Sunday, November 17th, 2024

The Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost

The Altar Flowers for today’s services are given to the glory of God

in thanksgiving for the 205th Convention of the Diocese of Maine

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

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. 

Sunday Service Bulletins

7:30AM Bulletin

10:00AM Bulletin

Livestreaming

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

Randi Hogan

Crucifer

Alec Thorne

Lector

Peter Carleton

Prayers Leader

William Salomon

Ushers

Peter Bingham, Chester Bishop, Mary Linneman, Gail Swanton

Live Streaming

Jack Swanton, Sam Allen

Eucharistic Ministers

Joseph deKay, Maggie Gardner

The Healing Team

Gail Kesich, Mary Strnad

Contributing Ministries

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

5:15PM Holy Eucharist

5:15 Service Bulletin

5:15 Hymns and Readings

Service Participants

Celebrant

The Right Reverend Thomas Brown, Bishop of Maine

Reflector

Ryan Daly

First Reader

Timothy Davidson

Service Leader

Ruth Roemer

Music Leader

Terry Foster

HAPPENING TODAY

Young and the Restless

Friendsgiving Gathering

5:30PM

Lower Hall

Join Young and the Restless at 5:30PM today in the Lower Parish Hall for our annual Friendsgiving!

Rotisserie chicken, rolls, beverages, and paper goods will be provided. Please bring a veggie side dish and/or dessert to share.

With questions contact Phoebe Blume.

UPCOMING

The November Meeting of the Lesser Chapter

& Transition Teams Nominations Form Reminder

Form Due By Tomorrow, Monday, November 18

Next Lesser Chapter Meeting

Next Wednesday November 20, 2024

6:00PM

Loring House Conference Room

The November meeting of the Lesser Chapter (“Vestry”) will be held next Wednesday, November 20, at 6:00 p.m. in the Loring House Conference Room. 

Interested parishioners are welcome to attend as guests. 

As outlined in the recent lesser chapter guest policy which was shared with the congregation ten minutes are allotted at the beginning of each meeting for guests to address the group on issues of interest or concern.

The bulk of November’s meeting will be held in Executive Session (Wardens and Vestry members only). We will meet with our Dean Search Consultant, the Rev. Pamela Mott, who will guide us through the process of selecting members of the four committees that will have responsibility for different phases of the Dean search. 

Committee members will be selected from the list of nominees that have been collected since October 20.

As outlined in the Reverend George Stevens reflection in October nominations are being accepted through tomorrow, Monday, November 18. 

You can access the form in several ways:

It is available at both entrances of the Nave, on the vestry resource page of our website, by clicking the button below, and on the final pages of our service bulletins this Sunday. 

Please return the form to George in one the following ways:

1) Please send George your completed form via email

2) Drop off the completed form to the church office

3) place them in the offertory plate on Sunday 

With thanks,

Sam Allen, Senior Warden

Cathedral Parking Lot at 134 Park Street to be Closed

on Friday, November 22

Our parking lot will be closed for painting of new parking space stripes.

All cars must be moved from the lot no later than 4:00AM on Friday morning.

With questions, please contact the cathedral office via email.

Portland Rossini Club Concert

Sunday, November 24 at 3:00PM

The Cathedral Nave

Join the Portland Rossini Club for their next concert on Sunday, November 24 at 3:00PM in the Cathedral Nave.

The concert will feature the following musical offerings:

Pianist Steve Blumenthal will play Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata

Soprano Torrey Gimpel and pianist Jonathan Prak will perform songs by Giacomo Puccini, Douglas Moore, and George Gershwin.

Pianist Mark Braun, and Steve Schiffman on the clarinet, with Seth Blank on the French horn will perform Nocturne by Llamazares

Pianist Sydney Patten, will play her own Waltz of the Jellyfish and Seal Slide Rag as well as a Chopin Nocturne

For more information: 207-318-7465 or visit the Rossini Club website here.

The St. Luke's Altar Guild December Polishing Party

Saturday, December 14

10:00AM-12:00PM

The Upper Hall

The St. Luke’s Altar guild is having a silver and gold polishing party to get ready for the holidays!

Join us 10AM–12noon Saturday 14 December in the Upper Hall. 

Everyone is welcome! You don’t need to be part of the altar guild to participate.

Coffee and goodies will be provided. Contact Kate Leschey with any questions.

Christmas With Renaissance Voices

Saturday, December 14

7:30PM

&

Sunday, December 15

2:00PM

The Cathedral Nave

Join Renaissance Voices and maestro Harold Stover, for their Christmas Concerts at the Cathedral.

Concerts will be held at 7:30PM on Saturday December 14 and at 2:00PM on Sunday December 15.

The program features music of Juan Esquivel, Sally Herman, Celia McDowell, and more!

Tickets are available for purchase on the Renaissance Voices Website here.

The Cathedral Choir Presents a Service of Lessons and Carols

Sunday, December 22

4:00PM

The Cathedral Nave

Join the Cathedral Choir on December 22nd at 4:00PM for a service of Christmas Lessons and Carols.

This service will serve as our first liturgical celebration of Christmas.

Please invite friends, neighbors, and family!

This offering provides an excellent opportunity to welcome in the wider community to our beautiful space and to experience a moving worship experience.

With questions please contact Christian Clough, Canon for Liturgy & Music

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE AND 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.

A Message from the Bishop

Regarding the Resignation of the Most Reverend Justin Welby as the Archbishop of Canterbury

Dear friends in Christ,



This week we learned of the Most Reverend Justin Welby's resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury. 

To read the statement published by the Episcopal News Service, please click here.

In Bishop Welby's statement, he admitted mishandling an egregious sexual misconduct matter, and he lamented how his actions impact the Church of England and the larger Anglican Communion. This is a sobering reminder of the sin that continues to stain our church at every level. 

There are two things I'm communicating with you today: 

1. Our Presiding Bishop's response to the Archbishop's resignation:

Today I am praying for the people of the Church of England, for our siblings in the Anglican Communion, and for all victims and survivors of abuse, especially clergy abuse. Abuse in any form is horrific and abhorrent, and it grieves me that the church does not always live up to its ideal as a place where all of God’s children are safe.

I commend Archbishop Welby for calling the Church of England to address its safeguarding failures, and I pledge the Episcopal Church’s commitment to this critical task in our own contexts and in the Anglican Communion. The church must be a refuge where people can come with the deepest wounds and vulnerabilities and be nurtured, respected and never abused.

2. In the Diocese of Maine we are committed to create and maintain faith communities that work continually to prevent abuse of every kind. We do this by making sure Safe Church training and safeguarding policies are up-to-date for every leader, and by referring people with reports of abuse and harassment to the clergy disciplinary process known as Title IV.

Today, and in the coming weeks, our immediate response is to pray for the victims and survivors of abuse throughout the church, and importantly, for Archbishop Welby and his family during this difficult time of transition, penitence, and by God's grace, reconciliation. 

All Christians are called to protect the vulnerable; however, elected and appointed leaders in the church are particularly responsible to seek and speak the truth. Please join me in recommitting ourselves to this holy and essential work. 

May God bless you and keep you. 

In Christ,

Bishop Thomas J. Brown

COMMUNITY NOTES

Thank You to All Volunteers Who Served

During Eucharist for Diocesan Convention

We appreciate your gifts of time and talent which you shared to enhance worship as we welcomed guests from across the Diocese to the cathedral.

Stewardship Campaign 2025

"Walk in Love"

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

-Ephesians 5: 1-2, NRSV

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.

With any questions you may have please contact Stewardship Chair & Treasurer, Randi Hogan.

Eco Tips & Meeting Minutes from the St. Luke's Public Policy

and Environmental Action Team

Eco-tips- for Home Weatherization

With the arrival of cold weather, many are concerned about heating costs and keeping homes warm.

A major way houses lose heat is through windows, which pull heat out of the home into the cooler air outside. In addition, many windows leak heat where the glass meets the frame or wall.

Window Dressers insulated inserts can help diminish heat loss, carbon dioxide pollution and save heating costs. 

 These inserts are easily installed and removed without fasteners. They are free to low -income home owners and are at low cost for middle and high-income households.

The company itself is a non-profit and volunteers provide much of the building and installing. To learn more about them visit their website here.

To read the most recent minutes from the PPEAT Meeting held on November 12, click here.

To read past minutes from PPEAT meetings, visit their page on the St. Luke's Website here.

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

The Healing Team

The Healing Team offers confidential prayers of healing, in All Saints Chapel (to the right of the communion rail), throughout communion until the end of the postlude.

The following team members will pray, with you, on the following Sundays:

November 17, 2024  Gail Kesich, Mary Strnad

November 24, 2024  Elise Magnuson, Peter Carleton

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 held this coming Tuesday, November 19.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

Contemplative Prayer

Contemplative prayer meets every Thursday at 4:30 PM on Zoom. 

Please join us for a half hour of silent meditation followed by a brief conversation about our experience. All are welcome. No experience is necessary.

For more information email Sarah Braik.

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 on Zoom



• 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