SATURDAY

Evening Prayer

Saturday, March 14 - 5:30 p.m.

Livestreamed

SUNDAY

Holy Eucharist

Sunday, March 15 - 1:00 p.m.

In-Person and Livestreamed

SUNDAY'S READINGS

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Psalm 23

Ephesians 5:8-14

John 9:1-41



SUNDAY'S HYMNS

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing - 1982 Hymnal 3493

Heal Me, Hands of Jesus - WLP 773

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah - 1982 Hymnal 690

Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness - 1982 Hymnal 339

I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light - 1982 Hymnal 490

WORK, EAT, PRAY AT MT. ETNA

Saturday, March 14

1:00-4:00 p.m.

Directions

St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light have hosted a monthly Work, Eat, Pray at Mt. Etna for many years and this particular section of the Lower Trail has been transformed by our work. Since the Fall of 2025, we have been experimenting with scheduling our work at different times of the day, so please be sure to note the time as well as the date of our next gathering. At each work party we spend the first 2 hours doing habitat restoration- removing non-native invasive plants which don't feed our native insects so we can replace them with native plants to help heal the planet that God has given us. This will be followed by a half-hour shared snack and conversation and end with Morning or Evening Prayer from the beautiful monastic tradition. 

Please RSVP by emailing Greg Williams or call him at 215-242-0854 and he will send more details and a map.

VESTRY MEETING

This Sunday, March 15

The vestry will meet Sunday, March 15 following the service. All are invited to attend.

Please email Padraic Farrell at info@stlukesaltoona.org if you plan to attend.

EASTER DONATIONS/FLOWERS

Help us decorate the church for Easter by making a donation for Easter Flowers and honoring a loved one. You can mail your donation to the office - 806 13th Street, Altoona, PA 16602. If you wish to make your donation in honor or in memory of a loved one, please email the office, info@stlukesaltoona.org, by Sunday, March 29 so that your gift can be acknowledged in the Easter bulletin.

LENTEN STUDY

Tuesdays through March 31

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

During Lent, we are offering a study of the book by Amy-Jill Levine entitled "Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginner's Guide to Holy Week". (Some may remember our convocation studying her book "Sermon on the Mount" back in Covid-times.) We are meeting in the sanctuary at St. Luke's on Tuesdays from 6:00-8:00 p.m., February 24 through March 31 (the Tuesday of Holy Week). A light supper will be provided. New participants are welcome to attend.

ST. LUKE'S FOOD PANTRY

Thursday, March 26

2:00-5:30 p.m.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Eighth Avenue and 13th Street, Altoona, will hold its monthly food distribution on Thursday, March 26 from 2:00-5:30 p.m.. Food distribution is done on a drive-through basis. Line up along Eighth Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets. 

YOUR help is always needed to feed our neighbors, and new volunteers are always welcome, especially for the food distribution and the two days previous.

Tuesday the 24th, we will pick up pet food starting about 1:30 p.m.. We will load pet food into Greg's van, and it will stay there until we unload it onto the table on 8th Avenue on Thursday the 29th. It saves handling and aching backs!

Wednesday the 25th, we will be packing boxes for our neighbors starting about 10:30 a.m.. Hopefully, we should be done by about 4:00 PM. The order has to be separated, shelved, refrigerated, and so on. We will then start packing boxes for our neighbors.



Thursday the 26th, we will gather about 10:30 a.m. and continue packing boxes, moving food boxes into the rear of the sanctuary, putting out signs and tables, setting up tents, etc. so we are ready to begin distribution promptly at 2:00 p.m., continuing until 5:30 p.m.. Then we have to put it all away; the signs, tables, tents, and any undistributed food. Luckily, we have often been able to start this process earlier, sometimes as early as 4:00 p.m., so the whole process goes smoothly. Even so, folks who can stay till the end are GREATLY APPRECIATED!

We need your help! WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU! Come when you can, leave when you must, and remember that your help and your prayers are a blessing for all involved. If possible, let Woody or Greg know when you can be there to help.

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS!

Special Requests for March: peanut butter, jelly/jam, cereal (any kind), and canned soup.

Contact Laura Gottfried-Letsche or Woody Pyeatt.

Monetary donations may be sent to the church or done by using this Paypal link. Thank you!

Food Pantry Facebook Page



2026 Food Pantry Schedule

SACRED GROUND CIRCLES

Tuesday, April 7

6:00-8:00 p.m.

The Lutheran Home

916 Hickory St., Hollidaysburg

Through our Shaped by Faith project, we are conducting three Sacred Ground circles. This 11-session series includes powerful documentary films and readings followed by small group discussions. The series continues on the following Tuesdays, April 7, April 21, May 5, May 19, June 2, June 16, June 30, and July 14 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Lutheran Home in Hollidaysburg.

We will view the Sacred Ground videos for the upcoming session at St. Luke's after church, at approximately 2:15 p.m. on the Sunday before each Tuesday meeting. This is designed to help those registered who may have issues with their internet or prefer to view the assigned video with other participants. The program is free and includes dinner.

Contact Marilyn Pyeatt or send an email to sbfblaircounty@gmail.com if you have questions or want to register. Flyers are available at the back of the sanctuary with more information. 

WEDNESDAY, April 8

NOON

St. James Lutheran Church

Our Community Luncheon is back! You're cordially invited for lunch on Wednesday, April 8 at St. James Lutheran Church, 1407 Eighth Ave., Altoona. Lunch is available for dine-in or take-out. The luncheon is free, though we gladly accept donations.

Interested in volunteering? We could really use your help. Contact Debbie Burgan.

CONFIRMATION AND BAPTISM CLASSES

Do you want or know someone who may want to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church? Do you or someone you know want to be baptized or to formally reaffirm baptismal vows? Our Assistant Bishop will be visiting St. Luke's in June, and we will be offering preparation sessions for those interested.

Please contact Marilyn Pyeatt for more information.

Diocesan Digest and Diocesan News

The Diocesan Digest is a monthly newsletter highlighting ministries, events, and important updates from across our diocese. This list is also used to send timely announcements and updates about the life of the Diocese of the Susquehanna.

Please feel free to use the material in the Diocesan Digest, sharing events it in your church’s newsletter or posting the entire issue on your congregation’s bulletin board.

Sign Up for Diocesan News by clicking here.

FORWARD DAY BY DAY REFLECTION

FRIDAY, March 13

Mark 6:51b-52. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

There’s a certain loneliness for Jesus in this section of Mark. His followers do not understand the meaning of the miracles. The crowds seem more interested in the works of wonder than the message. The words “the people recognized him” come with a certain irony, because the people see what they want to see.

I have a Lutheran colleague who says that we clergy wear little white plastic collars so that people can project their own home movies on them, like a little screen. It’s true for clergy, and it’s true from clergy. More than once, I have been caught up in my own assumptions about who a person is and what they want, only to discover, when I take the time to listen, that their priorities are entirely different from what I assumed.

MOVING FORWARD: How do we slow down and really listen to one another? To Jesus?

ALL THINGS ANGLICAN AT

THE STEVENSON SCHOOL OF MINISTRY

There are many opportunities for learning and spiritual development available through the Stevenson School for Ministry.  Click here to see what is currently available.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF ST. LUKE'S

Monetary payments can be made by mailing your check to the church office:

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 806 Thirteenth St., Altoona, PA 16602



Or online by clicking

Donate to Your Parish | The Episcopal Diocese of the Susquehanna



Select the box to the left of “Altoona - St. Luke’s” and follow the instructions.

HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Our parish is always evolving. You make the difference at St. Luke's. We need volunteers to help in so many areas: serving at the altar, helping us make "a joyful noise" in the choir, greeting all who attend our services, arranging flowers, helping with the Food Pantry, Community Lunch, and so much more.



Anyone that would like to volunteer to help in any aspect of our parish life are asked to contact Greg Williams or Marilyn Pyeatt.