St. Luke Red Deer

• The Rt Rev Greg Kerr-Wilson
• The Rev Dr Richard LeSueur
• The Very Rev Dr Iain Luke
• The Rev Canon Gene Packwood
• The Ven Ansley Tucker

http://calgary.anglican.ca/

Gracious God, we praise you for inspiring the search committee members to present an honest, vibrant image of this diocese in the diocesan profile they put together. We ask for the committee to have the discernment they need to seek clarification, if it’s needed, and for guidance in selecting the slate of candidates for the Episcopal election. Now that the nominations are in, we lift up the nominees as they prayerfully prepare to respond to the questions they will be asked and the situations they will encounter. May your Holy Spirit protect and en-courage everyone involved in the process of calling the 9th bishop of the Diocese of Calgary. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

On our way to see Elijah's viewpoint on Mt. Carmel, we stopped for lunch in a Druze village. This is a photo of a picture that was hanging on a wall in the restaurant. For me, it presented an invitation to learn about a people that most of us probably know nothing about. I was acquainted with some members of a Druze family in southern Alberta. They were kind and generous. Beyond that little bit of personal knowledge, everything else I know about this sect comes from Google searches and Wikipedia articles.

This is the main door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in
Jerusalem. Of the 400 or so pictures I took in Israel I think this
just might be my favorite. The church is the traditional site of the
crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

There are six traditional churches that share the building: Roman
Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Syriac Orthodox,
Egyptian Coptic, and Ethiopian Orthodox. Of the six, the Greek, Roman
Catholic and Armenian Churches are the main players; the Greek
Orthodox Church being the major stake holder out of all of them. They
haven't always gotten along and used to fight over who kept the key
and who would unlock the door.

Because of the fighting, the family across the courtyard was given the
responsibility of keeping the key by the Ottoman Turks at some point
when they ruled the Holy Land. The responsibility has been handed down
the generations in that family to present day.

Here's the really interesting part; it's a Muslim family!

Interesting solution to a frustrating problem.

I took this picture somewhere on "Jewish Quarter St." As we wandered
through Jerusalem's Old City, we passed by shops that sold pretty much
everything you could imagine, and several things that your not likely
to imagine. This beautiful and ornate door was at the entrance to a
Jewish mosaic artist's shop. If you look closely at the pictures, you
can see Old Testament stories told in tile.

We saw a lot of mosaic art in Israel, from floors being painstakingly
restored in the Church of Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha, to the
protected floors beneath the current floor in the Church of the
Nativity in Bethlehem.

We visited a mosaic studio near Mt. Nebo while we were in Jordan. The
artisans were all physically challenged individuals, the shop itself
being sponsored by government to provide employment opportunities for
these people. They did beautiful work. "St. George and the Dragon" and
"The Tree of Life" were two very common motifs expressed in this art
form.

In Madaba, not far from that studio, we visited the Church of the Map;
the Byzantine era Greek Church of St. George. In the floor of that
church is an ancient mosaic tile map of the Holy Land. The church
itself being a starting point for pilgrimage, the map helped to point
travelers in the right direction.

Loose mosaic tiles litter the ground in Jerash and many of the other
ancient sites we visited. They weren't difficult to spot once you knew
what to look for.

He blesses every love which weeps and grieves

And now he blesses hers who stood and wept

And would not be consoled, or leave her love’s

Last touching place, but watched as low light crept

Up from the east. A sound behind her stirs

A scatter of bright birdsong through the air.

She turns, but cannot focus through her tears,

Or recognise the Gardener standing there.

She hardly hears his gentle question ‘Why,

Why are you weeping?’, or sees the play of light

That brightens as she chokes out her reply

‘They took my love away, my day is night’

And then she hears her name, she hears Love say

The Word that turns her night, and ours, to Day.

Pictures have arrived! If you bought photo packages last month, they have arrived and are available to be picked up at the church.

We are looking for photos of life around St. Luke's for our new photo directory. If you have anything that you would like to contribute to a photo collage, please forward in digital format (preferably jpeg file format) to st.lukes.rd@gmail.com

Friday at St. Leoanard's - 6:30 - An Evening of Sites and Stories From Israel - Come hear about our favourite places and sample some sweets from the Holy Land.

Monday, April 2 @ 7 - 8:30 pm - St. Luke's Church Hall - Come and Go Social to say Farewell to Brant and Janelle Stutheit. Please join us for dessert on Monday evening as we send our Youth Leaders off on a new adventure in their life together.

Wednesday, April 4 - Mayors' Prayer Breakfast - Noel has 4 tickets available (complimentary). Contact him at nwygiera@gmail.com if you are interested in attending. Breakfast line opens at 6:40 am. The program starts at 7:00 am and concludes at 8:30 am.

Holy Week - Noon Hour Services and Lunch (12:10 pm April 2, 3, 4 and 5)

Monday - St. Luke's Anglican
Tuesday - Sunnybrook United
Wednesday - Sacred Heart Catholic
Thursday - Knox Presbyterian

Other Services in Holy Week

Thursday, April 5 at St. Luke's - Parish Eucharist and Tea @ 2:00 pm

Thursday, April 5 at St. Leonard's (St. Luke's, St. Leonard's and Good Shepherd join service)
5:30 Seder Supper (a light supper off macaroni and cheese with salad will be served along with the traditional Passover meal - please contact St. Leonard's if you plan to attend the Seder Supper portion of the evening - 346-6769).
6:30 (approx.) Maundy Thursday Foot Washing
7:00 (approx.) Maundy Thursday Eucharist

Friday, April 6 at Good Shepherd Lutheran
10:00 am - Good Friday Service

Sunday, April 8 at St. Luke's
8 and 10 am - Easter Sunday Services

Thought you might be interested: Archbishop of Canterbury to step down - http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2012/03/16/19510566.html