Welcome to the E-News!
Connecting you to the events, meetings & services at St. Luke’s, Metuchen - December 4, 2025
Gospel Reflection
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."
"You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bear fruit worthy of repentance."
I wouldn't choose John the Baptizer to write the texts for my Christmas cards. Why do his words feature so prominently in our preparations for the coming of the Christ child?
Come to St. Luke's this Sunday and let's talk about it.
Happening at St. Luke’s
Friday, December 5
8:00am Anglican Prayer beads (online)
Saturday, December 6
10:00am Christmas Fair
5:30pm Holy Eucharist Rite Rite II
Sunday, December 7
8:00am Holy Eucharist Rite I (livestream)
8:45am Monthly Coffee Hour
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
11:30am Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
1:30pm Tea and Scones - Book Club
Monday, December 8
10:00am Eleanor Jarros Service
Tuesday, December 9
7:00pm Candlelight Vespers
Wednesday, December 10
9:00am Diocesan Clergy Day
9:30am Eucharist
6:00pm St. Veronica’s Guild Meeting
7:00pm Advent Evening Prayer @ St. Luke’s
7:00pm Zoom Bible Study with Mo. Crafton (link)
7:30pm Finance Committee Meeting
Friday, December 12
8:00am Anglican Prayer beads (online)
Saturday, December 13
9:00am Centering Prayer Retreat
5:30pm Holy Eucharist Rite Rite II
Adult Forum - Sunday 12/7 @ 11:30am - in the Fryer Room. Pearl Harbor Day: An Interview with Someone who Remembers
No art station this month! Enjoy the Readers' Theater production of the Christmas Carol instead - bring your friends!
Announcements
St. Luke’s
Saturday, December 6, 10am - St. Luke’s Christmas Fair. Come and shop, enjoy the snack bar, see friends old and new. After the Christmas Fair, around 4:15pm, we will need help cleaning up the Auditorium in preparation for Coffee Hour and Diocesan Clergy Meeting. We look forward to any assistance you can give. It will be greatly appreciated.
Sunday, December 7, Rehearsal Christmas Pageant, 11:30am-12:15pm, at Robins Room, 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 Jenson or the parish office.
Dress Rehearsal tentatively set for Sunday, December 21st at 1pm (following the performance of "The Christmas Carol").
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!
Sunday, December 21 During Coffee Hour in the Church Hall, 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. Please plan to attend and bring your family and friends.
Wednesday, December 24 Christmas Pageant, Christmas Eve, 4pm Service.
Community
Sunday, December 7, at 3:0pm Temple Emanu-El invites you to a Service of Dedication
"Saturday, December 20, 2025, 7:30pm at St. Francis Cathedral on Main St, Metuchen. 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). 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."
Tea & Scones
All are welcome to enjoy Tea & Scones, the St. Luke's book club, at 1:30 on Sunday December 7.
Subscribe to the weekly E-News for St. Luke's by going to www.stlukesmetuchen.org and entering your email address!
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.
The Rotating Homeless Shelter 2025/ 2026
In 2025/2026 Christ Church (our sister Episcopal congregation in New Brunswick) will be hosting the shelter the weeks of December 28 through January 3 and March 1-7 and we are seeking volunteers to serve as overnight hosts or to supply a dinner. Typically, the rotating shelter serves 15 men. If you are able to help or have any questions and would like additional information: secretary@stlukesmetuchen.org
Daily Office 9am, 12 noon, 5pm, 8:45pm (link)
Serving in Worship this Weekend
5:30 PM (Sat) Ellie
8:00AM (Sun) Jane
10:00AM (Sun) Karen S., Kasi, Kathy
Click here to find the readings for this weekend.
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, Shannon, Adriel, Tim, Janis, John, Dottie, Delphine, Candice
For Those Who Have Died
Patrick, Robin, Helen, Kevin, Jeannine, Michelle, Jean-Marie, Hank, Karen , Charlie, Eleanor
Links for: the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer
For Those Who Celebrate Birthdays - December
Del G., Louise F., Isabelle H., Erika R., Chris D.
For Those Who Celebrate Anniversaries - December
Jim & Patrick, Julia & Florence, Michael & Madalyn
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.
