St. Luke s Episcopal Church. JUNE 2 Sunday Mass & LOH* 9:00 a.m. Proper 4-C. JUNE 5 Wednesday Mass & LOH 12:10 p.m. St. Boniface

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1 1 2 2 S o u t h C a l i f o r n i a A v e n u e M o n r o v i a, C A S a i n t l u k e s m o n r o v i a. o r g s t l u k e s m o n r o v i g m a i l. c o m THE MUSTARD SEED St. Luke s Episcopal Church V o l. 2 8, I s s u e N o. 6 J u n e Holy Eucharist: Sundays in Summer Rite II: s Rite II: 12:10 p.m. Schedule of Services, June 2013 DATE DAY SERVICE TIME COMMENTS JUNE 2 Sunday Mass & LOH* Proper 4-C JUNE 5 Mass & LOH 12:10 p.m. St. Boniface JUNE 9 Sunday Mass & LOH Proper 5-C JUNE 12 Mass & LOH 12:10 p.m. St. Barnabas JUNE 16 Sunday Mass & LOH Proper 6-C JUNE 19 Mass & LOH 12:10 p.m. St. Alban JUNE 23 Sunday Mass & Confirmation** at Transfiguration, Arcadia Proper 7-C & Confirmation celebration with Bishop Glasspool JUNE 26 Mass & LOH 12:10 p.m. St. John Baptist JUNE 30 Sunday Mass & LOH Proper 8-C * LOH = Laying on of Hands ** Please note that we will relocate our regular service on June 23 to Transfiguration, Arcadia as we celebrate together and with Bishop Glasspool. We will send out reminders by and U.S. Mail in the coming weeks. Who We Are St. Luke s is an inclusive church that welcomes all to its community a safe place for skeptics and doubters as well as firm believers. The Communion Meal of God s presence among us is offered to anyone who comes with a sincere heart to receive it. Printed copies of The Mustard Seed are available in the Church Narthex. If you have access to , send us your address, and you will receive your copy on the web. If you have no and can t get to church, please call the church office, and we ll mail you a copy.

2 P a g e 2 John s Jottings Mass Episcopal 101 and Concelebration of Confirmation with Arcadia Church of the Transfiguration A class of 21 parishioners signed up for and faithfully attended our nine-session course which ran from February 3rd April 21st. We covered the entire book Your Faith, Your Life, which provided a springboard for lively discussions. Those who wish to do so may participate in Bishop Glasspool s visitation to Transfiguration, Arcadia, on June 23 and receive the sacrament of Confirmation or reaffirm their faith or be received into the Episcopal Church. Please see me as soon as possible if you are interested. We will have a meeting in the Library on Sunday, June 9, after Coffee Hour (before the Vestry meeting) to discuss details. This is a marvelous opportunity. Please take advantage of it, OK? Please remember that we celebrate a simple Low Mass with Laying on of Hands in the Chapel every at 12:10 p.m. Every Monday, Father John sends attendees an with the biography of the saint and the readings. If you want to be on that list, please let Father John know. Sermon of the Month Dear St Lukans: I preached this sermon two years ago at our beloved parish when I made my debut here as a supply priest. I trust that (1) most of you don't have that good a memory as to recall it; and (2) many of you were not in the congregation then. I usually don't "recycle" sermons, but since I was not preaching the entire month of May, I have no sermon from last month to give you. Hope you enjoy this one from June 6, I look forward to however many more days/weeks/months ahead I will be with you as your pastor, to continue breaking open the word of God and the bread of life with you. Being at St Luke's has been about as wonderful an experience as I have ever had over 39 years of ordained ministry. I know that God will bless us all richly in the exciting days to come. As ever, Devotedly yours in Christ, John+ Eternal Life: What, when, where and how? - Fr. John Crean Given on the Seventh Sunday of Easter, June 5 th 2011, at St. Luke s Church, Monrovia CA Dedicated to my late uncle and mentor, the Rt. Rev. Thomas F. Connelly, Ordained a priest 83 years ago, June 2, 1928, in New York City. The college I went to had a beautiful library, but you had to trudge up many steps to get into it. As I trudged, I would kill time by reading over and over again the Latin inscription carved over the main entrance: Ut cognoscant te solum verum Deum et quem misisti Iesum Christum. That they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. This scriptural citation (John 17:3) is right out of today s gospel. The passage is known as Jesus Great High Priestly Prayer, one of his last utterances before his arrest, conviction, suffering and death. This prayer, addressed to his heavenly Father, was virtually his last will and testament. In his great high priestly prayer, Jesus hoped for two things. First, Jesus hoped to be able to bestow eternal life on all those whom the Father had given him (John 17:2). When you and I hear the words eternal life, we normally think in terms of the afterlife. But

3 V o l. 2 8, I s s u e N o. 6 P a g e 3 Sermon of the Month (continued from page 2) this morning I would like us to ponder two questions: When may eternal life begin? and When is it really supposed to begin? If physical life begins at birth and ends in death, does eternal life then pick up where physical life left off? I think that s what most people think. But I would like to suggest another take on the process. Theology teaches us that the soul is immortal. Science teaches us that at death the physical body dies and decomposes. During our lifetime on earth, our immortal soul and mortal body coexist. So now I come back to my questions, when does eternal life really begin? When can it begin? When should it begin? What did Jesus have in mind when he formulated this wish? Jesus first hope was that he might be able to bestow eternal life on humankind, and he even defined what he meant by eternal life. The inscription over the entrance to my college library is that very definition: That they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. If we wait till we re dead to know God and Jesus, isn t that a bit late, a bit after the fact? Will we be able to recognize Jesus in heaven if we have never known him on earth? And I said know him, not know about him. I submit that Jesus wanted us to begin to know him and his Father well before the threshold to the next world. And getting this right presumes we really get the true meaning of one word in that definition: know. The Latin cognoscant says it quite clearly. This is like our English word recognize, to know someone personally, recognize them on sight, and be intimately acquainted with their personhood, i.e. who they really are. The other kind of knowing is factual knowledge, knowing about someone or something. We can know thousands of facts about the Bible, may have even majored in theology, and still not know God or Jesus personally. And yet, that was Jesus last wish, Ut cognoscant te, the acquainting of humankind with the living person of Jesus. He wanted us to become his friends, not his experts. I once had a theology professor who reminded us about the difference between knowing God and knowing about God. He added that there might be more than one theologian in hell! Jesus second hope was expressed in the very last verse of today s reading: that they may be one, as we are one (John 17:11). Later in the Great High Priestly Prayer this hope is repeated, that all may be one, as you, Father are in me, and I in you (John 17:21). Ut omnes unum sint, that all may be one, has been the battle cry of the ecumenical movement for years, and is the episcopal motto of many a bishop. Jesus second last wish is not unrelated to his first. The unity that Jesus willed for his followers is rooted neither in a common liturgy nor a common creed, not even in common religion. It is clearly not rooted in book knowledge, factual data about God. I believe Jesus saw these two wishes expressed in the same prayer as related issues, as bookends, if you will, to his last will and testament. If all sincere believers (and that includes non-christians, too) develop a deep personal relationship with their God and are filled with a living faith, therein lies the human potential for unity among all God s people! Unity is grounded more in common experience than in common theology. I can be one with someone of a quite different theological orientation from my own, if both she and I know God intimately (cognoscant). Unity through intimacy with God works ecumenically among Christians of different denominations; and it works interfaith-wise, too. I have known true believers of other faith traditions with whom I have felt a strong common bond. That unifying bond, I believe, is based on our common committed relationship with the Godhead however we might define or identify God. This kind of thinking may be a bit of a stretch for some Christians, even for some Episcopalians! But I think it is the essence of Jesus last prayer before his passion: his burning desire for our intimate union with him and with one another. And while chronologically, within the life of Christ, that High Priestly Prayer was uttered just before the onset of his passion and death, the church once again brings this very same gospel to us on this Sunday after the Ascension (last Thursday) and right before Pentecost (next Sunday). Before Jesus took off on the journey back to his heavenly home, before he left earth, he reconnected with his two most important final wishes: his passionate desire for our intimacy with himself, and our spiritual unity with one another. As we prepare now for the descent of the Holy Spirit next Sunday on the great feast of Pentecost, let us be mindful this coming week of these two last wishes of our Savior. Let us remind ourselves how close Jesus wants to keep us to himself, and how united he wants us to stay with one another. Amen+ Jesus wanted us to begin to know him and his Father well before the threshold to the next world.

4 P a g e 4 Parish Organizations and Groups All of our parish organizations and groups rely on the voluntary participation of parishioners. Please consider volunteering for one or more of these groups. You ll enrich your experience with St. Luke s, have fun, and be providing much needed support to our parish family. Below is a list of our exist groups and whom to contact for more details. Pastoral Outreach Jeannett Armstrong and Trish Gresham St. Luke s Unorthodox Gatherings (SLUGs) - Kathy Eisel, Kelly Lauer, and Sarah Thomas Ushers Dan Thomas Welcome Table Sarah Thomas Altar Guild Jeannett Armstrong Buildings and Grounds Committee Dan Thomas Lunch Bunch Lyn Walsh From the Deacon s Desk In addition to food, donations of travelsized personal items are very much appreciated. As you enter the church, you will notice that there is now a basket for collecting canned goods and travel-size personal products for the Unity Center s Food Bank. When donating food items, please keep in mind the following guidelines: Items need to be within the manufacturer s printed expiration date; Items need to be regular- sized (not from Costco or Sam s Club); Items need to reflect the major food groups (meats, vegetables, fruits, cereals, and pasta); and Items need to be in commercially sealed containers (not glass). In addition to food, donations of travel-sized personal items such as moisturizer, sunscreen, toothpaste, etc. are very much appreciated. As I continue to learn about the needs of the Unity Center, I will keep you posted. In the meantime, if you are interested in serving on the Outreach Committee, please call me ( ) or see me between Sunday services. Deacon Ann The Lunch Bunch The Mary and Martha window in the Chapel The Lunch Bunch will not be meeting during June, July and August, but we already have an interesting program lined up for September. Details to follow nearer the time. Have a good summer, and we look forward to getting together again in September. T H E M U S T A R D S E E D

5 Wordle results from May 2013 V o l. 2 8, I s s u e N o. 6 P a g e 5 The Parish Profile St. Luke s Parish Profile, titled A Focus on Relationships, is now complete, and a graphic designer is nearly done incorporating all the text, photos, charts and graphics into a cohesive design for a booklet. Once the design is complete and accepted by the Vestry at the June 9 meeting, the remaining members of Light from the St. Paul window illuminating the tiles by the altar the Profile Committee, as well as the Vestry, will present it to the parish. This profile is the result of a monumental effort undertaken by these individuals.. The profile is a lengthy document organized in four main parts, Remembering Our Past, Living in Our Present, Moving into Our Future, and Wrestling with Our Data The Appendices. Within these four parts, the document explores our recent and distant past; our healing ministry; our culture (groups and guilds); our music; our buildings and grounds; our current finances and stewardship; our local community demographics; our service in the community; the results of our parish survey; and the challenges and opportunities that face us at this time. The appendices include detailed financial information from 2012 and 2013, demographic data for the surrounding area, and the methodology, analysis, and data from the parish survey. We cannot wait to present this amazing document to you; we re sure you will love it as much as we do. These wordle drawings appear in the Parish Profile to demonstrate What s Important to Us: At a Glance Wordle results from September 2011 Update on the Search At our April 28 meeting, the Vestry voted to pursue the Priest-in-Charge Under Special Circumstances (PIC- USC) model of search for our next rector. After extensive deliberation, both individually and as a group, the Vestry decided that this model is the best search model for our parish at this time. The PIC-USC model is fairly straightforward. In the coming weeks, the Bishops and The Rev. Canon Joanna Satorius will carefully and prayerfully review our Parish Profile and will discern from among a pool of qualified candidates the one priest whom they believe will best suit St. Luke s to help our parish to thrive. Once Bishop Bruno makes his decision, our Senior Warden and Vestry will work with the candidate to determine all the business details and set a start date. This priest, called as a Priest-in-Charge will have all the duties and powers of a rector without tenure. At six months and one year, the PIC, our Vestry, and Bishop Glasspool will participate in Mutual Ministry reviews to help discern our progress. After one year, our Vestry may issue a call, or defer for another six months. If you have any questions about the PIC-USC model, please contact the Vestry.

6 P a g e 6 From Our Director of Music The St. Luke s Choir, 2013 The St. Luke s Choir, having ended the season with a bang, is about to go on vacation and will not be singing as a group until after Labor Day. Of course, you may expect to see many of their smiling faces in the congregation every Sunday, and there will be soloists and small groups, both vocal and instrumental, from time to time during the summer. As always, the last hymn in May was, God Be with You till We Meet Again. and age when church music is so often being dumbed down, it is wonderful to hear the St. Luke s congregation tackling the more difficult hymns and singing the canticles in Anglican chant. I was so happy with the choir, especially with their angelic performance of one of my very favorite anthems, Charles Villiers Stanford s Beati quorum via. I have been waiting to hear the St. Luke s Choir sing that ever since the first time I browsed through our music library. time. Thanks to all those who brought in food and wine and washed the real glass wine glasses and the real glass coffee cups. I m sure many people left with glowing reports of what we are doing at St. Luke s. Kent Jones Director of Music Evensong for Whitsunday was especially gratifying. In this day I saw many happy people in Guild Hall for the reception for the first Vestry meetings are always open for parishioners to attend and observe. Highlights from the Vestry The Vestry has been very busy in recent months. Chief among our accomplishments has been steering the Parish Profile into its final form. In addition, our Junior Warden led a project to repair the damaged overhang on the east side of Swan Hall and is now working tirelessly to coordinate our air conditioning installation project. To accommodate our irregular summer schedules, our next Ves- An English Country Dance Group uses Guild Hall on Sunday afternoons and Friday evetry meeting was rescheduled from Saturday, June 1 to Sunday, June 9 following the service. At that meeting, the Vestry plans to accept, formally, the completed and fully designed Parish Profile; elect two new members to fill two recent mid-term vacancies; review service quotes from several electricians as part of our ongoing air conditioning installation project; and review and approve a Memorandum of Understanding with a Christian education group seeking to use our parish hall on a weekly basis. It is sure to be a busy meeting. Vestry meetings are always open for parishioners to attend and observe. If the Vestry declares an executive session to discuss any confidential matters, observers will be asked to leave until a general session is reinstated. Thank you for your interest and understanding. Facilities Usage View of the bell tower from the Memorial Close The Burmese Christian Fellowship uses our sanctuary and Swan Hall every Sunday afternoon, both for worship and fellowship. nings for rehearsals. The following Twelve Step Recovery Groups use our parish facilities on a regular basis: A. A. (women only), s at 7 p.m., Guild Hall; A. A. (men and women), Thursdays at 7 p.m. Swan Hall. The Monrovia League uses Guild Hall once per month on Tuesday mornings for its regular meetings. T H E M U S T A R D S E E D

7 V o l. 2 8, I s s u e N o. 6 P a g e 7 Celebrations Birthdays: Elizabeth Bowen June 7 Margaret DeGroff June 10 Barbara Coleman June 12 Marlene Lilley June 14 Lester Eisel June 16 Anniversaries: Russ & Diana Taute June 12 Walter & Yanhua Teague June 13 Suzi & Carlos Carrion June 13 Gary & Marjorie Toops June 27 Note: If you are new to our parish or have never submitted your birthday or a n n i v e r s a r y, p l e a s e e m a i l stlukesmonrovia@gmail.com, and we ll add you to our celebrations list. Our Beautiful Parish St. Luke s Episcopal Church 122 South California Avenue, Monrovia, CA stlukesmonrovia@gmail.com Please check your bulletin insert for current prayers. Deadline for July Mustard Seed: Monday, June 24. Please notify Kelly Lauer at (626) or the information to her at darjeeling44@gmail.com.

8 V o l. 2 8, I s s u e N o. 6 P a g e 8 JUNE 2013 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Dinner and a Show Music Fundraiser at 6:00 p.m The SECOND Eucharist 12:10 p.m. Elizabeth Bowen The THIRD Vestry: 10:45 a.m. Margaret DeGroff Eucharist 12:10 p.m. Barbara Coleman Happy Anniversary: Russ & Diana Taute Happy Anniversary: Walter & Yanhua Teague; and Suzi & Carlos Carrion Marlene Lilley 16 The FOURTH Les Eisel Eucharist 12:10 p.m The FIFTH Eucharist 12:10 p.m. Happy Anniversary: Gary & Marjorie Toops 30 The SIXTH