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The E-Pistle of Thursday
March 16th, 2023
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Please note that due to the length of content, the full E-pistle may not appear on your screen.
If viewing in your email browser, please click the above button link above to access the whole newsletter.
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Weekly Ministries
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The Food Pantry is open from 9 am to 11 am every Thursday.
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Noon prayer is offered every Wednesday via Zoom.
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The Tuesday 12:10 Eucharist gathers weekly in Emmanuel Chapel. Join via Zoom.
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Contemplative Prayer is offered every Thursday at 4:30 pm via Zoom.
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Compline is offered weekly on Friday from 8-8:30pm on Zoom. For additional details contact Ray Murdoch Curry
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The Rt. Rev. Frank Tracy Griswold III, who served as the 25th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church from 1998-2006, died Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of 85.
Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry offered the following statement:
“Please join me in prayer for Bishop Griswold’s family and for all of us who give thanks for a remarkable and faithful servant of God who served among us as the 25th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. May the soul of Bishop Griswold, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercies of God, rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The Rt. Rev. Frank Tracy Griswold III died Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A renowned preacher known for his warmth and wit, Griswold served as the 25th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, leading the Protestant denomination from 1998 to 2006. Griswold also co-chaired the Roman Catholic-Anglican Commission from 1998 to 2003 and made significant contributions to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and to its practical use in the liturgical life of the church. Griswold’s private spiritual practice was deeply informed by the early mothers and fathers of the church, and he championed Eastern traditions of the open-hearted and healing power of God’s love.
Read Full Publication Here
Arrangements for Bishop Griswold’s funeral service are listed below. All are invited to attend. The service will be livestreamed here
The Rite of Christian Burial
Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 11 a.m. Eastern
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 4521 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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As The Episcopal Church’s Good Friday Offering enters its second century, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites bishops, congregations, and supporters—in his annual Lent letter—into “that selfless way of living” demonstrated by Jesus of Nazareth on the cross.
Read Full Article Here
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Lent 2023 letter from
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Siblings in the Lord:
I greet you in the name of our loving, liberating, and life-giving Savior, Jesus Christ, in this, the 101st year of the Good Friday Offering.
In February 1968, two months before his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a sermon in Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, in which he remarked that upon his death he wanted to be remembered neither for his fame nor accomplishments but for serving others. He ended that sermon by quoting from Alma Bazel Androzzo’s much-loved song, “If I Can Help Somebody,” which Dr. King first heard 20 years before:
“If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or a song.
If I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.”
Read Full Letter Here
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"Walking with Jack”
(The Story of C.S. Lewis)
Thursday Evenings
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: The Upper Hall
Contact: The Rev. Dr. Paul St Germain
Considered by some the greatest Christian writer in the English language, this tells the story of how a brilliant atheist embraced faith in Jesus Christ in the mid Twentieth Century.
“Walking with Jack” is a series of multimedia events that will include illustrated presentations reflecting 40 years of study and travel to Oxford University and Lewis’ home – The Kilns; the biographical tribute: “The Magic Never Ends”(narrated by Sir Ben Kingsley); and an old-fashioned “reading-group style” gathering to hear passages from Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, A Grief Observed, and the beloved Chronicles of Narnia.
Thursday evenings 7:30 to 9:00 PM. Refreshments will be served. Presented by The Rev. Dr. Paul St Germain.
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Lent 2023: “Our Hope for Years to Come – The Search for Spiritual Sanctuary”
Meditations by Micah and Martin Marty
Explore the depths of the soul on a journey of “ressourcement” (or a return to the divine source) in this modern spiritual classic. Through images, hymnody, and words let us wade into the “well-spring of living water” and discover the Spirit’s own sanctuary. This individual journey begins on Ash Wednesday and triumphs on Easter morning. Throughout Lent, this theme will be uplifted in a number of ways – from sermons to the “mere Christianity” of CS Lewis.
Several meditation “spaces” around the cathedral will be available to encounter this book. We are invited to pause, ponder, and perhaps reflect upon the divine beginnings (or sparks) of our faith. Books are also available for purchase. Access the book here– or any online bookseller.
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PPEAT Lenten Resources
The Public Policy and Environmental Action Team recommends these two resources for Lenten practice and reflection.
The Creation Justice Ministries 2023 Lent Resource: Daily Reflection-Action Calendar to Cultivate Creation Justice can be downloaded here. This calendar includes daily tips for personal action, learning, advocacy and reflection.
The Rev. Mary Jane O'Connor-Ropp, of St. David's in Kennebunk, has developed Walking with Suffering Creation: A Meditative Experience in Eight Days, which can be downloaded here.
Each meditation includes an invitation, reflection and prayer, and they need not be done on consecutive days.
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Bulletins, Sermons, and E-pistle Archives
If you are looking to see previous bulletins, sermons, or prior publications of the E-pistle, please see the new archive page on our website.
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The Healing Team
This Sunday, March 19, the healing team will be Elise Magnuson and Mary Strnad
Healing team members for upcoming services are listed below:
March 26, 2023. Gail Kesich and Judd Hume
April 2, 2023. Mary Strnad and Oscar Mokeme
If you have any questions about receiving prayers during these times, please email Judd Hume or call at (207) 773 - 5611
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What To Expect from the Healing Team
If you’ve never come to the chapel for prayers from the Healing Team maybe you are wondering, what does that mean, exactly? Why do people go? What will happen? People come for prayers for many reasons. For themselves, or for others. For help with something painful or difficult, such as illness, sadness, loss, or death. Or, to offer thanks or gratitude.
When you come into the chapel you will find two members of our team. We will ask your name (if we don’t know you), and what brings you in. We will ask if it’s all right to lay on our hands during prayer and to anoint you with oil. With our hands on your shoulders (if okay), we will then say a few words, asking God to be with us as we pray, and then (if okay) anoint you with oil.
Please know that our intention is to “hold the space” while you are with us. Afterward, we will not discuss with you what brought you in for prayer. We will not discuss you with anyone else in the congregation. We will not discuss you among ourselves, though we often continue to keep you in our own, individual prayers.
If you have any questions, please feel free to speak to any of us on the Healing Team:
Betsey Deleuse, Elise Magnuson, Gail Kesich, Judd Hume, Mary Strnad, Oscar Mokeme, Peter Carleton, Ruth Roemer, Sara Schmalz.
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Eco-tips from the Public Policy and Environmental Action Team
World Water Day is March 22nd
The UN reminds us that millions of people lack safe water and sanitation. It is an excellent time for us to reexamine our own consumption of water.
The UN water website has many actions to take as well as facts to explore about water.
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Easter Egg Hunt
Apr. 9th
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: The Bishop's Garden
Rain Location: Emmanuel Chapel
Contact: Sarah Dowling
Our annual Easter egg hunt will be held between the Easter services at 10: 30 am. This fun filled time will be held in the Bishop’s Garden which is behind the gated section at the front of St. Luke’s. If it is rainy, the egg hunt will be held in the Chapel. Everyone is welcome!
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New Ventures Maine
Apr. 11th
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: St. Luke’s Cathedral Community Kitchen,
143 Park St., Portland, ME 04101
Contact: Sarah Hutchins
Event Details Here
New Ventures Maine is a statewide program of the University of Maine at Augusta, University of Maine System, an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
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Realm Online Giving Platform
The Cathedral has launched our online giving platform, Realm, which also serves as our new database.
If you are interested in establishing monthly or weekly recurring gifts for your 2023 Pledge or other outreach gifts, now is the time to do so.
Please see the link here to be able to access our giving page.
Please note, Realm is not where you make your pledge. It’s where you will schedule payment of your pledge in whatever increments you might like to do. That could be weekly, monthly, or in one lump sum payment as you set up your recurring gift or one time gift please look at those options and make sure the amount that you enter is what you want withdrawn each week or each month.
You can also donate to St. Luke’s through our new and secure “Give and Text” feature. Please TEXT “TEXTCSL” to 73256. Our 2023 Pledge Campaign is ongoing. Pledge materials and information are available here.
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How to Get Involved at St. Luke's | |
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Clynk Bags Available to Support The Young and the Restless
Contact: Shana Rose
St. Luke’s has returned to the Clynk Initiative Program. There are bags available at both entrances of Nave with barcodes that correspond to the Cathedral’s account. Anyone is welcome to take a bag and are encouraged to bring it to a local redemption center or grocery store that accepts Clynk. Proceeds from this initiative will support our young adults group, “The Young and the Restless.”
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Hannaford
Giving Tag Program:
Anytime you are in a Hannaford grocery store if you purchase new reusable bags and follow instructions on the tag to choose
ST LUKE'S FOOD PANTRY from their list, $1 comes to us. Even better: throughout March, for all bags purchased at the Hannaford on Cottage Road in South Portland all donations automatically come to St. Luke's with no need to register online.
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Coffee Hour Sign-Ups
Sunday Mornings
Following the 10:00am Service
Location: The Upper Hall
Contact: Meredith Cough
Sign-Up Form
Coffee Hour is a ministry of fellowship that keeps our community connected, it is especially important during this leadership transition at St. Luke's.
Please consider hosting a coffee hour some Sunday this spring. Basic snacks and beverages are provided for you to serve, if you would like to augment that with fresh fruit and baked goods feel free to organize that beforehand.
A sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board or you can click the link below and sign up online or simply contact me and I'll sign you up. Abundant amounts of gratitude come with the job, thank you!
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Altar Guild Polishing Party
April 1st, 2023
9:00am – 12:00 p.m.
Location: The Upper Hall
Contact: Rita Siavelis
Please join the Altar Guild for our upcoming polishing party on Saturday April 1, 2023 from 9:00am-12:00pm in the Upper Hall.
During the polishing party, the Altar Guild polishes the silver and brass so that it shines for the Easter Season.
The time spent is rewarding and full of laughter and good conversation. Light refreshments will be provided so bring yourself and a little elbow grease.
RSVP to Rita Siavelis or just show up the day of the event. We look forward to seeing you!
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Support our Cathedral Communications by
Joining our Communications Committee
The Third Wednesday of the month
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Location: The Upper Hall
Contact: Avery Schott
Do you have an interest in engaging with our wider community?
Do you have ideas pertaining to the design of our web materials and newsletter?
If so, please join our Communications Committee!
Please note, you do not have to have technology based skills to participate.
If you are interested in offering support, have ideas, or want to learn more about our communications please email Avery for further details.
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Sign Up to Support the Flower Guild
We’re pleased to announce that the 2023 Flower Chart is up on the bulletin board and ready for your memorials and celebrations. We thank the many individuals who signed up on the flower chart in the past for their donations and special flower requests in memory of, or in honor of loved ones, and in celebration of births and anniversaries. The requested donation is $75. Your memorials also contribute to the sanctity of each service and add to the beauty of St. Luke’s Cathedral.
For additional information contact Kathy Watt or Mary Doughty.
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St. Luke’s Food Pantry Needs a
Deeper Bench on Thursday
Know anybody? We're looking for a few good people who can lift 20 pounds, roll carts around, and laugh at our jokes for a couple of hours Thursday mornings. I wouldn't say that St. Luke's Food Pantry Volunteers are the best people to spend time with, but our volunteers are the best people, they are interesting, caring, and sometimes witty.
Also: the work is compelling and satisfying. If we get a couple more folks we can staff an information table to address other community needs.
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Building and Grounds Work Day
April 1st, 2023
8:30am-12:00pm
Contact: Claire Hammen
Please join us for a spring cleanup on the cathedral grounds. Focus will be given to yard work and small jobs around the building.
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Family Promise Needs Your Help
The new Warming Shelter located at Woodfords Church is up and running and we need volunteers to help cover the 5 shifts a day in this 24/7 endeavor. If you could help, sign up with this link.
If you are new to Family Promise, we simply ask that you sign up to work with a trained volunteer. Again, thank you for all you do for our families! Call Lynne, Connie or Mary with any questions or concerns.
Lynne England: (207) 318-9848
Connie Bingham: (207) 415-1441
Mary Linneman: (207) 409-4253
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Support State Street Church Warming Center
March 5- April 28th
Location: State Street Church
Sign-Up Link
Volunteers are needed nightly for an evening shift (6-8:30pm) and an overnight shift (8:30pm - 7:30am).
2 volunteers are needed for each shift, every night.
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Monday Night Zoom Book Group |
Every First and Third Monday of the Month
6:00-7:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Contact: Linda Carleton
We will be reading Sophronia Scott’s Louie Award winning book, The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton. A 2004 nominee for the African American Literary Awards best new author, Scott was hailed by Professor Henry Louis Gates as “potentially one of the best writers of her generation." In The Seeker and the Monk, she writes an imaginary conversation with 20th century mystic, monk and activist Thomas Merton based on his extensive private journals and offers guidance on how to live in these fraught times. As a Black woman who is not Catholic, Scott both learns from and pushes back against Merton, holding spirited, an intimate conversations on race, ambition, faith, activism, nature, prayer, friendship, and love. She asks: What is the connection between contemplation and action?
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Events in the Wider Community | |
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St. Alban's Lenten Series
St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Cape Elizabeth, will be presenting a Recital Series for the season of Lent. These 30-minute recitals will take place each Tuesday during Lent at 6:00 p.m., and are intended to serve as an opportunity to gather in a holy space and let go of our earthly troubles. Admission is free, but donations are kindly encouraged.
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St. Mary Schola
De Profundis:
Music for the Lenten Season
Saturday, March 25th
Location: The Cathedral Nave
St. Mary Schola will present two performances of the De Profundis: Music for the Lenten Season.
The program includes a capella works by Champion and Josquin and Cantata 131 Aus der Tiefen by J.S. Bach. Also featured is a rare performance of a Miserere mei setting attributed to Costanzo Festa which likely served as a model for the famous setting by Gregorio Allegri.
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Select the Episcopal Maine Logo to learn about all that is happening in the wider Diocese. | |
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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
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