THIS WEEK AT ST. LUKE’S In-person and Live-streaming/zoom gatherings from St. Luke’s.
On Saturday, May 22 we resumed in-person worship. We will continue to stream in-person services at St. Luke’s, as well as the Daily Office, as scheduled. Please join gnus on our Facebook page for streamed services.
**(Note: if you are NOT a Facebook member, when you click on the link it will ask you to sign in or create an account, which you can ignore and just scroll down the page a bit till you see the service.)
Click herefor a copy of the Book of Common Prayer! Click here for a copy of Enriching Our Worship 1. This contains supplemental liturgical materials (i.e. Canticles) we occasionally use for Morning and Evening Prayer.
Daily Office: Morning and Evening Prayer – Morning Prayer at 9 AM; Evening Prayer at 5PM are live-streamed on Sunday; Tuesday through Saturday morning.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 – HUGH LATIMER, NICHOLAS RIDLEY, AND THOMAS CRANMER
9AM – Morning Prayer – There will be no live-streaming due to the Holy Hikers walk.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 – THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Proper 24)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 – FEAST OF ST. LUKE (THIS IS OUR PATRONAL FEAST DAY AND WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO OCTOBER 23/24. NO SCHEDULED SERVICES OR EVENTS TODAY).
5:30PM – CENTERING PRAYER: Our ongoing group meets each Thursday at 5:30 BOTH IN THE CHAPEL AT ST. LUKE’S AND ON ZOOM. All are welcome to join in. To access the “zoom chapel” click here. Click here for a brochure on The Method of Centering Prayer.
Episcopal 101 – An Adult Formation & Inquirers Class
Episcopal 101class will begin on Sunday, September 19; following the 10AM Sunday Eucharist (approx. 11:45). The classes, which will be led by Mother Barnes, will be held live at St. Luke’s. (Zoom options will be considered in the event of increased Covid numbers and/or inclement weather.) This class is an opportunity to explore and learn more about the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition. Sessions are open to everyone, no matter where you may be in your journey of faith – those who are seeking, those new to the Episcopal Church, or those who have been life-long Episcopalians and want a refresher course. This class may also be used toward preparation for baptism and/or confirmation or reception. The text used for this class will be Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs & Practices by Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe.
Children’s’ Christian Education and Formation
Sunday School, 9:30 AM –Sunday School will resume on Sunday, September 19! Rick Ammenhauser, Senior Sunday school teacher, announces that children’s Sunday school classes will commence on Sunday, September 19 at 9:30am. St. Luke’s uses Godly Play, a Montessori-based curriculum with our younger children, ages five to ten years old. In October, another program will launch for our older youth. That ministry program will include focused lesson plans with goals, activities, and talking points on topics including racism and creation care. 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
Children’s Christian Education Materials Click below to access free faith formation resources for kids.
For Sunday, September 19, 2021. Materials include: Lectionary-based Sunday Paper Junior
See our Children and Youth page for more offerings including resources for talking with kids about the challenging issues of our time.
►On Tuesday, October 19 is our Grab & Go Food Giveaway.
►St. Luke’s Holy Hikers
On Saturday, October 16th 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
►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.
► Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends – October 20, 2021, 8AM-11PM: St. Luke’s is participating again in the Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends program. $5 shopping passes are available that buy you a full day of 25% discounts, refreshments, entertainment and a change to win prizes. For shopping passes or more information, please contact Lucetta Savinelli at (570)344-5689, or Robin O’Hearn at (570) 963-5407. Shopping passes are also available from any Vestry member. Proceeds from this program benefit St. Luke’s and other community agencies and organizations.
► 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 onSaturday, 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.
►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.
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.
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.
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 150th 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.
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.
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:
What do you love?
What have you lost?
Where does it hurt?
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.
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.
Prayers and Litaniesand 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.
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.”
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.
