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Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:7)
These words were written to a people in exile in Babylon, a place filled with beliefs and values contrary to everything they believed
. In the words of Psalm 137:1, all they wanted to do was sit down and weep.
To these people Jeremiah gave a simple command: Get up and live your lives.
"Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease." (Jeremiah 29:5-6) If you want your beliefs and values to survive, you need to thrive. More than this, if you want to prosper, you need to make sure the city where you live prospers. If your city does well, so will you.
While Jeremiah 29:7 speaks to the mission of an urban church, it defines the mission of a cathedral. It was very heartening to hear the conversations at the annual meeting that picked up this theme. When asked about where God was calling us, "serving the community," "being present in the community," and "reaching out to the community" were repeated again and again. While serving the poor and supporting music and the arts were certainly pieces of the puzzle, there was a new emphasis on advocacy and social justice -- not just standing up for our beliefs and values but working for systemic change that will put them in action. The conversations about community were not just about helping St. Luke's grow and thrive, they were about helping Portland do the same thing.
In their work a few years ago, the strategic planning committee said that one of the values of the congregation was what they called "Widening Circles." Reaching out beyond our walls, sharing and creating Good News with others, building community, and being a center for music and the arts, education, and dialogue on important issues are all examples of what widening our circles can look like. These are all ways
this cathedral can serve the city as both an anchor and a catalyst for change
. One of the comments at the annual meeting was that we need to grow in order to fulfill our mission. Jeremiah 29:7 puts it the other way around: We will grow if we fulfill our mission, if we put our mission first.
The conversations at the annual meeting show that we are on our way.
Thanks be to God.
Dean Shambaugh
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Congratulations and thank you to Erich Chase and Louisa Radtke Rowe
who are part of the leadership team for the Diocesan Middle School event in March. Louisa and Eric spent part of this weekend with the other staff at St Paul's in Brunswick. The middle school event (grades 6-8) is March 10-12 at St Paul's. Register at
www.maineyouth.org
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Youth Verger Recognition:
On Sunday we will be recognizing the achievements of four of our youth vergers with the awarding of a green ribbon for their pectoral crosses. In addition to the practical training provided by the vergers. these young folks have spent time mastering the basic elements of the curriculum of the Verger's Guild of the Episcopal Church. Join us in congratulating William Connolly, Vivica Dunlap, Louisa Radtke Rowe and Josh Willey on their accomplishment. For more information on the program, please contact Jon Radtke.
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Financial Peace University is Back!
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Last Thursday night, the PBS Newshour had a segment entitled "Broke Baby Boomers," which included interview with the author of the book "Fifty-Five, Unemployed, and Faking Normal," a tragic story of people who appear to have everything together but for whom, in terms of finances, everything is falling apart. This can be for couples or individuals of any age. If this is you or someone you know, Financial Peace University might help. Financial Peace University is not about bigger issues or structural causes of poverty or justice. It is about practical, on the ground, basics of personal financial management, about regaining control of money, and about doing so in the framework of Christian values. Though the more evangelical style and theology of Financial Peace University may not your usual cup of tea, Dave Ramsey uses them to present otherwise dry material in a captivating and entertaining way. In the words of one couple, "Financial Peace University saved our marriage." Another person said "It changed my life." Why not give it a try?
This program will meet Sundays from 9-9:45 am beginning 02/05. Nursery care will be provided for young children. See Jamie Cough for more information.
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Choral Evensong, February 5 at 4:00 pm
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Join Albert Melton and the Cathedral Choir on Sunday, February 5 for Choral Evensong.
The service will include choral music of Johannes Eccard, C. Hylton Stewart and Philip Radcliffe, sung by the Cathedral Choir. While admission is free, voluntary donations are gladly accepted.
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Results of Last Sunday's Annual Meeting
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The St. Luke's Annual Meeting and Potluck Luncheon was held last Sunday, January 29. Thank you to all those that made it happen, especially Elise Magnuson who led the amazing Inquiry/Visioning process.
Election Results: Senior Warden: George Cooper. Vestry Members: Georgia Bancroft, Michael Brennan and Michael Courts. Delegates to Convention as determined by number of votes: Sam Allen, Lisle Blind, Donna Bolden, George Cooper, and Fred Fowler. Alternate Delegates: Misha Pride, Jack Swanton and Carter Jedrey-Irvin.
Read the minutes of the Annual Meeting and the Annual Report (including the 2017 budget) on the
cathedral's website.
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Twilight in the Chapel Potluck
Sunday, February 5
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Share the Vision!
Join us for a potluck supper and discussion about the Sunday 5:15 pm service.
Twilight in the Chapel is about to embark upon a new chapter with expanded musical offerings.
Please join us for services at 5:15 on February 5th followed by a potluck supper in the upper hall. Join your clergy for a conversation about the future for a revitalized Twilight service. We will be done before the Superbowl kickoff!
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Happy Valentine's Day
The popular annual Valentine Cookie Walk fundraiser will be held on February 12 at 11:30 am in the upper Hall. This event is sponsored by the Kneeler & Knitters Guild. Come fill your Valentine box with delicious homemade cookies, candy, cupcakes & gluten-free and nut-free sweets. A Valentine box will be $8 each. We ask you to donate your labeled sweets on Friday Feb. 10 in the church office or on Feb. 12 in the upper hall. The proceeds will be donated to St. Luke general fund and Haiti Recovery Fund. For More Information, call Jeri Edgar at 799-3061 |
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Rossini Club February Concert
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The February Concert of the Rossini Club will be held in the Cathedral Nave on Sunday, February 19 at 3 pm.
A reception will follow, during which you can meet the performers.
Suggested donation $10/$5 seniors. Students admitted free of charge.
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Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, and Lent!
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February 28 is Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday! Mark your calendars for our annual pancake dinner from 5-6:30 pm followed by a jazz concert at 7 pm in the nave.
March 1 is Ash Wednesday, with services at 7 am, 12:10 pm, and 7 pm, as well as ashes to go at Monument Square.
Lent will feature a Sunday morning before church newcomers/inquirer's class, an after church Lenten Series, and at least one quiet day.
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Weekly Child Care:
Our nursery (adjacent to the Upper Parish Hall) is available for children 4 years old and under from 9:45 am to 11:45am on Sundays.
Sunday School for pre-K-5th grade is from 9:45 to 10:30 (with the children rejoining their parents at the Peace). Swing by any time after 9:45.
Youth Group for middle and high schoolers is from 11:30-12:30 every week. . All young people in grades 6-12 are invited to attend.
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Sundays:
07:30 am (Chapel)
10:00 am (Nave)
4:00 pm (Nave) - Evensong on 1st Sundays
5:15 pm (Chapel)
Our Sunday 10 am services are livestreamed on our website.
Remember, the office is closed on Mondays.
Tuesdays:
12:10 pm:
Worship (Chapel)
Wednesdays:
5:45 pm: Taize or
Contemplative Prayer
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Don't forget to friend us on
Facebook - St Luke's Cathedral, Portland, ME
Click
here for our full calendar
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A Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of Maine
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Click for a pastoral letter from the bishop of Maine about responding to the times in which we live.
Do you get the diocesan e-news? You should! Click here to sign up!
Mark your calendars for diocesan "Spring Training" -- one day seminars on all aspects of the Christian Life -- on April 19 in Brunswick!
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The Episcopal Church and Refugees
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The Episcopal Church is very involved in speaking out for and working with refugees. To learn more,
click here
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Getting Involved in Advocacy at St. Luke's
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To learn about the Maine Episcopal Network for Justice or the Faith Action Network, contact John Hennessy.
jhennessy@episcopalmaine.net
For information about St Lukans participating in local events, contact Liz Parsons
ecparsons33@hotmail.com
For deeper discussions on the moral side of current issues, plan on attending our Sunday morning Lenten series beginning March 5!
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Spiritual Formation
for Adults
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A Newcomers/Inquirer's Class will be held at 9am on Sunday mornings beginning in March. This is great for anyone wanting to learn more about the Episcopal Church or St. Lukes and is also for anyone (youth or adult) interested in being confirmed in May.
Lenten Series Social Justice is the theme of this years adult program for Lent. The program starts on March 5 with a presentation by Liz Parson entitled What is religion and why does it matter?: How to bring a faith based perspective in the public square. The Lenten Forum will start at 11:30 in the upper hall. Other topics will include: health care, the environment and race.
The Explorers
are reading Donna Hicks' Dignity, a provocative summary of technique and intention for reconciling differences and healing old wounds. We're on chapters 7 and 8, but you may read ahead. But how does one establish one's dignity and/or help provide it for others? Join us from 8:45 to 9:45 am on Sundays to explore new friendships and think the unthinkable. We meet in the Chapter Room.
Heart of the Matter
will explore religious belief through the work of Joseph Campbell each week. It's a great place for those seeking new ways of understanding their relationship with their faith. Join us in Classroom 8 on Sundays from 8:45-9:45
am.
Dwelling on the Word is on winter break.
The Tuesday Bible Study
and brown bag lunch continues each week after the 12:10 service.
The Thursday 7 - 9 pm theological study group continues its explorations of nature's laws and lessons for human behavior. We're reading Sean Carroll's The Big Picture and Bob Hanson's Quantum Mechanics, Points of Contact and the Ethical Imperative. Pick up a copy of Bob's paper in the Chapter Room, and join us to discover nature's mysteries and learn about its laws.
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| Lukulele's Meet February 6 at 7:00 pm |
The Lukuleles are a loose-knit group of ukulele players and those who wish to be. All ages and skill levels are welcome, including those who have never played a ukulele. Because February is the month of valentines, our gathering will include lots of lovey-dovey songs.
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As of February 1, we have received 181 pledges, totalling $348,822. If you lost your pledge card or need stewardship information, click here! We are still a little short of our 2017 budgetary goal of $355,393 so please send your pledge card in as soon as convenient. Thank you!
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New Drop off hours for donations to
St. Elizabeth's Pantry
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Mondays 9-11am
Tuesdays 7:30-11am
Please use our Park Street entrance. Ring the bell and we will open the door in order to allow access to the lower vestibule and St. E's drop box.
Please limit your donation drop offs to these times.
Thank you!
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