Welcome to the E-News!
Connecting you to the events, meetings & services at St. Luke’s, Metuchen - November 20, 2025
Gospel Reflection
In an era of “No Kings” marches, what do we mean when we celebrate ‘Christ the King’ Sunday? What kind of king is Jesus? And why is the Gospel reading for Christ the King Sunday all about the Crucifixion?
Come to St. Luke's this Sunday and find out!
Happening this week at St. Luke’s
Thursday, November 20
11:15am Rental Committee Meeting
Friday, November 21
8:00am Anglican Prayer beads (online)
11:30am Ladies luncheon Panera’s Bread Rt 1
Saturday, November 22
5:30pm Holy Eucharist Rite Rite II
Sunday, November 23
8:00am Holy Eucharist Rite I (livestream)
9:00am Bible Study with Mother Crafton - Fryer Room
10:00am Holy Eucharist Rite II with Music, & Children’s Chapel (livestream)
11:15am Coffee Hour
11:30am Adult Forum
1:00pm Shine Your Light Ministries
1:30pm Tea and Scones - Book Club
Monday, November 24
2:00pm Roosevelt Care Center Service
Tuesday, November 25
7:30pm MEAICA Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at Temple Emanu-El
Wednesday, November 26
12:15pm Eucharist with the Saints
6:00pm St. Veronica’s Guild
7:00pm Zoom Bible Study with Mo. Crafton (link)
Thursday, November 27
10:00am Holy Eucharist - Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Hours: Office Close November 26 at 12:00 noon.
Adult Forum - 11/23 @ 11:30am - in the Fryer Room: Food, Glorious Food with Deacon Anne
Tuesday. November 25, 7:30pm MEAICA Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at Temple Emanu-El (1775 Oak Tree Rd, Edison)
Thursday, November 27, 10:00am Thanksgiving Service at St. Luke’s
Saturday, December 13, 9am - 1pm in the Chapel and the Robins room. This Advent come learn about Centering Prayer as taught by Fr. Thomas Keating and presented by Contemplative Outreach. This is a free event; donations toward an honorarium for our presenters will be gratefully accepted. Please see Florence Tracy to help with refreshments!
Saturday, January 31, 2026, 2:00pm A Diocesan Service of Confirmation and Reception has been scheduled at Trinity Cathedral in Trenton. If you or someone you know is interested in Confirmation / Reception / Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vocation, please confer with Fr. Todd right away.
Warden’s Corner
The Vestry held their monthly meeting this past Tuesday evening. We discussed the results of our recent Stewardship Campaign. We are slightly higher from last year. Our 2024 campaign resulted in our pledged amount being $176,444. The 2025 campaign is at $178,164. We are still hoping to see pledges coming in during the next few weeks. These pledges are vital for us to create and approve the budget for 2026. Buildings and Grounds are continuing to look into wired smoke detectors for Fryer Hall and replacement of the ceiling for our tenant Petite Enfants School. Our Rental Committee has reported that they will compose a streamlined document for parishioners to use if they would like to rent space in Fryer Hall. The Vestry has approved a recommendation from Fr. Todd that St. Luke’s absorbs the salary of a section lead singer for the 2026 budget. It is hoped that each year coming we add an additional section lead singer to the budget. At present our section lead singers are paid through the generous donations of anonymous donors. The Finance Committee is actively investigating changing our accounting platform to a more user friendly and less expensive system. Finally, please mark your calendars for our Annual Meeting. The date will be February 1 after the 10am service.
Finances
Notes:
1. Pledge income is above budgeted, due to new pledges received since the budget was written.
2. Total revenue includes pledge income.
3. Expenses are below budget due to the hard work of staff and volunteers at St. Luke's, as well as as a one-time windfall tax refund of approximately $30,000. Expenses are also affected by the unevenness of certain large bills (e.g., insurance) that only come in quarterly or annually.
Altar Bread provided by Karen G., Mo. Crafton. Linda Z. & Kathy M.
Food Pantry Thanksgiving Request
This Thanksgiving, Food pantry is planning to pack for 150+ Metuchen/Edison families. Please consider donating a few of the items below.
(Each bag gets...)
1 can of Green Beans
1 can of another vegetable
1 box of jiffy cornbread mix
2 cans of condensed soup
1 can of beans
2 packages of pasta
1 can of tomatoes/tomato sauce (28oz preferred)
1 can of cranberry sauce
1 cake mix
2 boxes of stuffing
1 packet of gravy mix
Support Women at Town Clock Development and Mission First Housing of Amandla.
As Christmas approaches, St. Luke’s would like to continue our support of the women at Town Clock Development (housing for abused women and their children) and Mission First Housing at Amandla. We hope to present a Christmas gift bag to the women containing a gift card,(Target, Shop Rite, Walmart) as well as travel size toiletries, fancy soaps, makeup, lotions, etc. Donations of gift cards (or money to buy them) would be gratefully appreciated as well as donations of toiletries etc. If you are seeing your dentist soon....maybe ask for an extra toothbrush or paste. Donations can be dropped off at the church or contact Linda Z.or Diane L.
Christmas Pageant - First Rehearsal
Sunday, November 23rd, this coming Sunday. First rehearsal for St. Luke’s Christmas pageant In the church, at the piano. 11:30am-12:15pm,
There will be a brief parent meeting following this rehearsal.
We hope all children and teens of the parish will participate. There are roles and parts suitable for all ages. Friends and grandchildren are also welcome to join.
Please contact Julia or contact us through the website.
Rehearsals will continue in the church on Sundays at 11:30am, with the Dress Rehearsal tentatively set for Sunday, December 21st at 1pm following the performance of The Christmas Carol.
Tea and Scones
All are welcome to enjoy Tea & Scones, the St. Luke's book club, at 1:30 on Sunday, November 23. This week our discussion will focus on the Wisdom Stories section of Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. Raspberry scones, tea, and hot chocolate will be served. Questions? Contact the Church Office or Deacon Anne.
Trinkets & Treasures Needs Your Help!
The Christmas Fair is December 6, and we would like to add to our usual crew of Fair Day helpers.
If you like people, and you like helping people find the right holiday gift, please consider volunteering for a couple of hours to work the Trinkets & Treasures table at the Fair. Contact Deacon Anne or christmasfair@stlukesmetuchen.org
Children's Chapel News
Saturday, 13 December. 9am - 1pm in the Chapel and the Robins room. This Advent come learn about Centering Prayer as taught by Fr. Thomas Keating and presented by Contemplative Outreach. This is a free event; donations toward an honorarium for our presenters will be gratefully accepted.
Please see Florence Tracy to help with refreshments!
THE MESSIAH
For some of us it isn’t quite Christmas without experiencing the beauty and majesty of Handel’s masterpiece, THE MESSIAH. Our neighbors at St Francis Cathedral will be presenting this oratorio (with full orchestra and choir) on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2025 at 7:30pm at the their cathedral on Main St, Metuchen. No advanced sales and no fee (a free will offering would be graciously appreciated).
Any LUKANS who would like to attend, please see Deacon Carol. We are likely to meet outside the Cathedral that evening between 6:45-7:00 in order to ensure admission. Please join us!!
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Christmas without Ebenezer Scrooge and Charles Dickens A CHRISTMAS CAROL?? Unheard of!! St Luke’s will be presenting an enhanced reading of this timeless classic with members of our own congregation assuming roles…and this is likely to become a classic in itself!!
For more information, please see Mo. Barbara or Deacon Carol.
Our performance will be on SUNDAY, 12/21/25 in the church hall during coffee hour and should run for approximately one hour. PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND AND BRING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
God bless us, everyone!!
Daily Office 9am, 12 noon, 5pm, 8:45pm (link)
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Serving in Worship this Weekend
5:30 PM (Sat) Ellie
8:00AM (Sun) Jane
10:00AM (Sun) Florence, Katherine, Kathy
Coffee Hour hosts
In Our Prayers This Week
Please continue in your daily prayers for:
Mary Jo, Rosie, Don, David, Louise, Andy, Eletia, Suzan, Michael, Lenny, Kristi, Frank, Frank, Susan, John, Suzanne, Gregg, Robert, Robin, Shady, Janice, Dale, Jeremy, Karen, Don, Stephen, Vanessa, Ryan, Charlotte, Tina, Maria, Paul, Dwinal, Tara, Chris-Ann, Skyler, Easton, Gene, Randi, Chad, Sally, Katherine, Peter S.
For Those Who Have Died
Maria, William, Georgette, Cynthia, Alan, Patrick, Robin, Helen, Kevin, Jeannine, Michelle, Jean-Marie, Hank, Karen
Links for: the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer
For Those Who Celebrate Birthdays - November
Sierra, Mark, Sofia, Tim, Jacob, Tommy, Maggie, Kimberly, John, Jaimmie, Diane, Paul
For Those Who Celebrate Anniversaries - November
Chris & Mary, Carol & Carmen, Navin & Mary
Parish Information Form
Everyone is welcome at St. Luke’s. This form is designed to help us to keep in your records up-to-date so we can keep you connected to what is going on the parish.
Prayer requests may be submitted on the website.
