The Weekly E-Pistle

Thursday, October 10th, 2024

A Reflection from the Reverend George Stevens, Interim Dean

Dear Friends-

I’ve often noticed that the sermons I preach are sermons that I need to hear. And so, this week, when I came across a quote that I found especially helpful, it occurred to me that it was something that I needed to hear. Maybe you do to!

Augustine of Hippo said, “Let us leave a little room for reflection in our lives, room too for silence. Let us look within ourselves and see whether there is some delightful hidden place where we can be free of noise and argument. Let us hear the Word of God in stillness and perhaps we will then come to understand it.”

See you Sunday-



George

UPCOMING

World Cafe Executive Summary and Data Available

On Tuesday, October 8, the congregation received a letter from the Reverend George Stevens discussing the executive summary and data from the world café, along with an outline of the next steps moving forward in the coming weeks.

In case you missed the letter, you can read it here.

This upcoming Sunday, October 13, following each of the three services, 7:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 5:15 p.m. George will be hosting a conversation about the results of the World Café and our next steps in calling a Dean. 



On Sunday, October 20, the Rev. Pamela Mott, our search consultant, will preach and celebrate at the 7:30 and 10:00 a.m. services. Following the 10:00 service, she’ll guide us through the first steps of our search for a new Dean. Please join us. 

Please click on the buttons below to view the Executive Summary and the data from the World Café. Hard copies of both documents will be available in the parish office.

A Note From the Cathedral Finance Team

A friendly reminder: Help us finish the year well

As we move through the final months of the year, we want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing generosity and support.

Your faithful giving allows us to continue the ministry and mission that makes St. Luke’s such a special place.

So far, we’ve received $287,462 toward our $425,000 pledge goal for 2024, and we are relying on the remaining pledged amounts to meet our obligations.

If you have already fulfilled your pledge, we are deeply grateful. For those who still have a balance, we kindly ask that you complete your pledge as soon as you're able.

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference in ensuring we finish the year well.

With questions please email treasurer Randi Hogan.

2025 Budget Preparation Update

A small team met last week to kick off planning for the upcoming budget year; this team included The Rev. George Stevens (Interim Dean), Sam Allen (Senior Warden), Jamie Cough (Junior Warden), John Watson (Finance Committee Chair), and Randi Hogan (Treasurer).

We began by discussing key priorities, needs, and changes coming our way in 2025. As we look ahead to the exciting opportunities for our community, we're committed to crafting a financially responsible budget that makes the most of our collective resources.

We're currently developing a budget process that covers both operating and restricted funds, and we plan to meet with lay and clergy leaders in October to gather input and ideas.

Your participation is important to us, so we encourage you to get involved in the process. Please write to Randi Hogan, Treasurer, via email.

Stewardship Campaign 2025

"Walk in Love"

Vote Forward Letter-Writing Party

This Sunday October 13

11:45AM

The Upper Hall

In Romans 13:8-9 Paul exhorts us to love our neighbor and participate in the life of civil society grounded in the commandment to love our neighbor. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry tells us that “It is a Christian's obligation to vote and more than that it is the Church's responsibility to get souls to the polls.” 

Please join us this Sunday, October 13, at 11: 45 AM, following coffee hour, the St. Luke’s Public Policy and Environmental Action Team is sponsoring a Vote Forward letter-writing party to encourage Americans to go to the polls this November.

We will supply letters and envelopes and you will add your own positive, heartfelt and nonpartisan personal note in the body of the letter. Come and write as few as 5 or as many as 20 letters.

And check out the Episcopal Church’s Vote Faithfully Election Election Engagement Toolkit

Concert for Climate

October 27

2:30PM

Cathedral Nave

Join pianist Sydney Patten alongside musical guests and speakers for the Concert for Climate on October 27th at 2:30PM in the Cathedral Nave.

This is a multimedia event designed to educate, entertain and inspire the audience of all ages to take specific actions to help mitigate climate change. This is a not-for-profit educational and fundraising event. Proceeds will benefit the Maine chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, and help to bring young people to the annual conference in Washington D.C.

Tickets are available at the link here.

For more information contact the organizer of the concert here.

The Cathedral Choir Presents: Gabriel Faure's Requiem



Sunday, November 3

10AM & 3PM

The Cathedral Nave

For more information contact Christian Clough, Canon for Liturgy and Music

Holiday Open House and Bazaar

As Part of the State Street Stroll

November 9

9:00AM-1:00PM

The Cathedral Nave

Join us from 9:00AM-1:00PM in the Nave for our Holiday Open House and Bazaar as part of the State Street Stroll.

With questions please contact the co-chairs via email.

Dan McDonald and Catherine Hyde.

A Presentation on

Charles Fletcher Dole, Liberal Theology, and Reform

by Paul Burlin

Sunday, November 10

Upper Hall

11:30AM

Join us on Sunday, November 10 following the 10AM service, for a presentation by Paul T. Burlin, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of New England, and St. Luke's parishioner, on his recently published book titled Charles Fletcher Dole, Liberal Theology, and Reform.

Charles Dole, a long term Unitarian minister and Social Gospel advocate who lived from 1845 to 1927, was born in Maine into what he described as “an ultra-orthodox” Congregational family. As an adult he tacked off to the radical wing of Unitarianism. While his theological perspective was time-bound, Dole might well provide inspiration to any adult who struggled (or struggles) with the religious perspective of their upbring.

To read this text and Paul's other books, please visit the link here.

St. Luke's To Host Service of Holy Eucharist

for Diocesan Convention

Saturday, November 16

11:30 AM

The cathedral will host a service of Holy Eucharist during the 205th Diocesan convention on Saturday, November 16th at 11:30AM.

All are welcome to attend!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Dioceses of Maine & New Hampshire:

A Call to Prayer and Action for those impacted

by Hurricanes Helene & Milton

As we gather in faith communities in the coming weeks please pray in solidarity with the millions of people impacted by devastation from hurricanes Helene and Milton.

To give in support to the Episcopal Relief & Development, who are helping to respond to those impacted, please visit the link here

Please join us in the prayer below as we offer our support:

O God, our deepest needs cannot be met by ourselves, 

and so we ask you to give us courage as well as the humility to reach out to you and our neighbors in the southeast.

Join our hands and hearts with theirs in grief, and equip us to support and to contribute to their aid.

Finally, in your mercy, embolden us to work together to heal your earth.

We pray this in the power of love, even the same, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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 from St. Luke’s Public Policy

and Environmental Action Team

Plastic-free tips for Halloween to avoid single use of plastic

Many costumes, decorations and treat containers are made from plastic.

Go plastic-free this Halloween by incorporating some of these ideas: 



1. Make costumes from old cloth or buy some from a thrift store or use ones that friends have used and outgrown. 
2. Carve pumpkins and use Led lights inside or, for a younger child, provide drawing pens to decorate the pumpkin. 
3. After the holiday, scoop out the seeds and roast them for snacks. Consider leaving the pumpkin outside for wildlife after Halloween. 
4. Make scarecrows with old clothes. 
5. Make Halloween “trees” by getting some old branches, planting these in a pot, and decorating these with decorations you would make from construction paper. You can also add LED string lights.

Halloween candy comes in hard-to recycle foil and /or plastic wrappers, avoid these by doing the following:

1. Buy candle in bulk and put it in small paper bags to hand out to trick or treaters or pick candy that is already packaged in small paper or cardboard containers to give out. 
2. Hand out quarters instead of candy. 
3. Give out small gift certificates to a local ice cream shop. 

These and many other ideas are on the beyond plastics website here.

To read the most recent minutes from the PPEAT meeting held on October 8, 2024, visit their page on the St. Luke's Website here.

Preble Street Conference on Homelessness:

Solutions Start with ME

Thursday, October 17th

8AM-5PM

The Holiday Inn by the Bay

88 Spring St, Portland, ME 04101

Homelessness is a crisis and is continuing to escalate throughout Maine. This crisis is driven by a wide range of complex factors including a lack of affordable housing and accessible emergency shelter, minimal shelter funding, an increase in unsheltered individuals, and rising numbers of people needing support for managing substance use disorders and behavioral health issues. 

New effective strategies and systemic changes are needed to meet the growing challenges in Maine. This 2nd Conference, Solutions Start with ME, provides an opportunity to hear from leaders doing similar work in other parts of the country. Through collective action, we hope to have greater impact for the most vulnerable people in our community.  This year’s event will take place on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at the Holiday Inn By the Bay, in Portland, ME.

Join Preble Street, the Atlantic Charitable Fund, and other key stakeholders from throughout the state – state and local government, nonprofits, faith leaders, funders, people with lived experience, and business leaders – to collectively focus on critical solutions for Maine to tackle this growing issue.

To learn more visit the webpage here.

Nightingale Fall Festival

October 17 from 4PM-7PM



144 State Street, Portland, ME 04101

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

Blessing of the Animals in the Labyrinth

Last Sunday, we celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with the Blessing of the Animals in the labyrinth.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this service!

Thanks are given to parishioner Randi Hogan for the photos below.

A Note of Thanks for Care of the St. Luke's Water Garden

RESOURCES FROM THE DIOCESE

& 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. Please note that events highlighted below are only a small portion of all resources available.

A Service of Remembrance, Lamentation, Hope,

and Re-dedication

Friday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.

Trinity Episcopal Church and Commons, Lewiston

As the community of Lewiston-Auburn marks one year since last year's horrific mass shooting, Trinity Episcopal Church and Commons will open its doors for a solemn service of remembrance, lamentation, hope, and re-dedication. All are invited and welcome to offer prayers and honor those whose lives were lost. The labyrinth will be open to the public following the service. Find more information here.

Congregations wishing to hold their own commemorations may use "A Litany in the Aftermath of Gun Violence," by Ninth Bishop of Maine Stephen T. Lane

Spirit Chats

Tuesdays, Oct. 15, 22, 29, and Nov. 5,12, 7 p.m.

On Zoom

Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine

"Deepen your connection with God and fellow companions this Autumn through Spirit Chats, an exciting opportunity for small group faith sharing.  Have you ever experienced a “God-incident” in your life and wanted to share it but weren’t sure where or with whom? Perhaps this has so spilled over into your daily life, you want to talk about it with others but find it difficult to find the setting. If you feel God has been moving in your life, and you want to hear from others how God is moving in theirs, the Evangelism Task Force—a joint project of the Episcopal dioceses of Maine and New Hampshire—has an opportunity and an invitation for you to share your story during Spirit Chats."

Register here to receive the Zoom link. Reach out with questions to the Rev. Tim Higgins or the Rev. Alanna Van Antwerpen.

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

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 October 22nd.

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.

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 Schott, Parish Administrator via email.

LAST WEEK'S SERVICE

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

To view last week's Blessing of the Animals bulletin click here.

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

To view last week's 4:00PM choral evensong bulletin click here.

To view last week's service livestream click here.

To view last week's service of Choral Evensong livestream 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