Sunday, September 29th, 2024

The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost



Celebrating the Season of Creation

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

The altar flowers for today’s services 

are given to the glory of God as a gift from the garden 

of cathedral parishioner Paula Gillies

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. 

Service Bulletins

7:30AM Bulletin

10:00AM Bulletin

Livestreaming

Sunday Morning Service Participants

Preacher & Celebrant

The Reverend George Stevens, Interim Dean

Assisting

The Reverend Rebecca Grant, Deacon

Music Leader & Organist

Christian Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music

Verger

John Hennessy

Crucifer

Liam Coy

Lector

Susan McCuller

Prayers Leader

The Reverend Anne Fowler

Ushers

Susan McCuller, Melissa Coy, Deb Marcoux, Gail Swanton

Live Streaming

Jack Swanton, Sam Allen

Eucharistic Ministers

Philip Hamilton, William Hoyt

Contributing Ministries

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

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: The Reverend Dr. Celestine Hategekimana

Reflector: Elizabeth Parsons

HAPPENING TODAY

Portland Rossini Club Concert

3:00PM

The Cathedral Nave

Tickets at the door: $15/ 10$ for seniors

Join the Portland Rossini Club this afternoon for the opening concert of their 154th season!

The concert will feature the following selections

-string quartet, Ladies of Note, performing Juan Arriaga’s Quartet No. 1 in D minor

-pianist Steven Blumenthal playing Robert Schumann’s Kinderszenen

-soprano Torrey Gimpel and pianist Jonathan Prak performing songs by Giacomo Puccini, Douglas Moore, and George Gershwin

-pianists Ruth Matt and Leah Neuchiller playing Allegro movement of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony.

Tickets $15 at the door.

To learn more visit the Rossini Club's website here.

UPCOMING

Stewardship Campaign 2025

"Walk in Love"

Communications & Materials Coming Soon!

Please stay tuned to the E-pistle in the coming weeks for upcoming communications for our 2025 Stewardship Campaign.

This year, our stewardship theme, 'Walk in Love' invites us to journey together in faith, unity, and purpose.

Inspired by Ephesians 5:1-2, we are called to imitate God's love in our lives and our community.

As we navigate our path forward, including our ongoing process of conflict transformation, walking in love reminds us that our faith journey is not solitary but shared.

It challenges us to align our actions with our values, to support one another in times of need, and to be open to the transformative power of God's love.

Through our stewardship, we have the opportunity to tangibly express this love - whether through our time, talents, or resources. 

As you reflect on the stewardship theme please use the following questions:

• What are examples of walking in love you have experienced at St. Luke’s?
• What ministry of our congregation is most hopeful or most exciting to you?
• When was a time that the community was there for you?
• How do you experience God’s abundance?

If you are interested in sharing your reflections with the wider congregation in the form of testimonial during an upcoming service, participating in a stewardship video, or sharing your thoughts in writing, please contact the parish office via email.

Help Stuff Envelopes

If you would like to help stuff stewardship materials, please join us in the Upper Hall on Wednesday, October 16th at 1PM for a mailing party.

Coffee, tea, and pastries will be available! If you are interested in participating please email the parish office.

Pick-Up Choir Opportunity in October

Join Us!

10:00AM Service on October 6

Meet in the Choir Room at 8:45AM

Join us on October 6 for a pick up choir which will sing during the 10:00AM Eucharist.

We will meet in the choir room at 8:45AM to prepare Shaker songs and psalm

All ages (yes, including children!), abilities, experience levels are welcome!

For more information, contact Christian Clough

Choral Evensong

Sunday October 6

4:00PM

The Cathedral Nave

Join us on Sunday October 6 at 4PM for our first choral evensong of the choir season.

The service will feature music by Dorothy Papadakos, Jennifer L. Stammers, Louis Halsey, Théodore Dubois.

Help us spread the word! Invite your friends and neighbors!

We look forward to gathering together for this moving service of worship and music.

PPEAT Meeting

October 8

6-7PM

Zoom

The St. Luke's Public Policy and Environmental Action Team will 

meet Tuesday October 8 from 6-7 PM. 

All are welcome. Join us via Zoom

For more information email Ruth Roemer.

Vote Forward Letter-Writing Party

Sunday October 13

11:45AM

The Upper Hall

In Romans 13:8-9 Paul exhorts us to love our neighbor and participate in the life of civil society grounded in the commandment to love our neighbor. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry tells us that “It is a Christian's obligation to vote and more than that it is the Church's responsibility to get souls to the polls.” 

To that end, on Sunday October 13 at 11: 45 AM, following coffee hour, the St. Luke’s Public Policy and Environmental Action Team is sponsoring a Vote Forward letter-writing party to encourage Americans to go to the polls this November.

We will supply letters and envelopes and you will add your own positive, heartfelt and nonpartisan personal note in the body of the letter. Come and write as few as 5 or as many as 20 letters.

And check out the Episcopal Church’s Vote Faithfully Election Election Engagement Toolkit

Luke's Garden

To Host a Screening of Documentary

1946: The Mistranslation

that Shifted Culture

October 27th at 12PM

in the Chapter Room

Join Luke's Garden, St. Luke's LGBTQ+ group for their next gathering on October 27th following coffee hour, for a screening of 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture.

This impactful documentary is described as the following:

"1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture is a feature documentary that follows the story of tireless researchers who trace the origins of the anti-gay movement among Christians to a grave mistranslation of the Bible in 1946.

It chronicles the discovery of never-before-seen archives at Yale University which unveil astonishing new revelations, and casts significant doubt on any biblical basis for LGBTQIA+ prejudice.



Featuring commentary from prominent scholars as well as opposing pastors, including the personal stories of the film’s creators, 1946 is at once challenging, enlightening, and inspiring. "

Learn more on the webpage here.

The screening is open to all who would like to attend. For more information contact Orion Williams.

Concert for Climate

October 27

2:30PM

Cathedral Nave

Join pianist Sydney Patten alongside musical guests and speakers for the Concert for Climate on October 27th at 2:30PM in the Cathedral Nave.

This is a multimedia event designed to educate, entertain and inspire the audience of all ages to take specific actions to help mitigate climate change. This is a not-for-profit educational and fundraising event. Proceeds will benefit the Maine chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, and help to bring young people to the annual conference in Washington D.C.

Tickets are available at the link here.

For more information contact the organizer of the concert here.

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.

St. Luke's To Host Service of Holy Eucharist

for Diocesan Convention

Saturday, November 16

11:30 AM

The cathedral will host a service of Holy Eucharist during the 205th Diocesan convention on Saturday, November 16th at 11:30AM.

All are welcome to attend.

Details regarding participating in the liturgy will be published soon. Please stay tuned!

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.

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!

Recording Available from Last Week's Guest Speaker

Susanne Lee

Last week the St. Luke's Public Policy & Environmental Action Team welcomed Susanne Lee, Faculty Fellow with University of Maine’s Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, for her presentation entitled Maine Food: Too Good to Waste. Susanne's presentation was also attended by parishioners from our neighboring congregations from St. Peter's and St. Alban's.

Thanks are given to all who helped make this impactful presentation possible.

If you were not able to attend Sunday's presentation but would like to learn more, a recording is available below and on the cathedral Youtube and Facebook pages.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thank You to All Who Attended The World  Café

We are grateful to all of the members of the community who contributed to the fruitful discussions and reflections during the World Café as part of our conflict transformation work at the cathedral.

St. Elizabeth’s Coat Drive

As the cold weather approaches, St Elizabeth's is looking for donations of coats and boots (new and gently used) to make available for our neighbors. 

Please leave your donations in the blue box in the lower hall, next to the stairs.

Contact Byrd Wood if you have questions.

Considering the Creed

Tuesday Evenings in October

6:30-8:00PM

The Chapter Room

Some of us affirm the Nicene Creed each Sunday as a bedrock of our worship; others admit that they say it with their fingers crossed!

As we approach the 1700th anniversary of the Creed, St. Luke’s is offering a five-week class designed to explore our questions about the Creed and what it means to be a creedal church in the modern age.

Each week will be led by different members of the Cathedral staff and retired clergy. Come for one session or many!

Meetings will take place Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8:00 in the Chapter Room or via Zoom.

With any questions please Contact Linda Carleton

Week 1, October 1

Introduction to the Nicene Creed and its history and a chance to share our initial thoughts about the creed.

Led by the Rev. George Stevens, Bob Hanson, and Linda Carleton

Week 2, October 8

God, the Father.

Led by the Rev. Christopher Worthley

Week 3, October 15

The Birth and Nature of Jesus.

Led by the Rev. George Stevens

Week 4, October 22

“The Comma” which represents the life of Jesus and the Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Led by Linda Carleton

Week 5, October 29

The Holy Spirit and the Church.

Led by Deacon Rebecca Grant

Soul Talk

Every Fourth Tuesday of the Month

10-11:30AM in the Oratory

Soul Talk is an informal coffee and discussion group exploring our faith and experience of God meeting on fourth Tuesdays, 10-11:30 in the Chapter Room.

Our next meeting will be October 22nd.

Come once a month or once in a while!

If you’d like to receive materials prior to each month’s meeting contact Linda Carleton via email.

Preble Street Conference on Homelessness:

Solutions Start with ME

Thursday, October 17th

8AM-5PM

The Holiday Inn by the Bay

88 Spring St, Portland, ME 04101

Homelessness is a crisis and is continuing to escalate throughout Maine. This crisis is driven by a wide range of complex factors including a lack of affordable housing and accessible emergency shelter, minimal shelter funding, an increase in unsheltered individuals, and rising numbers of people needing support for managing substance use disorders and behavioral health issues. 

New effective strategies and systemic changes are needed to meet the growing challenges in Maine. This 2nd Conference, Solutions Start with ME, provides an opportunity to hear from leaders doing similar work in other parts of the country. Through collective action, we hope to have greater impact for the most vulnerable people in our community.  This year’s event will take place on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at the Holiday Inn By the Bay, in Portland, ME.

Join Preble Street, the Atlantic Charitable Fund, and other key stakeholders from throughout the state – state and local government, nonprofits, faith leaders, funders, people with lived experience, and business leaders – to collectively focus on critical solutions for Maine to tackle this growing issue.

To learn more visit the webpage here.

Nightingale Fall Festival

October 17 from 4PM-7PM



144 State Street, Portland, ME 04101

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. Please note that events highlighted below are only a small portion of all resources available.

Statewide Interfaith Prayer Service

will Commemorate Lewiston Anniversary

Tuesday, October 1

10AM

Plaza Between Cross Building and State House in Augusta

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

"On Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 10 a.m., Bishop Brown, along with Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim faith leaders, will be leading an interfaith prayer service outdoors in the plaza between the Cross Building and the rear entrance of the State House in Augusta. This service will commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tragic mass shooting in Lewiston.

As we gather to remember those lost and offer support to survivors and the community, Bishop Brown along with all other faith leaders will, together, offer a message of hope, healing, and unity. All are welcome to attend as we come together in faith and solidarity."

Spirit Chats

Tuesdays, Oct. 15, 22, 29, and Nov. 5,12, 7 p.m.

On Zoom

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

"Deepen your connection with God and fellow companions this Autumn through Spirit Chats, an exciting opportunity for small group faith sharing.  Have you ever experienced a “God-incident” in your life and wanted to share it but weren’t sure where or with whom? Perhaps this has so spilled over into your daily life, you want to talk about it with others but find it difficult to find the setting. If you feel God has been moving in your life, and you want to hear from others how God is moving in theirs, the Evangelism Task Force—a joint project of the Episcopal dioceses of Maine and New Hampshire—has an opportunity and an invitation for you to share your story during Spirit Chats."

Register here to receive the Zoom link. Reach out with questions to the Rev. Tim Higgins or the Rev. Alanna Van Antwerpen.

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

Noon Zoom has been moved to Thursdays

The weekly meeting of Noon Zoom has been moved to Thursday afternoons.

If you would like to participate and receive updates, please email Sam Allen.

The Biblical Study Group

The Biblical Study Group meets in the Chapter Room at 8:30AM.

The topic for our sessions is 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. 

Sing With the Cathedral Choir

The Cathedral Choir is welcoming new members! We hope you’ll join us for fun, learning, fellowship, and the joy of music-making in community.

Previous singing experience is not required. Short-term commitments are possible.

Rehearsals most Thursdays 7-9PM, singing most Sunday 10AM liturgies & for several additional services throughout the year.

If you are interested in joining, please contact Christian Clough.

St. Luke's Flower Guild

There are still openings on the altar flower schedule until the end of the calendar year if you would like to sign up to give flowers in memory of someone or to acknowledge an occasion such as an anniversary. 

If you are interested, please see the sign-up chart posted on the bulletin board outside of the parish office. Once you have signed up, please bring or send a monetary donation (a 75$ gift is customary) to the office along with the information to be included in the Sunday service bulletin.

If you have questions about the process please contact the parish office at (207)-772-5434 or contact flower guild co-chairs, Mary Doughty and Kathy Watt.

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!

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.

• Contemplative prayer meets each week on Zoom on Thursday at 4:30PM

• Noon Zoom meets on Thursday afternoons at 12:00PM



• 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