New Jazz Blog Posting

Check out today's new posting on the Jazz Blog, which speaks of the 2010 concerts and has a video of Jim Martinez at a Carmel, California concert he did a while back honouring the great pianist Oscar Peterson. Click HERE for the article, and don't forget to buy your tickets soon for his and Laura Didier's concerts in January here at the Church.

Reflections on the Christmas Liturgies and the future

This year's celebrations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were simply magnificent.

The two Christmas Eve services - a Jazz Mass and the Solemn High Christ Mass - both filled the church to capacity with folk, and a new high in Christmas Eve attendance was achieved that evening. (For more on the Jazz Mass, click HERE for the article posted on the Sedona Jazz at the Church blog.)

Christmas Day's Mass was special, also, as it witnessed the return of our dear Shirley DuBois, who has been unable to attend Mass for the past three months, while recovering from a broken hip suffered a few weeks before her 98th birthday!

To say the least, then, the Christmas Day Mass was a powerfully moving experience for all who attended - especially for Shirley!

- looking ahead -

This year we have two "Christmas Season: Sundays following Christmas Day. Then - on January 6th - the Epiphany Season begins with the feast of the Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.

So, this Sunday will be the last opportunity to sing Christmas carols and hymns, and the Christ Candle and Poinsettias will also "disappear" after the morning's liturgies.

- thank you for your benevolences! -

A special thanksgiving to all who have been so giving with both presents and cards to me this Christmas season. I have always considered it a privilege and honour to serve as your Rector, and by God's grace, our future will continue to be blessed and consecrated for both our souls health and God's greater glory!

God has always blessed us, and continued sanctification is part of what it is to be a member of Saint Luke's Church!

See you in His Church.

Getting Ready for Christmas & Life!

Sedona Jazz at the Church Concert Patronages & Benefactions

We've added a piece to the Jazz blog about patronages and benefactions.

Check it out, and if you're moved to do so, help support this unique ministry in one of the very creative and substantive ways. the Jazz blog article is found HERE.

Faithful Messengers, Ministers & Stewards

Working, Praying & Giving

The Catechism teaches us that it is our "bounden duty... to follow Christ, to worship God every Sunday in his Church and to work and pray and give for the spread of his kingdom." (BCP, page 291)

Because we have always taken our Christian duty seriously, our parish is a beacon of faith, hope and love to people far beyond its parish boundaries, as attested by our internet presence - this blog and the Jazz Blog, episcopalnet.org, and our presence on youtube.

Having said that, in the midst of our corporate calling under the banner of Saint Luke's Church, individual commitment and action determines whether or not a person is part of the experience.

When someone decides to merely be an onlooker rather than to participate, that doesn't stop the ministry of our parish; instead, it only means that person won't be a part of it. Life gives us this lesson, does it not?

Advent is a good time to re-analyze one's commitment to God and His Church, and to, if necessary, move from being a mere spectator to participant.

God has been so good to us all. Even though we may have ignored and perhaps forgotten Him altogether at times, He's here for us, and is powerfully present within our parish church.

The next two Sundays we read and hear of John the Baptist, we ponder our commitment to God and His Church, and finally we've all the opportunity to make ready to approach and worship Jesus Christ on the occasion of His Incarnation.

Will you join me and the Faithful at Saint Luke's? Let's all make ready to greet Him in royal fashion!

See you in His Church!

And if you've not done so yet, it's time to make your pledge to the 2010 Operating Fund.

You can download the pledge form or pledge directly online via our parish home page, found HERE.

Sunday's Sermon: "So, What Are We To Do?"

Sunday is the third Sunday in Advent, commonly called "Rose Sunday." In the midst of the normally flowerless Advent, the Altar will be adorned with roses, and rose-coloured vestments will also be worn, as is also the case on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

And in the midst of the visual refreshment of both vestments and flowers, John the Baptist, the ministry, and the work of the Church will be the focus of Sunday's sermon.

In the 4th chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul describes the work of "the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God," and that portion of scripture is the basis for Sunday's sermon.

The Sermon - entitled "So, What are We to Do?" - will explain the biblical description of the Christian's duty, and then contrast that with how some folk would set aside the biblical teachings for an easier and more worldly approach.

The day's reading from the gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus speaks of John the Baptist, will also be examined, and brings to the forefront the question, "Was John faithful or foolish with his strong preaching and exhortations?" Some would argue that he was foolish, considering his end. However....

Rose Sunday's propers are found HERE.

YouTube viewings pass 32,000!

Saint Luke's channel on YouTube - where we post our meditations - has now had more than 32,000 viewings of the videos.

The videos - meditations based upon the Sunday Mass Propers of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer - started out simply as a ministry for our parishioners who may have missed mass on any given Sunday.

And yet, my oh my... how that small beginning has blossomed and become so blessed! It is now a ministry that has folk from all over the world visiting it, with a viewing average exceeding 1,500 each month!

Thanks to all who have found the videos useful, and a special thanks to those who have told their friends about it, also!!

What's next for us on the internet?

Well, we are still in the planning stages for "streaming" our 8am Sunday Masses live on the web. More on that in next week's blogs, when we will be identifying and addressing special ministries of our parish, and how you can become involved in them... all for God's greater glory, of course!

For now, click HERE to see our videos.

Patience, Comfort & Hope" (2 Advent '09)

From the Vestry...

It’s time for all members and friends of Saint Luke’s Church to make their financial pledge for the 2010 Operating Fund.

As your Vestry, we have all pledged, and we invite you to do the same, so that all that God calls us to do this upcoming year will have the financial base necessary.

Jesus told us Himself, "it is more blessed to give than to receive."

So please, give as freely as God has given to you!

Pledge Forms are available at the Church on the Votive Candle Stand.

Please fill out and sign your Pledge, and deposit it in the Alms Basin during the Sunday Mass or in the Offering Box on the Votive Candle Stand.

Sermon Series continues next Sunday

What is the importance of the Bible within the Christian faith? What is it to be "comforted" by holy scripture? What's the second coming of Christ going to be like?

These are but a few of the questions which will be addressed in the second installment of the St Luke's Church Advent Sermon series.

The sermon is entitled "Why is the Bible Important?" and is based on the Second Sunday in Advent mass propers of the day from the 15th chapter of Hebrews and the 21st chapter of the gospel according to Matthew.

It will also examine what Jesus said about His Second Coming, on the day that "the kingdom of God is nigh at hand."

- Christ Mass Schedule -

We are also preparing for the upcoming Christ Masses to be celebrated on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

An early evening Jazz Mass on Christmas Eve has been added to the schedule this year (see below for more details), and although all of the masses are free and open to the public, we will be issuing tickets, as we anticipate overflow crowds for both Christmas Eve services.

Tickets will be available on Sundays throughout December, and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to get yours soon, and remember that the doors open for the 5pm Mass at 4:30pm, and for the Solemn High Christ Mass at eight o'clock in the evening.

Tickets for Christmas Eve Masses

Anticipating a full house for the Masses on Christmas Eve, we have decided to issue admission tickets for both the 5:00 pm Jazz Mass and the 8:30 pm Solemn High Christ Mass.

Why? So as to ensure that people who wish to attend will have assurance that they will have seating.

The tickets don't cost anything, and can be picked up on the following Sundays during December - December 6, 13 & 20.

If you are out of town and wish to secure tickets, simply telephone the church and we'll set aside your tickets, which you can then pick up the week of Christmas.

At this time we don't think we'll issue tickets for the Christmas Day Mass, which takes place at 10:00 am.

Click HERE for the particulars of the Christ Mass 2009 schedule.