St. Luke’s Episcopal Church aspires to be a place of peace, beauty, and relationship that reflects God’s saving presence through our rich Tradition, our intellectual curiosity, and our work in the wider community.
Newsletter of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Los Gatos, CA.
Students and teachers of all ages are encouraged to bring their backpacks, briefcases, and satchels to any church service on Saturday or Sunday, August 25-26, for a prayer and a blessing. Invite your friends, too! We all know the challenges a school year can bring, so come and get “blessed for success” by your church community.
And remember: we will love and support you however we can in the coming year, so keep us posted on how you’re doing!
A New Mid-Week Service at St. Luke’s!
Healing Eucharist & Bible Study
Wednesdays 10:30 am
Who can’t use a little more Jesus between Sundays? Join us for a new mid-week service beginning Wednesday, 19 September, at 10:30 am. This Healing Eucharist, based on “A Public Service of Healing” in the Book of Occasional Services, offers a chance to pray for healing for yourself, a loved one, or a concern that’s on your heart. After each person is prayed over, they are anointed with holy oil and blessed. The readings and psalm are taken from a saint’s commemoration that falls within that calendar week, and there may be a short homily. As the name implies, we will also have Holy Communion.
After the Eucharist, we reconvene in the “Upper Room” for Bible Study – snacks and drinks encouraged! – where we will joyfully parse our way through a book from holy scripture selected by the clergy. Fr. Ricardo will facilitate discussion of our first book, “Acts of the Apostles,” and will take as many weeks as necessary to get through our study. No prior knowledge of the Bible or biblical scholarship is required: just come!
Expect our healing and study time to conclude by 12:00 pm each week, and trust that you will be fortified with Christ all the way through to Sunday!
Sing with the St. Luke's Choir!
All are welcomed to sing with the St. Luke's Adult Choir. Rehearsals for this fun musical group will be held each Tuesday at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary starting on Tuesday, September 18th.
Save the Date: Bishop Mary’s Visitation
Sunday, 21 October 2018
The Rt. Reverend Mary Gray-Reeves makes her (possibly final) Visitation to St. Luke’s on Sunday, October 21, and we’d like everyone to attend. So, do save the date, and look for more information in the coming weeks on how we’ll receive and welcome her!
Rector's Reflection
The Reverend Ricardo Avila
on the pilgrim’s path: comfort and affliction
Being on spiritual retreat offers the chance to glean wisdom from others whose journey has been far longer than mine. However, in my third day at Lake Tahoe this week for “Becoming the Change: Social Justice and the Mysticism that Nourishes It,” I’m finding that some of the best nuggets are coming not from the main presentations of the day; rather, they arrive via new hymns sung, incidental stories told in sermons or talks, and in creating artwork tied to each day’s theme. “Accidental wisdom,” if you will.
One such story: One day Teresa of Ávila was coming down the steps of her convent when she saw a beautiful young boy. The child spoke to her and said, “Who are you?” Teresa answered, “I am Teresa of Jesus, and who are you?” The child answered, “I am Jesus of Teresa!” and then disappeared.
Teresa of Ávila felt such affection for Christ that she named herself as his, “Teresa of Jesus.” Jesus’ longing for relationship with us is so strong he would call himself ours – “I am yours, I belong to you, I am Jesus of Teresa, I am Jesus of Ricardo, I am Jesus of (your name here).” “Call me by your name,” as the recent film’s title invites – because that’s the level of intimacy Jesus desires with us. If I were to name my top two preaching themes, this would be #1. God loves you so much and longs for your love in return.
Then, a sermon I heard here yesterday offered up this quote:
On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return.
– Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters
The perils of church-going, were we to take it seriously, would be akin to riding a rollercoaster without the lap bar: unsafe. “Give up all your possessions and come, follow me.” “Suffer with those who suffer.” Not easy asks. We are also called to humility, mercy, forgiveness, and cheek-turning … as if we didn’t live in a world of humiliation, cruelty, revenge, and cheek slapping. No way, no thanks, uh-uh. And yet, our example hangs from the cross behind the altar. Loving Compassionate Goodness was crucified, but not proven wrong. In fact, it is the only truly “right” way to live. If you really believe in that crucified love, you must resurrect it daily in your life. The challenge is always before us.
For better and worse, much of what we do as church entails diluting the potency of this message so we can swallow it without harm. Worse: because thinning its strength can inure us to its powerful charge. Better: because church functions as the lap bar that just might get us through the ride intact. This may be my #2 sermon theme … as you’ve heard me say, meanly, “If your faith feels comfortable, you’re not doing it right.”
These, then, are the seemingly antipodal tenets of our faith, unconditional love and unremitting charge to love unconditionally. Yet they are linked in a healthy faith life, where each is enhanced by the other. We were often told in seminary: “your job as preachers is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Be that as it may, my prayer for you is this: enough comfort to know you are loved … but not so much that you are insensible to the affliction of others. And its twin prayer is for enough affliction to develop compassion for others’ pain … but not so much that you can’t find your own way back into Christ’s comforting, loving embrace.
Yours in hope,
Ricardo+
View From The Pew
Jack E. Lucas
What can I say when our beloved Editor of the St. Luke’s Newsletter asks you to write a column for next month’s issue… especially when the Editor is your daughter?My first response was to ask Kathy, “What could I possibly say that would be of interest to your readers?”Our tenacious Editor would not let me “off the hook”.She suggested, “why don’t you reflect on some of your memories from your past 46+ years as a member of St. Luke’s Church?”
I accepted her challenge, and came up with the following format.As a late night television aficionado, I well remember Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, and David Letterman.I always enjoyed Letterman’s top10 events of the week.Therefore, with or without David’s permission, here are my top ten memories of my 46+ years as a St. Luke’s parishioner (not in any ranking order):
My first visit and subsequent joining the Church.Forty-six years agomy eleven-year-old daughter came home from school in tears.Her classmate told Kathy that if she did not go to Church, she and her family would go to Hell.Not wanting to spend more extra time than necessary in the underworld, I packed up my family and the Family Bible and we headed for St. Luke’s.I will always remember the warm welcome Father Jacobs extended to my family that Sunday … and the rest is history.
Now a member of the Church: family Baptism. Prior to our confirmation, Father Jacobs baptized the four of us.I still remember that cold Holy Water.On June 10, 1973 Bishop C. Edward Crowther, Assistant Bishop of California confirmed Frances, Jack, Kathy, and Janet.Bishop Crowther presented the newly confirmed Episcopalians a copy of his book, Where Religion Gets Lost In The Church.Highly recommended reading!Bishop Crowther’s philosophical tenets parallel those of Mark Twain, “who never let school interfere with his education.”
Family Confirmation. Not to let my son escape confirmation, we brought John to the Church on December 18, 1977.At that time he was confirmed by The Right Reverend Daniel Corrigan, Acting for the Bishop of California.After that my entire family had received the Sacrament of Confirmation.A member of that Confirmation Class was Kristi Musser (now Kristi Grasty).Forty-one years later Kristi now serves the community as the Principal of Los Gatos High School.
Newly confirmed John as an acolyte.He never dropped a candle.I wish that I could say that about his Little League fielding.I will always remember the support and encouragement that he received from Father Jacobs and from Pat Waddell, as he served the Church in this role.
My Ushering. At the same time that John was “acolyting," Father Jacobs recruited me to serve on the St. Luke’s Ushering Team.I enjoyed this responsibility, and met some great parishioners who teamed with me to ensure a well-organized Eucharist.
Re-acquaintance with my former Saratoga High School student and Team Manager for my Varsity Tennis Team, The Rev. R. Clark Emerson.Father Clark was one of the reasons that the Falcon Tennis Team was the first Varsity Championship team in any sport in the history of the school.
Meeting and working with Interim Rector The Reverend Penelope Duckworth.Mother Penelope was the inspiration for drafting the first St. Luke’s Disaster Preparedness Plan. This was a project that was long overdue.Subsequent to the completion of the Plan, I presented the Plan to the Vestry.On August 17, 2017 the Plan was unanimously approved and adopted by the Vestry, chaired by Suzanne Weiss.I appreciated Suzanne’s support of my recommended action.It was my first Vestry meeting, and that should be included in my Top 10 memories.
My daughter Janet’s marriage.A beautiful ceremony thanks to The Rev. Stuart Schlegel.The Fire Marshall would not allow 500 guests into St. Luke’s, however St. Andrews welcomed the traveling St. Luke’s guests with open arms.A few years later, Janet’s two sons, Jim and Tony, were baptized by Fr. Schlegel.
My daughter Kathy’s marriage to Ralph Qualls.Another beautiful ceremony thanks to The Rev. David R. Breuer.For this wedding the Los Gatos “campus” was able to seat a full Church of friends of Kathy and of Ralph.
Father David Breuer’s poignant and classical funeral service for Frances.How fortunate we are to have that beautiful columbarium on our grounds.
That’s it Madam Editor… Any cash that accompanies your reporter’s Pulitzer Prize for Literature… donate it to the Church that has provided my family and me so much emotional support.--J.L.
Hot August nights are here.Hopefully all are staying cool and enjoying the lingering days of summer.The vestry has had several months with full agendas.July was no exception.Fr. Ricardo has been tremendous in leading the Vestry and Parish. Below are the highlights from the July 26 meeting:
The parish hall and room repairs are almost complete.Volunteers will be assembling over the next few weekends to paint the rooms and complete the final touches.It is expected they will be rented soon.Thank you to all who have made this possible.
We did have a small emergency when the sump pump stopped working and sewage was flowing near the back of the property, behind the parish hall.A new pump was installed for a total of $1500.
Expect to see some changes in the parking lot with the removal of most of the parking signs.There is a new towing company we will be contracting with and signs will be posted on each entry to the parking lot.There will be new stickers for parishioner’s cars with a color scheme and design by Fr Ricardo.Non-parishioners parking in our lot will have a warning notice.Repeat offenders will be towed.
Warren Hackbarth, our Junior Warden, reported on a meeting he attended on “Securing the Sanctuary.” Churches are "soft targets," and the best defense is to have a plan, policy, and procedures in place with response training. Kelly Conway will compile a list of top church security concerns and work with the rector and Warren to merge it with our disaster preparedness plan and training.
Your vestry is planning a one-day retreat on September 1 for prayer, fellowship and planning.Our agenda includes Stewardship Campaign messaging/focus and a Mutual Ministry Review with the rector.
Beverley Bryant reviewed funeral charges across the Bay Area and beyond, finding a wide variety of practices. Fr. Ricardo proposed a fee schedule which the vestry amended and passed. It is broken down into specific charges so families can decide how to shape their memorial service and cost.
Your vestry had a heartfelt discussion on the Presiding Bishop’s “Reclaiming Jesus” Statement, eventually deciding to make it available to members and consider further discussions as a parish community at next month’s meeting.
Faithfully submitted by
Carol Graham
Vestry clerk and member
Liturgy Update
Pat Waddell, Liturgist
Starting on the 1st Sunday in August, we will “rotate” to Eucharistic Prayer D. You can preview it on page 372 in the BCP.
Before discussing it a bit, let me first explain where those who are responsible for liturgical planning turn for advice and guidance. The answer (which won’t be a surprise to anyone) is “there are handbooks and commentaries.” Liturgy isn’t any different here from (say) medicine or engineering. While the 1979 edition of the Book of Common Prayer does provide much more liturgical guidance than previous editions (note pages 354 and 406 for Rite II), that isn’t always enough.
One of the earliest Anglican/Episcopal handbooks was called Ritual Notes and was first published in 1894. While Fr. Bill Stafford (as a church historian) may know of earlier ones, this book endeavored to translate Roman liturgical practice into our similar, but different Anglican ways. It was widely cited in Anglo-Catholic circles until the 1979 edition of the BCP overtook it.
The 1979 edition, as I’ve noted, provides much more guidance (and directions) than previous BCPs. These are called “rubrics” (as they often are printed in red ink (or italics)) to help the presider not read them aloud. In addition, the “liturgical renewal” in the Church (well beyond just Episcopalians) provided a larger pool of experts, some of whom wrote books.
Returning to Canon D, the reason for the extra explanation is to help me quote a few of these who have cogent commentary which will help our understanding of this Prayer. I will begin with The Rev. Dr. Marion J. Hatchett’s Commentary on the American Prayer Book. Dr. Hatchett served on the Standing Liturgical Commission during much of the time that what became our current BCP was drafted.
Dr. Hatchett notes that Canon D “…is adapted from the Liturgy of Saint Basil, generally dated to the time of Basil the Great (d. 379). It continues to be used on certain Sundays and feasts of special solemnity in the Greek and Slavic churches. An adaptation is also used among Coptic Christians, and an abbreviated and revised form of this lengthy prayer is one of the four eucharistic prayers of the Roman sacramentary of Paul VI. In its main substance the prayer, therefore, is authorized among more Christians than any other Eucharistic prayer.” It is also widespread in use in the Anglican Communion (for example, as Prayer 6 in the Canadian BAS).
(Another commentary let slip the fact that Dr. Hatchett chaired the ecumenical group which created the standardized English translation of the Latin…)
There are a couple of obvious differences between Canon D and Canons A and B. (We mostly use B). One is that Canon D makes no provision for a “proper preface.” These provide seasonal emphasis and variation. Instead the Preface portion of Canon D is comprehensive, drawing in many of the major themes of the Church Year.
In addition to the Preface, Canon D provides for optional insertion of specific intercessions (in addition to those provided by the Prayers of the People) and thus allow the Presider (or the Deacon) to add specific commemorations.
Beginning in September, we will (for 3 months) use the new Rites from Enriching Our Worship 1, authorized by the General Convention in 1997.
We will use all 3 of the Canons provided by that book, starting with Eucharistic Prayer 3 and working numerically “downwards” (for no reason, just “because”). When we get to Eucharistic Prayer 2 in October, it will sound familiar – we used it for the Installation last Spring. Some of these, like Canon D, have fixed Prefaces.
More background on each of these in turn.
Financial Summary - June 2018
Art Feather, Treasurer
This is a brief summary of the financial state of St. Luke’s to keep the parish informed of the health of the church. As of the publication of this summary only the results through June 2018 are available. (The results for July will be produced in a few weeks.) Therefore, this will be a picture of the first half of 2018.
Through June 2018, giving and other revenue items totaled $158,700.38 versus a budget of $164,085.36 resulting in a shortfall of $5,384.98. Giver Of Record contributions were the one area where results were smaller than budget. Thankfully, our expenses were lower than budget as well, with $161,136.82 spent versus a budget of $167,135.16 which meant expenses were $5,998.34 less than expected. Operating expenses were the area of spending that was over budget as maintenance and repairs exceeded the budget.
As stated this yields net results through June of a loss of $2,436.44, which is less than the budgeted loss of $3,049.80. This planned loss comes about because St. Luke’s received payments of $6,100 in 2017 which were officially designated for 2018 pledges. Thus, the surplus produced by these payments in 2017 will offset an equivalent negative loss in 2018. So all is not gloomy, but it is cautionary about the possible income and expense trends for 2018.
The leadership continues to work to grow the income base for the church, through additional facilities rental opportunities, a focus on pledging, and through communications like this to the parish. Being transparent on what the financial state is for St. Luke’s can only help everyone understand the financial realities of the church, and encourage the support that the parish needs.
If there are any questions about this information, please reach out to me. I am happy to educate and ensure understanding of this important facet of our community.
--Art Feather
Jewel from the Prayer Book:
Prayers for the Sick
Far surpassing any previous English or American Prayer Book, the 1979 Prayer Book offers a full range of prayers for the sick. There is, of course, the eloquent prayer in the indexed treasury of prayers, #55 on p 831 (“O merciful Father, who hast taught us in thy holy Word that thou dost not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men…”). Somewhat simpler yet elegant but harder to find is #20 on p 260. Then, in the “Ministration to the Sick” is a panoply of prayers for the sick, including before an operation, for the sanctification of illness, for strength and confidence, even a prayer for the attending doctors and nurses, pp 458-460. Should conditions worsen, it is but a few pages to prayers for the dying and the dead (for the dying, pp 462-466; for the dead and bereaved, in traditional language pp 488-9; in contemporary pp 503-5. NB: oddly a prayer for those who have died in the service of the country occurs only on p 488, at the bottom).
Not any sacerdotal preserve, these prayers are for the use of all of us, a community supporting one another in sickness and distress. If stuck for what to write in a card or email to an invalid, just copy a suitable prayer; such, I have always found deeply appreciated by the recipient, even by the non-religious. The 1979 BCP also has a set of prayers to be offered by the sick person themself in their anguish (p 461): these are 2:00 a.m. entreaties in the throes of unremitting pain, insomnia, anxiety, with a grim determination to carry on, expressed with an earnest, elevated colloquialism suited to a bed of affliction. Oremus pro invicem (“let us pray for one another”).
In faith,
William Bonnell
Editor's Note: The following article was submitted by Beverley Bryant as a tribute to St. Luke's Outreach ministry. Beverley said she "was so moved by Nayan’s words, that I thought that her story would make an excellent “stand-alone” outreach article for our newsletter."
Homily preached at
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Los Gatos, CA Saturday, 23 June 2018
by Nayan McNeill
I wasn’t at St. Luke’s last weekend, and I want to tell you the story of where I was. Several years ago in a conversation with our Bishop (Mary Gray-Reeves) Jo and I were discussing travel and told her of our love for the Southwest and of the ancient sites and native people who lived and still live in the Four Corners area of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
Then she told us that as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Seminary in Berkeley, CDSP, she had met a young Navajo man who was there, studying to become a priest. Bishop Mary said he was a wonderful candidate named Michael Sells, and she had had an interesting conversation with him. She thought he could probably use some scholarship help if we happened to be interested. We were, and got in touch with Michael via Email.
He told us something of his own background and interests and how he had come to be a divinity student after time in the military and college at the Univ. of New Mexico and at Arizona State. He had not been raised on the Navajo reservation because at the time of his birth, his parents lived in the Bay area where his father, a Vietnam veteran, was a technician in electronics. It was his mother who held more to the old way, whose first language was Navajo, and who wanted to live again on or near the reservation. Michael’s father did not speak Navajo. Michael did not speak it as a child and young man. But he is studying to learn now.
As he discovered the Episcopal church in college, Michael gradually realized that his calling was to become a priest. He had, years before, rejected his parents branch of faith (a conservative branch of Christianity) and had found in our church a welcoming and loving and less judgmental belief home. He spent several years and many conversations with the Bishop of Navajoland struggling with his faith and calling. And he came to believe that his own people would benefit from our church. Michael said his first year of Seminary was a great challenge culturally and theologically.
More comfortable with science and math, he persevered and finished his second year of seminary a year ago and was ordained a deacon. His warmth and diligence and faithfulness to his culture and also to his new path brought Michael an important honor at the CDSP graduation: The Fran Toy award, named for the first Asian woman priest in the Episcopal church, was presented to Michael, by the Rev. Toy herself. The award recognizes intercultural ministry, although this is the first time the recipient has brought his own culture to Berkeley rather than Berkeley sending someone out to another realm!
But despite our exchange of life stories, Jo and I never met Michael in person, until he graduated from CDSP in mid June of this year. We went to witness this important milestone with him. At that time we met a dozen members of his family who were there from New Mexico and also met his Bishop and learned that Michael would be ordained priest in Farmington, New Mexico, on June 16th. The Bishop graciously invited me to participate, and so Jo and I decided that we would go to his ordination. And that’s what we did, flying first to Albuquerque and then driving the 140 miles north-west to Farmington, almost to the Four Corners, reveling in the dramatic, vivid colors and shapes of the high desert, we never tire of.
The gift we carried to Michael was a plaque with a quotation from Isaiah when God asks “Whom shall I send?” and Isaiah answers “Here I am, Lord, send me.” Jo had bought it at General Convention in 1997 and given it to me when I was ordained, and we felt it was time to pass it on.
I can’t tell all we did and learned at All Saints Mission, but a few things struck me, and I think they are crucial for all of us as we go on our way as Christians. We are all different. Each one of us has a unique story to tell. Even siblings, even twins can not know or feel the same things and can not deal with the world in identical ways. What we see and hear and experience is ours alone. And so it is always something of a surprise and something of a joy to meet people whose lives are very different from ours and yet to feel a kinship and friendship and connection.
In the little mission church on the edge of the Navajo reservation in the North-West corner of New Mexico, Jo and I met a foreign experience and yet a thoroughly familiar one. And the lesson of our time there is the lesson of Christ. All Saints mission, set in an unpaved area off a small road running south from town, perched on a rise at the edge of the Reservation, is as holy a place as Westminster Abbey. (We’ve been to Mass there, too) And the first Eucharist celebrated at All Saints Mission last Sunday by the fledgling priest brought us as close to holiness as we have ever been.
And why?
Because the message is ever and simply the same. We are together with our brothers and sisters. We listen to what our faith means and teaches. We share a simple meal that has been sanctified by prayer and singing and given as an offering of remembrance and sharing. It is simple. “Love God and Love each other,” Jesus told his disciples on that last evening in the Upper Room.
That’s it. Where Love is, Christ is. He told us that and we can feel it if we are open to it.
Remember what Our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, said at the recent Royal Wedding: “Love is what it is about, my friends”—— In Michael Sells’ new ministry, his first service was prefaced by his apology that the diocesan musicians would not be there; they had to be at another mission and had just been at All Saints on Saturday for the ordination. So instead the new priest asked when the time for a hymn came, “What shall we Sing?” and voices arose almost unbidden with “Jesus loves Me.”
It was beautiful and spontaneous. And I realized that this small mission in this unimposing building with a young man striving to become the man he was called to be was well on its way to becoming a haven and a blessing to that little corner of New Mexico and that little corner of an ancient people—-probably a unique tribe before the Israelites crossed the Jordan River. And “Jesus loves me” is at least half the story of what any sermon should be.
The other half, of course, is that now we need to go out into our own corner of the world and spread that message. The response to the simple hymn is that now we are to scatter that love out into the world.
That’s the whole point of Michael Sells’ journey. . .of My journey. . . of Your journey. I knew this all along, but it was a powerful and beautiful moment when I heard that hymn soaring out in Navajo. And as Jo and I, two Belagana, sang it out with them, albeit in English, we felt a great kinship, a kinship with sisters and brothers, whom Jesus told us to love. They ARE our sisters and brothers. It is, my friends, just that simple.
HO ZEE DEE EEL (peace)
Commemoration of the Month: Heart on Fire
A flaming heart is the emblem of St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430) to reflect his passionate, zealous, ardent responsiveness to the love of God. In his spiritual autobiography, the Confessiones, true to the double meaning of the Latin, he at once confesses his perverse willfulness and errors, and professes the mercies and grace of God perceived retrospectively at work in his life. St. Augustine presents God as the relentless Wooer of the human soul, even, especially when Augustine seemed most distracted or spiritually lost. But the very pull of the human heart is towards God as Augustine proclaims early on: “our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
St. Augustine, after St. Paul, is arguably the most influential theologian in western Christianity; like St. Paul, he composed most of his works in the heat of controversy. Not baptized until age 32, Augustine had spent his earlier life wandering around North Africa and Italy as a teacher of rhetoric; he was in a common-law relationship; he had a son; he fell in with an heretical cult, Manichaeism, which had a sternly dualistic view of the cosmos with the forces of Good versus Evil in perpetual conflict. But nudging him ever towards the font were the persistent, pesky prayers and example of his pious mother, Monnica, the impressive example of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, and supremely the Grace of God subtly working within him.
Augustine, though drawn to contemplative community away from the travails of the world, found himself the Bishop of Hippo in northern Africa, in modern Tunisia, where the church was beset by heresies and marauders. In the face of the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Visigoths, an earth-shattering event, Augustine composed the hefty tome, The City of God, wherein, as he reviews all human history, he identifies only two allegiances that matter ultimately: to the City of Man or Self, whereby one loves oneself to the point of contempt for God; and to the City of God, whereby one loves God to the point of contempt of self.
Augustinian affective themes – God’s loving providence, God’s grace that enables us to respond to His love, God’s merciful guidance – suffuse our Prayer Book as any stroll through the Collects will reveal. St. Augustine is properly commemorated on 28 August, the date he died as his earthly city, Hippo, was being besieged by the Vandals.
Faithfully,
William Bonnell
August Birthdays
1 Thomas Brezoczky
Fr. Ricardo Avila
2 Ann Whyte
7 Kristi Grasty
Kathy Lucas
JoAnne Birmingham
8 Margot Malovos
8 Inde Snell
17 Emily Feather
18 David Heigho
Brenda Gayle Cummings
19 Paul Christensen
Evan Mass (2015)
21 Lynne Conway
Kenna French
22 Joyce Hackbarth
25 Margaret Trepte
28 William Bonnell
Gene Thistle
August Anniversaries
2 Jo Greiner & Nayan McNeill
4 Annie & Jeff Johnson
5 Jim & Sherrie Hall
Betty Ann Owren &
Doug Rife
16 Mtr. Mary Morrison &
Dcn. Jo Weber
18 Roger & Susie Fleming Doug & Jo Ann Rees 19 Patrick Waddell &
Franklin Smythe
21 Mike & Leigh-Anne Marcellin
23 Larry & Kathy Gomez
28 Ken & Jean Tuffley
30 Harvey & Paige Shand
If your family birthdays and/or anniversary are not on our lists, please let the office know. We want to remember your special days.
Please send us any comments, stories, pictures, and suggestions you would like to see in upcoming The Winged Ox, St. Luke's newsletter!
Our email is newsletter@stlukeslg.org.
Your editor,
Kathy Lucas
After the Eucharist, we reconvene in the “Upper Room” for Bible Study – snacks and drinks encouraged! – where we will joyfully parse our way through a book from holy scripture selected by the clergy. Fr. Ricardo will facilitate discussion of our first book, “Acts of the Apostles,” and will take as many weeks as necessary to get through our study. No prior knowledge of the Bible or biblical scholarship is required: just come!
This was a project that was long overdue.
few of these who have cogent commentary which will help our understanding of this Prayer. I will begin with The Rev. Dr. Marion J. Hatchett’s Commentary on the American Prayer Book. Dr. Hatchett served on the Standing Liturgical Commission during much of the time that what became our current BCP was drafted.
substance the prayer, therefore, is authorized among more Christians than any other Eucharistic prayer.” It is also widespread in use in the Anglican Communion (for example, as Prayer 6 in the Canadian BAS).
