Sally Penning, Author at St. Luke's United Methodist Church

2 08, 2019

Taught by the pack

Sally Penning2019-08-02T08:58:30-05:00August 2nd, 2019|Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER Gift giving, generous God, Today, I choose gratitude. Yes, in my mind other things pop up. I complain. I judge others. I get anxious about the future, or even about the present. But today I choose not to let them linger, but instead to douse them with gratitude and turn my thoughts to giving thanks. Life is all a gift, and I am thankful to be allowed to live it. I am especially thankful to be a part of a church family in which gratitude is both spoken and acted out. I feel the vibe when I [...]

26 07, 2019

More than a Hand Bell Choir, by Noralyn Carpenter

Sally Penning2019-07-26T09:09:46-05:00July 26th, 2019|All blogs|0 Comments

One of my favorite types of music-making groups is a bell choir. People who ring bells together bring with them a heightened sense of dedication to music, and to each other. If a singer is missing from a vocal group, other singers will still sing the same notes, and the song will go on. In a hand bell choir, each ringer is solely responsible for two (or more) assigned pitches. If the ringer is missing, the notes do not sound, and the song is incomplete. Members of a bell choir are very dependent on each other-— first just [...]

26 07, 2019

The broken pieces of life

Sally Penning2019-07-26T08:56:28-05:00July 26th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, sometimes life is marvelous and wonderful, and gratitude comes easy. But sometimes, life is difficult. Bad things happen. I've seen it in the lives of other people I care about. People they love die too young. They get cheated or swindled or robbed. The job they count on goes away. Their marriages fail and friendships falter. Children struggle and parents disappoint. Money gets scarce and pressures rise. Sometimes, God, these problems are "circumstances," out of their control. Sometimes, they contributed to the problem. And God, you know there have been times in my own [...]

19 07, 2019

Apollo 11 Lunar Landing, by Ed Smith

Sally Penning2019-07-19T09:40:43-05:00July 19th, 2019|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

April 1963 The ad in Aviation Week indicated a need for experienced engineers at NASA’s newly-minted Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. At this time I was employed by the FAA as an engineering test pilot and engineer in Oklahoma City. With my advanced aerospace engineering degree and experience as a jet-qualified large multi-engine aircraft pilot, I had hoped to be engaged in the new US Supersonic Transport program. However that program was beset upon with both technical and political improbabilities. I had also applied for a research pilot job opening at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland [...]

19 07, 2019

Can’t we just all get along?

Sally Penning2019-07-19T09:27:43-05:00July 19th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of all times and all people in all places, You know how I hate conflict and tension. I suspect there are some people who love a good fight - sort of "bring it on." But not me, God. I just want us all to get along. Is that just an unreasonable expectation, God? I read your scripture to call for "shalom," peace with justice, everything in harmony. You tell me that if I come to the altar with gifts, and my brother or sister has something against me, I should leave my gift at [...]

12 07, 2019

Theatre Kids, by Tina Throckmorton

Sally Penning2019-07-12T10:16:12-05:00July 12th, 2019|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

St. Luke’s is committed to children, and St. Luke’s is committed to theatre, music and fine arts. When all these elements combine, my heart SINGS. Our 11:00 congregation this morning will be treated to a selection from “Life of the Party,” our 7th annual Children’s Music Ministries’ summer musical. This 30-minute production was performed on Friday night by a great group of 35 first through fifth graders after only a week of rehearsals. Julie Osterman, Noralyn Carpenter, Megan Kessler and I are very proud of them! It has been my immense privilege to be involved in many [...]

12 07, 2019

A Fresh Start

Sally Penning2019-07-12T09:25:40-05:00July 12th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God - Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I remember the first time I made a commitment to following you, and offered you my life in response to your amazing grace. I felt so empowered, so full of life. I felt that nothing could bring me down. It was like I was getting married - I was going to follow you for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. In my mind, I knew there would be good times and bad times, but I thought we could handle them all together, you [...]

28 06, 2019

Digging Deeper, by Kristin Tillman

Sally Penning2019-06-28T09:47:04-05:00June 28th, 2019|Uncategorized|0 Comments

When I was asked to tell my story, I reflected back on the story I told some 20 plus years ago during the summer. I was asked to give my faith statement at the 11 o’clock service. While those beginning chapters of my story are still the same, a great deal has changed. I was a young stay-at-home mother with two children. I was raised in a home where we all went to church each Sunday, no questions asked. I attended youth group and church camps. I loved the Lord, but mostly my faith was my parent’s faith. I [...]

28 06, 2019

A Way Out

Sally Penning2019-06-28T09:16:53-05:00June 28th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I have discovered that most folks don't like to talk about sin much. Actually, I don't like to talk about sin much. But sin is real. It is "crouching at the door." Sometimes, I find myself stuck in a pattern of living and thinking that I know miss the mark. Like St. Paul, I want to do good, but the very thing I want to avoid is the thing I find myself doing. I won't detail it all here where others can read the list - but you know what it is God, and [...]

21 06, 2019

Welcome to Our New Members, by Rebecca Alsup

Sally Penning2019-06-21T09:30:24-05:00June 21st, 2019|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

Click edit button to change this text. One of the best aspects of my role in Connecting Ministries is getting to know the people who join St. Luke’s and hearing their stories. I love to learn about their hopes for membership and what has led them here. Below are some of the things our newest members have shared over the past few months: “We wanted to find a church family. We recently had our first child, and I’d like her to have a solid foundation, as I did growing up.” “I want to raise my son in a [...]

About Sally Penning