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

30 06, 2017

Stop for a day and trust God

Sally Penning2017-06-30T08:38:05-05:00June 30th, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYERGod,Who do I think I am? Some days, I must think I am in charge of everything, and if I don’t do it, the world will fall apart. Forgive me, God, for forgetting that you created the world without me, and it can go on without me. I can’t seem to stop and trust you. Some days, I am a slave to my calendar and my task list, to the lifestyle I have chosen. I determine my self-worth based on how much I get done. Forgive me, God, for returning to slavery when you have set me free. Some days, I [...]

23 06, 2017

Click Below to Register

Sally Penning2019-03-05T13:34:22-06:00June 23rd, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

Register for VBS 2019

23 06, 2017

God’s Name in Vain

Sally Penning2017-06-23T09:04:30-05:00June 23rd, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I pray that I do not use your name in vain. May I not use your name to make a bigger church that makes us look more successful and relevant, but instead use your name only for your agenda of gathering all of your children to you, and being an instrument of your kingdom. May I not use your name to promote religion, but rather faith and a relationship with you. May I not use your name to grow my business so I will be richer, or get my candidate elected, or promote the interests of my [...]

22 06, 2017

A Complete Community

Sally Penning2017-06-22T09:52:11-05:00June 22nd, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

St. Luke’s Gethsemane is nestled in the midst of the Gulfton community that has been selected as one of the Mayor’s “Complete Communities.” This neighborhood, with its first generation immigrants and refugees, is considered to be one of the most diverse in the city of Houston. The Mayor’s "Complete Communities" is a pilot program designed to revitalize under-resourced areas while allowing residents to stay in their neighborhoods. This is exciting news and something that has been needed for a very long time. The initiative will work towards creating “complete” communities: neighborhoods that are safe, affordable, and healthy; have [...]

16 06, 2017

Dear Caroline

Sally Penning2017-06-16T09:11:16-05:00June 16th, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

Dear Caroline, Today you’re the size of a small pumpkin, like the ones you, your mom, and I will paint funny faces on and put on the doorstep the day before Halloween. We’ll have a good time, the four of us. Yes, I’m counting the cat. Today is also Father’s Day. I guess this is my first Father’s Day as a father. You should know I have mixed feelings about this, because it means your arrival is coming within the month, and I’m not ready. Sure, we have all the gadgets and carriers to bring you home, and your [...]

16 06, 2017

Being a Dad

Sally Penning2017-06-16T09:07:09-05:00June 16th, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I try to be a good dad. You know that. I am so grateful that I have such wonderful children. Thank you so much for that gift and that privilege. You know that fatherhood has been such an important part of my identity, of my sense of mission. It is the one thing that absolutely nobody else could do for me. Once you’re in, you can’t quit. So I do the best I can. And sometimes, it seems like enough. And sometimes, I know I fall short. Way short. I see why you chose parenting as the image you chose for the relationship [...]

15 06, 2017

Six Different Angles

Sally Penning2017-06-15T09:16:25-05:00June 15th, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

Children’s Ministries' purpose is to build a spiritual foundation in each child that will last a lifetime. The two most important components of the Sunday School hour are building faith-filled relationships with the children and sharing the Bible story. The Children’s Ministry team writes our own curriculum and uses a variety of activities to bring clarity to the scripture and strengthen its impact on children's lives. ••• "My hope and prayer is that this will be a place that they will remember fondly as they grow older. I know that I will." – Jill Young, 5th grade Sunday [...]

9 06, 2017

In for Testing

Sally Penning2017-06-09T10:35:34-05:00June 9th, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

It’s never easy to hear, “We are going to need to do a biopsy of that lesion on your spine,” but it happened to me. Alarm bells rang in my head as I tried to stay positive having been told that the doctors were only “ruling out” the scary diagnoses. Instructions to report to the oncology wing of the hospital only reinforced the fear that had engulfed me. While I knew that God was with me, my husband beside me, and mom on the way from Houston, the trembles of anxiety were real. When she arrived the day [...]

9 06, 2017

I Saved You!

Sally Penning2017-06-09T10:20:56-05:00June 9th, 2017|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I am not all that good at “obedience.” I prefer “alignment” or “collaboration” or “negotiation,” or some other word that allows me to feel like I am in charge. But sometimes, it helps me to know what you expect of me as your follower. God, in your love and grace, you saved the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt, you set them apart as your covenant people, special to you, not like any other people. They were set apart to be a blessing to the world. And the way they would demonstrate that special status [...]

6 06, 2017

What will they take with them?

Sally Penning2017-06-06T16:45:35-05:00June 6th, 2017|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

A few Sundays ago, St. Luke's confirmed 70 students. It has been amazing to journey with these young people and their families over the past three years. But what is next for them? In four short years these students will graduate and likely leave St. Luke's. The question for us is "what will they take with them?" Our hope is for them to leave with a rich love for Christ and an eagerness to serve. Wherever they live in five years, we want them to be prepared to plug into a new community of faith. So how do [...]

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