Holy Week and Easter
at St. Luke's Episcopal Church
TIDINGS
a newsletter of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and School
OUR VISION
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is called by God to illuminate San Antonio with the light of Christ through transformative education for people of all ages, compassionate care for every member of our community, and inspiring worship and music in the Episcopal tradition.
FROM THE INTERIM RECTOR The Rev. John Badders DATES TO KNOW HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT! ST. LUKE'S VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2018 MUSIC MINISTRY Russell Jackson ST. LUKE'S LIVE! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WELCOME TO THE BODY
Contents
From the Interim Rector Holy Week and the Real World
Lent, and especially Holy Week, reminds us that to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus, is to be a person who reflects to the world around us a reality different from the popular culture. Holy Week, and the events in Jesus’ life that Holy Week recalls for us, are not things we find too hard to believe. In fact, it is easy to believe that a man was hailed as a conquering hero on Palm Sunday and arrested as a subversive on Thursday. That he was tried by the local magistrate and then executed by crucifixion on Friday. These things happened in that day and time so it isn’t hard to accept them as fact. Our problem comes on Easter morning, when we stand in church and sing with all of our might, “Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!” Our usual experience is that when a person dies, they stay dead! But here we have Jesus, raised up by the miraculous power of God and we have suddenly made a jump from what we can believe as fact and to what we must accept on faith.
it can to try to convince us that our current culture is reality and that we, as Christians, are only reflecting a dream. But we must be faithful, and with the living power of Jesus within us, we must draw on him daily to strengthen us for our task. A task that is always urgent, because there are people out there who are hurting. Hurting because they have found that their present reality is a lie and they are desperately looking for what is real, for what has meaning and what has life, and the only thing that will fill that deep need is Jesus Christ.
As you enter into Holy Week and Easter I pray that you will have some time to reflect on your own journey with our Lord. Take some quiet time to allow him to strengthen you for your work in the world. Remember, there may be people right next door who may need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and to hear that the reality they find themselves in is not all there is to life. The Good News is they can instead live a life knowing they are loved and cherished by a God who has infinite love for his creation. Share this Good News with those around you. If we call ourselves Christians, then Believe me; they are dying to hear it! the resurrection of Jesus, and our affirmation of his very real presence in our lives, is where the rubber meets the road. This defines our Fr. John + spiritual journey. This belief in Jesus puts us on a single path and that path is to share the reality of Jesus with others. Now the world will do all
THE REV. JOHN BADDERS johnb@stlukes-sa.net
March 25th • Palm Sunday Services at 8 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, & 6 PM.
Dates to Know
March 29th • Maundy Thursday Service at 6 PM. March 30th • Good Friday Service at Noon. Church Office closes at Noon. March 31st • Easter Vigil Service at 6 PM. April 1st • Easter Sunday Services at 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, & 6 PM. April 6th • Parents' Night Out April 8th • Bishop Reed visits St. Luke's Bishop Reed will be with us on Sunday April 8th to Celebrate at the 8, 9 and 11 am services. He will also be Confirming and Receiving those who desire his blessing at the 11 am service. April 15th • Choral Evensong 4:30 PM. Choral Evensong for Easter features exciting and even jazzy music by Bryan Kelly and William Mathias to celebrate the season. Reception following.For more information, contact Russell Jackson, Music Director & Organist, St Luke's Episcopal Church, russellj@stlukes-sa.net. Free childcare is provided.
May 4th • Parents' Night Out
May 20th • Choral Evensong 4:30 PM. Choral Evensong for the Feast of Pentecost. In addition to Harold Friedell's dynamic canticles in F, the anthem is Stainer's large scale "I saw the Lord." This piece brilliantly describes the text: And the posts of the door moved, at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke! Reception following.For more information, contact Russell Jackson, Music Director & Organist, St Luke's Episcopal Church, russellj@stlukes-sa.net. Free childcare is provided. June 1st • Parents' Night Out June 18th - 22nd • Vacation Bible School September 28th - 30th • SAVE THE DATE St. Luke's Fellowship Retreat Save the date for this a church-wide retreat of fellowship, fun, and worship at Camp Capers!
April 19th • Men of St. Luke's Quarterly Dinner The Men of St Luke will have their next quarterly dinner on April 19th at 6:30pm in the Parish Hall. Please join us and let us know you are coming by signing up on the sheet next to the parlor, or contact David Schrantz at sooeepigs.satx.rr.com or 210-885-1154. Cost is $12.00.
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Fellowship Dinner & Auction St. Luke's will host a night of fun and festivities in the Gym. We'll have an exciting silent and live auction - invite friends and family to mark the date on their calendar to see what makes St. Luke's a great community! This event will be benefiting St. Luke's Church and Strong Foundation Ministries. Childcare will be available.
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May 2nd • St. Luke's LIVE!
Holy Week Schedule
The earliest Christians observed with great devotion the events of Jesus’ life and ministry which led up to his arrest, passion, crucifixion, death, and finally, resurrection. During Holy Week, our worship services help us journey with Christ through these events. Thereby, we are made more aware of Jesus’ great love for us as he stretched out his arms on the hard wood of the cross. Keeping a holy, Holy Week also makes the joy of resurrection on Easter morning immensely more powerful. Here is the schedule of Holy Week liturgies at St. Luke’s:
Palm Sunday Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem 8:00am, 9:00am, March 25th 11:00am, 6:00pm Monday March 26th
Jesus is anointed at Bethany John 12: 1-11
5:30pm
Tuesday March 27th
Some Greeks wish to see Jesus John 12: 20-36
5:30pm
Wednesday March 28th
Jesus predicts his betrayal John 13: 21-32
5:30pm
Maundy Thur. March 29th
Jesus’ last supper with his friends (Sign up for overnight prayer vigil)
6:00pm
Jesus is crucified
Noon
The Great Vigil of Easter March 31st
This is the first service of Easter.
6:00pm
Easter April 1st
Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Egg Hunt at 10:30am
7:00am, 9:00am, 11:00am, 6:00pm
Good Friday March 30th
Flowering of the Children's Cross This has been a long and meaningful tradition at St. Luke's and is a most vibrant and joyful reminder of the new life of the resurrection! On Easter Sunday at both the 9 and 11 a.m. services children are invited to bring a fresh flower from home to decorate a special children’s cross. The cross sits just below the pulpit in the church. Don't worry if the blooms have not yet arrived at your house yet ~ we will have extra flowers in the narthex!
Annual Easter Egg Hunt Sunday, April 1st ~ 10:30 a.m. On Easter morning, the front lawn of St. Luke’s will be filled with hundreds of brightly colored eggs, and lots and lots of children scurrying to collect them!
HOW CAN I HELP?! • Please bring one dozen filled plastic eggs to the church office by NOON on Friday, March 30th, if your child will be participating in the hunt! • Children in 4th grade and older are needed to help hide the eggs ahead of time THINGS TO KNOW! • We will provide breakfast tacos! • The hunt will begin PROMPTLY at 10:30am, so do not be late! • Children will be divided by age and areas will be marked on the lawn. • The hunt will happen RAIN or SHINE! If it’s raining, we will make use of various classrooms and areas inside for the hunt. QUESTIONS? • Contact Jill S. Martinez – jillm@stlukes-sa.net
St. Luke's Vacation Bible School Shipwrecked! Rescued By Jesus. June 18th - 22nd 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
At Shipwrecked children will spend an unforgettable week filled with music, Bible stories, crafts, games, and snacks as they learn more about how Jesus rescues! WHO CAN COME TO VBS? The short and simple answer is ANYONE & EVERYONE, so feel free to invite your friends! • 3's, 4's and young 5's will be our "Preschool Crew" (must be 3yrs by June 1st and potty trained) • Rising Kinder - Rising 5th Grade will be our "Elementary Crews" • Rising 6th - 9th Grade will be our "Crew Helpers" (limited number) • Rising 10th - 12th Grade will be our "Co-Crew Leaders" (limited number) • Parents and Adult volunteers are MUCH NEEDED! WHAT IS THE COST FOR VBS? • $25 per child (ages 3 yrs by June 1st - rising 5th grade: include a t-shirt & CD) • $15 per Crew Helper (rising 6th grade - 9th grade: include a t-shirt) • $15 per Co-Leader (rising 10th grade - 12th grade: include a t-shirt) • $75 Family Maximum PLEASE NOTE: If you register after May 28th we cannot guarantee a t-shirt, as we order them ahead! HOW DO I REGISTER FOR VBS? • The EASIEST way is to register ONLINE! Go to www.slecsa.org and register TODAY! • You can also come to the church office and fill out a paper form. PLEASE NOTE: Middle and High School students DO NEED to register and space is limited! SO SIGN UP TODAY!
VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH VBS! To have the best adventure possible, we need lots of volunteers who can give some time, energy, and love to the kids who will attend. There are many ways you might be able to make this program a success.
Consider working one or more of our VBS Work Nights!
• Wednesday, May 23rd (5:30pm – 8pm) • Wednesday, June 6th (5:30pm – 8pm) • Wednesday, June 13th (5:30pm – 8pm)
Volunteer to help for one or more days during VBS!
• We need adult volunteers to serve as Adults Co Crew Leaders or Adult Crew Helpers. • We need teen/youth volunteers to serve as Youth Co Crew Leaders and Youth Crew Helpers
Remember…if everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot! WHO DO I CONTACT ABOUT VBS?
• VBS Co-Chairs are Brooke Sheedy (brooke.sheedy@gmail.com) and Rachel Lincoln (rchotin@gmail.com )
• Director of Children & Family Ministries, Jill S. Martinez (jillm@stlukes-sa.net)
Music Ministry I want to take this opportunity to talk about the organ and also update you on what is happening. We have had several meetings with our lawyer, Tom Bagby, and other members of the Organ Task Force to explore legal matters and insurance questions. It is an extremely narrow path that we have available to us and most avenues have been pretty much exhausted. Add to this, Odell Organs has ceased operations and declared bankruptcy. The current situation is suspended until we get a new Rector when we will raise the money for a new organ incorporating the best parts of the original Visser. Quite a few members have noticed we have a newer digital organ which is on loan to us, and that it sounds much better than the little Rodgers that was in the Baptistry during the rebuilding work going on in the gallery. Some have even mentioned why bother to rebuild the organ when we have a digital solution. Well, there are many reasons, and they all have to do with authenticity.
altar flowers are given to the Glory of God and in remembrance or thanksgiving for someone; we would never choose silk ‘everlasting’ flowers. Every Sunday our clergy have an inspired message by way of a sermon and it reflects the readings and how they pertain to us; we would not be satisfied with someone pressing the ‘play’ button on a pre-recorded message. Our candles have real flames, not electric light bulbs; it’s about giving our best, not our leftovers. St. Luke’s has a long and excellent music tradition and the organ is a large part of it. No skilled musician will apply to work in a program with a digital instrument, which means organ playing, the choir, and the whole program will decline. We must always strive for the best. The organ has been called “the disembodied voice of God” and that’s a great way to think of it; the organ, choir, and music program serve to inspire, but also to offer praise. It will take some time and effort but St. Luke’s will have a new organ worthy of the program, the congregation, and God.
We have glorious stained glass windows made by artisans, and they need ongoing restoration; we wouldn’t think of just replacing broken sections with Plexiglas. Every week the RUSSELL JACKSON russellj@stlukes-sa.net
INAUGURAL ST. LUKE'S LIVE! Fellowship dinner & Auction Benefiting St. Luke’s Church & Strong Foundation Ministries
Wednesday, May 2nd 6:00 p.m. Saint Luke’s Episcopal Chruch Gymnasium 11 St. Luke’s Lane Catering by parishioners, Beer & Wine, Live & Silent Auction
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Festive Casual Attire, Entry is FREE!
You Can Make a Difference The ministries of St. Luke’s Church are funded primarily through the generosity of St. Luke’s parishioners and friends. Your giving allows St. Luke’s to transform lives as we teach children, guide teenagers, study scripture, visit the sick, reach out to the poor, sing God’s praise, preach the Gospel, and much, much more. Here are some simple things you can do that make a big difference in ministry funding: • Set up automatic giving. Regular giving really helps St. Luke’s cash flow. By setting up weekly or automated giving from your checking account, or debit/credit card, your donation gets made and God’s work at St. Luke’s is carried out. Call or e-mail Dave Thomas in our parish office and he will help you with this. davet@stlukes-sa.net or (210) 828-6425. • Use your phone. We recognize that most people do not carry checkbooks or cash anymore. Feel free to use your phone on Sunday mornings, or at any other time, to make a donation to St. Luke’s. Just visit www.slecsa.org and click on the GIVE button. • Make an annual pledge. Pledging helps the Vestry and Finance Committee manage the budget for the year, and it helps each one of us make a commitment to God. If you have not made a pledge for 2018, you can do it on-line at www.slecsa.org.
• Remember St. Luke’s in your will. There are a multitude of ways to give a gift to St. Luke’s that
will continue to transform lives for years to come. Through life insurance policies, appreciated assets, IRA distributions, property, and more, you can often enjoy tax benefits now even as your gift is given later. For more information contact Dave Thomas at (210) 828-6425 or davidt@stlukes-sa.net.
Welcome to the Body Welcome the newley baptized: Richard Joseph Reynolds V Patton James McMillan
Welcome the new members of St. Luke's: Samantha Cox For more information on being baptized or having your child baptized at St. Luke's, contact Michaela Rogers, Administrative Assistant to the Clergy, at michaelar@stlukes-sa.net. Upcoming Baptism dates are: April 8th, May 20th, & July 1st
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and School 11 St. Luke's Lane San Antonio, Texas 78209
Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid San Antonio,TX Permit No. 1001
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 11 St. Luke’s Lane, San Antonio, TX 78209 (210)828-6425 | www.slecsa.org The Rev. John D. Badders, Interim Rector - johnb@stlukes-sa.net
Joseph Degollado, Facilities Manager - josephd@stlukes-sa.net
The Rev. Michael Koehler, Associate Rector - michaelk@stlukes-sa.net
Jill S. Martinez, Director of Children's Ministries - jillm@stlukes-sa.net
Michaela Rogers, Administrative Assistant to Clergy - michaelar@stlukes-sa.net
Daniel Kittrell Director of Communications - danielk@stlukes-sa.net
Tom McLaughlin, Head of School - tmclaughlin@sles-sa.org
Catherine Landis, Mustard Seed Director - mustardseed@stlukes-sa.net
Russell Jackson, Music Director & Organist - russellj@stlukes-sa.net
David Thomas, Parish Administrator - davidt@stlukes-sa.net
Dr. David Heller, Associate Organist - dheller@trinity.edu
Rhonda Jordan, Parish Secretary - rhonda@stlukes-sa.net
Vol. 59, No. 2