai Richard L.
Ethan Nicholas C.

Evan Andrew C.
Reese Avery C.    

Riley Dylan W.

Abby Sienna W.

Jackson Raymond John S.      

Kaiya Harlyn Aurelia C.

Ramona Anne C.

IN OUR PRAYERS:  

Please remember in your prayers our

shut-ins in long term care:                             

Phyllis A - Concordia Place   

Laura G - Red River Place, Selkirk  

Doreen S - Luther Home  

Alfred T - Red River Place, Selkirk   

Melita T - Luther Home   

Alice V - Middlechurch Home    

ONLINE WORSHIP:

For those who would like to join in our online worship, here's how to do it:

1. If you have a Facebook account, sign into Facebook and search for @stlukeszion.  The video will not appear until the live stream begins, which is usually a few minutes before 10:30 am.  You can also view it any time after that.

2. With no Facebook account, go to Facebook.com/stlukeszion.  Click on "Not now" when it asks you to sign in or to sign up.  You should be able to view the service any time after 10:30 on the same day as it is recorded.

OPTIONS FOR OFFERINGS DURING COVID:

1. Sign up for PAR.  This is an automatic debit on the  

    20th of each month.  It costs 50 cents a month. 

2. Give through the MNO synod website     

    (mnosynod.org).  However, Canada Helps

    receives 4% of each donation.

3. E-transfers are now available by contacting   

    Sharon Appler.

4. Send in the mail.

5. Drop them off at the church.  Thank you!

BIBLE CONVERSATIONS:

We will meet on Wednesdays at noon beginning on Oct. 6th.  Bring your own bag lunch – coffee and tea provided.  We will wear masks and practice physical distancing except when eating and drinking and reading.  As at a restaurant, please ensure that you have been vaccinated.  All are welcome!

CONFIRMATION:

The Fall session of our shared confirmation program is underway and continues through October on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm.  The program encompasses those in grades 7-10.  Please speak to Pastor Lynne or to Lisa if you would like to join us!  October dates and locations:

• Oct. 5 – Sherwood Park
• Oct. 12 – Sherwood Park
• Oct. 19 – St. Luke’s Zion
• Oct. 26 – St. Luke’s Zion

LADIES GROUP:

Ladies Group will meet on Friday, Oct. 8th at 1:30.
It has been a very long time since we have been together!  We will meet at the church.  All COVID protocols will be on place.  Please let Beverley know if you plan to attend so that seating can be set up accordingly.  Bring your own beverage and snack. SEE YOU THEN!

MEN’S FELLOWSHIP DAY:

Please join us for a day of fellowship, food, drinks and some laughs.  Our Blue Bombers are currently in 1st place in the CFL Standings and will be in Montreal to play the Alouettes at noon.  Followed by our Winnipeg Jets who are hosting the LA Kings at 6:00 p.m.  The additions the Jets have made in the offseason are sure to ice an exciting season this year!

When: Saturday, November 13th from 11:30 a.m.

Where: Jeff Johnson’s Place

 More details to follow closer to the date; the plan will be to order some pizza’s and everyone contribute towards the cost.

 R.S.V.P to Jeff by email, phone or text

NEST REPRESENTATIVE:

For the uninitiated, NEST stands for the North End Sponsorship Team and offers support to refugees and their families.  We give thanks that Donna Kuhn has now been appointed as the NEST representative for St. Luke’s Zion.

SUNDAY SCHOOL:

We are planning to begin the new year on Sunday, October 17th

We are very excited and looking forward to seeing everyone in person!!!

YOUTH

Hey all SLAW youth 

We are super excited to start our new year with some fall events, we will start with in-person for now and assess each event/ month going forward, so watch for details.

Where: Deer Meadows Farm and Corn maze 

Date: Sunday October 3rd 

Time: 2:00- 4:00 pm 

Please drop off and pick up there

Please dress for the weather including old shoes/rubber boots if weather has been wet.

Please bring your mask in case it is needed to go indoors .

Please check out their website for all the Covid precautions they have in place at the Farm. 

Cost is: $10 person

Please let me know if you are coming so we can watch for you 

Hope to see you there  

You can follow us (we love new followers)

Instagram: slawg.jr .youth 

Facebook: slawg.jr. youth 

CLAY 2021

Secret Clay Pal update:

Earlier in the summer I had asked for volunteers from our congregations who would be willing to “sponsor” a youth or leader who was participating in CLAY 2021. I came up with the idea for congregational members to connect with our young people in a new way. They were to send cards/ messages to their “Secret CLAY pal” during the summer and then prepare a “package of treats goodies etc. for their person during their time at CLAY.

I was overwhelmed by the positive response I received to the idea and had almost 30 volunteers signed up in no time. Everyone was excited to receive cards in the mail and often they would message me just to show what they got. The imagination and creativity of the packages was incredible and the youth and leaders had so much fun opening them and to showing others what was in theirs.  

They were so grateful to receive them, and we are so blessed by everyone who participated in the special project.

The Urban:

Sept. 2021 News from your Ministry Manager

It’s so encouraging that the majority of those who stop by the Urban have been vaccinated.  We continue to require that masks are worn on the church property.  With the worry of variants and a fourth wave, this ensures an added measure of safety for those in line during our bagged meal distributions (1,000 – 1,100 bagged meals distributed each month).  Children, the unvaccinated, and people with underlying health conditions are especially vulnerable. There’s a lot of talking and catching up that happens in the line!

When our sharing circles begin again there will sure be a lot to catch up on.  I’m guessing a few months of general conversations in the men’s, women’s and co-ed sharing circles of how we’ve all been and what’s happened in our lives during the pandemic time - before we move on to specific topics.

Every week, Pastor Barry Bence (St. Paul’s, Brunkild) emails his mid-week devotional and Sunday gospel reading / prayers / sermon to me.  I print and fold the pages and it’s given to individuals and families along with their bagged meals.  Spiritual Care in the bag!  So many have mentioned how much they look forward to reading them.

2021 Ride for Refuge, October 2 – this is our yearly fundraiser for the Urban.  Virtual format again this year with freestyle options as well as riding and walking for the Urban! To form a team, join a team, or donate to a participant:

https://rideforrefuge.org/charity/theurban

Pandemic Notes:

Until Further Notice: the Urban is continuing the suspension of all regular programming (coffee hours, sharing circles, men’s group, worship services, etc.) in the lower level of Lutheran Church of the Cross, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.   

Struggling and vulnerable single people and families (in the same numbers as pre-pandemic times when we were open downstairs) are continuing to come to the Urban - bagged lunches 4x/week are distributed outside (Wednesday men’s lunch, Wednesday & Thursday supper times and Sunday lunch). 

Our meal teams are happy to help us in this way and we are so very grateful for this.  Our website calendar shows available dates for meal teams.  Fellowship is happening briefly in the parking lot as long as weather permits!  Worship services and sharing circles will resume when the pandemic is over.

We have changed our pre-pandemic emergency food bags to an equitable “one food item” (if enough in our pantry) per person (two items if a family) once or twice each week during the distribution of bagged lunches.  Gloves, socks, seasonal jackets etc. (and weekly bread/pastries) are also distributed outside.

Masks and 2 m social distancing continue to be mandatory on the church sidewalk and parking lot.  The line sometimes overflows to the city sidewalk if necessary and all current gathering sizes are enforced as per provincial regulations.  The Urban provides a disposable mask if needed.

The Lutheran Urban Ministry has so much gratitude for our volunteers and the meal teams; for the pantry donations, for the prayers; and for all those who donate financial support toward our operating expenses.

Our website: www.theurban.ca. Please keep our vulnerable Lutheran Urban Ministry community in your prayers.

Kind regards, 

Rhonda Gorham,

Ministry Manager

DID YOU KNOW….

In the summer, ceiling fans should be set to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. Due to the angle of the fan blades, a counterclockwise spin pushes air down towards where people are sitting or standing. This air movement creates a wind-chill effect, helping you perspire more efficiently and stay cool. The direction of your ceiling fan rotation can help keep homes cooler, without constantly running their air conditioning on full blast. Keep the following information in mind when you’re trying to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. You should have a counterclockwise ceiling fan rotation in spring, summer, and fall when it’s hot. When the blades spin this way, they push air down into the room. This blows air across your skin, helping you feel cooler. It’s important to note, ceiling fans don’t change the temperature of the air, but the blowing air can feel cool.

When it’s cold outside, changing your ceiling fan rotation to clockwise can help you feel warmer. The blades spinning in this direction pull cool air up. This forces the hot air near the ceiling to move down toward you. Although fans don’t change the temperature of the air, they can offer an energy-efficient way to keep rooms more comfortable without relying as heavily on your HVAC.

This can save you money on your utility bills.