The Weekly E-Pistle

Thursday, November 14th, 2024

A Reflection from the Reverend George Stevens

 Dear Friends-

This weekend representatives and clergy from Maine’s Episcopal churches will gather in Portland for its 205^th Diocesan Convention. 

Comprised of clergy and lay members, the annual Diocesan Convention is the yearly legislative meeting. Presided over by the bishop, the convention’s primary work is to vote on the Diocesan Budget, vote on resolutions and elect members to the diocese’s various administrative, executive and judicial bodies. 

Each parish’s elected lay leaders are chosen at their own annual meetings. Last February we elected Sam Allen, Curtis Maurand, Fred Fowler, Susan McCuller, Randi Hogan with Jeri Edgar as our alternate. 

This year, the ‘work’ of the convention will take place at the Holiday Inn in Portland and the Cathedral will be hosting the Eucharist. During the Eucharist, Bishop Brown will make his annual address to the diocese in the place of the sermon. We’ll also be blessing five new kneelers. 

The service will begin at 11:30AM and will be live streamed on our Youtube page.

The service bulletin can be accessed on our website home page, or on the page for Diocesan Convention here.

If you have further questions about our governance, what happens at the convention, resolutions that will be voted on and the diocesan budget, the Diocese of Maine has a special section on its website here. 

See you soon-

George

UPCOMING

The November Meeting of the Lesser Chapter

& Transition Teams Nominations Form Reminder

Form Due By 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 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 at 134 Park Street will be closed for painting of new parking space stripes on Friday, November 22.

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

A Message from the Bishop

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

Dear friends in Christ,



Yesterday 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

Stewardship Campaign 2025

"Walk in Love"

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

St. Elizabeth’s Coat Drive

As the cold weather approaches, St. Elizabeth's is looking for donations of coats and boots (new and gently used) to make available for our neighbors. 

Please leave your donations in the blue box in the lower hall, next to the stairs.

Contact Byrd Wood if you have questions.

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.

WindowDressers 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.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

The St. Luke's

Holiday Open House and Bazaar

Last Saturday, November 9th, we welcomed our neighbors to the cathedral for our Holiday Open House and Bazaar as part of the State Street Stroll.

We are grateful for the efforts of our volunteers who helped make this time of fellowship and community outreach possible as we welcomed in the start of the holiday season. 

Please see photos below, courtesy of parishioners Nancy Brain and Nancy Mawhinney.

A Photo from the Fauré Requiem

On Sunday, November 3rd the cathedral choir offered the Fauré Requiem as part of our celebration of All Saints' Day. The cathedral musicians, alongside a chamber orchestra, and guest singers, offered their talents, time, and musical gifts to present a deeply impactful experience for the wider community.

Please see a photo below, courtesy of parishioner Nancy Mawhinney.

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

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.

Sing with the Cathedral Choir

The Cathedral Choir welcomes new members throughout the season; 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 are most Thursdays 7-9PM, and the choir sings most Sunday 10AM liturgies & for several additional services throughout the year.

With questions contact Christian Clough.

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.

This topic asks us to reflect on several large questions. How is this possible? When did we begin our search? Why do we know so little about this concept? God invites us to call him “father.” Who then is our mother? What other divine presences do we need to meet? What then is our relationship to the Christ figure? 

We will further discuss the concept of the Imago Dei. This is the icon or banner of the all powerful and creative maker of all universes, all space and time, and of us, humankind, as being “very good.” 

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)-405-8250.

The Parish Prayer List

Names remain on the prayer list for 3 consecutive weeks unless otherwise requested. If you wish for a name to be added, contact Avery Levesque- Schott, Parish Administrator via email.

LAST WEEK'S SERVICE

To view last week's 7:30AM bulletin click here.

To view last week's 10:00AM bulletin click here.

To view last week's service livestream at 10AM click here.

To listen the the sermon offered by the Reverend George Stevens, click here.

To View past services visit our Youtube Page or visit the archive page on our website to read past bulletins, sermons, and newsletters.

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 Episcopal Maine 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