2019 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SERVICES
December 21 – 7pm Blue Christmas/ Longest Night Service
A service designed especially for those who have experienced a loss or find the holidays difficult.
CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24 4:00pm – Christmas Eve Family Service
10:30pm – “Christ-Mass” Festival Eucharist with Choral Musical Prelude
CHRISTMAS DAY, DECEMBER 25 10:00am – Christmas Day Service
THE FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME – NEW YEAR’S DAY, JANUARY 1
10:00am – Feast of the Holy Name Service
JANUARY 6 – FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY
6:00pm – Feast of the Epiphany Service
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Women of St. Luke’s Annual Christmas Gala Luncheon: The Women of St. Luke’s Annual Christmas Luncheon will be held on Saturday, December 14th. Cocktail hour will beginning at 12 pm, with lunch catered by Cooper’s Seafood House at 1pm. Menu includes a choice of entrée: Sautéed Chicken Strips, Roast Stuffed Pork, or Broiled Orange Haddock, and includes Soup (Crab Bisque or Potato), Garden Salad, Potato, Vegetable, and Dessert. Entertainment will be provided, along with games, prizes, and a cookie table. There is a sign-up sheet on the door of Kreitler Hall. Tickets are $20 per person Reservations are due by Dec. 9th. For more information or to pay for your ticket, please see Kathy Selemba (570) 843-6213, or Robin O’Hearn at (570) 963-5407. All are welcome to attend.
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Centering Prayer Group: Each week an ongoing weekly Centering Prayer group meets at St. Luke’s. Centering prayer now meets on Tuesdays at 5:30 pm.
Centering Prayer is a receptive method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship. Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer – verbal, mental or affective prayer – into a receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with Christ. Weekly sessions will include prayer, a contemplative walk, and study writings from the Christian Contemplative tradition. No prior experience is necessary. For more information, please contact Mother Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com or call the parish office.
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Upcoming Concerts at St. Luke’s
A European Christmas – Arcadia Chorale
Saturday Evening, December 7, 2019, 7:30 pm, St Luke’s Episcopal Church, Scranton
Tickets: Adults $15.00; Seniors $12, Students Free. Tickets are available at www.arcadiachorale.org
The Chorale’s Christmas program celebrates carols from Europe focusing on the optimism, beauty, and joy of the season. We will also highlight Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols with harp and a sing-along of traditional Christmas favorites.
ALLELUIA! – A Lyric Consort Christmas
Friday Evening, December 13, 2019 at 8:00 pm, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Scranton
Tickets: Adults $10.00; Students Free
“Alleluia!” Shouted with joy and whispered in awe, the word frames our annual program of Carols and Art Music. Music of Whitacre, Arnesen, Howells, Sweelinck, Grieg, Gjeilo, and more, followed by a festive Wassail reception.
Office hours – The parish office is open Tuesday – Friday from 8:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. In the event of a pastoral emergency, Mother Barnes may be reached on her pastoral cell phone, (646) 533-1836.