Worship Schedule

IN-PERSON WORSHIP

In-person worship resumed on the Eve of Pentecost, May 22, 2021. We will still continue to stream our services.

Broadcast Link for all services:

https://www.facebook.com/St-Lukes-Episcopal-Church-Scranton-PA-215512459865/

Our schedule of livestreamed services is:

Saturdays: Evening Liturgy, 5PM

Sundays: Sunday Liturgy, 10AM

All services are livestreamed on the St. Luke’s Facebook page and may be accessed by clicking here.

____________________________________________________________________________

In a Pastoral Emergency, please contact—If you or a family member are in the hospital, health care facility, or are home bound and would like to have a visit from a priest or a member of our Pastoral Care Committee, please contact the parish office at 570-342-7654. Due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly known as HIPAA, the hospitals no longer automatically provide churches with the names of admitted parishioners. St. Luke’s church complies with all HIPAA requirements and cannot provide personal information for sick or injured members without permission of the member or his or her close family member.

Events at St. Luke’s and around the Diocese

Also see “This Week at St. Luke’s” for up-to-date information on services and events for the week and download the most recent Looking Forward for important announcements and upcoming events!

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

►Mother Barnes Called as Dean of St. Paul’s, Buffalo

Christian Education and Formation

►Children 

Sunday School: St. Luke’s uses the GODLY PLAY, a Montessori-based curriculum with our younger children, ages five to ten years old. Sunday School is held at 9:30 AM every Sunday, except the first Sunday of the month. To register your child please contact Rick Ammenhauser at imgold67@aol.com

Family Eucharist is held on the first Sunday of the month. The children and youth play a direct role in the 10am worship service by serving as ushers, acolytes and lectors. 

►Adult

Stay tuned for future Adult Education opportunities.

Centering Prayer Group:  Each Thursday evening at 5:30PM an ongoing weekly Centering Prayer group meets. Centering Prayer is a contemplative form of prayer geared toward the cultivation of interior silence or “centering.”  This form of prayer invites one to enter into a deeper relationship with God by being open and receptive to the presence and action of God in our lives. No prior experience is necessary. For more information, contact the parish office.

---

Community Outreach and Social Justice

►Food Pantry – Volunteers Needed
St. Luke’s satellite food pantry in partnership with Friends of the Poor is held on the third Tuesday of each month from 1-2:30pm. The pantry is currently on hiatus until January. For more information on how to volunteer or if you or someone you know is in need, please email Sharon Sollami at sharonsollami@gmail.com

►Little Free Library – Please consider donating books or magazines to our Little Free Library found in the Memorial Garden. With spring and summer comes an increase in foot traffic through the garden and of late we have found ourselves with few books to offer. Your donation can be left in the large tub found under the coat rack in Israel Lounge, or you can simply add your donation to the library as space allows.

►DOK Service Project
St. Luke’s St. Elizabeth of Hungary Chapter of the Daughters of the King is collecting items for We Really Care (WRC) formerly the Women’s Resource Center. The WRC provides services including emergency shelter and safe housing for those affected by domestic violence in Lackawanna and Susquehanna Counties. A collection box will be available at the back of the nave. Donations of the following items would greatly assist those in need:

• Full-size personal hygiene items (deodorant, soap, shampoo, lotion)
• Combs, brushes, nail clippers, etc.
• Twin and queen bedding in good condition (blankets, sheets, pillowcases)
• Towels and washcloths
• Laundry detergent
• Size 6-7 toddler’s diapers (no infant diapers please)
• Suitcases
• Fabric tote bags
• Non-perishable food items (canned meats, vegetables, peanut butter, noodles, pasta, spaghetti sauce, etc.)

The Daughters of the King greatly appreciate your participation in this ongoing service to our community.

---

►Safe Church classes are hitting the road and coming to YOU!

After hearing your feedback, we’re thrilled to announce that in-person classes are back, alongside our trusted online option. Now you can choose what works best for you!

November 9, 2024

Safe Church (In-Person) Training, St. Anne’s (Trexlertown)

If you have questions, please contact Tim Wagner (tim@diobeth.org).  Let’s continue the vital work of protecting everyone in our communities together.    

---

Upcoming Concerts at St. Luke’s

► Valenches Music Company Concert Friday, November 22, 2024 at 7:30PM

Welcome the sweet strings of the Valenches Music Company’s quartet to St. Luke’s, featuring Gabriel Schaff, Violin I, Leah Valenches, Violin II, Juliett Balenches, Viola, and Peter Brubaker, Cello.

---

 Fundraising

 ►Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends – St. Luke’s is again participating in the Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends program. The passes are available for $5.00 each and you will save 25% on all your purchases on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. It’s not too early to buy your pass. Please consider taking a few extra to sell to friends and neighbors. All proceeds will benefit the parish general fund. The passes are available in the parish office or from any Vestry member.

---

PAST EVENTS AND SERVICES      

2024 Holy Week and Easter Schedule of Services

• PALM SUNDAY VIGIL – March 23, Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Eucharist with reading of the Passion at 5:00 p.m.
• PALM SUNDAY – March 24, Liturgy of the Palms and Sung Holy Eucharist with reading of the Passion – 10:00 a.m.
• MAUNDY THURSDAY – March 28, Sung Holy Eucharist at 7:00 p.m. followed by Night Watch ’til Midnight.
• GOOD FRIDAY – March 29, Good Friday Service, 12 Noon – 3 p.m.; Stations of the Cross -7 p.m.
• EASTER VIGIL – March 30, The Great Vigil of Easter – 8:00 p.m.
• EASTER DAY – March 31, The Day of the Resurrection with Sung Holy Eucharist – 10:00 a.m.

►Night Watch and Prayer Vigil on Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the first of the three great days of Holy Week, also known as the Triduum. Maundy Thursday (March 28, 2024) begins joyously as we remember and celebrate Jesus’ institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper with his disciples. Likewise, following the narrative of the Gospel of John, we participate in a foot-washing as a way of entering fully into Jesus’ ministry of servanthood. The service of Maundy Thursday concludes on a solemn tone. Members of the altar guild assist the clergy in stripping the altar and removing all adornment from the church. The removal of the elements of celebration from the church suggests the emptiness that follows in Christ’s crucifixion. The reserved sacrament is removed from the ambry and altar and taken to an altar of repose located in the Good Shepherd Memorial Chapel. The altar of repose provides a place for the faithful to watch and pray with Christ, keeping vigil with him as His disciples did in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before he died. Traditionally, Christians from ancient times kept watch through the night at the altar of repose. The silence of night offers space for us to contemplate the great love that walked the Way of the Cross. We invite you to watch and pray for one hour at the altar of repose, from the conclusion of the Maundy Thursday Liturgy, on March 28th, until midnight. For the safety and well-being of all, a steward will be present throughout the night watch for assistance and safety. Please locate the chart in Israel Lounge and sign up in the spaces provided at a time that best fits your need for personal devotion. You may also call the church office at 570-343-7654 to reserve your time slot.

►Easter Morning Buffet – Join us for our Annual Easter Brunch following the 10AM Eucharist on Sunday, March 31, 2024. The menu is set; perhaps you’d like to add a favorite breakfast item from your kitchen. There will also be an Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Bunny will be hopping by. There is a sign-up sheet in Israel Lounge.

►Easter 2024 Memorial Flowers:  All those who wish to give flowers in memory or honor of a loved one and have their name included on St. Luke’s Easter Memorial List for 2024 are asked to use the envelopes marked “Easter Memorial Flowers.” For your convenience, envelopes have been included in the service leaflet. Additional copies are located on the table in the rear of the church. Please provide a list of names (written or typed) to the parish office, no later than Wednesday, March 27, 2024.

►Holy Week Practice & Polishing:  On Saturday, March 23^rd beginning at 12 Noon there will be a parish polishing and prep day for Holy Week. Volunteers are needed to prepare the church for this most significant week in the church calendar. Also, liturgy rehearsals and training will be offered by Mother Barnes. All who are serving in Holy Week services are asked to attend rehearsal. Please note that there will be a required “walk through” for the Easter Vigil on Saturday, March 30 at 6PM sharp.

The ministry sign-up sheets for Holy Week are posted in Israel Lounge. Service is needed in all areas. Ushers/greeters and counters are urgently needed. Please speak to Mother Barnes about how you might serve and any necessary training.

►Warren Memorial Garden Committee Members of the Garden Committee will be gathering in the Warren Memorial Garden on Saturday, May 23, 2023 at 10:00AM to clean up the garden in preparation for Palm Sunday and Holy Week/Easter. Please plan on lending a hand as they continue their work to maintain the beauty of our garden.

Lent at St. Luke’s

Fridays in Lent:

►Lenten Loaves and Lessons: This lay led time of fellowship and reflection on Friday evenings during Lent will begin at 5:30PM with a light (meatless) Lenten supper of soup, salad and bread. The hour together will focus on Lenten meditations on our baptismal promises using the book, Will You? A Lenten Study of Baptismal Promises. This five-week Lenten small group study offers daily reflections, examples of evangelism in action, and an invitation to think in new ways about the promises we make to God, each other, and ourselves in baptism. The study was written by Amanda Perkins McGriff, who received a 2021 Episcopal Evangelism Society grant to create a curriculum exploring connections between baptism, eucharist, and evangelism. Books are available for $12. For more details, please see Mother Barnes.

►On Friday, February 24, 2023 at 7:00 PM (and continuing at this time on Friday evenings throughout Lent) we will pray the Stations of the Cross followed by Compline.

---

►Are you Safe Church compliant?

Maintaining required training and clearances is vital because it helps us to keep all of the people in our congregations safe. Both Episcopal Church canons and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania laws require everyone who has contact with children and those with any sort of leadership position in the church to obtain background checks. Clergy persons, lay employees, vestry members, volunteers who works with children, Lay Eucharistic ministers, Altar Guild members, or keyholders in the church, must take steps in order to be in compliance with Pennsylvania law and the Episcopal Church Canons. These must be fulfilled in order to serve/be employed. The learning modules and Safe Church Training site have been recently updated. Learn more about what you need to do in order to be compliant and to keep your church safe. Contact Mother Barnes or Sharon Sollami with any questions or concerns about Safe Church compliancy.

Christian Education and Formation

►Church leadership and employees:  Are you Safe Church compliant? Maintaining required training and clearances is vital because it helps us to keep all of the people in our congregations safe. Both Episcopal Church canons and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania laws require everyone who has contact with children and those with any sort of leadership position in the church obtain background checks. Clergy persons, lay employees, vestry members, volunteers who work with children, Lay Eucharistic ministers, Altar Guild members, or keyholders in the church, must take steps in order to be in compliance with Pennsylvania law and the Episcopal Church Canons. These must be fulfilled in order to serve/be employed. The learning modules and Safe Church Training site have been recently updated. Learn more about what you need to do in order to be compliant and to keep your church safe. Contact Mother Barnes or Sharon Sollami with any questions or concerns about Safe Church compliancy.

►Children 

Sunday School: St. Luke’s uses the GODLY PLAY, a Montessori-based curriculum with our younger children, ages five to ten years old. Sunday School is held at 9:30 AM every Sunday, except the first Sunday of the month. To register your child please contact Mother Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com or Rick Ammenhauser at imgold67@aol.com

Family Eucharist is held on the first Sunday of the month. The children and youth play a direct role in the 10am worship service by serving as ushers, acolytes and lectors. 

►Youth

Province III is hosting its youth event (PYE24) open to grades 6 – 12, on April 5 – 7, 2024, at the Caroline Furnace Camp and Retreat Center in Fort Valley, VA. Please “Save the Date” and look for registration details later this month.

Additionally, high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to join the PYE24 Leadership Team and help plan and lead PYE24. There will be a Leadership Team planning retreat on February 24 – 25, 2024, at the Caroline Furnace Camp and Retreat Center in Fort Valley, VA. More information and an application for the PYE24 Leadership Team can be found online: click here or by visiting the DioBeth website.

In the coming year,  we will continue in the momentum of our Youth Confirmation Program and offer Journey to Adulthood (J2A) a youth ministry program of spiritual formation for 6th-12th grades. Fully revised and updated, it is centered on inclusive, relational ministry and uses Bible study, prayer, rites of passage, and outreach ministries. Creative, developmentally appropriate lessons are arranged within three categories of Self, Society, and Spirituality. For the benefit of our youth who have just been confirmed, we will use the 4Ward cohort of J2A which is an inclusive, engaging, relational youth ministry program in a two-year cohort for ages 15-18, concluding with the 4Ward ceremony. Stay tuned for more information!

►Adult

Wednesday Bible & Book Study – Each week, following the 12:10 Healing Eucharist the Wednesday Bible/Book Study group meets at 1:15 PM. 

Currently, the midweek Bible study is exploring The Path: A Journey Through the Bible. The Path is the story of the Bible excerpted from the New Revised Standard Version so that it is clear and easy to read. Follow the path of God’s love all the way from the beginning to the end from creation and John’s revelation. With informative trail signs to help one see how each piece of the narrative fits together, The Path is an experience unlike any other: an amazing 360 degree overview of the vast, sweeping story of God’s love for ordinary people.

The Path is available through Forward Movement (https://www.forwardmovement.org/) or Amazon; pdfs will be distributed for the weekly class.

Centering Prayer Group:  Each Thursday evening at 5:30PM an ongoing weekly Centering Prayer group meets. Centering Prayer is a contemplative form of prayer geared toward the cultivation of interior silence or “centering.”  This form of prayer invites one to enter into a deeper relationship with God by being open and receptive to the presence and action of God in our lives. No prior experience is necessary. For more information, contact Mother Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com or call the parish office.

---

►Wear Your Evangelism: Members of St. Luke’s Fundraising Team will soon be taking orders for shirts and hats that feature two embroidered logos; one that incorporates the traditional winged ox with our motto, “In the heart of things“; and the other with the Episcopal shield with our parish name and location. The polos and baseball caps are available in more than a dozen colors and multiple sizes, including youth sizes. We are not limited in the ways to show our logos; we are also considering offering reusable bags, water bottles, knit hats, screen printed t-shirts, and sweatshirts as interest grows. Is our goal to raise money for the general fund? Yes. As important though is our desire to make St. Luke’s folks easily recognizable to new comers at parish events, or as we serve in the community. Our logos are striking and will invite those who see them to ask about our parish and its ministries giving us all the opportunity to invite people to worship or to learn more about who we are and what we believe. Pricing information and order forms will be available soon. Check out the display in Kreitler Hall of available items. If you have questions, or would like to place an order, please see Mother Barnes, Mickey Baccoli, Rick Ammenhauser, Tom Zurla, and Sharon Sollami.

Community Outreach and Engagement

►Food Pantry – Volunteers Needed
St. Luke’s monthly satellite food pantry in partnership with Friends of the Poor will be held on March 19^th from 1-2:30pm. For more information on how to volunteer or if you or someone you know is in need, please email Sharon Sollami at sharonsollami@gmail.com

►Lenten Pizza Sale:   For a third year, St. Luke’s is partnering with Rosanna’s Pizza for a Lenten Fundraiser. Vouchers for Roseanna’s Pizza are still available, however, the restaurant fell behind in getting tickets to us to sell so we will not be mailing tickets out to parishioners as planned. There are plenty of tickets available in the church office, from any Vestry member, or by seeing Mother Barnes. Voucher that can be redeemed for a plain tray of pizza at either of their location at 998 Main Ave., Dickson or 501 N. Hyde Park Ave. in west Scranton. Please consider buying a voucher or two to gift to a friend or neighbor. all proceeds will benefit the general fund of the parish. Thank you to Rick Ammenhauser for coordinating this fundraiser. Please contact Rick at imgold67@aol.com for more information

►Easter Baskets Donations: Would you like to brighten a children’s Easter morning? St. Luke’s will serve as a collection spot for Easter Baskets to be distributed by the Friends of the Poor in conjunction with their Easter Dinner Food giveaway again this year. Baskets can be dropped of at St. Luke’s through March 17, 2024.

► DOK Service Project
St. Luke’s St. Elizabeth of Hungary Chapter of the Daughters of the King will begin collecting items for the
Women’s Resource Center this September. The Women’s Resource Center provides services including emergency shelter and safe housing for those affected by domestic violence in Lackawanna and  Susquehanna Counties. A collection box will be available at the back of the nave. Donations of the following items would greatly assist those in need:

• Full-size personal hygiene items (deodorant, soap, shampoo, lotion)
• Combs, brushes, nail clippers, etc.
• Twin and queen bedding in good condition (blankets, sheets, pillowcases)
• Towels and washcloths
• Laundry detergent
• Size 6-7 toddler’s diapers (no infant diapers please)
• Suitcases
• Fabric tote bags
• Non-perishable food items (canned meats, vegetables, peanut butter, noodles, pasta, spaghetti sauce, etc.)

The Daughters of the King greatly appreciate your participation in this ongoing service to our community.

Upcoming Concerts at St. Luke’s… and around the community

Purchase Tickets

NEPA Philharmonic – Chamber 3

Celebrate the advent of Spring with Astor Piazzolla’s thrilling Primavera Porteño and Schubert’s gorgeous String Trio in B-flat Major, performed by NEPA Philharmonic violinist Emily Garrison and violist Sharon Gunderson, together with cellist Sasha Ono. Alongside Piazzolla and Schubert come undiscovered gems by the Dutch Emmy Frensel Wegener, Auschwitz victim Hans Krása, and one of the best composers you’ve never heard of, Leo Weiner, known as the “Hungarian Mendelssohn.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024 | 7:00PM

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Scranton
232 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, 18503

The Saint Luke’s full 2023-24 concert series brochure is now available. Click here to see the full array of exciting concerts we’ll be hosting.

  

►The Philadelphia Eleven:  This July, we will celebrate 50 years of women in the priesthood and what better way to preface that anniversary than by hosting a screening of the documentary “The Philadelphia Eleven”. The film tells a story that continues to resonate today as women seeking ordination continue to face resistance, disrespect and exclusion from roles reserved by men for men. The documentary explores the lives of eleven remarkable women who succeeded in transforming an age-old institution despite the threats to their personal safety and the risk of rejection by the church they loved. These women became and remain an inspiration for generations of women in the ministry, and a clarion call for the entire Christian Church. In conjunction with Women’s History Month, the documentary film will screen at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on March 10, 2024 at 2:00PM. Our event is part of the filmmaker’s national screening tour, and it is expected to be the only screening available in the Diocese of Bethlehem. Invitations have been made throughout the Diocese, our Convocation, and the community. Seating is limited; a free will offering will be taken to offset the cost of the screening. Tickets are available on our Facebook Event page. You can watch the film’s trailer at https://www.philadelphiaelevenfilm.com/trailer.html

►Holy Cross Monastery Lenten Retreat
For the second year, St. Luke’s is planning a parish retreat at Holy Cross Monastery in the New York Hudson Valley. Holy Cross is a Benedictine Community in the Anglican Communion. The retreat is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12 through Friday, March 15, 2024. Space is limited and reservations must be made no later than Monday, February 12, 2024. The cost for the retreat is $430 which covers three night’s lodging, meals, and retreat program leadership by one of the brothers. Scholarship is available upon written request. Please see Mother Barnes for more details.

---

►Reentry Simulation: Cypress House at St. Luke’ seeks to offer a compassionate response to the injustices that men and women experience when they are released from prison. In conjunction with that goal, Cypress House is offering a Reentry Simulation experience where attendees will learn first-hand about the inherent barriers men and women face for a successful reentry into community from incarceration. The program was designed and is facilitated by The State Department of Justice. Everyone is welcome to attend. St. Luke’s parishioners and friends are particularly encouraged to register for one of the two sessions being offered on Tuesday, March 5, 2024; one at 9:00AM or 1:00PM. REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/87DhkvzyZRqRkm7b6 or visit www.stlukescranton.org or https://cypresshouse.org/

Diocesan Gathering celebrating Absalom Jones & Black History Month on February 24^th.

The Racial Justice & Reconciliation Task Force will host a celebration of Absalom Jones and Black History Month Celebration on February 24, 2024, at St. Stephen’s Pro-cathedral (Wilkes-Barre).

Join us for a day of reflection, formation, and fellowship with keynote speaker the Rev. Ryan Hawthorne, Associate Rector at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, Houston, TX.

This event consists of check-in at 9:30 a.m., keynote address, discussion, lunch, and a concluding worship service. Registration is needed for your participation: click here or visit the Diocesan website.

---

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper:  Join us on Tuesday, February 13^th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Kreitler Hall for the Annual St. Luke’s Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. The last day of the Season after the Epiphany is also known as Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras in French. In the life of the Church, this day is referred to as Shrove Tuesday—the day immediately preceding Ash Wednesday—so named from the “shriving”, i.e. confession and absolution of the faithful that day. We mark Shrove Tuesday with our annual Pancake Supper. Come join in or cheer on your favorite “pancake flipper” in the pancake races! Ticketsare $10; Children 5 and under are free.  Take-outs will be available.

►Annual Meeting of the Parish

St. Luke’s Annual Parish Meeting was held on Sunday, January 28, 2024a.  Mother Barnes, parish officers, and committee leaders presented their annual reports and shared specific plans for ministry, mission, and spiritual growth in the year to come. The 2024 approved annual budget was also presented and Vestry members were elected. At its 2016 Diocesan Convention, the diocese established canons that stipulate that every parish shall conduct its annual meeting in January at a time and place designated by the parish Vestry, and at the 2021 Convention, amendment of the canons was approved allowing for online attendance/voting by members in good standing. “Members in good standing” is defined as those individuals at least 18 years old, who are regular attendants at the services of the parish, and who are regular contributors for the six months preceding the meeting. A quorum for the transaction of business requires that 25% of the persons entitled to vote be present OR 25 persons entitled to vote, whichever is less.  Our meeting was a hybrid offering; a Zoom link was made available to those who were unable to attend in person.

Congratulations to the newly elected officers and delegates to Convention:

• Richard Ammenhauser for a second term of three years
• Kimberly DeSanto, for a first term of three years
• Lay Delegates to Diocesan Convention, Sharon Sollami and Mickey Baccoli
• Alternate Lay Delegates to Diocesan Convention, David Wegner (1^st alternate) and Donna Durland (2^nd alternate).

At the February 7^th Vestry meeting, the following members were elected officers of the Vestry: Mickey Baccoli, Sr. Warden; Rick Ammenhauser, Jr. Warden; Kathy Selemba, Clerk; Tom Zurla, Treasurer.

Click here for the Annual Report (Draft)

Christian Education and Formation

►Adult

Genesis | Epiphany 2024

Reading the Bible is one of the best ways to grow spiritually, especially if you are able to join in the company of fellow travelers on the journey. The Good Book Club offers you a chance to join with others—whether locally in your church or globally online—in an immersive experience in a book of the Bible.  For our journey through scripture during Epiphany 2024, the Good Book Club will explore the Book of Genesis. Mark your calendars to join the Good Book Club with daily scripture readings, reflections, and teachings, during Epiphanytide, starting January 6. The list of readings is now available! (https://www.goodbookclub.org/readings/ )

Here at St. Luke’s, beginning on Mother Barnes will offer a class following the Sunday Coffee Hour starting on January 14.  More details and related resources will be announced later.

---

►Dedication and blessing of New Vestments and Altar Frontal
On Sunday, January 14, 2024 St. Luke’s dedicated new vestments and Altar paraments  given by the Cudworth Family in memory of Edna Cudworth who died on January 9, 2023. The new altar frontal, Bible markers, burse, veil, and priest’s chasuble and stole have been made for St. Luke’s by the firm of Trevor W. Floyd & Co. The new paraments and vestments are made of St. Nicholas damask. The pattern is a unique combination of Ottoman and Gothic styles and was originally designed by William Randoll Blacking for St. Nicolas Church, Guildford. Blacking drew his inspiration for the fan figure from a 16th Century Turkish design in the Kelekian Collection. We are grateful to the Cudworth family for this generous gift which will beautify our sanctuary for years to come. 

___________________________________________________

Parish Night Out at the Movies
St. Luke’s invites its parishioners and members of Convocation III to gather on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 for the nationwide premiere of “A Case for Love.” The documentary is inspired by Presiding Bishop’s Michael Curry’s message of unselfish love and is expected to appear in 1,000 theaters for the one-day initial release. Grace Based Films, the movies’ production company, describes the documentary as “A different kind of film, a different kind of story. A journey of exploration in troubling times.”
This documentary examines the question of whether or not love, specifically, unselfish love, is the solution to the extreme societal and political divide facing the world. In the documentary, the film team travels across the US, interviewing everyday people from various walks of life and ethnicities, striving to live their lives selflessly. These stories are interwoven with hundreds of person-on-the-street interviews while well-known figures including Pete Buttigieg, Al Roker, Sam Waterston, John Meacham, Jim Clyburn and
others weigh in on the subject. In the end, Bishop Michael Curry places what we’ve seen into context.
Subjects explored: Racial Justice, Sexual Identity, Military Service, Foster Care, Politics, Sexual Trafficking, Disability, Loss of Loved Ones, Refugees, Volunteering, Food Justice and more.” 
You can view the film’s trailer at
https://youtu.be/jLTxUBCbLiQ

We will be attending the 7:00PM show at the Cinemark Theater at 40 Glenmaura National Boulevard; tickets including the processing fees are $15.00pp. See Mother Barnes for more information. 

►Candlelight Vigil for the Victims of Palestine and Israel

New Year’s Day Holy Hike – Holy Hikes will be partnering with Lackawanna Heritage Valley Trail for a “First Day-First People’s” Walk to usher in the New Year.  The January 1st journey of renewal begins at noon from the Elm Street trailhead in South Scranton and continues to the Six Nations Amphitheater. The two-mile, ADA-accessible stretch of trail pays tribute to local Native American history with a sculpture of a Haudenosaunee fisherman-chief and stone carvings of animals. Most of the trail’s surface is paved and well-suited for a moderately paced two-hour round trip. The event will include a service to honor the indigenous peoples who came to Scranton before it became Scranton. Parking is available at the trailhead. Please join us for this special event. It’s a great way to start the New Year!

Fall Stewardship Campaign – Rooted in Abundance (September 17 – November 26)

Many thanks to all who participated in this year’s stewardship campaign and made a pledge to St. Luke’s. Our Fall Pledge Ingathering was last Sunday, November 26th. In recent weeks, we have learned from reflections offered at the Sunday Eucharist and in the bulletin inserts, the importance of stewardship and that our generosity is informed by the simple theological truth that God has blessed us infinitely with all of the gifts of Creation. Our lives, our labor, our love is devoted to the mission of the Church when we take stock and realize that our lives and our response to God’s generosity are Rooted in Abundance.  Our Rector, Mother Barnes; Senior Warden, Mickey Baccoli; Vestry Clerk, Kathy Selemba; Treasurer, Tom Zurla; and Sharon Sollami serve on the stewardship team and are happy to answer any questions you may have about stewardship and service. You will be hearing more from the Stewardship Team in the next week or two. If you have not submitted your 2024 pledge, they may still be sent to the parish office or dropped in the offering plate.

Advent Wreath Workshop – Sunday, December 3: On Sunday, December 3, following the 10AM Eucharist Coffee Hour, we will have a multigenerational

►Slow Down. Quiet. It’s Advent Calendars: Copies of 2023 Advent calendar poster with illustrations by Jay Sidebotham are available in the rear of the church. The calendar suggests ways to mark the days through the Advent season, offering ideas for prayer, helping others, and being thoughtful about the true meaning of Christmas.

 ►Women of St. Luke’s Christmas Gala:  This year’s dinner is on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at Cooper’s Seafood House. The event will include a cookie table and a sit down dinner. Please contact Kathy Selemba at (570) 843-6213 at or Robin O’Hearn at (570) 963-5407. Reservation deadline is December 10.

►St. Luke’s Cleaning and Greening of the Church: We will gather on Sunday, December 17, 2023 following the 10:00 Eucharist Coffee Hour (approximately 12 Noon) to decorate the church for Christmas. That same day, we will be welcoming friends from the downtown area for Senior Space so there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and lend a helping hand this season. All are warmly welcome at these festive and fun events.

►Christmas 2023 Memorial Flowers and Greens: All those who wish to give flowers and greens in memory or honor of a loved one and have their name included on St. Luke’s Christmas Memorial List for 2023 are asked to use the envelopes marked “Christmas Memorial Flowers and Greens.” For your convenience, envelopes will be included in the service leaflets through Advent 3, December 17th. Additional copies well be available on the table in the rear of the church. Please provide a list of names (written or typed) to the parish office, no later than Sunday, December 17.                         

Friends of the Poor Toy Drive: Catherine McAuley Center Toy Drive – St. Luke’s is collaborating with Friends of the Poor (FOTP) and the Catherine McAuley Center for their annual Christmas Toy Distribution. Toy donations will be accepted through Friday, December 15, 2023 and a wish list of items is posted on the barrel itself in the Nave. We are focusing our efforts on kids of middle and high school age, but toys for all ages are welcome. If you prefer, monetary donations can be made to The Catherine McAuley Center noting “Gifts for Kids” in the memo line. If you are interested in the hands-on work of the toy distribution to be held at the University of Scranton on any of the four days (December 18- December 21), please see Sharon Sollami or email her at sharonsollami@gmail.com for ways you can help.

 

November Webinar with 2023 Grant Recipients

On Wednesday, November 15, 2023 @ 1:00PM the United Thank Offering November webinar was aired nationally. The live streamed webinar featured grant recipients, amongst whom was our own Cypress House Bakery, in conversation with one another discussing the work each is engaged in around the worldwide incarceration crisis. St. Luke’s Rector and Cypress House President & CEO, The Rev’d Rebecca Barnes and Dr. Helen Wolf, Secretary, represented the Cypress House Bakery on the webinar. The recording of the webinar is now available and may be viewed here.  2023 grant recipients engaged with each other around reflecting on the worldwide incarceration crisis and the focus from Matthew 25 to visit/care for those who are in prison. This year’s four grant sites:

Cypress House Bakery: Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem. (Cypress House at St. Luke’s will open a bakery and offer employment to previously incarcerated individuals, with a special concern to hire individuals who identify as Black, Latino/a, Indigenous, or of another marginalized identity. Apprentices will learn marketable skills in the baking industry via a baking methods/skills development curriculum.)

St. Leonard’s Ministries and St. Andrew’s Church: Community Gathering Space, Chicago, Illinois, in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. (This project will renovate Saint Andrew’s Church, on St. Leonard’s Ministries campus, to create a new community space for returning citizens. It will host residents, alumni, community partners, and faith leaders, and together share what it means to welcome returning citizens back into community with needed support, dignity, acceptance, and kindness.)

Well Time 2.0: Empowering Reentry, Des Moines, Iowa, in the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. (Well Time 2.0: Empowering Reentry will recruit/prepare volunteers from churches to provide faith-based support to women recently released from prison through weekly group meetings at the Waterloo Women’s Center for Change and through individual reentry teams for women to offer compassionate guidance to overcome personal, societal, and economic barriers.)

Diocesan Justice Liaison Project, Tulsa, in the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma. (Oklahoma leads the nation in incarcerating mothers and fathers. New Hope at Trinity serves vulnerable children of prisoners, and the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma delivers many prison-based programs. A diocesan justice liaison will serve as an effective bridge between programs, encourage additional and new participation, and provide additional support unique to a social worker.)

Join to learn more about how Episcopal congregations and ministries are showing up and being the face of Christ in their communities while supporting returning citizens, families of incarcerated people, and more. We hope to see you at this wonderful webinar, where we can be inspired by the amazing things the church is doing and give thanks for the amazing work our thank offerings are funding.

___________________________________________________

Joint Gaza Appeal Letter from the Most Rev’ds Hosam Naoum and Justin Welby, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

24 October, 2023

Dear Friends,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

From Archbishop Hosam Naoum:

Just over two weeks ago, the world was horrified at the sudden eruption of war in the Holy Land, resulting in hundreds of deaths, injuries, and displacements. Since that time, those numbers have multiplied into the thousands, as open hostilities have drastically escalated. Innocent civilians, especially women and children, have been caught in the deadly crossfire. As you have probably seen, a massive rocket blast exploded in the midst of our own Ahli Hospital in the heart of Gaza City, tragically killing or seriously wounding hundreds of refugees who had gathered there because they had no other place of shelter in which to go.

Although Ahli’s buildings were heavily damaged, two nights later our devoted staff partially reopened the hospital. In doing this, they demonstrated the determination we have in the Diocese of Jerusalem to persevere in our Christian mission to serve others as though we were serving Christ himself (Matt 25:31-46). And this is the case not just for Gaza, but throughout all the Holy Land. Yet in order to accomplish this mission in the midst of a devastating war, we need to draw upon the strength of the larger Body of Christ. For we understand that when one member of the Body suffers, all parts suffer (1 Cor 12:26).

And so, my sisters and brothers in Christ, I appeal to you to first of all to pray for our mission here, as well for the peace of Jerusalem (Psa 122:6). Secondly, advocate with your representatives for a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land, so that all who dwell within these lands can live in security. Finally, if you are able, support our ministries in Gaza, Palestine & Israel, and throughout the Diocese of Jerusalem by contributing financially through one of our international partners.

Thank you for helping us continue the work of our Lord Jesus Christ in the very lands in which he himself ministered in his earthly life before offering up his life on our behalf and then rising again victorious from the grave, overcoming death and giving us hope for a new life. May God bless you.

From Archbishop Justin Welby:

As war devastates the Holy Land, we ask where Christ is to be found amid the cries of His children. When the lives of the innocent are at risk, we strain our eyes for the light of the One who offers healing, peace, and justice. In Gaza, the Al Ahli hospital, run by the Diocese of Jerusalem, is that light. Despite being hit by rocket fire last week, it is still providing critical care to the injured and anyone in need of medical attention. As health services become even more vital in Gaza, the work of the hospital becomes more difficult for urgent need of medications, equipment and fuel.

Please, continue to pray for those who mourn, those who are in pain, and those who are in fear, and for those who are caring for the injured and bereaved. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says that those who have looked after the sick have cared for Christ himself. I urge everyone, if they are able, to support the Al Ahli Hospital’s work caring for the wounded body of Jesus Christ and contribute to the Gaza Appeal.

In Christ,

The Most Reverend Hosam E. Naoum

Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem

The Most Reverend Justin Welby

The Archbishop of Canterbury

International Partners receiving donations for this appeal:

American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (USA):

https://afedj.org/give/give-online/

Community Outreach and Social Justice

It is with great pleasure that we share with you the news that Cypress House at St. Luke’s has been awarded a $25 000 grant from the Wyncote Foundation.

Cypress House has also received two other 50K grants in the past 12 months, one from the Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters, and one from the United Thank Offering (UTO) of the Episcopal Church.

On Saturday, August 26, the Cypress House Board, along with Vestry members of St. Luke’s met for a day long Visioning Day.  We look forward to commencing remodeling of our church kitchen shortly and launching our re-entry bakery ministry. Please continue to hold us in your prayers as we work together to build the Beloved Community and make this dream a reality.

Please consider a donation to Cypress House by visiting www.cypresshouse.org

Cypress House at St. Luke’s Awarded a United Thank Offering Grant

It is with great pleasure that we share with you the news that Cypress House at St. Luke’s has been awarded a 50K grant from the United Thank Offering (UTO) of the Episcopal Church.

This year’s UTO grant focused on areas of ministry that serve those who society has left out and left behind. Specifically, this year’s UTO grant focus is on innovative mission and ministry projects addressing all aspects of the worldwide incarceration crisis, specifically preventative programs and intervention, prisoner support outreach, prison reform work, or post-prison re-entry.

Cypress House at St. Luke’s will open a bakery, modeled after Homeboy Industries of LA, and offer employment to previously incarcerated individuals, with a special concern to hire individuals who identify as black, Latino/a, indigenous, or of another marginalized identity. Apprentices will learn marketable skills in the baking industry via a baking methods/skills development curriculum.

We are grateful to have received this generous support for our initiative from the UTO. Please consider a donation to Cypress House, or to the United Thank Offering by visiting www.unitedthankoffering.com

Click here to read more about all of this year’s grant recipients.

► Senior Space – Join in as we host our downtown neighbors for our quarterly Senior Space event on Sunday, December 17, 2023, following the 10:00am service. Plans are underway for a light lunch of hoagies and sides. Games are being planned and our neighbors at CaPAA will provide some musical entertainment, and of course, there will be caroling. Can you donate a dozen (or more) homemade cookies to the Senior Space luncheon? A SIGN UP SHEET IS IN ISRAEL LOUNGE.

 

Upcoming Concerts at St. Luke’s… and around the community

Lyric Consort presents A Lyric Consort Christmas

Saturday, December 16, 2023 – 8:00 pm
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church of Scranton
Reception to Follow
$10.00 General Admission

Please remember to squeeze us into your busy holiday schedule next weekend when we perform—with you—at our 39th Annual Messiah Sing-Along!

The concert is at 3 pm at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on South Franklin Street.

Tickets are available on our website.

Tickets and scores (so you can sing along!) are also available at the door the day of the performance.  #arcadiachorale #messiahsingalong

his year’s grant recipients.

St. Luke’s Annual First Friday Blessing of the Animals, October 6, 2023: 

Doors open from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm.

Pet Blessing will be at 6:30 P.M. All pets are welcome (leashed or in cages, please).

In addition to the blessing service, St. Cats and Dogs will be our special guests and will have cats available for adoption. Briar Ledge Jewelry will also be a guest vendor.

►The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People Are Drawn In and How to Talk Across the Divide by Pamela Cooper-White. On three Thursdays in September (Sept. 7, 14, and 28) St. Luke’s will conduct a study of Dr. Cooper-White’s brilliant and courageous book. One chapter of the three chapter book will be covered each evening:

• Sept 7 – Unholy Alliances: Christian Nationalism, White Supremacy, and the Pursuit of Power
• Sept 14 – Why Are People Drawn In by Extremist Beliefs? Conscious Needs and Unconscious Lures
• Sept. 28 – How to Talk Across the Divide: Creating Human Ties across (Extreme) Difference

No Way Home Screening

The Amistad Law Project, Straight Ahead, St. Luke’s, and Cypress House at St. Luke’s are please to join forces to offer a screening of No Way Home. The documentary traces the story of Lorraine Haw, known as Mrs. Dee Dee, as she grapples with the trauma of living on both sides of the epidemic of gun violence in Philadelphia.Earlier in life, Mrs. Dee Dee’s younger brother was shot to death in his apartment complex after an argument over a gold necklace turned fatal. Years later, still reeling from the tragic death of her brother, she was devastated to see her son sentenced to mandatory life without parole in prison. A leader in the movement to end mass incarceration in Pennsylvania, Mrs. Dee Dee’s story reflects the experiences of thousands of people in Pennsylvania who simultaneously sit on both sides of the gun violence epidemic: having lost loved ones to gun violence and also having lost loved ones to the carceral system.  Join us on Tuesday, August 8th 6:30 PM here at St. Luke’s Church. The screening of No Way Home will be followedby a panel and town hall discussion on life without parole and the need for second chances in Pennsylvania prisons. 

It’s All About Love:  A Festival for the Jesus Movement

Across the church and around the world, we are hungry for revival and renewal. Join us for “It’s All About Love,” a church wide festival of worship, learning, community, and action for the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement, to be held Sunday, July 9 through Wednesday, July 12, at the Baltimore Convention Center. “It’s All About Love” features three Jesus Movement festival “tents” – Evangelism, Creation Care, and Racial Reconciliation. Featured speakers, preachers, and artists to include Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, President of the House of Deputies Julia Ayala Harris, Brian McClaren, Rev. Mariama White-Hammon, Dr. Kwok Pui-lan, Sarah Augustine, Lilly Lewin, Live Hymnal & Friends, and more!

Join us online for:

• July 9 (evangelism), July 10 (creation care) and July 11 (racial reconciliation)
• Morning plenaries at 9-10:15 a.m. ET on July 10 (racial reconciliation), July 11 (creation care) and 9:00-10:00 a.m. ET (evangelism)
• and for Closing Eucharist at 10:30am-12pm ET on July 12.

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/its-all-about-love/

_________________________________

Episcopal Youth Event – EYE (pronounced E-Y-E) is a gathering of youth ages 15-19 from around the world who assemble on a college campus to learn, laugh, and worship together. 2023’s theme is: Regreso A Casa: A New Age of Faith. This bilingual theme emphasizes a kind of “homecoming”. EYE for 2023 will take place from July 3 – 8 at the University of Maryland.  EYE is the second largest event the Episcopal Church does, and since this event is held only once every three years, for many #EYE23 will be their only chance to attend.  With close to 1,500 people in attendance (including youth, their adult mentors, clergy, and bishops from around the church), EYE programs focus on helping develop leadership skills, spiritual practices, and early stages of vocational discernment. Time is spent in worship, large group presentations, small group discussions, workshops on a variety of topics (Participants select the workshops they wish to attend.), and time to hang-out and meet Episcopalians from around the world. Registration is now closed. Please pray for our youth who will be attending.

---

The Greater Scranton MLK Commission will host its annual dinner to celebrate the life, legacy, and work of Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sunday January 15, 2023 from 1:30-4:00PM at The University of Scranton’s DeNaples Center at 900 Mulberry St.

This year’s theme is When Good People Remain Silent: Anti-Semitism, Othering, Belonging. The Commission is focusing on the increasing threat of anti-Semitism, the effects of othering, and the importance of belonging for our Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGTBQ communities. The dinner will be followed by a virtual livestream from Keynote speaker, Sr. Mary C. Boys EdD, DHL, Dr. Theol, Dlitt. Sr. Boys is a professor of Practical Theology and author of six books. The virtual stream will be followed by an in-person round table discussion.

Panelists include The Rev’d Rebecca A. Barnes, Rector, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church;  Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Spiritual Leader, Temple Hesed; Rev. Mark Alexander, Bethel A.M.E. Church; and Pastor Eric Wohner, Member Care and Discipleship Pastor, Steamtown Church.

Click here to listen to the lecture and panel discussion.

__________________________________________________

►Obituary and Funeral Service 
The Reverend Lester E. Stephenson, Jr., died on Tuesday morning in the Hospice of the Sacred Heart Inpatient Unit, Dunmore. His wife of 41 years is Ruth Ann Meeson. Pastor Stephenson served St. John’s Lutheran Church in Jim Thorpe from 1974 to 1979, Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in West Scranton from 1979 until 2005. In 2005, Pastor Stephenson was called to serve St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Scranton.  St. Matthew’s was a consolidation of the St. John’s Lutheran Church, Center City of Scranton and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church of  the West Side of Scranton.   Pastor Stephenson served there for 11 years retiring on December 31 2015. Upon retirement he and his wife attended St. Luke’s. Funeral services were held January 14, 2023 at St. Luke’s at 11:00 AM officiated and celebrated by Mother Barnes.

Click here for the service leaflet. Click here to view the streamed service is available on our FB page

---

►Provide relief and help communities recover from flooding and fires

Deadly flooding and fires in southern and western parts of the US are displacing thousands and creating a financial burden on the most vulnerable. Episcopal Relief & Development is working with church and local partners to provide help where it’s needed the most. Your swift response and compassionate gift to the Episcopal Relief & Development Disaster Fund will provide supplies to help communities in Kentucky, Virginia, Missouri, California and other places make a full and sustained recovery. Visit episcopalrelief.org to make a contribution today.

____________________________________________________________________________________

►Children’s Christian Education and Formation

Classes at St. Luke’s began in September. We will be using a special youth focused curriculum J2A – Journey to Adulthood. Bishop Kevin will be with us for Confirmation on Trinity Sunday, June 4, 2023. More detailed information about confirmation classes and registration will be sent out soon.

Sunday School resumed on Sunday, September 11, 2022! 

Sunday school classes commenced on Sunday, September 11 at 9:30am. We began the fall season with Episcopal Communion instruction for our youngest children who received Holy Communion (some for the first time) on the Feast of St. Luke’s, Oct. 16, 2022. Following our special Eucharistic program, we will resume with Godly Play, a Montessori-based curriculum with our younger children, ages five to ten years old.

Beginning in the fall, we are also offering Confirmation preparation for our older youth. We are using the program “My Life, My Faith.” For more information, to enroll your child, or to learn more about serving in the Sunday school program, please see Mother Barnes or email her at mthrbarnes@gmail.com or Rick Ammenhauser at imgold67@aol.com

See our Children and Youth page for more offerings including resources for talking with kids about the challenging issues of our time.

Resources for Children:  We have new welcome bags for our youngest attendees to enjoy during Mass. The bags are filled with sensory engaging toys and books and are available from an usher. Weekly lectionary materials are also available for our youngest members and visitors.

_____________________________________________________________________

►Adult Christian Education and Formation

Lenten Retreat at Holy Cross Monastery – In March (March 21-24, 2023) a parish Lenten retreat is planned Holy Cross Monastery in the New York Hudson Valley. The suggested donation for the three days is $330 per person which will cover all lodging, program costs, and meals including breakfast and dinner the day of departure. Space is extremely limited and filling up fast! Please contact Mother Barnes ASAP to reserve a spot. Scholarship for those in need is available upon written request.

_________________________________________________________

Voce Angeli Concert:  Each year, Voce Angeli, a premier women’s choral ensemble in Northeastern Pennsylvania presents a summer concert with proceeds benefiting a local charity. This year’s concert is set for Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 7:30PM at St. Luke’s and the benefactor is the Catherine McAuley Center, an agency that provides temporary shelter for women with children in crisis. Mark your calendars for this wonderful summer event. There will be a free will offering for this concert; suggested donation is $10.00

March for Our Lives is marching in multiple locations throughout NEPA! Born out of a tragic school shooting, March For Our Lives is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence.

Action Together NEPA will rally on June 11th, to help put a stop to gun violence and March For Our Lives!  The Scranton March will begin at the Steamtown Mall across from the State Building. Anyone from St. Luke’s that wishes to join in and go together may meet at the church at 10:30.

► A Christian Ed Offering with St. Ignatius of Antioch, NYC

From St. Ignatius – “As we continue to mark our Sesquicentennial, starting this coming Tuesday, June 7 our former assistant rector, the Rev’d Rebecca A. Barnes will begin a two part (four class) series on the history of Anglo-Catholicism, the Ritual Movement, and the early years of the Church of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, through the mid-1920s. The first two classes in June will discuss the ritual movement and the September classes will cover the rectorships of our founder, Fr Ewer, and his successor Fr Ritchie. Mother Barnes received her Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees from the General Theological Seminary, writing her M.Div. thesis on this very subject. She is presently Rector of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Scranton, PA. The class will be held on Zoom immediately following Evening Prayer and in the same Zoom meeting: https://www.saintignatiusnyc.org/DailyOffice All are invited to join!”

MARY MAGDALENE “ APOSTLE TO THE APOSTLES” – AN EASTERTIDE RETREAT DAY with DEIRDRE GOOD.

On Saturday, April 23, 2022  St. Luke’s held a retreat day on Apostle to the Apostles -An Eastertide Retreat Day on Mary Magdalene with Dr. Deirdre Good.

To view the video of the retreat click here (Passcode is John20:1-18 )

Deirdre Good, (Th.D. Harvard Divinity School), is a renowned Biblical scholar and professor of New Testament specializing in the synoptic Gospels. Born in Kenya, she grew up in the U.K., taught as Assistant Professor at Valparaiso University, as Associate Professor at Agnes Scott College, as Professor and Academic Dean at The General Seminary for 28 years, and now lives in Maine. She is a licensed lay preacher in the Diocese of Maine and a faculty member of the Stevenson School of Ministry in the Diocese of Central PA.

Fridays in Lent:

• On Friday, March 4, at 7:00 PM (and continuing at this time on Friday evenings throughout Lent) we will pray the Stations of the Cross followed by Compline.
• Lenten Loaves and Lessons: Join fellow parishioners at 6PM for a light Lenten supper of soup and bread with reflection on select themes from Episcopal Relief and Development’s Lenten meditations. Stations and Compline follow at 7PM.

Lenten Retreat Day – Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop – An Introductory workshop will be offered throughout the season of Lent beginning with a workshop on Saturday, March 5, 2022 from 10 am-3:30 pm. A light lunch will be served (Free-will donations are requested to defray the cost of the meal), or a brown bag lunch may be brought. Follow-up sessions designed for ongoing learning and group spiritual support will be held at the regularly scheduled Thursday evening Centering Prayer group gatherings on March 10, 17, 24, 31 and April 7. The workshop will be presented by The Rev’d Rebecca Barnes who is a commissioned presenter with Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. For more information, please contact Mother Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com or call the parish office.

Centering Prayer Group:  Each week an ongoing weekly Centering Prayer group meets at St. Luke’s. Centering prayer 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 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. During Lent, the Six Follow-up Sessions to the Introductory Workshop will be offered. No prior experience is necessary. For more information, please contact Mother Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com or call the parish office.  (Centering Prayer group meets each Thursday at 5:30 BOTH IN THE CHAPEL AT ST. LUKE’S AND ON ZOOM. To access the “zoom chapel” click here.  Click here for a brochure on The Method of Centering Prayer. )

Christian Education and Formation

Ten Commandments Class

Rabbi Daniel Swartz of Temple Hesed, Scranton and Mother Barnes are partnering to teach a class on The Ten Commandments. They will take an in-depth look at the commandments that are central to Judaism and Christianity.

The ten-week program will be held at noon on Sundays beginning on Sunday, February 6, 2022 and continuing through April 10, 2022. The first five commandments will be taught at Temple Hesed and the last five at St. Luke’s. The class will also be a hybrid offering on Zoom. The planned text for the classes are Inscribed Encounters with the Ten Commandments, Rabbi Oren J. Hayon, editor and The Ten Commandments for Jews, Christians, and Others, Roger E. Van Harn, editor and can be purchased through your favorite bookseller.

If you have any questions, or to obtain the password for the Zoom meeting, please contact Mother Barnes at St. Luke’s (570)342-7654 or Rabbi Swartz at Temple Hesed, 1 Knox Road, Scranton, 570.344.7201.

PYZANKY AND PRAYER -Ukrainian Easter egg making and prayers for Ukraine.

On Tuesday, March 29th from 6 to 8 PM, we will have the unique opportunity of gathering for a time of learning the art of Pyzanky – Ukrainian Easter egg making – and joining in prayers for Ukraine.

“Pysanky are made using a wax-resist dye method, which requires the eggs to be dipped in different-colored dyes from lightest to darkest with melted beeswax applied between layers with a design tool called a kistka. The beeswax preserves the color underneath when dipping the eggs in new colors. Once the designs are complete, the wax is melted and scraped off, revealing the final designs.”

Our instructor will be Tammy Budnovitch, who is a member S.S. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Church in Olyphant who has been teaching this art for several years. The cost is $25 and includes all supplies.  Attendance is limited to 12 people and will be on a first come first serve basis. Please email mthrbarnes@gmail.com to register. 

______________________________________________________________________________

NEPA PHILHARMONIC CHAMBER CONCERT: BEETHOVEN‘S BELATED BIRTHDAY BASH!

Celebrate Beethoven’s belated 250th birthday with his soul stirring G Major String trio along with some surprise party guests! Featuring NEPP violinist Sasha Margolis, violist David Creswell, and cellist Alberto Parrini, this concert celebrates the 150th Anniversary of St. Luke’s current church on Wyoming Avenue.  THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022 | 7:00PM.

_________________________________________________________________________________

By the Grace of God and with the Consent of the People

The Right Reverend Kevin D. Nichols, Bishop of Bethlehem will ordain

Elizabeth Grohowski

 to the Sacred Order of Priests In Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church

Saturday, February 26, 2022 at Eleven O’clock a.m., 

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 

276 Church Street, 

Montrose, Pennsylvania

Your prayers and virtual presence are requested

 (The Ordination may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNG5aqajldXRrI2SH3e6-dw)

Black History Month Events

Kick off Black History Month by joining us next door at the Ritz Theatre on February 1 at 6pm for a showing of the riveting documentary “My Name is Pauli Murray.”

The film is free, a free will offering will be taken,

Released last fall, this film captures her personal path and tireless advocacy that foreshadowed some of the most politically consequential issues of our time. The New York Times (Sept 15, 2021), said of the documentary, “When the lawyer, activist, author and educator Pauli Murray died in 1985 at the age of 75, no obituary or commemoration could contain all of her path breaking accomplishments. A radical and brilliant legal strategist, Murray was named a deputy attorney general in California — the first Black person in that office — in 1946, just a year after passing the bar there. Murray was an organizer of sit-ins and participated in bus protests as far back as the 1940s, and co-founded the National Organization for Women. Murray was also the first Black woman to be ordained an Episcopal priest. In 2012, she was sainted.   “My Name Is Pauli Murray,” aims to introduce Murray to the masses. Made by the same Academy Award-nominated filmmakers behind the surprise hit “RBG,” it uses Murray’s own voice and words as narration, drawn from interviews, oral histories and the prolific writing — books, poems and a collection of argumentative, impassioned and romantic letters.”

Presented by EDS at Union  

Join us on Thursday, February 10th from 6:30 – 7:30 PM ET, as we celebrate Black History Month and honor the life of Absalom Jones, whose feast day is February 13th.  Dean Kelly Brown Douglas will host a panel discussion with Bishop Shannon MacVean-Brown, Episcopal Diocese of Vermont; Bishop Kevin Nichols, The Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem; and Bishop Robert Wright, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. RSVP for this virtual event here (https://ssl.charityweb.net/eds/event/absalom.htm).  As the Episcopal Church’s first African American priest, the Rev. Absalom Jones’ story is one of resilience, struggle, and powerful witness. Our panel will reflect on the life of Rev. Absalom Jones and the significance of his witness for our Church and nation today. 

Presented by Diocesan Racial Justice and Reconciliation Task Force

• Thursday February 10 at 7:00 pm (virtual)

For our Common Life Session 3 with Dr. Sandra Montes

Common Life

Theme: To be or not to be: God’s Beloved Community

• Sunday February 27 at 5:00 pm at Nativity Cathedral

Holy Eucharist to celebrate Blessed Absalom Jones and Black History Month.

• Stories of our People Video Clips

Short videos highlighting the stories and experiences of Black members in our diocese. These will be posted on our social media platforms.

FOR OUR COMMON LIFE  (see announcement tab on this website for more information)

A few updates:

1)    Both videos of the interview with Canon Spellers have been uploaded to our YouTube channel: Diocese of Bethlehem.

1. Feel free to share it with your congregations.

2)    Join us this Wed. Dec. 15^th at 5:30pm on our Diocesan Facebook Page for a Live conversation with Bishop Kevin as we continue to reflect on key takeaways from our first session. More in Common: Conversations for our Common Life with Bishop Kevin.

Mission: Joy – How to Find Happiness in Troubled Times.

Join St. Luke’s on Monday at 6:30PM in Kreitler Hall as we wrap up Black History Month with a presentation of “Mission: Joy.” “Mission: Joy” is an enlightening, peek-behind-the-curtain, 90 minute documentary built around an historic 5-day meeting between two of the world’s most consequential spiritual leaders – His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Born a world apart, both Nobel Laureates, the two men, one a Buddhist the other Christian, met here to celebrate their improbable friendship and share their hard-won wisdom about a wide range of issues from love, karma, guilt and forgiveness to joy, faith, meditation and reincarnation.

You can view the Mission: Joy trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nlUl5yNgIE

____________________________________________________________________________________

►St. Luke’s Holy Hikers

On Saturday, October 16^th we concluded this year’s hikes by walking The Leigh Gorge Trail (Rockport trailhead) which was an easy walk adjacent the Leigh River with stunning views that should be in peak fall color. We invite everyone to join us again next May when we commence our second season. Have any ideas for a walking/hiking locations of want more information on the St. Luke’s Holy Hikers? Please contact David Wegner at drwegner@epix.net or Mother Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com

►Episcopal Migration Ministries

Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), the refugee and migration ministry of The Episcopal Church, needs your support to welcome our Afghan allies to communities across the country. EMM is one of nine national refugee resettlement agencies tasked with the challenging and life-saving work of supporting Afghans who arrive with parolee status. The Afghan Parolee Services program provides very limited support only for parolees first 30-90 days; your donations can ensure they have a safe place to live and access to basic needs during and beyond that period. EMM will need to provide at least $3,000 worth of housing and cash assistance for each person arriving on parolee status.  

How You Can Help:                  

• Donate to Neighbors Welcome: Afghan Allies Fund
  • Financial support is critical at this time. Donations to the Neighbors Welcome: Afghan Allies Fund will provide the housing assistance, medical services, and financial support for basic necessities.
• Complete the Volunteer/Housing/Sponsor Interest Form
  • To offer volunteer support, community sponsorship support, or housing – whether short-term or long-term – please fill out the interest form.
• Map of EMM Affiliate Partners
  • Connect with an EMM local affiliate. Visit affiliate websites, sign up for their emails, and stay tuned for ways you can volunteer to support their work. If you are not near an EMM affiliate, please visit rcusa.orgto find opportunities closer to you.
• Advocate to Evacuate and Resettle our Afghan Allies
  • Take action in support of our Afghan allies by completing the action alert from The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations.

►Episcopal Relief & Development Aid for Haiti:  On Saturday, August 14, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southwest portion of Haiti. This devastating earthquake was followed by Tropical Storm Grace on Monday night and much of Tuesday. More than 1 million people, including more than half a million children, have been impacted by the back-to-back disasters, and the death toll is close to 2000. Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners are responding immediately with direct assistance to vulnerable households in the region, as partners plan long-term recovery. Your generous gift can provide assistance to help people in the wake of these disasters. To assist in these efforts, visit episcopalrelief.org/haiti-relief.

►Have a green thumb?  The Warren Memorial Garden Committee welcomes volunteers to help out with their monthly care of the garden. Have questions? Please speak to Mickey Baccoli, Senior Warden or email David Wegner at drwegner@epix.net

►Cypress House at St. Luke’s Awarded Becoming Beloved Community Grant

Cypress House at St. Luke’s was notified this week that we have been awarded a 2021 Becoming Beloved Community grant by the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. The $9,000 award will support the ongoing development of our Cypress House Bakery Prison Re-Entry Program.

The entire system of mass incarceration is one of the most egregious examples of racial injustice in our country today. The parole and probation programs continue that injustice even upon release from prison. The rate of minority incarceration in Lackawanna County is the highest of any county in the Northeastern quadrant of the U.S. Cypress House aims to repair the breach in our society by assisting men and women post-incarceration with a return to life on the outside.  In addition the presence of Cypress House in the community of Scranton will help bring awareness to the issues surrounding mass incarceration.

The grant that we have been awarded is a seed grant to help us grow into the work of Becoming Beloved Community.

150 YEARS ON WYOMING AVENUE

On Friday, July 2, 2021, St. Luke’s celebrated the 150^th Anniversary of our current church building.  Celebration include an Anniversary Eucharist at 6PM, and an open house with tours and exhibits. Outdoor festivities included refreshments, games and activities for children and families and a jazz band. Photos of the evening’s celebration will be posted soon. Sincere thanks to all who made this evening’s celebration possible!

Click here to view the Anniversary Eucharist. 

Click here to view Bp. Kevin’s greeting and blessing.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Wyoming Avenue Scranton 150^th Anniversary Virtual Tour is available here

Our special edition of the St. Luke’s Newsletter is available here:  July 2021 Special 150th Anniversary Edition.

►Working Together for Change

The Scranton Area Ministerium in collaboration with the Greater Scranton Martin Luther King Commission is holding a multi-session workshop entitled “Working Together for Change: How to Advocate for Racial Justice.”

This series will take place on October 14, 21, 28, and November 4 by Zoom and on November 11, 2021 in person 7:30-8:45.  This series will feature speakers and facilitators Itzel Hayward and Kathy Simon from Attuned Living to discuss how to be an effective ally, learn non-violent communication, and advocate for racial justice. The final session will be held at the Jewish Community Center, 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA and will be led by Rabbi Miriam Spitzer of Temple Israel and Mother Rebecca Barnes of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

This is a unique opportunity to come together across religious traditions, cultures and experiences to:

• Step out of our comfortable silos, come together as Scranton faith communities
• Challenge everyday biases in ways that encourage conversation
• Talk about deeply charged topics with openness and clarity
• Step into your power to create a more just world

Registration and donations will offset the cost of the program.  

Here’s a free video by our facilitators to introduce you to the kind of work this program will cover.

Registration is available at the following link:

https://scranton.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=1858

► Every Stitch Counts: Works from the Social Justice Sewing Academy and Bold Independence: African American Quilts from the Collection of David Whaley – October 23, 2021at 1PM

St. Luke’s will offer a special intergenerational outing to the Everhart Museum on Saturday, October 23 at 1PM. We will be given a special group tour led by the new Executive Director, Kathy Johnson Bowles. Special focus will be on two current exhibits: Every Stitch Counts, developed by the Everhart Museum in conjunction with the Social Justice Sewing Academy (SJSA), a national youth education program that bridges artistic expression with activism to advocate for social justice, this exhibition features textiles created by either individual artists or collectives highlighting social justice issues that have affected the artists, their families, and their communities. The powerful images create unique narratives addressing issues such as racism, gun violence, education, immigration, and poverty.  The second and related exhibit, Bold Independence features quilts made during the second half of the 20th century by eleven African American women from Mississippi and Alabama. A number of the works are by the famous Gee’s Bend quilters and a majority were produced in the Black Belt region of Central Alabama. Please call the St. Luke’s parish office at 570-342-7654 to register to attend. This will help us and the staff at the museum prepare for our visit.

►Lift Every Voice and Sing Churchwide Revival 

The Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) invites all to join a virtual churchwide revival July 27-30 that will feature stirring music, testimonies, learning, and messages from Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others.

For four nights, Black Episcopalians will lead The Episcopal Church in worship and preaching. All services will be livestreamed.

The UBE revival also includes daytime sessions featuring panel and group discussions, prayer, and fellowship opportunities. 

To register go to https://www.episcopalchurch.org/episcopal-revivals/ube-revival/

Diocese of Bethlehem Juneteenth Celebration

Saturday June 19th, 2021at 3PM via Facebook live.  Click here to view 

Juneteenth (“June” plus “nineteenth”) is a day that marked the beginning of the journey towards justice, accountability, and reconciliation in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas. That day he informed enslaved African-Americans of their freedom and that the Civil War had ended. This announcement gave voice to the written words of the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued more than two and a half years earlier in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln.

Juneteenth is a day for followers of Jesus to be reminded of their Baptismal Covenant to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” It is a day for churches and faith communities to gather together to learn, pray, and continue the work of justice and reconciliation. A day such as this one provides an excellent opportunity for transformation. We must take advantage of the moment we are in to actively listen through honest and transparent dialogues that strengthen our faith and our connections to one another.

LENTEN ADULT BOOK STUDY: Jesus and the Disinherited – On Tuesday evenings in Lent at 7PM, our seminary intern, James Smurl will lead us in a discussion of Howard Thurman’s classic theological treatise. “Howard Thurman (1900-1981) demonstrates how the gospel may be read as a manual of resistance for the poor and disenfranchised. Jesus is a partner in the pain of the oppressed and the example of His life offers a solution to ending the descent into moral nihilism. Hatred does not empower–it decays. Only through self-love and love of one another can God’s justice prevail.”  This book study will be held on Zoom. Click here to join the discussion!

LECTIO DIVINA LENTEN VIRTUAL RETREAT DAY: On Saturday, March 13 from 10am-2pm, Mother Barnes will lead a virtual retreat on the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina, literally meaning “divine reading,” is an ancient practice of praying the Scriptures. During Lectio Divina, the practitioner listens to the text of the Bible with the “ear of the heart,” as if he or she is in conversation with God, and God is suggesting the topics for discussion. Join us to learn more about this traditional way of cultivating a relationship with Christ through reflection on His word that leads beyond mere acquaintanceship to an attitude of friendship, trust, and love. To register, please email Mother Barnes at mthrbarnes@gmail.com

Diocese of Bethlehem Black History Month Series.

From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference

Starting January 18 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), The Episcopal Church launches “From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference,” a campaign urging Episcopalians and our neighbors to engage in the spiritual practice of listening and honest conversation across the many differences that separate us, starting with four simple questions:

1. What do you love?
2. What have you lost?
3. Where does it hurt?
4. What do you dream?

Inspired by the Latin phrase on the U.S. seal – E Pluribus (“from many”) Unum (“one”) – the campaign is designed to offer a faithful perspective and time-tested practice for knitting deeply divided communities into a diverse, more perfect union. In a cultural moment shadowed by pandemic, fractious politics, and deep division within families, communities, and nations, Episcopalians can partner in simple ways to celebrate difference, listen with deep curiosity, and promote healing.

“I have never been more profoundly aware of the need for passionate and practical commitment to the way of unselfish, sacrificial love that Jesus taught,” Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said. “Conversations with others across difference is not just a nice thing to do. It is a spiritual practice of love in action. It’s how we reknit the fabric of our democracy and the human family of God.”

Listening, adapting, and leading in tense cultural times is deep in the Church’s DNA.

“From Many, One” is designed to be simple and transformative. It is geared toward individual people talking to other individuals, although congregations may join, too. Participants are encouraged to follow these steps:

• Learn about The Four Questions and related wisdom at www.episcopalchurch.org/from-many-one
• Watch videos of people modeling The Four Questions
• Sign up and set a conversations goal
• Have the conversation(s)
• Pray for your partner
• Contribute to the “From Many, One” story space with insights, video/audio highlights, a poem, prayer or image inspired by your conversation(s)
• Check out partner efforts like Braver Angels: With Malice Toward None, Civil Discourse Course, Sacred Ground, and The People’s Inauguration
• Join the Easter campaign celebration with a special online worship and sharing time

“We hope people understand this is only scratching the surface of the practice and learning that we’re called toward,” said Rev. Melanie Mullen, the church’s director of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care, one of the departments that collaborated to shape the campaign. “Our goal is to point people toward partner efforts that meet you where you are: for more simple conversation, further learning, deeper reckoning and/or action. More than that, we hope people see this as part of a life-long commitment to creating beloved community.”

For more information on the “From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference” campaign, contact the Rev. Canon Dr. Stephanie Spellers, canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism, Reconciliation and Creation Care, sspellers@episcopalchurch.org or 212-716-6086, or Sarah Alphin, associate for Evangelism, Reconciliation and Creation Care, salphin@episcopalchurch.org or 212-716-6102.

_________________________________________________________________________

Thursday, January 21, 2021

For a copy of the service leaflet for the National Prayer Service from Washington National Cathedral click here.

Monday, January 18, 2021

7PM  Interfaith Service in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  – Scranton Area Ministerium.

https://fb.watch/3DYhiQFQ93

A service program is available at the link below:

https://stlukescranton.org/…/SAM-MLK-Commemoration-2021…

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2020

7pm Interfaith “Longest Night” Service 

This service is designed especially for those who have experienced loss, especially in this pandemic year, or find the holidays difficult. This years’ service will be an interfaith service offered by the Scranton Area Ministerium and will be live-streamed. 

https://www.facebook.com/ScrantonAreaMinisterium/videos/195285278896294

Prayers and Litanies and Devotional Resources
Prayers for Self, Church, Community, and World Amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic (The Episcopal Church)
Prayers : For Use During the Coronavirus Outbreak (Church of England)
A Pandemic Prayer Litany for Health Care Workers (St. John’s, Boulder)
A Pandemic Prayer Litany for Police Officers and First Responders (St. John’s, Boulder)
A Prayer for Peace in Our Streets (from dailyoffice.org)

Holding on to Hope

A National Service for Healing and Wholeness – Live from Washington National Cathedral – Sunday, November 1, 2020, 4-5:30PM

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry led a live-streamed prayer service from Washington National Cathedral, Holding on to Hope: A National Service for Healing and Wholeness, on All Saints Sunday, November 1, at 4:00-5:30 p.m. EST. In the midst of a pandemic, racial reckoning, and a historic election, the live-streamed service gathered Americans for prayer, song, lament, hope, and a call to love God and neighbor. The event was simulcast in English and Spanish.

Resources on Race and Racism

“Can you yearn enough for Church; can you yearn enough for Jesus.”

Bishop Kevin expresses his support of Kelly Brown Douglas, Stephanie Spellers, and Winnie Varghese, and encourages everyone in the diocese to read their message, “Speaking of Freedom,” and reflect upon this moment.

Here is their written statement.
https://dfms-my.sharepoint.com/…/EWobhXqaQGVPogF-T-ysGXkBoN…

In this video they read the statement and discuss.

Please, I urge you to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest. This is a call to the Church, to us Episcopalians, to BE CHURCH.

In peace,
Mother Barnes

__________________________________________________________________________

White Fragility 
In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’” (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.”

To purchase the book visit: http://www.beacon.org/White-Fragility-P1346.aspx, or purchase here as a pdf.

Here is another good book on racism that is free right now – Me and White Supremacy   And here’s a workbook to accompany it.

And a good article from Psychology Today – The Psychology of Rioting: The Language of the Unheard.
___________________________________________________________________________
For those who still wish to view our Holy Week at Home booklet – Click here to access a full service booklet of resources which were used for observing Holy Week at Home. These may be used in the home by individuals and families. St. Luke’s supplemented these with the streamed services which are still available on our parish Facebook page.

If you haven’t used Zoom before, we encourage you to watch this video in advance. Want to know more about how to find a live stream on Facebook? Click here.

_________________________________________________________________________