This Sunday!

Notarize Your Power of Attorney for Health Care Form at St. Luke's

Sunday, May 19, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

On Sunday, May 19, representatives from the Evanston City Clerk's office will be available to notarize Illinois Power of Attorney for Health Care forms, ensuring your wishes are respected in times of need.

A notarized Power of Attorney for Health Care is crucial for protecting your well-being, as it designates someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you're unable to do so. You can also take advantage of the notary services for other essential documents such as your last will and testament, trusts, and beneficiary designations.

Mark your calendars for May 19 and take this opportunity to prioritize your health, well-being, and personal affairs.

This Sunday!

Family Worship & Messy Church

Sunday, May 19, 9:00 AM

Families share in a short simple Eucharist which includes prayer, song, and lots of wonder. Light coffee hour family gathering! During Messy Church, we will celebrate St. Lydia and Hospitality with a tea party!

Please note that Sunday School classes will not be held this Sunday.

This Sunday!

Coriolis Concert

Cantabiles Feminae

Sunday, May 19, 4:00 PM

Join Coriolis, directed by St. Luke's choir member Eric Skalinder, for Cantabiles Feminae. The program includes a wide-ranging selection of works all composed or arranged by women, including the internationally renowned Alice Parker along with relative newcomers Reena Esmail and Jocelyn Hagen - and many more! Tickets are not required; Coriolis will gratefully accept any donation you care to make at the door.

Organ Recital

With Annamarie Collins, Opus 327 Organ Scholar

Sunday, May 26, 4:00 PM

Annamarie Collins will conclude her tenure as the 2023-24 Opus 327 Organ Scholar with a recital featuring the works of Bach, Kim, Rowley, Mendelssohn, and Gigout. All are welcome! 

Choral Evensong

Sunday, June 2, 4:00 PM

Please join the Choir of St. Luke's for the last Evensong of the program year. Conclude your weekend with this peaceful and contemplative service of choral music, including:

Introit: Greater Love Hath No Man, John Ireland

Preces & Responses: Gabriel Jackson

Psalm: 103, P. A. Tranchell

Evening Canticles: St. Paul’s Service, Herbert Howells

Anthem: Evening Hymn, Henry Balfour Gardiner

Hymn: 24, St. Clement

Choir Banquet

Sunday, June 2, 5:30 PM

Winnetka Community House

Following the Evensong, we will celebrate the 2023-24 choir season and our graduating seniors at the Community House in Winnetka. The banquet will be held outdoors in the gardens of the Community House, weather permitting. Seats must be reserved in advance and are $40/person. Free for children 8 and younger.

Recital with Christopher Chroniak

Sunday, June 9, 4:00 PM 

Countertenor Christopher Chroniak will present a recital of works by Ralph Vaughan Williams on Sunday, June 9th. The program will span the composing career of Vaughan Williams, and include selections from Five Mystical Songs, Songs of Travel, Songs from Shakespeare, Four Last Songs, and others. Mr. Chroniak will be accompanied by pianist Mr. Cody Michael Bradley. This recital is free and open to the public.

St. Luke's Seeks Summer Musicians

St. Luke's invites musicians of all types to participate in our summer worship services. As our dedicated choir takes a well-deserved break, we're inviting musicians from the community to share their musical gifts during services held between June 9 and September 1.

During the pandemic, we experienced the power of music in fostering connection and healing as we featured a variety of musicians in our online services. We are excited to continue this tradition and embrace the beauty of inclusivity through music.

Musicians of all kinds are invited! To be considered for this opportunity to share your talent with our St. Luke's congregation, simply fill out a brief form to express your interest. Don't miss this chance to showcase your musical talents!

May Vestry Updates

The Vestry met for its May meeting on Tuesday, May 14. In addition to regular business and committee reports, the vestry began preparations for its 2024 mutual ministry review and discussed utilizing the congregant photo wall in between art installations. One use of the existing pictures is to upload to congregant profiles in Realm, which allows us to create a photo directory on demand. If you would prefer that your photo not be uploaded to your Realm profile, please contact Emilie Giacobbe at emgiacobbe@gmail.com. If you need help accessing your Realm profile to upload your own picture, contact the office.

Centering Prayer Circle:

Experience God's Presence Within Us

Beginning May 9

Thursdays, 6:30 - 7:30 PM

In our fast-paced world, finding moments of silence and stillness is a valuable discipline. Experience the transformative power of Centering Prayer, an ancient Christian practice, by joining Tim O'Brien and others on Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM. This one-hour group invites beginners and experienced practitioners alike to explore the benefits of inner stillness.

Through guided sessions, Tim O'Brien will introduce the method of Centering Prayer and offer resources for deepening your understanding. Learn to let go of intrusive thoughts and worries, fostering a deeper connection with God. Experience the divine presence within – closer than breathing, thinking, or even consciousness itself.

To learn more about Centering Prayer and embark on a path toward inner peace, join the weekly class. For questions or more information, contact Tim O'Brien at tim0707@aol.com.

Save the Date!

Night as Bright as Day: A Summer Solstice Retreat

Saturday, June 15

This half-day retreat will focus on the theology of darkness and light and the mutual interplay between the two in our world and in our faith, moving away from binary understandings of these concepts, using Psalms and other Scripture alongside reflection/meditative practices. Led by the Rev. Phil Hooper.

Save the Date!

Friday Noon Discussion Group

Discussing Christ the Center by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

June 21 & 28

The Friday noon book group will discuss Christ the Center by Dietrich Bonhoeffer on June 21 & 28. The group will then take the rest of the summer off before reconvening in the fall. The book is available through local bookstores and on Amazon in Kindle or print version. This book group is facilitated by Pastor Michael Wonderlich. People can participate in person or by Zoom.

St. Luke's to Serve as Interfaith Action Emergency Overnight Shelter Site

May 5 - 26

St. Luke's will serve as an Interfaith Action Emergency Overnight Shelter site from May 5 to May 26. During this period, guests will be accommodated in the church's basement from 9:00 PM to 6:30 AM.

This opportunity to serve our community aligns with our congregation's core values of service and justice. To learn more about the shelter program, please contact the Director of Operations Ahnquajj Kahmanne at akahmanne@stlukesevanston.org. 

Interfaith Action Seeks Overnight Shelter Volunteers

Interfaith Action is currently seeking volunteers to assist while St. Luke's serves as the overnight shelter site. For more information, contact Joe Zurawski at joezurawski838@gmail.com

There are two shifts available:

Set-up – 8:30 pm to 10:00 PM – Set up the cots, prepare the rooms, and greet guests as they arrive at 9:00. Set-up volunteers also distribute blankets and bottles of water.

Clean-up – 6:00 to 7:00 AM – Help wake the guests and ensure they leave the facility on time. Also assists the supervisor in taking down/storing cots, cleaning up the facility, and preparing the laundry for pickup.

Calling All Fiber Artists: Help Us Explore the Possibility of a Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. Luke's

St. Luke's consistently seeks new ways to support and uplift one another. We are exploring the idea of forming a Prayer Shawl Ministry, where our talented fiber artists can come together to create beautiful, handcrafted shawls as symbols of love, comfort, and prayer. We need your input and participation to make this meaningful ministry a reality.

We are reaching out to all knitters, crocheters, quilters, weavers, and other fiber artists at St. Luke's to join us in exploring this meaningful ministry. These prayer shawls could be given out to those in the congregation who may benefit from the love and support a shawl represents. They could also be shared during communion with those who are homebound or in nursing homes, offering a warm embrace from our faith community.

If you are interested in being part of this potential new ministry and sharing your skills as a fiber artist, please contact Belinda Chandler at bchan46@earthlink.net. Be sure to include your name, contact information, and the type of handiwork you enjoy. We look forward to connecting with you and discussing how we can create something beautiful together!

Interfaith Family Pride Festival in Evanston

Sunday, June 2, 2:00 - 5:00 PM, Raymond Park

Save the date for the Interfaith Family Pride Festival! St. Luke's has joined with fifteen diverse faith communities to organize this event honoring LGBTQ+ families and recognizing the importance of repairing relationships and building bridges between faith communities and the LGBTQ+ community.

This family-friendly festival will feature captivating performances by renowned artists, including Flamy Grant, Artemis Singers, and The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, along with engaging activities for children. Additionally, don't miss the inspiring Youth Showcase, highlighting the talents and voices of our younger generation. All are welcome to an afternoon filled with love, acceptance, and celebration of diversity.

Interested in volunteering at the event? Email Mahdia at First Congregational Church: mahdia@firstchurchevanston.org

Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate 2024:

Episcopalians United Against Hate

Sunday, June 16, 7:30 AM

Now in its 25th year, the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate was launched to honor the legacy of Ricky Byrdsong. This race brings together thousands of people from all over the Chicago area on Father's Day to run and walk in unity against racial hatred and violence.

Come by the St. Matthew's tent at Long Field for a quick pre-race blessing. Reenie Ruckdaeschel and the Rev. Nadia Stefko (St. Augustine's) will do a blessing at 7:35 before the 5k race, and the Rev. Kat Banakis will do a blessing at 8:45 before the youth fun runs.

You can donate to or sign up to join Episcopalians United Against Hate, the team we share with St. Matthew's and St. Marks.

Warning About E-mail Scammers

When you receive an e-mail from a St. Luke's staff member, please note if the sender has 'stlukesevanston.org' at the end of their e-mail address. If not, it is likely not us writing to you. Sadly, there are people out there trying to scam congregation members in multiple churches by posing as clergy and asking them to send them gift cards. We will never ask you for money that way. If someone writes to you posing as Kat or another member of staff, please let us know, report the problem to Google (if it is a Gmail address), block the sender and delete the message.

Now Hiring! Organist



St. Luke's seeks its next organist. Learn more about the position here.

Photography at St. Luke's

Those attending a St. Luke's worship service or event in person are entering an area where photography, video, and audio recording may occur on behalf of St. Luke’s. Please be aware that these images may be used for promotional purposes, including on our website, without obtaining express written permission. If you do not wish for your image to be used, please reach out to our communications team at communications@stlukesevanston.org.

Share your photos!

We also encourage you to share your photographs of life around St. Luke's! If you have photographs to share, please send them via e-mail to communications@stlukesevanston.org in .JPG or .PNG formats. 

If you see something, say something!

Our facilities team has put together a ticketing system for issues with the building. If you notice something in need of repair, email: operations@stlukesepiscopalchurch.zohodesk.com

Your request will be entered into the repair queue.