The E-pistle of Sunday, December 17th, 2023

Holy Eucharist, Rite II

7:30AM in Emmanuel Chapel



Holy Eucharist, Rite II

10:00AM in the Nave & Livestreamed

The Cathedral Church of St. Luke

in the

City of Portland

and the

Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Whoever you are,

and wherever you may be on the journey of the spirit, 

The Episcopal Church welcomes you.

Welcome to St. Luke’s Cathedral



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 & Celebrant

The Reverend George R. Stevens, Interim Dean

Assisting

The Reverend Rebecca A. Grant, Deacon

The Reverend Suzanne Roberts M.D., Associate Priest

Music Leader & Organist

Christian M. Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music

Advent Wreath Prayers Leader

Louisa Radtke-Rowe

Lector

Marlene Cordes

Prayers Leader

Peter Bingham

Ushers

Peter Bingham, Deb Marcoux, Bob Parshley, Martha Parshley

Head Verger

Eleanor Roberts

Verger

John Hennessy

Crucifer

Liam Coy

Live Streaming

Jack Swanton, Sam Allen

The Healing Team

Jonathan Radtke, Betsey Deleuse

Contributing Ministries

The Cathedral Choir, 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). 

Happening at the Cathedral Today

Lessons and Carols Service Participants

Music Leader & Organist

Christian M. Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music

Officiant

The Reverend George Stevens, Interim Dean

Readers

Marlene Cordes

Terry Foster

David Vardeman

Judd Hume

Mary Linneman

John Bancroft

Jon Radtke

Christopher Worthley

Peter Bingham

Ushers

Susan McCuller, Chester Bishop, Stan Kuziel, Mary Linneman

Head Verger

Eleanor Roberts

Live Streaming

Jack Swanton, Sam Allen

Contributing Ministries

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

Members of the Cathedral Choir

Georgia Bancroft • Onnie Benoist • Phoebe Blume • Robert Brokaw • Linda Carleton

Joseph Colquhoun • Lynn Dalheim • Ellise Johnson • Curtis Maurand • Jamie Moore

Suezan Moore • Parker Roberts • Harold Rodriguez • Shana Rose • William Salomon

Connie Schmalz • Dan Schmalz • Gay Tucker • Kathy Watt • Stacie Webb

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who have made this celebration possible: our singers, readers, flower and altar guild members, those who greened the cathedral for the season, liturgical participants, office staff, and all cathedral volunteers who support our ongoing ministries.

Thank you, one and all!

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). 

Join the Young and the Restless for Their Meeting Today!

Today, Sunday, December 17th The Young and the Restless have their meeting at Noon.

The meeting will start out with a town hall format discussion about how we would like to plan out our goals and events for 2024.

We will finish the meeting with our annual white elephant holiday gift exchange event.

If you are interested please contact Eleanor Roberts or Shana Rose for more details. Hope to see you there!

Sunday Mornings|8:45-9:45AM

Location: The Chapter Room

Contact: The Rev. Dr. Bob Hanson at 207-405-8250. 

Join us in the Chapter Room from 8:45–9:45 AM on Sunday mornings. Bob Hanson, Biblical scholar, linguist and theologian, leads our group. For more information call Bob at (207) 405- 8250. Activity units are distributed for each session. Assigned readings are from the Biblical books under consideration. The journey is a joyous one.

St. Luke’s Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

Christmas is fast approaching and it’s time to think of the Christmas Pageant! The pageant is part of the 5 pm Christmas eve service. All children and teens are invited to participate.

Children’s friends or cousins are invited participate; grandchildren are invited to participate too!

Rehearsals are on December 17 at 11:30 and Dec 24 (before the service) at 4 pm.

Please talk to Christian Education director Sarah Dowling regarding the location of today's rehearsal.

While it would be good to have everyone at all the rehearsals; we are very flexible around rehearsal attendances.

Please let the pageant director know if your children and teens want to participate.

For more information email Sarah Dowling or contact her by phone at 207-653-1017.

Community Announcements

Stewardship 2024

We are grateful for everyone in the Cathedral community who has made generous contributions and pledges for 2024.

We also want to extend a special welcome to the 23 households who have made their first pledge to St. Luke's!

If you wish to join in making a financial pledge to support the Cathedral's mission and ministry, please contact the office or pledge online.

Together our pledges will define the resources we will have to devote to our mission in 2024 as a community. We welcome and invite all contributions to support this effort!

Every gift is gratefully received and enriches our lives. Thank you.

With gratitude,

Randi Hogan

Stewardship Chair

Nominations for Vestry and Convention Delegates

The Cathedral’s Annual Meeting date has been set for February 4, 2024. An

important part of the agenda will be election of the Junior Warden (two-year term),

election of three Vestry members for three-year terms, and election of one Vestry

member for a two-year term. In addition, we will elect five Delegates for Diocesan

Convention, plus alternates.

Our Bylaws specify the Nominations Committee for these positions consist of the

outgoing Warden and Vestry members, plus the Interim Dean. This year’s

Nominations Committee includes: Fred Fowler, Jane Briggs, Catherine Hyde, Linda

Carleton, and George Stevens.

We invite nominees for these positions. You may nominate yourself or someone

else, provided that you seek that person’s permission to serve if elected.

Nominations may be sent to Senior Warden Sam Allen or Interim

Dean, The Rev. George Stevens.

If you have questions about what the positions entail, please consult Sam, George, or Acting Junior Warden Fred Fowler.

Please make nominations no later than January 3, 2024. Thank you!

Join us for Christmas at St. Luke's Cathedral!

On the 24th of December we will offer our 7:30AM and 10:00AM Services in observation of Advent IV.

At 5:00PM we will offer a family service with our annual Christmas pageant in celebration of Christmas Eve.

At 10:00PM we will offer our candlelit Christmas service featuring musical offerings from our choir and festival brass. A prelude of musical offerings will begin at 9:30PM.

On the 25th of December we will offer a service in celebration of Christmas Day at 10:00AM.

Blessings to you and your loved ones during this holiday season!

Each Week Saint Luke’s supports vital ministries in our wider community. 

Several examples of these ministries include:

• Saint Elizabeth’s, a Diocesan Jubilee Center at Saint Luke's, provides such non-food essentials as soaps, detergent, diapers, coats, boots, and housewares to hundreds of native and new Mainers. 
• Our Food Pantry feeds upward of 300 people a week
• Family Promise works to provide housing and support for homeless families in Portland. 
• The Haiti Partnership helped to build a school in rural Duny, Haiti and now provides daily lunches for its students, supports two teachers’ salaries and raises funds toward a scholarship fund. 
• The Public Policy and Environmental Action Team (PPEAT) gives us an opportunity to support policies that align with Christian values of compassion, equality, and justice. 

None of these ministries can exist solely on the allotment from Saint Luke’s budget. They are dependent on all of our support. 

Through the Alternative Giving at Christmas program, you have a chance to donate to any or all of them.

When you fill out a form either on paper or online, and return it by December 15, we will mail you gift cards that you can use as stocking stuffers or include with Christmas cards.

Please contact Linda Carleton with any questions you may have regarding picking up or receiving gift cards.

To participate in Alternative Giving for Christmas

1)Complete the form online or submit a physical form.

If you are submitting a physical form, please do so either by mail, bringing it to the cathedral office during business hours, or submit it during the offering on Sunday morning.

The Cathedral's mailing address is: P.O. Box 4141 Portland, ME 04101.

2) Submit payment

Options include:

• Send a physical check to our mailing address at P.O. Box 4141 Portland, ME 04101. Please note "Alternative Giving" in the memo.

or

• Visit our Realm Giving Page and make a donation to each of the ministries you would like to donate to. The different ministries are listed in the dropdown menu

For convenience links to give to the ministries highlighted in Alternative Giving are also available below:

Give to The St. Luke's Food Pantry

Give to St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center

Give to The Haiti-Maine Partnership

Give to Greater Portland Family Promise

Additional Notes

Alternative Giving Forms can also be found at both entrances to the Nave, on our website, and in the Cathedral Office.

If you are unable to pick up a form in person or online, please contact the parish office and we will happily mail one to you.

If you have any questions, please contact Linda Carleton.

Christmas Flower and Greens Contributions

Each Christmas Season the St. Luke’s Flower Guild welcomes contributions to support the flowers and greens present during Christmas Services at the cathedral.

Gifts are made in memory of and thanksgiving for loved ones. The names of all individuals are noted in the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Bulletins.

We will include all names and submissions received by the deadline of Dec. 18th

To make a Christmas Flowers and Greens Contribution

1)Complete the form online or submit a physical form.

2) Submit payment

Options include:

• Send a physical check to our mailing address at P.O. Box 4141 Portland, ME 04101. Please note "Christmas Flowers" in the memo.

or

Select one of the two options:

• Visit our Realm Giving Page for Christmas Flowers

• Realm Giving Page for General Support of the Cathedral at Christmas



Additional Notes

Christmas Flowers and Greens Forms can be found at both entrances to the Nave, on our website, and in the Cathedral Office.

If you are unable to pick up a form in person or online, please contact the parish office and we will happily mail one to you.

Christmas Serving Opportunity

St. Luke's is seeking additional helpers in the Christmas Eve Vigil and the Christmas Day service. Interested in participating in the service?

Please contact Head Verger Eleanor Roberts for more information. All ages welcome.

Congregational Assessment Using The Holy Cow!

Church Survey Tool

Dear Friends,

In the ten weeks since I arrived at the Cathedral of St. Luke, I have learned much about this community of faith.  Some of you have been here for generations, others have just arrived, and all of you are committed to deepening your faith through service, worship and prayer. 

During this interim period, it is now time for us to learn from your varied experiences and opinions about the readiness for our cathedral to begin a search for our next Dean.  On the recommendation of the Rev. Pamela Mott, our search consultant, the vestry has engaged Holy Cow! Consulting for our first step in the process. 

The Congregation Assessment Tool (CAT) is an online assessment of a congregation that is completed by members of the church.  This tool will provide the Vestry with understanding of the health of our congregation, a sense of where members think the church should head in the future, and a description of the church as a unique body of people. In the coming months there will be many ways to add your voice and thoughts for your hopes for our next clergy leader. This survey allows your vestry to understand how to structure this process and areas of focus during the interim.

Please see the attached  link to the survey where you can share your experiences in and priorities for our church.  Please do not discuss the survey or your answers with others as this may influence their answers.

If you need a paper copy, please come to the office, or email the cathedral office, and we will provide one for you along with a self-addressed stamped return envelope. We will be collecting responses until Wednesday, December 20.

All answers are strictly anonymous.  We have no way of matching any assessment to a particular person, so please feel free to candidly share your perceptions, opinions and experiences.  Our next steps in the search process are dependent on your participation and honest answers.

If you have questions, please contact the Rev. George R. Stevens, Interim Dean by email or by telephone in the church office at (207) 772-5434 extension 201.  

Many thanks,

The Rev. George R. Stevens 

Interim Dean

One important note:  If only one member of your family receives this email, it may be tempting to have one person take the survey on behalf of the family. However, please be sure your spouse and all young adults living in your home have an opportunity to complete the survey. 

We ask respectively that every person only takes the survey once.

INDIVIDUAL INPUT is key to our gaining insight into overall perceptions and experiences.

or scan the QR Code Below to Access

Eco tips for the holidays from

the Public Policy and Environmental Action Team

With the Season of Advent and Christmas approaching, here are some tips that will help the Earth:

1. Think green: Buy from local shops or artisans for gifts. This helps the earth in reducing fossil fuel use when items are shipped over distances.

2. Ditch the single use plastic:as plastic is a major source of harm to the earth -it is made from fossil fuels and also does not break down easily.

3.Try to find gifts and decorations made from natural or recycled sources.

4..Give batter-free gifts as discarded batteries are a hazard to the environment.

5.. Gift memories rather than things. For example tickets to an event.,

6.. Connect with nature, perhaps join an Audubon bird walk or bird count event.

7. Choose LED lighting when decorating with lights.

Sacred Ground Opportunity

Looking for an opportunity to learn more about the racial justice through the lens of a film-based dialogue series on race and faith?

The Episcopal Church has an amazing program - Sacred Ground.

To view a Sacred Ground informational video click here. 

To learn more about Sacred Ground click here. 

There is a group forming for a mid-January kick-off. The group is scheduled to meet on Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM.

Participants from all areas are welcome.

For more information contact the facilitators:

Email Denise Noble - Diocese of Vermont

or

Email Rebecca Grant - Diocese of Maine

The Healing Team Schedule

The Healing Team offers prayers of healing during or after communion. The following team members will be offering prayers on the following Sundays:

December 17: Jon Radtke & Betsey Deleuse

December 24: Sara Schmalz & Judd Hume (10PM Christmas Eve)

December 31: Peter Carleton & Sara Schmalz

St. Elizabeth's Pantry Coat Drive

As we gear up for colder temperatures, St. Elizabeth’s is launching its annual coat and boot drive. Many of our neighbors come from warmer climates and don’t have the necessary clothing for fall and winter in Maine. 

Large and Extra-Large sized coats for both men and women are most needed, but coats and boots of all sizes are welcome. Items should be in clean, good condition.

Monetary donations may also be made for the purchase of new coats and boots for our neighbors.

Financial contributions can be mailed to: St. Elizabeth’s Jubilee Center PO Box 4036 Portland, ME 04101 or visit here.

Updates from The Diocese

and Wider Church

An Advent Message of Hope and Inclusion

from Bishop Thomas Brown (2023)

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry released from Hospital

published by the Episcopal Office of Public Affairs

Following his Dec. 4 surgery for a subdural hematoma, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has been released from the hospital and will continue recovering at home. His surgeon is happy with his continued progress, and Bishop Curry will be attending follow-up appointments and working from home in the days ahead.

Read all health updates.

Ongoing Opportunities & Announcements

Help with Coffee Hour

Coffee Hour needs hosts. It's fun and easy! No commitment required— you can do it once and that's a help. Please check out the schedule and if there is a date you can serve, contact Gail Kesich or Liz Griffin.  

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 every Tuesday at Maine Beer Company in Freeport for Trivia from 6-8.

 Other events happen sporadically throughout the month, however trivia is a great 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.

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

Clarification Regarding Pledging Using Realm

Thank you to all of our community members who have made a pledge gift using Realm.

Treasurer Tim Wilkins and Financial Administrator Nina Andersen wish to clarify the process of setting up a pledge through Realm.

In order for our team to have a record of your pledge for the year please complete and submit a pledge form. This informs us of your total amount to be pledged for the year before using Realm to enter a payment plan in Vanco for your 2024 pledge. We appreciate your understanding and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please contact Tim Wilkins or Nina Andersen with any questions you may have.

Events in the Wider Community

The Maine Pops Concert Band Presents

Their Annual Holiday Benefit Concert

Join the Maine Pops Concert Band for their Holiday Benefit Concert on December 20th at 7:00PM in the Cathedral Nave.

Repertoire will feature beloved old standards and exciting new music.

All proceeds will benefit St. Luke's community outreach efforts.

To learn more about this concert and the Maine Pops Concert Band, visit their website here.

Weekly Ministries

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



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

• Noon prayer is offered every Wednesday via Zoom.

• 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. 

stlukesportland.org

(207)-772-5434

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