It’s a full weekend at St. Luke’s! Read on for details…
First of all, on Saturday afternoon we celebrate the life of one of our members, the Rev. David Kramer. He, along with his family, was a regular participant in our five o’clock service. We’ll remember him on Saturday with a visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m. and a worship service at 3:00. I hope you can join us.
Continuing on the theme of the faithful departed, we celebrate the feast of All Saints on Sunday and to mark it, we’re going to try something new. During the prayers of the people, you’ll be invited to come forward and light a candle in memory of your departed loved ones. We’ll offer our prayers and candles in the midst of renewing our baptismal vows, a reminder the bonds which connect us one to another, and all to God.
Also this weekend, we’re kicking off our new faith formation program. Join us in the fellowship hall following worship as we explore Lectio Divina (Latin for holy reading). After a brief coffee hour, we’re going to dig into this practice of seeking and experiencing God through scripture. It’s core to my own faith and is the primary way I begin sermon preparation. Our bishop has invited all Episcopal congregations to engage this practice together in the coming year, which makes it a fantastic starting point for our new faith formation practice.
This weekend is also the annual convention of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota. Originally planned to be an in-person gathering in Bemidji, high covid numbers again required it to move online. While it’s certainly a bummer to forego an in-person convention two years in a row, the upside is that everyone can participate in Saturday’s convention activities: Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m., Workshops at 10:30 and noon, and a rebroadcast of the bishop’s address (original given at the Friday night, delegates-only, business session) at 11:30. Click here for more information.
Speaking of the bishop, Bp. Craig has asked everyone in the diocese to pray for the United Nations Climate Change Conference Committee of Parties (COP26) taking place in Glasgow. It began on October 31 and runs for two weeks. The gathering comes as recent reports have confirmed our window for making the large-scale changes necessary to stave off the worst possible scenarios is now perilously narrow. If major changes are not adopted with wide global cooperation soon, we may very well not be able to avoid a truly catastrophic future. Please add this important gathering to your daily prayers now through November 12.
Mayo Clinic recently announced updated rules for clergy visits in their facilities. These new rules make it much easier for clergy to visit parishioners at Mayo (hooray!). If you’re at Mayo and would like me to visit, ask your care team for an exception to the two-visitor policy so that your priest can visit to perform a rite that can’t be done virtually (i.e., anointing the sick). If the care team agrees it’s okay, I’ll be added to your visitor list and can come to see you.
Finally, on the theme of All Saints day, an artist from Columbus, Ohio, offers a modern take on our ancient saints, reimagining them as contemporary people. Check it out and let me know which is your favorite!
I hope this finds you well and I look forward to the next time we meet!
Yours in Christ, Justin
St. Luke's Episcopal Church 