Sunday, August 18th, 2024

The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Holy Eucharist, Rite II

7:30AM in Emmanuel Chapel



Holy Eucharist, Rite II 

10:00AM in the Nave & Livestreamed

Holy Eucharist

5:15PM in Emmanuel Chapel

Welcome to the Cathedral Church of St. Luke



We are a community of faith with ancient worship and modern thought, catholic traditions and progressive theology. We proclaim a Biblical perspective for thinking people, a respect for reason, science, and a diversity of perspective. This empowers compassion and care for both the wider community and one another. Our commitment to welcome and inclusion is central to our mission modeled on the Kingdom of God and proclaimed by Jesus Christ. 

Sunday Morning Service Participants

Preacher

The Reverend Rebecca A. Grant, Deacon

Celebrant

The Reverend George Stevens, Interim Dean

Music Leader & Organist

Christian M. Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music

Guest Soloist

Mary Lunt

Head Verger & Crucifer

Eleanor Roberts

Lector

M. Parker Roberts

Prayers Leader

John Bancroft

Ushers

Bob Parshley, Martha Parshley, Chester Bishop, Mary Linneman

Live Streaming

Jack Swanton, Sam Allen

Eucharistic Ministers

Joseph deKay, William Hoyt

Contributing Ministries

Acolytes, Vergers, The Flower Guild, The Altar Guild, The Kneeler Guild

Music copyrights granted under OneLicense.net #A-713087. Sources: The Hymnal 1982, Lift Every Voice and Sing II, Wonder, Love, and Praise, Voices Found, My Heart Sings Out, The Saint Helena Psalter, The Book of Common Prayer,, Enriching our Worship, The Holy Bible (NRSV). 

5:15 PM Holy Eucharist

Celebrant & Reflector: The Reverend Christopher Worthley, Assisting Clergy

HAPPENING TODAY

UPCOMING

Season of Creation Banner Painting

Sunday, August 25 after the 10AM Service

Lower Hall

Come help paint our new Season of Creation banner! 

No artistic skills are needed beyond the ability to paint within the lines of a simple shape.

Join us after church on Sunday, August 25 in the Lower Hall for a time of fun and fellowship.

Please plan to wear old clothes due to potential paint stains!

For more info, contact Linda Carleton.

The Cathedral Choir Season

Startup and Potluck

Thursday 5 September 7-9PM

The Cathedral Choir season begins with rehearsal and potluck welcome reception Thursday 5 Sept. 7-9PM.

The choir sings weekly during the academic year, and for periodic Choral Evensong services and various seasonal liturgies.

Previous singing experience is not required.

For more information, contact Christian Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music.

5:15 Service Cookout & Potluck

Sunday, September 8

Following 5:15 Service

Lower Hall

Please join us on Sunday September 8 following the 5:15 worship service for a cookout.

We will meet in the lower hall for a time of fellowship and fun.

The gathering will be a potluck.

To learn more about how you can help with a side dish, dessert, drinks, and/or help with set-up and clean-up, please contact Tim Wilkins.

Conflict Transformation Parish-Wide Conversation

Saturday, September 28, 9AM–noon

The Cathedral Nave

Save the date! On Saturday, September 28th, from 9A.M. to noon, all parishioners are invited to participate in the fourth and final phase of our conflict transformation work. 

Please note that it is not necessary to have participated in Phases 1-3 of the conflict transformation process to attend. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate!

We will gather in the Nave for a parish-wide conversation about our communal life using a “World Café” format.

Please click here to learn more about this type of conversation style. 

Conversations will center on questions developed in conjunction with our consultant Susan Czolgosz and will occur in small groups of 6–8 people. 

A group of parishioners will be invited to act as table facilitators, timekeepers, and notetakers.

More details will be provided as the event approaches.

With questions please contact The Reverend George Stevens, Interim Dean 

or Sam Allen, Senior Warden.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

An Update on Formation Work at the Cathedral

From the Rev. George Stevens

Dear Friends-

One of the primary focuses identified by the congregation in last winter’s parish wide survey was "formation". 

Over the years, we’ve called the education we do on Sunday mornings many things: Sunday School, Christian Education, Adult Forums. Formation encompasses all these things, but also invites a different perspective. 

A few months ago at a gathering after church, we heard from Emily Keniston, the Diocese of Maine’s Director of Faith Formation, that formation is a continuous, life-long journey. Formation involves questioning, wondering and learning and enables closer relationships with God and others. 

Stewardship, outreach, hospitality, and liturgy are all part of our formation as Christians. We are aware that formation encompasses learning, action and reflection, that formation is ongoing, and that it is both formal and informal.

In the weeks since Emily’s presentation, your vestry and an enthusiastic group of parishioners have engaged with the process of envisioning how we understand faith formation at the Cathedral of St. Luke and how we can enact and share programs that fulfill this priority. 

You’ll be hearing more about our plans for the fall in the coming weeks. 

With thanks,

George

Eco Tips from the Public Policy

& Environmental Action Team

This year's General Convention considered many pieces of creation care, climate change and ecojustice legislation, which were submitted by dioceses, committees, task forces, and other bodies. For a curated list of legislation visit the link here.

For an Episcopal News Service article click here.

To receive more information and regular updates on these resolutions, you can subscribe to the Episcopal Church's Creation Care Newsletter. To subscribe, click here.

Season of Creation Book Group

Meeting Each Monday at 6:45PM

August 26-September 30

Connect Room at St. Alban's Episcopal Church



885 Shore Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Contact Mary Bingham Paul if Interested

The Season of Creation is fast approaching! In September, parishioners from St. Alban’s, St. Luke’s, and St. Peter’s are joining together to form a book group.

The group will start on August 26 and end on September 30, 2024. Proposed meeting times are each Monday from 6:45PM-8:00PM in the Connect Room at St Alban’s. Spaces are limited to 12 people. While in-person is preferable, a hybrid option will be offered.

The book discussion will be led by Mary Brigham Paul, a member of St. Alban’s. 

The group will be reading Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World by Karen Armstrong. 

Please contact Mary Brigham Paul sign up, and please indicate whether you would like to meet in person or on zoom. 

You can purchase the book through Amazon, Nonesuch Books, or wherever you like to purchase your books.

About the Author: Karen Armstrong has written many books on religious affairs, with a specific focus on the history of world religions. To read more about her please visit the webpage here.

About the book: Sacred Nature is “An urgent manifesto and a practical guide on how to rekindle our spiritual bond with nature, drawing on the wisdom of the world’s religious traditions”.  

“Since the beginning of time, humankind has looked upon nature and seen the divine. In the writings of the great thinkers across religions, the natural world inspires everything from fear to awe to tranquil contemplation; God, or however one defined the sublime, was present in everything. Yet today, even as we admire a tree or take in a striking landscape, we rarely see nature as sacred…Karen Armstrong re-sacralizes nature for modern times. Drawing on her vast knowledge of the world’s religious traditions, she vividly describes nature’s central plan in spirituality across the centuries: from the Book of Job to St. Thomas Aquinas, from Lao Tzu to Wordsworth, and from the Stoics to Jainism and beyond…explor(ing) the power of silence and solitude, the nature of personal sacrifice and the need to reconnect with sorrow and compassion—and how greater contact and appreciation for nature can help us in unexpected ways”. Penguin Random House Publishing

The photo above has been given permission to be shared

by Steven.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Parishioner Paul Burlin

Publishes His Most Recent Book

Paul T. Burlin, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of New England, and St. Luke's parishioner, published his most recent book titled Charles Fletcher Dole, Liberal Theology, and Reform.

Charles Dole, a long term Unitarian minister and Social Gospel advocate who lived from 1845 to 1927, was born in Maine into what he described as “an ultra-orthodox” Congregational family. As an adult he tacked off to the radical wing of Unitarianism. While his theological perspective was time-bound, Dole might well provide inspiration to any adult who struggled (or struggles) with the religious perspective of their upbring.

To read this text and Paul's other books, please visit the link here.

If you are interested in learning more about this text, join us on Sunday, November 10th after coffee hour in the upper hall. Paul will be giving a talk on his book along with an accompanying slideshow presentation.

RESOURCES FROM THE DIOCESE

&

THE WIDER CHURCH

To read about stories, resources, and events from around the Diocese of Maine, read their newsletter, The DioLog, by clicking the link here, or by clicking on the Episcopal Maine Shield in the bottom of this email.

Tri-Dio Sacred Ground Circles Begin Again This Fall

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

"Are you interested in joining others from the Episcopal Dioceses of Northern New England (and beyond) in a film-based dialogue series on race and faith? The third round of Tri-Dio Sacred Ground dialogue circles will start this fall, and will include others from the wider Episcopal church and other denominations. There will be at least three circles that will meet at different times and on different days. Register here.



View the Sacred Ground Invitational video “We Bless You” by the Union of Black Episcopalians and Sacred Ground staff, and learn more about Sacred Ground here. 

Representatives from each diocese are: Mary Provo of Maine, Betty Lane of New Hampshire, and Franci Vinal Farnsworth of Vermont. "

Living Peace, Practicing Nonviolence:

The Lessons of Jesus, Gandhi and King for Today

Saturday, Sept. 28, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

St. Joseph's College, Standish

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

"This day-long workshop with activist Father John Dear is offered by the Maine Council of Churches as part of "a collection of programs designed to help Maine's people of faith lead with love as we prepare for and respond to events as they unfold this election season and beyond." Learn more and register here."

"Song in A Weary Throat": Writing & Reading with the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray

Begins Sept. 12 on Zoom

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

"Join Canon D. Littlepage and Canon Sarah Woodford of ECCT for a creative writing book study of "Song in A Weary Throat." Every second Thursday from September to December 2024, we will gather over Zoom, 7-8 p.m. ET, and discuss around 90 pages of this Pauli Murray classic. Canon Sarah will also provide you with creative writing prompts before each session to help you more deeply engage with the material. Feel free to share the writing that comes from these prompts during our session, or create a larger essay from them, or just keep them to yourself! You can sign up here or contact Canon Sarah Woodford."

Come Away Together: Forma and Province I Conference

Jan 27-30, 2025

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

"This year the Province I Faith Formation Network is combining its annual formation conference with Forma to offer the best of both worlds! We will gather with colleagues from across New England onsite at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center for four days--time to meet and connect with our provincial colleagues and afternoons to participate in the Forma workshops and content. Gatherings will be held in the evenings to informally share inspiration and learning.

Several grants have been secured to make this conference affordable and accessible to anyone who wants to lean into formation conversations.

Registration is not yet open, but please save the dates and email Emily Keniston with questions."

Retreat in Everyday Life: Ignatian Spiritual Exercises

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

You are invited to a Retreat in Everyday Life!  Over a period of 9 months, you will be led through a series of prayers, meditations and reflections known as “the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises.” On your own, you spend time contemplating various aspects of your own life and the life of Jesus.  Together with other pilgrims, you share your journey, encouraging each other along the way. It's an adventure, one which is unique to each person.  

The retreat includes:

· Materials for daily prayer & reflection, the crux of the retreat 

· Group meetings online from 6:30 - 8:30 pm on the first Wednesday of each month from October 2024 through June 2025

· Monthly meetings (either one-on-one or in a small group) with a spiritual guide

Applications are being accepted through early September, or until the retreat is full. Learn more and apply here.

The Rev. Susan Krauss and the Rev. Heather Sylvester recently completed this retreat and are available to answer questions, as is the Ignatian Maine retreat team.

Love God; Love God’s World

A Small-group Curriculum for those Interested in Creation Care 

“Love God; Love God’s World” is a nine-session, film-based curriculum from The Episcopal Church designed for Episcopalians anywhere on the journey with creation care and environmental ministry—from newcomers looking to take their first step to seasoned leaders seeking a transformative small-group experience.

Sessions have a similar structure to the popular Sacred Ground curriculum and include films and readings, faith-based reflections, and discussion questions—each written by a different contributor and drawing from personal contexts and experiences. Participants will discover ways to learn, pray, advocate, and conserve.

Find session titles, authors, and a sample session here; register your small group to get access to the full curriculum.

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

Sunday 5:15PM Service of Holy Eucharist

The 5:15PM Service is a lay-lead worship service of Holy Eucharist and meditation which gathers each Sunday in Emmanuel Chapel. Each week we welcome a member of the clergy to celebrate the Holy Eucharist.

The service invites all in attendance into a space of quiet and stillness, with music, scripture, and reflections.

We look forward to welcoming you to future services. Please join us!

With questions about the service please contact Liz Parsons.

Below is a photo from a service held on July 28 which features parishioner Barbara Ryland offering her musical gifts on harp.

This is accompanied by a reflection offered by The Reverend Dr. Celestin Hategekimana.

Parishioner Barbara Ryland offers her musical gifts on the harp

Click here to read a reflection

offered by The Reverend Dr. Celestin Hategekimana on July 28

Contribute to St. Luke’s Summer Music Ministry

The Cathedral Choir is on recess from 9 June through Labor Day, and summer is a great time to make a musical contribution to our worship as a singer or instrumentalist. Help us to keep our music well-supported with your offerings.

Please email Christian Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music.

The Biblical Study Group

The Biblical Study Group will begin meeting again on September 1 in the Oratory at 8:30AM focusing on the topic of being made in the image of God.

At the first session, our leader and resource person, Dr. Bob Hanson, will highlight the content of upcoming sessions, and gauge the group to find a preferred time and place to meet.

This class will consider what you know about yourself, your own self image, what you want for yourself, and what God and Jesus are calling for you. Biblical references on the Imago Dei are Genesis 1:26, Genesis 5:5, Wisdom 2:23, I Corinthians 15:49, II Corinthians 3:12-18, I Corinthians 11:7, Colossians 3:10.

Questions? Contact Dr. Hanson at (207) 405-8250.

The Kneeler Guild and

Prayer Shawl Knitters

Tuesday

2:30PM

The Upper Hall.

For additional information contact Jeri Edgar 207-303-8447 or Nancy Mawhinney 207-775-7500

Everyone is welcome, whether you are curious or want to begin. Kneeler kits cost $75, which include directions, yarn, needles & canvas. Novices are welcome; we will teach you as needed. Prayer Shawls: 26-29” by 60”; select your yarn & needles. Coffee & Tea available.

Weekly Ministries

• St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center is offered every Tuesday from 8:30 am to 11 am.

• The Food Pantry is open from 8 am to 11 am every Thursday.

• The Tuesday 12:10 Eucharist is offered every week in Emmanuel Chapel in-person and on Zoom.

• Compline is offered weekly on Friday from 8-8:30pm on Zoom.

Click on the logo above to learn about all that is happening in the wider Diocese.

https://episcopalmaine.org

stlukesportland.org

(207)-772-5434

Email

Physical Address:

143 State Street, Portland, ME 04101

Parking Available at:

134 Park Street, Portland, ME 04101

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 4141, Portland, ME 04101