A Note from Pastor Bill

Dear St. Luke’s Saints:

Bethune-Cookman University’s Concert Chorale kicked off our Large Church conference on January 21, and then returned to us this past Sunday to sing their hearts out for the glory of God. Even though their numbers were a bit smaller due to the two trips to Orlando in one week, the sound was bigger than ever. I thought that Dr. Steele, their director, gave us one of the best selections of music ever!

If you have not had the opportunity to send in your gift for the student scholarship fund at the University, please do so this week. With the ever-increasing costs of higher education and more than 95% of the students at B-CU receiving some kind of aid, your gift is even more important.

If you were with us on Sunday you noticed that the Chorale was wearing at least four different kinds of choir robes. Those that were monogrammed had B-CC (Bethune-Cookman College) on them. The others looked like they were 20 years old or older. It is time for new robes and dance costumes for these wonderful students. When I asked President Reed about that, she said there was no money in the budget for robe replacement. As a Trustee of the University I believe the students should look first-class when they go to sing, especially since B-CU is a first class institution.

As a result, I am challenging the St. Luke’s family to give an additional gift for the robes. I purposely didn’t announce this until the end of the services on Sunday so that people would give FIRST to the scholarship fund, and then to the choir robe need. Each robe costs around $100, and Dr. Steele needs about 150 of them, plus the dance outfits. I have talked to a couple of my colleagues in larger churches in Florida who are also Trustees, and their churches will help out if we need them. But let’s see what we can do at St. Luke’s first.

So when you send your gift, please be sure to mark your contribution clearly for either “Scholarship” or “Robes.”

This week in worship we anticipate the beginning of Lent as we begin to think about deepening our commitments to the spiritual disciplines of our faith and our vows of membership in the body of Christ. Join us for Holy Communion in the context of holy community this Sunday.

With faith, hope, and love,

Bill