Council Corner: Updates from the Regular Church Council Meeting – June 22, 2026 Informational Items: Update from Finance Ministry All committees and ministries with budget lines will receive their annual Budget Letter and Request form this week. They are due by July 31st . The offerings are down significantly prompting Financial Secretary Ken Fey to further examine, with congregational input, the reasons – more information to follow. Update from Physical Facilities Ministry Mudjacking work previously performed on the Preschool entrance sidewalks did not fully resolve the problem and will be addressed by the contractor. Work on the breaker boxes is proceeding but with some delays due to parts – the contractor is working with church and preschool schedules. Fall athletic field contract renewing and negotiating is in progress. Lamour to replace heating element in kitchen dishwasher once parts are available; Council requested a better understanding of cost savings on external contractors thanks to Lamour. Miscellaneous Updates Community Meal Grant submitted with notification expected by July 31 st ; we are now an established vendor with the State, should future grant opportunities arise. Kicked-off planning for September 13 th Celebration Sunday; anyone interested in assisting or volunteering, please contact Councilmember Melinda Borman. Looking Ahead – Items Upcoming in Next 1-2 Months Preparing for 2027 Budget cycle Form nominating committee for various committee/ministry positions. Prepare for possible renewal of Sexton’s house lease. Employee Manual update. Personnel working on formalizing a process for annual goal setting & performance reviews for employees. Discussion on possible donor recognition area. Upcoming Events – In an effort to better prepare for the various events and events within events, Council members use a more detailed calendar . We hope this tool also helps you better plan for Church activities. Looking Ahead – Possible Items for Council Conversation – August 16th Mayberry Bequest response discussion Church financial update Opportunities for St. Lucas
Every fall at St. Lucas UCC we put our heads together the attempt to Stump the Pastor. All are invited to submit scriptures - the tricky ones, the ones you rarely hear preached in church. One is selected and then Pastor George preaches an off-the-cuff sermon on whatever is drawn. Because we are only able to select one of the many great submissions, this summer Pastor George is preaching through some of the scriptures that were left on the cutting room floor (with time to prepare this time). You can see the schedule for the summer below, and look forward to the return of Stump the Pastor this September. June 7 - Numbers 35:1-13 June 14 - Joshua 1:9 June 21 - Nehemiah 6:15 June 28 - Psalm 30:4-6 July 5 - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 July 12 - Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 July 19 - Song of Solomon 1:1-17 July 26 - Mission Trip Worship August 2 - Isaiah 10:1-19 August 9 - Isaiah 12:2 August 16 - Jeremiah 14:1-6 August 23 - Jeremiah 29:11 August 30 - Micah 6:8 September 6 - Matthew 5:31-32 September 13 - Matthew 6:25-34 September 20 - TBD September 27 - Stump the Pastor Sunday
Thursday, August 27 | 6:00 PM | Sanctuary
Sunday, July 12 | 9:30 AM
For our June Mission Moment we welcomed Rev. Brenda Booth, the Executive Director of Isaiah 58 Ministries. She shared some of the many exciting things happening at Isaiah 58, including their recent purchase of a new building. Isaiah 58 is a food pantry and food distribution center, but more importantly, they build community. The staff and volunteers make it a point to know everyone who walks through the doors by name. As the need in our community continues to grow, Isaiah 58 has seen the numbers of people they serve increase as well. They are currently seeing well over 1400 visits to the ministry each month. When pre-packed food bags are distributed on Fridays they are seeing over 90 individuals and families. They have outgrown their current space, but are excited to move to a new building that will allow them to be closer to the people they serve. Your giving to the St. Lucas UCC general fund helps us continue to contribute to Isaiah 58 and their work in the community.
Council Corner: Updates from the Regular Church Council Meeting – May 28, 2026 Informational Items: Update from Physical Facilities Ministry Adding a second handrail to the exterior kitchen stairs is under consideration – the feasibility is in question as the space needed might not reach clearance requirements. Church and property HVAC systems will now be overseen and maintained by our Maintenance manager Lamour, creating savings by eliminating the need for a third-party contract. Miscellaneous Updates Shared a revised draft of Event Planning Checklist for feedback. Provided a Mayberry Bequest submission update with plans to release a summary to the congregation in the coming weeks. Presented a confirmation banquet and service planning review document to discuss how to better assist the Youth Leaders in hosting banquet and opportunities for cross ministry collaboration in setup and execution. Approved moving the August Council Conversation to August 16 th to prevent conflict with Sunday Funday. Looking Ahead - Items Upcoming in Next 1-2 Months Preparing for 2027 Budget cycle Form nominating committee for various committee/ministry positions. Form Celebration Sunday planning team. Upcoming Events – In an effort to better prepare for the various events and events within events, Council members use a more detailed calendar. We hope this tool also helps you better plan for Church activities. Actions Taken Approved applying for the America 250 – Good Neighbor Week mini-grant to support a Community Meal in the fall (week of September 28 – October 4). Approved hiring DECA to perform a light interior and exterior inspection of the Parsonage for $100. Approved updates to the Keeping God’s Children Safe policy. Closed Session Actions: Approved 6-month renewal of Pastor Janet’s contract
Sunday, June 7 | After Worship | Room 19
Sunday, June 14 | 12:00 PM | Social Hall
Tuesdays, June 16 & 30 | 1:30 PM | Linden Room at Friendship Village
To celebrate America 250, the St. Lucas Heritage Committee is featuring a few of the many people who served our country and have their final resting place in our cemetery. Of the over 300 U.S. veterans buried in the St. Lucas Cemetery, we have selected two who served during the Civil War and another five who served during World War II and have created a self-guided tour of their graves. In 2003 the Sappington-Concord Historical Society published a book of stories written by local men about their experiences in the U.S. Armed Forces. With the permission of the Historical Society, we are providing the stories found in that book, Hometown Heroes, for each of the World War II veterans that we are featuring. We, unfortunately, have limited information about the service of our Civil War veterans and have included the few details that we know about their service. Both of the Civil War veterans were also founders of St. Lucas. Some of the featured servicemen played significant roles in the Sappington-Concord Historical Society. Leonard “Bud” Borneman initiated and led the Hometown Heroes project. Carl Spinner was chairman and MC of the SCHS Memorial Day ceremony for many years. Sylvester Steinnerd was the father of Ray Steinnerd, who served on the board of the Historical Society for 25 years. Walter Maag and Pete Winter were both members of the Historical Society as well. Numbered signs, starting near the large east parking lot, will be posted near each featured gravesite for a week after Memorial Day. Interested in reading more stories of the experiences of local U.S. servicemen during their time of service? You can buy a copy of Hometown Heroes from the Sappington- Concord Historical Society.
