The Weekly E-Pistle

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

A Reflection from the Reverend George Stevens, Interim Dean

Dear Friends-

This week marks the beginning of the Cathedral’s ‘Season of Creation’. You’ll see below a list of the great events, speakers and education opportunities.

For people of faith, creation care is an act of discipleship; as we are stewards of the earth, summoned by God to “work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15).

Poet and environmentalist Wendell Berry says this about caring for creation:

“Care…rests upon genuine religion. Care allows creatures to escape explanations into their actual presence and their essential mystery. In taking care of our fellow creatures, we acknowledge that they are not ours; we acknowledge that they belong to an order and harmony of which we ourselves are parts. To answer the perpetual crisis of our presence in this abounding and dangerous world, we have only the perpetual obligation care.”

I look forward to celebrating the ‘Season of Creation’ with you all.

I’ll be away this Sunday celebrating my father’s 80^th birthday with our family.

Have a great holiday weekend.

George

THE SEASON OF CREATION

About the Season of Creation

The Season of Creation, September 1st through October 4th, is celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation.

The Season of Creation Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes is a curated liturgical resource assembled by the Rev. John Elliott Lein (priest in Maine) and the Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas (Creation activist and priest in Massachusetts) from prayers, readings, and liturgies created all over the global Anglican Communion and beyond.

Here at St. Luke’s, we will honor creation in liturgy with several events which you can learn about below. To learn more about the Season of Creation visit the webpage here.

PPEAT Hosts Representative Benjamin Collings

September 8

Upper Hall

12:00-1:00PM

Join us following coffee hour on September 8th from 12:00-1:00PM, as PPEAT welcomes Representative Benjamin Collings who will be offering a talk on Faith and Climate Change. Representative Collings will discuss his plans for getting people around Maine together to talk about climate.

Nature Hike at the Fore River Trail

September 15

1601 Congress Street, Portland

12:15PM

Join members of PPEAT after church on September 15 at 12:15PM for a nature hike at the Fore River Trail. We will meet at the trailhead at 1601 Congress Street in Portland. There is a parking lot directly across from the trailhead. If you are interested in participating please contact Dick Farnsworth.

PPEAT Hosts Susanne Lee

September 22

Upper Hall

12:00-1:00PM

Maine Food: Too Good to Waste with Suzanne Lee, Faculty Fellow with Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, University of Maine.

Did you know that 40% of the food we produce is never eaten, wasting the money, energy and other valuable resources used to produce it?

The results are rising food costs, hunger and nutrition issues, and environmental damage.

The good news is that there are simple and effective food waste actions that can be taken to end this problem.

Join Susanne as she shares these solutions to help reduce food waste in your home and community. She will also highlight Food Rescue , Maine’s food waste research project where her team works with community and business partners to implement these solutions.

Blessing of the Animals

October 6th

The Labyrinth

9:45AM

On October 6 we will observe the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Please join us at 9:45AM in the labyrinth to the right of the State Street Entrance for the Blessing of the Animals.

All are encouraged to bring their beloved pets to receive a blessing.

If you have a pet who would not be comfortable out in public, please bring a photo of them, and we will bless the image. We also encourage all of our younger members with stuffed animals to bring them along so that they might also receive a blessing.

All are welcome, even if you do not have a pet!

A HIGHLIGHT FROM LAST WEEK

Baptism at 7:30AM Service

At last Sunday's 7:30AM service,

we joyfully celebrated the baptisms of sisters Joyce Philips & Mary Philips.

Thanks are given to parishioner Emma Flinn for the photo above

UPCOMING

The Cathedral Choir Season

Startup and Potluck

Thursday 5 September

The Choir Room

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

Lower Hall

Following 5:15 Service

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.

The Cathedral Choir Presents: Gabriel Faure's Requiem

Sunday, November 3

10AM & 3PM

The Cathedral Nave

A Presentation on

Charles Fletcher Dole, Liberal Theology, and Reform

by Paul Burlin

Sunday, November 10

Upper Hall

11:30AM

Join us on Sunday, November 10 following the 10AM service, for a presentation by Paul T. Burlin, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of New England, and St. Luke's parishioner, on his recently published 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thank you to All Summer Music Volunteers

We thank our summer musician volunteers and our supply musicians who enriched and broadened our worship music throughout the summer.

If you have musical talents beyond choral singing that you’d like to share with the congregation during the academic year, please reach out to Christian M. Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music, via email.

The Healing Team

The Healing Team will be offering prayers of healing during and after communion in All Saints’ Chapel (the small chapel to the left of the communion rail), resuming on Sunday, September 8.

Please read below to see which members of our team will be serving during services in September. The remainder of our schedule for September will be published in the coming weeks.

September 8 Peter Carleton, Mary Strnad

September 15 Elise Magnuson

Eco Tips from the Public Policy

& Environmental Action Team

Back To School Recycling!

Did you know that Staples accepts many items for recycling? Besides taking tech products like computers, calculators, and many other things, Staples now recycles the following:

School supplies

-Backpacks & lunch bags NEW

-Binders & zipper binders NEW

-Crayons & colored pencils NEW

-Glue sticks & bottles (empty) NEW

-Pencils & pencil pouches NEW

-Pens, markers & highlighters NEW

-Rulers & drafting tools NEW

Even more

-Bags & luggage NEW

-Phone & iPhone cases

-Shredding (cost per pound)

-Smart watch & Apple Watch bands

-SodaStream® CO2 cylinders

-Tablet, iPad & eReader cases

For a complete listing of what Staples recycles visit their website here.

Camp Bishopswood

Summer Finale

September 13 - 15

Registration is now open for Summer Finale at Camp Bishopswood!

Summer Finale has several offerings:

There is a day-only option on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Back this year after a several-year hiatus is a mini retreat especially for those who do formation work in our diocese on Friday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

As in years past, this will be an opportunity to spend a day in conversation with formation folks, to enjoy delicious food, and imagine ways in which we can collaborate and uplift one another in our formation work.

See a full description, including FAQs, here.

A Presentation and Conversation

Mild Cognitive Impairment, Dementia, and Healthy Aging

Presented by Steve Belanger, St. Luke's Parishioner

Saturday, September 21

The Community Room on Peaks Island

10:00-11:30AM

RESOURCES FROM THE DIOCESE

& WIDER CHURCH

To read about stories, resources, and events from around the Diocese of Maine, read their newsletter, TheDioLog,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, September 28

St. Joseph's College, Standish

9AM-3PM

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 September 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."

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.

With questions about the service please contact Liz Parsons.

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

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

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

Parishioner Barbara Rylan 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.

Access Your Realm Profile

The Cathedral’s online database, Realm, is a useful tool for parishioners to manage their contact and pledging information.

Realm helps our community by improving our record keeping in a more streamlined fashion.

When joining Realm you can sign-up to be a part of the online directory in the database.

To activate your Realm profile please contact our financial administrator Nina Andersen.

Nina will assist you with the few steps necessary to access your profile.

We look forward to sharing this exciting new technology with you!

Coffee Hour

Coffee Hour - Please join us after the service for a time of fellowship in the upper hall through the doors to the left of the altar. All are welcome.

Interested in hosting? It is an important part of our parish life and provides us with a time for connection. Hosting is fun and easy, it requires bringing in a baked good and brewing coffee the Sunday of your choosing. Please consider signing up, a lot of gratitude comes with the job. Thank you!

Check the hosting schedule by visiting the link here.

Please email Meredith Cough with your date.

Join Luke's Garden

LGBTQIA+ Group

Luke's Garden is the cathedral's LGBTQIA+ group which meets every 2nd Sunday of the month following coffee hour.

All are welcome!

For additional information contact Orion Williams

Join the Young and The Restless

We are St. Luke’s 20s-30s-year-old ministry. We are an active group at the cathedral which also gets together outside of the church.

Join us as we go hiking, ice skating, play trivia, or just enjoy each other’s company! If you are new to us, welcome! We meet each Tuesday at Maine Beer Company in Freeport, 6-8 PM for Trivia.

Other events happen sporadically throughout the month, however trivia is a wonderful opportunity to meet us if you’re joining us for the first time. Contact Shana Rose to stay up to date with group activities and information.

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.

The Biblical Study Group

The Biblical Study Group will begin meeting again this Sunday, September 1 in the Oratory at 8:30AM.

The topic for our sessions will be the search for the one and only God, Elohim or Adonai, within ourselves.

This topic asks us to reflect on several large questions. How is this possible? When did we begin our search? Why do we know so little about this concept? God invites us to call him “father.” Who then is our mother? What other divine presences do we need to meet? What then is our relationship to the Christ figure?

We will further discuss the concept of the Imago Dei. This is the icon or banner of the all powerful and creative maker of all universes, all space and time, and of us, humankind, as being “very good.”

Join us for our study of the search of becoming “who we were meant to be.”

We are led by Bob Hanson, retired university professor, Episcopal priest, author, peace activist, and Jungian analyst. With questions, contact Bob at (207)-245-2695.

The Parish Prayer List

Names remain on the prayer list for 3 consecutive weeks unless otherwise requested. If you wish for a name to be added, contact Avery Schott, Parish Administrator via email.