CONCRETE LOVE Pastor Joel Gregory tells the story of a seminary professor who taught the Christian graces of love and forbearance for forty years until he retired. Occupying himself in his retirement years, he poured a new concrete driveway into his house. He finished, then went in to rest and get a glass of iced tea. Returning later to view his proud achievement, he discovered that the neighborhood kids were putting their footprints all in the wet concrete. The angry professor chased the kids down in a rage and beat the tar out of the ones he could catch. Hearing the commotion, the professor’s wife rushed into the yard, saw the angry professor thrashing the kids, and began reprimanding him: "What a shame," she said. "You have taught love, forgiveness, and forbearance for forty years. Now look at you. You’ve lost your testimony." To which he replied: "That was all in the abstract. This is in the concrete." - Unknown Source
Too often, we experience God’s mercy and grace in real, concrete ways, and we practice mercy and grace in abstract, philosophical ways. Yet grace and mercy always come down to the concrete. God sent His Son to suffer real wounds and die a very real death so that our all too real sins could be removed from our sagging, miserable shoulders. God has freely lifted the burden of our guilt and shame. In His prayer, Jesus reminds us that we have the same power to lift the burden of guilt and shame from those who have wronged us. We have the power to restore them to a right relationship with their heavenly Father.
Call Update
We have extended a call for a Senior Pastor. Please pray for discernment for him as he seeks the Lord's will.
Voters Meeting.
On June 10th at 7:00p there will be a Voters Meeting to approve the ministry plan, budget, and bylaw changes.
Through the Bible Study: An abbreviated version of the Adult Bible study will take place on Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:10 in the West Wing. We will continue our study of the Bible texts from the week’s assigned Bible readings. Please join us each Sunday as we study God’s Word.
Married People Date Night Kits
GROW YOUR “US”
St. Luke Married People Date Night Kits
For a quick moment, go outside and look all around you. This is the season when everything you see is growing - the trees, the flowers, the grass (especially the grass!). Now think about your marriage. Could this be the season in your marriage to Grow Your “US”? Making time to be together on purpose for the purpose of fun, grows your marriage. So, choose a time below to pick up your Married People Date Night Kit, plan your time together, and make this the season to Grow Your “US”!
St. Luke Lutheran Church
4205 Washtenaw Road, Ann Arbor, MI
Sunday, June 9th, 2024 from 9:15 am - 12:00 noon
Saturday, June 15th, 2024 from 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Sunday, June 16th, 2024 from 9:15 am - 12:00 noon
Even though paying for your night out is not part of the deal, partial babysitting reimbursement is still available upon request. Please do not hesitate to fill out the form when picking up your Kit!
Gardens for Growth
The 2024 Gardens for Growth Spring weekends will be Sunday June 2 and 9. Please bring in any extra seedings, divisions of perennials or houseplants that are getting too big for your space, or any surplus spring produce (rhubarb is always popular, spring greens?). The plants and produce will then be available for anyone to purchase for a free will donation. All donations will be applied to reducing the church mortgage.
For those of you who garden, please consider planting a little extra vegetables or flowers now, to share with our Gardens for Growth Harvest weekends that start the first Sunday in August. Many St. Luke members enjoy conversing at the G4G tables while picking up some fresh produce and/or cut flowers each week.
Craft Day - Baby Card Photo
In June, we will be celebrating babies for our craft project. The Care Team recently added welcoming new babies to their ministry activities. Join us on Saturday, June 1, from 10:00 to noon, to help make cards that will be sent to the family. If card making is not your thing, feel free to bring a different project to work on. Perhaps you might consider making a baby item, such as blanket, hat or bib, etc. to donate to St. Luke. The hand made item would be given as a gift to the baby as well.
To help us plan for the event, please sign up here. However, please feel free to attend even if you didn’t have a chance to sign up.
Join us this summer for LIFT (Living in Faith Together). We will meet for 4 intergenerational experiences as we explore the Psalms. Research shows students who develop meaningful intergenerational relationships have a higher likelihood of sticking with their faith after high school. We all have a part to play in passing the faith on to the next generation.
LIFT is designed to foster intergenerational community by bringing generations together around tables for four activities: sharing a potluck dinner (Breaking Bread Together), enjoying fellowship (Playing Together), worshipping (Praying Together), and studying the Bible (Studying God’s Word Together). This summer, we’ll meet for 4 weeks, from 6PM-7:30PM in the West Wing. We need all ages and generations to make these experiences a success. Please mark your calendars for the following dates and plan on joining us!
Week 1 – Wed. July 17: Give Praise - Psalm 150
Week 2 – Wed. July 24: Look to God - Psalm 121
Week 3 – Wed. July 31: God is Always Present - Psalm 139
Week 4 – Wed. Aug. 7: How Majestic is God’s Name - Psalm 8
CEF Information Technology Administrator
Church Extension Fund, a ministry-based financial institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, seeks qualified candidates for the position of IT Administrator. This position, which serves both CEF and the Michigan District LCMS, performs a range of network and workstation duties for a combined office of 30-35 on-site and remote users. The position reports to and assists the CEF Assistant VP-Systems Manager in three main areas: network management, cyber-security management, and software administration. Opportunities for advancement exist. A complete position description is available on CEF’s website: mi-cef.org/news. Applicants should mail or email a cover letter and resume no later than May 31, 2024 to: Ms. Kris Nowak – Executive Assistant, Church Extension Fund, 3773 Geddes Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, . Interviews and hiring expected in June.
Office Hours
The office doors will be monitored by the staff from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday. If you wish to enter the building during that window, ring the doorbell to the left of the door and wait for a response. Alternatively, you can call the office and make an appointment with someone on staff.
Livestream Worship
There are two different methods for watching our worship livestream. Services are simultaneously streaming on Facebook and YouTube
Craft Day - Baby Card Photo 
Join us this summer for LIFT (Living in Faith Together). We will meet for 4 intergenerational experiences as we explore the Psalms. Research shows students who develop meaningful intergenerational relationships have a higher likelihood of sticking with their faith after high school. We all have a part to play in passing the faith on to the next generation.
