A New Era of Music at the Cathedral

On Monday of this week, Christian Clough began as the cathedral’s new Canon for Liturgy and Music. We hope you can join us for the 10 am service this coming Sunday, September 4th, for Christian’s first service at the cathedral. Please stay following the service for a festive coffee hour hosted by the choir. Let’s give Christian a warm welcome!

Many thanks to Harold Stover and Ray Cornils for serving as our interim musicians, to Suezan Moore and others on the transition team, and to the Cathedral Musician search committee: the Rev. David Illingworth (chair), Randy Mullin, Curtis Maurand, Heather Murdoch Curry, Connie Bingham, John Bancroft, the Rev. Suzanne Roberts, Kenna Ferguson, David Savage, Orion Williams, and Anna Christie.

Christian is originally from upstate New York, went to college at the University of Rochester and holds both a Master of Music and a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale University. 

He comes to St. Luke's from his most recent appointment as the Director of Music at St. Paul and the Redeemer Episcopal Church, Hyde Park in Chicago. Before that, he served at the Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C., All Saints by the Sea in Santa Barbara, and St. Thomas’s Church in New Haven. As well leading numerous choirs, creating many recordings and doing a multitude of performances, he has experience as a K-8 music teacher, has led a middle school drama program, has anti-racism training, is skilled with technology, and has occasionally preached on Sunday mornings. Christian’s husband grew up in Maine and both of them have family here. He has long dreamed of coming to Portland and St. Luke’s and is absolutely thrilled to be coming to join us here. 

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Have you ever wanted the opportunity to share your story, interests, or work through an

E-pistle cover letter?

Now is your chance to reach out to fellow parishioners with an E-pistle cover letter through our new 'Community Spotlight'. This is an addition to our regular outreach and communications features.

If you are interested in being featured prominently in our E-pistle through a 'Community Spotlight' please contact the cathedral communications email with your submission details or any questions that you may have.

Submissions should be no longer than five paragraphs long and will also be posted as a blog on the St. Luke's website. 

We will begin featuring submissions starting in the month of October.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Proposed Communications Strategy:

Cathedral Communications Group

The Cathedral Communications Group (CCG) will be a group of St. Luke’s volunteers who are committed to the support of our Cathedral Communications Specialist, Avery Schott, to ensure quality and consistency across all publications on the website, E-pistle, and community publications.

The CCG will be broken into 4 main task forces, allowing volunteers to participate at their comfort level.

These task forces pertain to:

1) Proofing, editing, and approving content

2) Social Media Involvement

3) Outside Publicity and Outreach

4) Appearance and Welcoming

If you are interested in learning more about the role of each task force, please read here.

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Calling All Worship Participants 

Smoke, fire, streamers, and sticks…who wouldn’t want to play with those, especially in church?

The Cathedral Church of St. Luke’s has a long tradition of using incense, torches, streamers,

banners, processional crosses, and verges (those symbolic “sticks” that the vergers carry).

With the retirement of two invaluable head vergers, Thurl Headen and David Savage, we’ve

entered a rebuilding and recruitment mode. We’re seeking people of any age who would like to serve in one of the following roles:

Vergers – think stage managers

Crucifers – carrying the processional cross

Torchbearers – carrying the torches in the processions

Thurifers – carrying/swinging the censor to emit the incense

Boat bearers – carry the incense to be added to the censor

Streamer bearers – those who create magic with streamers in processions

Banner bearers – those who carry banners representing aspects of the Diocese

Acolytes – the training ground and ministry of all of the above

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St. Elizabeth’s Essential Pantry: Covid- 19 Vaccine Clinic

St. Elizabeth's looks forward to offering Covid-19 vaccinations for anyone in the community who needs assistance during these difficult times. For additional event details visit the St. Luke’s website.

Book Discussion Group: Refugia Faith

St. Luke’s is celebrating the Season of Creation, which runs from September 1st through October 4th, in order to renew, repair, and restore our relationship to God, all creation, and to each other. As part of this celebration, Sarah Braik will facilitate a book discussion on Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth Monday nights at the Cathedral in the Chapter Room from 7-8:30 PM Mondays Sept. 12 and 26, Oct. 3, 10, 24, 31 and Nov. 7 and 14. Parishioners from St. Alban’s will be joining us. 

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Public Policy and Environmental Action Team Eco-Tips

How fashion impacts the environment:

According to the United Nations Environmental Program, the fashion industry contributes 10% of the global carbon dioxide output and also 1/5th of the plastic produced yearly.

Synthetics such as polyester are produced from oil and cause micro plastic pollution in rivers and oceans, harming marine and river species. In addition, wastewater from textile production sheds dye, lead, and mercury pollutants into seas and rivers.

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Carter Heyward Book Release

The Maine Council of Churches and The BTS Center have invited world-renowned theologian and Episcopal priest, Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward (one of the “Philadelphia 11” women ordained in 1974, two years before the Episcopal Church authorized ordination of women) to lead us in a conversation about her upcoming book, The 7 Deadly Sins of Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action (Rowman & Littlefield, September 2022). Rev. Dr. Heyward will address the rise of white Christian nationalism and offer perspectives for moving forward with hope and action. Bangor Theological Seminary Professor Emeritus of Christian Ethics, Rev. Dr. Marvin Ellison, will facilitate the online event on September 21 at 4:00 pm.

If you are interested in registering, click here for more information. 

The second Thursday of each month we will gather for Community Suppers in the Lower Hall. We need members of our community to prepare and donate specific side dishes to make these important gatherings break-even.

A notice will go out asking for a specific side dish (e.g., salad, green beans, stir-fry vegetables, potatoes, bread) in the epistle, bulletin, a sign-up sheet at each supper, and posted on the bulletin board.

To volunteer and get on the Community Supper email list, please contact Dawn Brennan-Daly. 

              To learn more about St. Luke's Community kitchen please visit their webpage. 

• The Sunday 5:15 and 12:10 Tuesday services resume the week of September 11

• Next Sunday, September 11 is the startup of Sunday School, the Choir, and the day of our Information Fair

• Our Kneelers and Prayer Shawl Knitters are on hiatus and will resume meeting on September 15.

• We look forward to hosting the Casco Bay UkeFest on October 1, 2022 from 9 am to 4 pm. The day will feature morning workshops for all levels of players as well as afternoon concerts! The Ukefest is excited to feature Amy Conley as a special guest for the festival. You can read more about her work and music here. 

• To read about other events at the Cathedral please visit our events page on the St. Luke's website.