Recently a friend shared the following experience. He was just entering the nave when he heard a group of Altar Guild women discussing the presidential election. Then he saw a man heading toward them. The man carried a long staff to help him maintain balance. He stopped and lifted his staff, bringing it down with a crash. “No politics in church,” he shouted.
We Episcopalians have come in for some criticism from the President this week. When Episcopal Bishop Budde pleaded for compassion and mercy at a service the President was attending, they apparently locked eyes before the President turned away. The result was a demand for an apology from Bishop Budde and a disparagement of her as a Christian, and a woman, not to mention our entire denomination as radical and left wing. Wow! Pretty explosive.
I do not know your personal reaction. But I want to share mine. I am doing this as your priest, as a theologian, and as one who struggles to follow Christ. This weeks Gospel from Luke tells of Jesus’s first “sermon” in his hometown. In it he quotes the prophet Isaiah, saying the Spirit of the Lord is on him to preach good news: release to the captives, sight to the blind, liberation for the oppressed, and the year of the Lord. Powerful, even disturbing, words.
Bishop Budde preached good news that day in Washington, D.C. when she pleaded for compassion for some of the most vulnerable people in our land. This should not come as a surprise when we know Jesus’s story. It should not have been a surprise to that man banging his staff to silence those women from the Altar Guild. But issues of compassion and mercy and justice are not just Christian, they do—in fact—have political consequences.
I plead for mercy and compassion for all oppressed and vulnerable people. That is my choice and that is a strong part of my faith. And when it comes right down to it, we are all in need of mercy and compassion. I certainly am, and I suspect you are too. I am grateful to be an Episcopal Christian, and grateful to Bishop Budde for preaching to me.
Blessings and love my friends,
Larry+
Annual Meeting is this Sunday, January 26th.
It is very important for everyone to attend. Don't forget your dish to pass.
The Blood Drive is scheduled for 1- 6 PM, Tuesday Feb 4th.
Contact Bob Gonzalez to help.
No matter your skills or abilities, there is a job for you.
Sunday, January 26th, 2025
Serving at this Service
Lector - Cathy Clewett
Eucharistic Ministers - Cathy & Don Clewett
Acolyte - Don Clewett
Greeters - Cathy Clewett
Technology - Sam Clewett
Counters - Carl Reimer & Clay Seth
Vestry Person of the Day - Cathy Clewett
Coffee Hour: Annual Meeting Pot Luck
Thank you for serving!
Live stream link:
https://youtube.com/live/etm_Uqz21nc?feature=share
Link to the bulletin insert:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ob1zZBoS65NM81zLX10xuYyu2UY94dwB/view?usp=drive_link
Barbara Crafton, Episcopal priest, author, teacher, and a friend, will lead us—via a video—during February. After we pray, we will be “Embracing Forgiveness.”
We meet at noon to1:00 PM each Wednesday.
February 5th “Seventy Times Seven? Really?”
February 12th “You have heard it said.”
February 19th “Chipping Away”
February 26th “How to Start.”
March 5th “Why Forgive?”
Mother Crafton has served at Trinity Wall Street, and St. John’s Church in Greenwich Village. She was a chaplain at Ground Zero after 9/11. She has numerous books and has let retreats all over the country. She is now retired and living in Menuchen, NJ.
From our friends at Grace Episcopal Church,
just up the road on the Capital Square.
Thank you to everyone who donated winter gear to our mitten tree this year.
All of the hats, mittens and scarves were dropped off at the Salvation Army in Madison.
They were very grateful for our donation!
Join Goodman Community Center and a panel of experts for a discussion on the impacts of social isolation in our older adult community and for those living with disabilities. Learn what our local community organizations, including Goodman, are doing to support vulnerable adults, as well as opportunities for connection, belonging and overall wellness.
Wednesday, February 5th
4:30 to 6:30 PM
All are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event.
Registration is required.
If you have questions, feel free to reach out to Meghan Allynn Johnson, Community Partnerships & Events Manager, at [email protected].
Moderated by:
Garrett Tusler, Community Development Specialist, City of Madison
Our panel:
Gayle Laszewski, Assistant Director of Older Adult Programs, Goodman Community Center
Jim Krueger, Executive Director, NewBridge Madison
Jen Squire, Co-Founder and CEO, Community Living Connections
Parking at the Goodman Center
This event will be held in our Brassworks building, located at 214 Waubesa St.
From our Lutheran friends, just down the road in Monona.
A message from our intern Jonah Heiser
In light of the tragic shooting and the complicated feelings of grief, anger, numbness, and despair that many of us are feeling, I wanted to reach out to share the pastoral care available during this time of transition at St. Luke's.
In addition to Fr. Larry, I am available for pastoral care needs. As many of you know, I work as a hospice Spiritual and Grief Counselor in my day job. To reach me, please send me an email at [email protected] or call me at (608) 571-7627. If you have a different phone number saved for me, please update your contacts to this one. I am active on it during working hours, and I monitor voicemails and messages at all times for any urgent pastoral needs.
While we may not be as readily available as a parish priest, we want you to know you are not alone. If you are hurting, if you need someone to talk to, if you need someone to pray with, please reach out. I know many of you have strong, prayerful relationships with each other as well, and I encourage you to reach out to support each other in this time.
A reminder that people making offerings through the digital giving service can offset the fees that St Luke's is charged by absorbing them when making their gift. There is option to pay the fee whenever you give through the portal.
Weekly Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer Online @ 8:45 am
January 24 - Morris
January 28 - Morris
January 30 - Morris
January 31 - Morris
January 28 - Morris
January 30 - Morris
January 31 - Morris
February 4 - Morris
February 6 - Morris
February 7 - Morris
A steady stream of neighborhood people visit and are supported by the food and personal items from the St. Luke’s Little Pantries outside the front of the church. That means that there is a constant need for food and personal items to stock these pantries.
What items are most needed and appreciated? See the list below.
How can you help fill the pantries with these items? Buy items (preferably on sale) when you do your own grocery shopping and put them in the laundry basket at the back of the church. OR put a donation/check labeled “Little Pantries” in the Sunday offering.
Questions? Contact Laurie Powers (608-279-8162) or Sandra Ladik (608-575-7366).
Items in demand for the Essentials Pantry
Item
Amount/month
Bar soap (big bars)*
20 bars
Body wash
5 bottles
Shampoo
5 bottles
Deodorant (men)
DOZ
Deodorant (women)
DOZ
Toothpaste (large size)
2 DOZ
Tampons (well-known brands like Tampax)
8 boxes
Dental floss (often donated)
DOZ
Toothbrushes (often donated)
3 DOZ
Toilet paper (taken from St. Luke’s store)
10
Items in demand for Food Pantry
Rice-a-roni and things like it
Boxed Mac’N’Cheese
Canned goods like spaghetti and ravioli
Canned corn and, to a much lesser extent, canned beans
Canned tuna (large)
Cereal, dry (small boxes)
Oatmeal (buy in large packages, 8-10/package)
Ramen noodles (buy in large packages
Packaged soups
Diocese of Wisconsin Enews
Everyone once-in-a-while I like to remind folks that there is a lot of good information that gets published each week from our diocesan office. Consider signing up for our Diocesan eNews. It is a weekly set of announcements about events all over the Diocese of Wisconsin. Being on this list also insures that you received special announcements from the Bishop from time-to-time. (Of course they have been more frequent recently.)