E-Pistle of Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022

St. Luke's Webpage

Give/ Pledge to St. Luke's

Events

E-Bulletin Board

Please note that the full E-pistle may not display on your email. Please select the link that provides the full email. Thank you for your understanding.

Facebook  Instagram

Reflections of the Week 

Grieving the Loss of Club C Shooting Victims

From Dean Shambaugh


Five people were killed and 18 others were wounded in a shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. It's hard to know what to say in a time like this. My heart goes out to the LGBTQ community, my LGBTQ friends, and the LGBTQ members, allies, and supporters here at St. Luke's. My heart is broken by this tragedy. As a Christian, I strongly condemn all forms of hate, of homophobia, and transphobia. I equally condemn those who claim to be Christian whose actions allow and even encourage hate and fear and prejudice to continue and grow. My anger boils over at those who continue to block sensible gun legislation and have allowed shootings to become a part of our daily lives.


Read Full Reflection Here

Thanksgiving Service at St. Peter's

Thursday, November 24th | 9:00 am

Location: St. Peter's Episcopal Church

678 Washington Avenue, Portland, ME 04103

  • All are welcome
  • Bishop Brown will preside over the Eucharist
  • Handicap Accessible

We Wish You a Joyous Thanksgiving


On behalf of the the St. Luke's Staff and Clergy, we wish to extend warm wishes to you in celebration of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Our office will be closed from Wednesday until Monday morning.


A General Thanksgiving

The Book of Common Prayer, p. 836

Accept, O God, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us.

We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love. 

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side. 

We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us. 

We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone. 

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom. Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.

Events at St. Luke's

Portland Rossini Club Concert

November 27th| 3:00 pm

Location: The Cathedral Nave

Contact: The Parish Office

Learn about event details 

USM Choral Ensembles

Joyous Sounds

November 29th | 7:00pm

Location: The Cathedral Nav

Contact: The Parish Office

Learn about event details 

The Portland Community Chorus

December 2nd | 7:30pm

December 3rd | 2:00pm

Location: The Cathedral Nave

Contact: The Parish Office

Learn about event details 

A Service of Lessons and Carols with the Cathedral Choir

December 4th | 4:00 PM

Location: The Cathedral Nave

Contact: Christian Clough



Learn more about Lessons and Carols

St. Mary Schola

"Blow the Trumpet"

An Advent Concert

December 10th | 3:00 pm

Location: The Cathedral Nave

Contact: The Parish Office

Learn about event details 

Christmas with Renaissance Voices

December 17th| 7:30 pm

December 18th | 2:00 pm

Location: The Cathedral Nave

Contact: The Parish Office

Learn about event details 

A Christmas Eve Family Service

December 24th | 5:00 PM

Location: The Cathedral Nave

A Christmas Eve Family Service with the Bishop of Maine featuring our Christmas Pageant


A Candlelit Christmas Eve Service

December 24th | 10:00 PM

Location: The Cathedral Nave

A Candlelit Christmas Eve service with the Bishop of Maine and music offerings from the St. Luke's Cathedral Choir.

Prelude begins at 9:30




St. Luke's Community Announcements

Advent Wreath Making this Sunday

November 27th| 11:30 am

Lower Hall


People of all ages are invited to join in Advent Wreath-Making!

St. E's Blanket Collection

Response to a Crisis in the Community: Many have raised concern about hundreds of asylum seekers and others who are at risk of losing their accomodations in local hotel rooms. St. Luke's is working with other local congregations, with the diocese, and with St. Elizabeth's Jubilee Center in figuring out the best way to move ahead. Watch the e-pistle for more information In the meantime we are doing a special drive to add warm blankets to the winter coats and boots we are currently collecting. Want to help? Bring warm blankets, boots and coats to St. Elizabeth's and we will make sure they get to those who need them!

Food Pantry Advent Calendar


Please see the calendar below to learn more about the needs of the pantry in their efforts to care for our neighbors during this holiday season. For additional information please contact Mary Brighthaupt at

Stewardship Update


Many thanks to all who have submitted pledge cards for 2023. As of November 19, We have received 110 pledges for $345,476.72. Nine are from new pledgers. Over half of repeat pledgers increased their pledge amounts. Both the amount pledged and the number of pledges is running somewhat ahead of the past several years.  

A gentle reminder to the approximately 75 of you who pledged for 2022 but not yet for 2023, and to other members and friends who would like to pledge: please take a moment to fill out a pledge card, on paper or online, and submit it to the Cathedral so that we can move forward with budgeting for next year. To pledge online, visit www.stlukesportland.org/Give and click on Online Pledge Form.

Thank you again, and have a memorable holiday season.

Dan McDonald, Chair, Stewardship Committee


Nominations for Vestry

November is the month for

nominations to the Vestry and for delegates to diocesan convention


Currently nominations are to be received for the following positions:

  • 5 Lay Delegates for Diocesan Convention
  • 3 Vestry Members
  • Senior Warden


Visit our website to learn about our vestry.

Access the Nomination Form Here

Mandala Journaling with the Advent Story

Saturday, December 3rd | 9am-11am

Location: The Chapter Room

Contact: Linda Carleton


  • register prior to event by emailing Linda
  • All Materials Provided
Read More information Here

The Healing Team

The Healing Team will be serving the following dates: 

11/27/29   Sara Schmalz and Oscar Mokeme

12/4/22.    Mary Strnad and Oscar Mokeme

How to Get Involved at St. Luke's

St. Elizabeth's Winter Coat and Boot  Drive

Contact: Martha Parshley


Winter coats continue to be donated! We need your help to keep our neighbors warm this winter!


  • Donate coats on Tuesdays from 8:30-11 am during pantry hours
  • Drop off donations at the lower hall entrance in the blue bin
Learn about full details and how you can donate

Buy a Hannaford Bag and Support the St. Luke's Food Pantry

  • We are participating in the Hannaford Bag Tag Program
  • Purchase a $2.50 reusable Community or Fight Hunger Bag at any Hannaford Store and use the attached giving tag to direct a 1$ donation to our pantry!
Learn about how you can help the St. Luke's Food Pantry

A Christian Life of Faith:

Signs and Thresholds Along the Way

Sunday Mornings| 9am-10am

Location: The Chapter Room

Contact: Dean Shambaugh

So much of what we do at St. Luke’s is designed to help others. What about nurturing and exploring our own spiritual lives? What about our questions and struggles of faith, our relationship (or not) with God? 

  • Lead by Dean Shambaugh
  • All are Welcome
Learn about how you can get involved with this group

Try on the Cathedral Choir

Thursday Evenings| 7pm-9pm

Location: The Choir Room (Adjacent to undercroft)

Contact: Christian M. Clough


  • Showing up does not commit you to the choir
  • No audition required
Learn about singing in the choir and how you can get involved
graphic-globe-people-sm.gif

Public Policy and Environmental Action Team Eco-Tips

"The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to serve it and to guard it (Genesis 2:15)"

Are you not sure how God is calling you to preserve and repair the Earth? Yale Climate Connections has developed a survey to help you find the right match between climate action and your personality and lifestyle. Complete the survey here.



Events in the Community

Diocese of Maine to Sponsor Book Launch from Dr. Catherine Meeks

December 8th |6:30 pm

Location: Zoom

Registration Link

Facebook Event

Learn about event details 

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

Facebook  Instagram