St. Luke's Blogs

Megan King was working a long shift at a local restaurant when an older lady entered and ordered a meal. Megan was halfway through her 17-hour shift when she took the order. It was a pleasant exchange throughout the meal. There was even a moment when Megan was not busy, and they shared a bit of small talk. Megan returned to work and the older woman paid her bill and left.

When Megan went to collect the money, she found a note that shocked her.

Each week during our traditional worship services, our family of faith stands and sings the Doxology. The words of this wonderful hymn of praise are from the hymn “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow,” written by Bishop Thomas Ken in the late 1600s. The words of this hymn are:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

This treasured song is now over 300 years old.

One of the most successful Broadway musicals of modern times is Hamilton. Arriving on Broadway in 2015, this musical took the world by storm. Within just a few short years, Hamilton collected a trophy case full of awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Book, Best original score, the Grammy for best Musical Theater Album, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It continues to be a successful musical, and as Broadway returns, Hamilton will be one of the first shows to open after the COVID shutdown.

Dave Wottle is known as the gold medalist in the golf cap. He competed in one of the most famous races in modern Olympic history. During the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. He represented the United States in the 800-meter run. He raced against a formidable group of athletes from around the world, including a tremendous athlete from the former Soviet Union. What makes this 800m one of the great races of the Olympics is that Dave Wottle was dead last from almost the beginning of the race.

One of the great encounters in the gospel is between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus and his disciples were traveling through the region of Samaria, a place that most Jews would never venture because of their disdain for the Samaritans. Jesus, not wanting to exclude anyone from His message of good news, traveled the direct route through the region and sat down to rest at the well, purchased by Jacob and given to his son, Joseph, long ago.

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

“For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

God‘s grace is truly amazing. I love the story of Peter. Peter was a dedicated disciple of Christ. He followed Jesus from town to town, learning and growing every step of the way.  Sadly, when Jesus needed Peter the most, Peter turned away. Three times Peter denies even knowing Jesus. (Luke 22) It was the deepest of betrayals. Because of the amazing love of God and grace found in his Son, Jesus, Peter’s story does not end in shame and failure…

The Olympics are the great gathering of athletes from around the world. These athletes are the best of the best. They work day and night to become the top competitors in their sports.

Isaiah Jewett and Nijel Amos are two such athletes. Isaiah Jewett runs track for the United States of America and Nijel Amos runs for Botswana. Both men run in the 800m. It is a challenging run that requires stamina and great speed.

Just a few days ago, while competing in Japan, Nijel and Isaiah were running the 800m. They were near the final stretch of the run. Nijel was just behind Isaiah when he stepped on Isaiah’s heal…

When the movie “9 to 5” came out, I was in high school, but already thinking about my hopeful career in life.  The song was a sort of anthem to what I believed was my adult future – working 9 to 5.  I don’t think I fully understood the lyrics and the fact that the song was really in protest of the underpaid, overworked and often oppressive conditions that many women worked in during that time.  Being a secretary or office stenographer or typist was a job critical to most office’s success, but wholly relegated to women and ostensibly not what we would call an ideal work environment then, and absolutely not by today’s standards.  When the line said – “Barely getting by, all taking and no giving” – it rhymed and seemed to fit; but it didn’t hit me as a sad statement about working conditions for women. The movie was light-hearted to watch, in spite of the serious undertone, and had some of the best actors and actresses – and one singing great who made the movie both with the theme song and her little-known acting skills too.