St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Offering a unique and fulfilling experience of worship through an Anglo-Catholic mass.

Newsletter December 12

SERVICE – Once again, and as quite appropriate considering the date, our own Fr. Lester will conduct the service on Dec 15. For the rest of the year, we will have a variety of other supply priests, depending on their availability

After the Dec 15 service we will have a special coffee hour event to celebrate the 64th anniversary of Canon Lester’s ordination. Please prepare to join us as to honor this good priest who gives so much to the Church and especially St. Luke’s. Remember our Wednesday morning Healing service conducted by Canon Lester @ 10:00 am in the chapel. (James 5:16)

ST. LUKE’S OUTREACH – We are proud to list the following programs where the people of St. Luke’s reach out to the less fortunate in our community to help in their hour of need

FOOD BANK – We are now collecting for distribution by Christmas in cooperation with our partners at All Souls in N. Ft. Myers. Their Christmas distribution will take place on Dec18 – no distribution Christmas Day – so PLEASE get your donations in THIS WEEKEND (at least before the morning of the 17th) when we will take the collected food over.

ANGEL TREE CHARITY - This is an extension of our prison ministry sponsored by prisonfellowship.org to provide wrapped presents for the children of incarcerated parents. Please bring your wrapped present back to St. Luke’s by Dec. 15 for distribution on Dec 21. If you would like to share in the joy of delivering the gifts to the “Caretaker” families, volunteers are welcome. Please contact BARBARA FLYNN (bflynn1073@aol.com) or DONNA WILLIAMS (donnawilliams211@comcast.net).

FRIENDS OF ANNA CHARITY - Once again, as has happened every year at recent Christmastides, we have been asked to help out ANNA’S FRIENDS (Formerly “Guardian ad Litem”) a non-profit group started to help children who have become wards of the 20th District Court which has expanded to help all foster children.

Some of these children, ranging in age from infancy through the teen years, have been removed from their homes with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Anna’s Friends maintain a “Comfort Closet” to provide the things needed for day-to-day life. This is where we come in. Suggested gift items include clothing (esp. socks, underwear and pajamas), diapers (esp. larger sizes), “onesies” for infants, wipes, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrushes and paste, toys, books, bed linens or blankets (twin size), or $5 - $10 gift cards for the teens. Gifts should NOTbe wrapped or labelled. Decorated collection boxes have been placed in Haynes-Burgess Hall to collect the gifts. They will be picked up by Anna’s Friends between Christmas and Epiphany. Mark 10: 13 - 16

MUSIC Advent 3 - Year C - Gaudete Sunday In years past, Advent was considered to be a mini "penitential" season; however, with our new Lectionary, the focus is more on joyful preparation and introspection. The third Sunday in Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday and means "Rejoice! The Lord is coming!" Our scriptures reflect this new focus on joyful preparation: "The Lord is in your midst; fear disaster no more" and "Rejoice in the Lord Always" and "Baptism with the Spirit and fire." John the Baptist is once again the center of our celebration and we will sing Hymn 76 again (On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry). The choir will sing an abbreviated version of Henry Purcell's (1659-1695, English) great verse anthem, Rejoice in the Lord Alway, and J. S. Bach's (1685-1750, German) every-popular movement from his Advent Cantata 147, Jesu, Joy of Our Desiring. Our communion hymn is originally from the Netherlands: Prepare the Way, O Zion (Hymn 65) and we will end our joyful Sunday with Hymn 72: Hark the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes. Baroque composer Johann Gottfried Walther's (German, 1684-1748) setting for organ of Gottes Sohn ist kommen (God's Son Is Coming) will prepare our service and English composer Heathcote Stattham's (1884-1973) Fantasia on Ven Emmanuel will end the service. Come join our joyful celebration and bring your family and friends!

After a few years of neglect, significant maintenance work has already been done to bring our organ back to its full working order at a cost of about $6,500, with some fairly extensive, recently discovered termite damage yet to go. We are blessed to have such a fine organ and an exceptional organist/choirmaster to lead us in worship.. Let's all do our part to help pay for this work, for the glory of God. Make your check payable to St. Luke's/Friends of the Choir.

ST. LUKE’S CHOIR - If you are interested in singing with St. Luke’s Choir, January is a good time to join. Weekly rehearsals are held every Thursday at 7:00 pm in the Choir Room beginning January 9th. The Choir reconvenes each Sunday at 9:00 am for a warm-up in preparation for the 10 am Service. ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN WITHOUT AUDITION! Come help us make a joyful noise unto our Lord! If you are interested, please contact our Director of Music Ministry, Dr. Ronald Doiron so a music folder may be prepared for you prior to your attendance.

TENORS WANTED! – Our choir needs / wants tenor voices.

VESTRY ELECTIONS - At the time of the annual meeting (26 Jan.,’25) we will have vacancies on the vestry that need to be filled. If you are interested in being a candidate or have questions, please speak with a vestry member.

FINANCE – As we face the end of the calendar year, thanks to your generosity it looks like we will be able to meet all our obligations if giving continues at the present rate. The beginning of the New Year, however, brings new challenges starting with the quarterly insurance bill. Remember to check the detailed financial information, updated weekly, posted in Haynes-Burgess Hall. Please, prayerfully, consider how you can help St. Luke’s survive and grow.

Remember to admire the beautiful new sign on the Cleveland Ave. side of the church. It is not illuminated and the final payment will be taken from our endowment fund.

Our Stewardship Drive is currently underway. Stewardship Information Packets have gone out in the mail. Don’t forget to return your card ASAP.

BUILDING – The existing wooden doors in the Sanctuary are up for sale. If you want them, or know anyone who might, PLEASE contact our Jr. Warden Donna Williams.

We currently have no sexton, janitor or cleaning service, Our vestry has recently gotten a quote for 2 cleanings a month for $440.00/mo. Checking with other churches in town, that would be a bargain BUT we don’t have $440.00/mo at the moment. PLEASE keep this in mind when you respond to our Stewardship drive. Vestry Member Linda Brown has all the details.

THEATRE NIGHT - The Dec 1 trip to Broadway Palms to see “A Christmas Carol” – musical version, was a lot of fun for the 11 theatre goers. If you have a suggestion for our next Theatre night, please contact BARBARA FLYNN.

COFFEE HOUR – We need volunteers to provide “goodies” for the coffee hour, Please sign up on the sheet in Haynes-Burgess Hall. As mentioned above, we will be celebrating Canon Lester’s ordination anniversary this week. Special “Goodies”, warm fellowship and a chance to recognize his service to St. Luke’s. Be there!

CALENDAR
Dec 15 –Celebration of Canon Lester’s Ordination – coffee hour, Lessons & Carols, 4:00 pm
Dec 16, Jan 6,’25 – Serendipity Bible Study- (239) 560-4535, 7 PM – NOTE NO meeting Dec. 23 or 30!
Dec 21 – Distribution of “Angel Tree” Gifts
Dec 24 – Christmas Eve, possible evening service
Jan 26 Annual Meeting – Vestry elections.

If you want more, less or different information, tell your vestry.

Contact Us

2635 Cleveland Ave, Fort Myers, Fl
Phone: (239)-334-2479
Office Email

Worship Schedule

Sundays: 10 AM
High Mass

Wednesdays: 10 AM
Unction Mass in Chapel

St. Luke's - 2024