The E-pistle of Sunday, February 19th, 2023

The Last Sunday After the Epiphany

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Guests, Parish Members, Online Visitors, and Friends. If you are just passing through, we thank you for joining us. If you are here longer, we hope you will make St. Luke’s your spiritual home.

St. Luke’s has the unique role of being both a cathedral and a parish church. Wherever you are in your faith journey, whatever you believe, no matter who you are, who you love, or who you vote for, we welcome you into our parish family and our worship today.

Sunday Morning Service Participants

Preacher & Celebrant The Rev. Dr. Paul St. Germain, Transition Priest In Charge

Assisting The Rev. Rebecca Grant, Deacon

Music Leader & Organist Christian M. Clough, Canon for Liturgy and Music

Ushers Bob Parshley, Martha Parshley, Deb Marcoux, &

MJ Northrop

Lector James Hornor

Prayers Leader Joseph Duclos

The Healing Team Sara Schmalz &  Elise Magnuson

Live Streaming Jack Swanton, Sam Allen

Contributing Ministries The Cathedral Choir, Acolytes and Vergers,

The Flower Guild, The Altar Guild

Happening at the Cathedral on Sunday

Sunday Mornings|9:45am

Location: Upper Hall

Contact: Sarah Dowling

 Our Sunday school and nursery are both open today. Sunday school begins in the upper hall at 9:45, with children returning to their families at the sharing of the Peace. The nursery is open every Sunday from 9:45-11:30. Families are always welcome!

Sunday Mornings|8:45am-9:45am

Location: The Chapter Room

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

The Tanakh (the Old Testament)  consists of the ancient stories of the Hebrew people as they searched for a description of the character of YHVH, the Almighty.  What they uncovered over this 1000 year period  (900 BCE to 100 CE )was that God had NOT changed, but that their own understanding  had grown and had changed.   In the seventh century BCE, their conceptions of God had radically  altered with the coming of the three great prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  With Isaiah II, and specifically chapter 53, the people learned of Yahveh’s love and forgiveness; with Jeremiah (1:5)' they learned of God’s adoption of them as His consecrated for holiness children, and with Ezekiel they heard the good news of the restoration not only of the Holy Land  all those who had died (the bones being reassembled).  These scriptures also foretell the  creation of the Spirit of God within man and of that  entity which is taken after death to be with God for the after-life period. Also the two forms of God’s realms, ie., that on earth and that in God’s visible and immediate presence.  The picture or promise of these also foretells the coming of another king, a Messiah, who will reign over all creation. Join us as we discover the nature of this holiest of journeys.  Come and learn about the nature of God’s presence within us, and how we can learn to better understand how God is heard when He speaks.

Announcements

Ash Wednesday February 22nd, 2023 The Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes

Services at 7:00 AM, Noon, 7:00 PM

(music @ 7p only)

“The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith. We are invited, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”  (BCP p. 264)

Prayer List to Renew for Lent

Beginning February 26 (the First Sunday of Lent) the parish prayer list will renew. If you or a loved one would like to remain on the list, please contact the parish office to update pastoral information and the nature of the prayer request. We will be renewing the prayer list in accordance with the liturgical seasons of the church.

Stewardship Update

As of February 9th we have 150 pledges for a total of $432,709.

If you have not submitted a 2023 pledge yet, please do so as soon as you can as our 2023 budget shows pledge income at $470,000.

Give/ Pledge to St. Luke's

5:15 pm Service Has Paused Until the

Appointment of a New Dean

With Dean Shambaugh's departure, the 5:15 pm Sunday Service has gone on hiatus. This service will resume with the appointment of a full time interim. For additional questions please email the Rev. Dr. K. Paul St. Germain.

Messiaen Concert by Ensemble Chamarré

Sunday, February 26th | 3:00pm

Location: The Cathedral Nave

Free will offering in support of St. Elizabeth's Pantry

Contact: Christian Clough

Please join us on Sunday, February 26th at 3pm in the Cathedral Nave as we host Ensemble Chamarré for a concert of the music of Olivier Messiaen. Please read the description of the concert below:

Ensemble Chamarré is dedicated to performing the powerful and moving "Quatuor pour la fin du temps" by Olivier Messiaen. This piece (translated as the Quartet for the End of Time) was composed during an excruciatingly difficult time while Messiaen was captured and held in a German POW camp during World War II. The Quartet for the End of Time draws its inspiration from the Book of Revelation, birdsong, and the colors of the northern lights. The first performance was held in the camp during the bleak winter of 1941 with Messiaen at the piano, and fellow prisoners playing violin, cello, and clarinet. Ensemble Chamarré seeks to help the listener to experience the context of this extraordinary masterpiece of chamber literature by describing the conditions at the camp and details of Messiaen's experience as it relates to the music. Listeners may draw inspiration from this musical and spiritual journey of triumph and redemption over despair.

 Past performances were greeted with great enthusiasm from audience members, who described it as “a transforming experience”. Following these successful performances together playing Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, and witnessing the transformational qualities of that musical work and the audiences' response, as well as the musicians’ chemistry of working together, the musicians decided to formally create an ensemble dedicated to playing this powerful piece. The musicians who make up Ensemble Chamarré individually bring a great mix of experiences to the ensemble: from performances with the Boston Symphony on international stages to recording for Aerosmith, from movie soundtracks to concerto solo performances. They have performed worldwide, earning praise from reviewers citing their “mesmeric” and “brilliant” playing and “amazing delicacy” and “musical wizardry”.

Weekly Ministries

• St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center is offered every Tuesday from 8:30 am to 11 am.
• The Food Pantry is open from 9 am to 11 am every Thursday.
• Noon prayer is offered every Wednesday via Zoom.
• The Tuesday 12:10 Eucharist gathers weekly in Emmanuel Chapel. Join via Zoom.
• Contemplative Prayer is offered every Thursday at 4:30 pm via Zoom.
• Compline is also offered weekly on Friday from 8-9pm on Zoom. For additional details contact Ray Murdoch Curry

https://episcopalmaine.org/

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