A Note from Pastor Bill

Dear St. Luke’s Saints:

Last year at Christmas I spoke about Ralphie in the classic 1983 movie, “A Christmas Story.” All he wanted for Christmas was a Red Ryder BB gun, but his mother, his teacher, and the department store Santa all said that he would shoot his eye out. We had plenty of laughs remembering the cute scenes from the movie.

This year, for the entire season of Advent, we are going to make use of another, perhaps more memorable film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Released in 1946, the story of George Bailey in Bedford Falls was a box office flop, but its enduring charm and heart-strings tugging conclusion has made it as much a part of Christmas as gingerbread men and candy canes. The American Film Institute rates it as the number one most popular film of all time.

This year, in our worship services, brief film clips and live narrations will accompany the lighting of the Advent candles week to week. The traditional scripture lessons for the four Sundays and Christmas Eve lead us to claim what George Bailey (a.k.a. Jimmy Stewart) discovered. It truly is a wonderful life!

Here are the themes for the weeks ahead,

December 2: “It’s A Wonderful Life: Endure It!”
December 9: “It’s A Wonderful Life: Hope in It!”
December 16: “It’s A Wonderful Life: Believe It!”
December 23: “It’s A Wonderful Life: Trust It!”
December 24: “It’s A Wonderful Life: Treasure It”

This coming Sunday we celebrate Holy Communion and focus our attention on the Gospel of Matthew. Chapter 24:36-44 speaks about the coming of the Lord and makes mention of two women going about “the daily grind”—literally! Check it out in anticipation of the message. There’s something to be said for enduring the daily grind.

With faith, hope, and love,
Bill