All Saints Sunday, All Souls Remembrances

Tomorrow is All Saints Day and Monday is All Souls Day.

At tomorrow's masses we will "remember by name" those who have "died and gone before us."

If you would like someone remembered at the Altar during the mass, please give me their full names via email today (apostle@episcopalnet.org) and I will add them to the list.

"Lay this body anywhere, only this I beg of you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord." - dying words of Saint Monica to Saint Augustine

Who are these like stars appearing,

These, before God’s throne who stand?

Each a golden crown is wearing;

Who are all this glorious band?

Alleluia! hark, they sing,

Praising loud their heavenly King.

These are they who have contended

For their Saviour’s honor long,

Wrestling on till life was ended,

Following not the sinful throng:

These, who well the fight sustained,

Triumph by the Lamb have gained.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

Sunset Concerts

With November's Sedona Jazz at the Church offering we've added a new and beautiful dimension to the series. What, pray tell, is that?

The splashing of the setting sun on the red rocks that surround our parish church. And since we're going to do that for most all of our upcoming concerts, from now on we'll be billing the series as the Sedona Jazz at the Church Sunset Concerts.

This month it's the Vicki McDermitt Trio, with Vicki doing the vocals, and being backed up by Dwight Kilian on bass and Russ Schmidt on piano.

The concert starts at 4pm, and we'll be able to enjoy the setting sun during the break.

So, bring a friend, a hunger for good music and your camera, and we know you'll have a magnificent time!

Click HERE to get your tickets... and download the poster, too, if you want!!

(To find out more about the sunrise and sunsets at Saint Luke's - times, et al - click HERE.)

New Jazz, Christmas Postings

Today we've posted information on two upcoming events - (1) the November and December Jazz happenings for our "Sedona Jazz at The Church" concert series, and (2) the schedule for the Christ Masses that will take place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The jazz page update tells of the "Sunset Concert" which we will be having on November 21 with the Vicki McDermitt Trio, and there's also some news on the 2010 calendar - specifically Jim Martinez & Laura Didier's two concert event on January 17th and 18th.

Regarding Christmas, we've posted a page with the particulars of our three Christ Masses. On Christmas Eve there will be an early evening mass at 5pm, which will include a jazz quartet, a visit by a shepherd, and jazz accompaniments of the carols.

Following that liturgy, the Solemn High Christ Mass - the principal service for Christmas - will begin at 8:30 pm, and on Christmas Day a 10 am Christmas Day Mass will also be celebrated.

Here are the links:

Jazz Page Update

Christ Masses 2009

Sunrise, Sunset at Saint Luke's

We've put up a new page regarding the beautiful scenery around our parish. The page gives a lot of good information that will help visitors come at the right times of the day in order to take magnificently beautiful pictures here at the church.

If you've friends who will be coming into town on holiday, direct them to the page, as we've included a link to a site which gives the daily sunrise and sunset times in our unique town!

The link is HERE!

This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King

The feast of Christ the King occurs the Sunday before All Saints Day and emphasizes that Christ is the King of all saints, whether they be of the Church militant, expectant or triumphant.

No Christian can become a saint without taking up his cross and following Christ. Every knee will bow before His throne. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He alone has wrought our salvation.

The crucifix (above) which shows Jesus on the Cross but in eucharistic vestments declares both His suffering and Victory in a powerful way.

Poetry, also, draws us to His saving actions, as the following work by Gerald Manley Hopkins shows us...

O God, I love thee, I love thee -

Not out of hope of heaven for me

Nor fearing not to love and be

In the everlasting burning.

Thou, thou, my Jesus, after me

Didst reach thine arms out dying.

For my sake sufferedst nails and lance,

Mocked and marred countenance,

Sorrows passing number,

Sweat and care and cumber,

Yea and death, and this for me,

And thou couldst see me sinning:

Then I, why should not I love thee,

Jesus, so much in love with me.

"Rejoice we all in the Lord, keeping holy-day in honour of all the Saints: in whose solemnity the Angels rejoice and glorify the Son of God." (From the day's introit, page E 132, The People's Anglican Missal).

The Day's Propers

"Sedona Jazz at the Church" concert - recollections of Inner Journeys' Concert

Saturday evening's concert was absolutely grand! The extremely gifted trio of Bob Ravenscroft on piano, Rob Moore on drums and Dwight Kilian on bass carried everyone present into a state of grace-filled joy.

The evening was billed as a tribute to the music of Bill Evans, and yet it was much more than that.

Compositions both "by" and "played by" Evans were certainly a part of the evening ("Letter to Evan," "Beautiful Love," "Periscope," "Gloria's Step," "I hear a Rhapsody," and "Emily" were but a few of the pieces offered); however, the trio used them all as a "springboard" for their own creativity, which flowed from them all night long.

For this writer, anyway, Bob Ravenscroft's playing of "Who Can I Turn To?" was a high point of the evening.

Mario Barnabe teamed up with the group as videographer, splashing his creativity with visual effects throughout the night's music. On one piece his visuals formed the basis for a free form piece by the trio which was truly extraordinary.

To see and hear the interplay between jazz musicians, and then to add the "communications" between musician and videographer is to witness God's gift of creativity to His creation - man.

An evening of fullness, from four men who are both blessed with musical artistry and part of Music Serving the Word Ministries of Carefree, Arizona. What more could one hope for?!?!

Well, we did more, as we all adjourned to the Blue Moon Cafe for dinner! What a grand night, to say the least!

Thanks, guys, for a wonderful evening.

And they WILL be back with us in the future!!

Internet Streaming of the Mass

A while back we announced in the blog that we are working toward streaming the 8am Sunday Mass each week on the internet. So you may ask, "Where is it, Padre?"

We're still working on it. As it happens with so many things, it's simply taking us longer to figure out the intricacies of this new vehicle for evangelism.

When will we have this posted and online? God knows, and we're simply working toward it! Hopefully, we'll be online by the beginning of the Church Year - the season of Advent, which starts on Sunday, November 29.

We ask that your prayers continue to include this endeavor, and by God's grace and a bit of work on our part, it WILL take place by the first Sunday in Advent.

And thanks for your patience!!

Sedona Jazz at the Church Concert - The Musicians

Who are the musicians that will be here at the Church Saturday night?

Well, they are a talented and focused group of men, to say the least! Exceptionally gifted as individual jazz artists, they also share a unique experience in an endeavor called "Music Serving the Word."

What is that? Their mission statement puts it succinctly, "Music Serving the Word Ministries exists to worship God through music and art forms that serve His Word."

Music Serving the Word's WEBSITE contains a plethora of information, covering the various ministries that they offer - Sacred Music Concerts, Sanctuary Jazz, Jazz in Sacred Spaces, Poetry Serving the Word, Drama Serving the Word, Media Serving the Word, Reflections, and Vicki McDermitt.

What do those things mean, specifically? Check out their website to find out, and be sure to pick up your tickets for the concert by Inner Journeys - with Bob Ravenscroft on Piano, Dwight Kilian on Bass, Rob Moore on the Drums, and Mario Barnabe's visual imagery improvisations!

It WILL be a truly unique and blessed evening at Saint Luke's!!

Click HERE to purchase concert tickets online.

Sedona Jazz at the Church - Inner Journeys Concert Saturday Night!!

Tickets for next Saturday's concert with Inner Journeys Trio (Bob Ravenscroft, Piano; Dwight Kilian, Bass; Rob Moore, Drums) are on sale now, and can be purchased online on the JAZZ PAGE.

For more information on the trio, consult the above link, and also check out the website Music Serving the Word, as ALL the members of trio are involved in that ministry.

And for future reference, on the Sunday before our concerts, we always have tickets available at the Church, and those who attend the Masses that day can get a 10% discount if they buy their tickets after the services!!! How benevolently cool can you get, eh?

Tickets are also available at the Church this week, Monday through Friday, from 10:00 am until 12 Noon.

October's "Sedona Jazz at the Church" Concert

On Saturday, October 17, our Sedona Jazz at the Church concert series hosts the Phoenix Jazz trio "Inner Journeys," with Bob Ravenscroft on Piano, Dwight Kilian on Bass and Rob Moore playing the drums. (Shown in the picture, from Left to Right, is Rob Moore, Bob Ravenscroft and Dwight Kilian)

The concert, billed as “Celebrating the Music of Bill Evans,” is a tribute to the great jazz pianist and composer that will both reinterpret the legend’s classics and extend his influence to the new works of the Inner Journeys Trio.

The evening will not only include excellent jazz improvisation by the three gifted Phoenix musicians, but will also present the creativeness of a masterfully gifted fourth member - videographer and visual improviser Mario Barnabe, whose projected images will inspire both listeners and musicians to further experience and innovation.

The evening’s festivities begin at 7 pm, with a half hour “Meet the Musicians” gathering, followed by the concert, which will begin at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are available ONLINE HERE and also at the church on Sunday morning, or during the week of the concert on Monday - Friday, from 10:00 am - noon.

REMEMBER: don't put off getting your tickets, as seating is limited and the demand is GREAT!

More information can be found on the Sedona Jazz at the Church home page.