A Note from Pastor Bill

Dear St. Luke’s Saints,

Aloha! This year’s Palm Sunday celebration in the sanctuary will have an Hawaiian theme, so expect something unique. Equally thoughtful services for the day are planned for contemporary worship in the gym and at the HopeSpring site.

The Landscape of Lent theme is “Palms” (no surprise there) but there are several aspects of that word we want to lift up. The people held palm branches in their palms on Sunday. On Thursday, coins of betrayal passed from one palm to another. And on Friday, nails were driven through the palms of Jesus by persons wielding hammers in their palms. The worship guide for the main campus will include all of the services of Holy Week, including Easter.

You will be glad to know that our gifts for Bethune Cookman University exceeded $30,000 this year, providing for both scholarships and robes. I will be presenting the check for the Chorale this week at the spring meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Please bring your “Dollar-a-day” for Lent offering to one of the services of Holy Week. This annual gift provides much-needed support for our many mission commitments.

Looking ahead to Easter Sunday, I want you to know that we received word via fax and from their website that persons from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas are planning to picket St. Luke’s and three other area churches on Easter morning. The other churches are First Baptist Church of Orlando, Calvary Assembly of God, and Mary Queen of the Universe Catholic Shrine. The group will be demonstrating at St. Luke's from 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

This group has gained notoriety for their recent actions at the funerals of servicemen and women who have died in conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq. For many years now they have been preaching God’s hate for homosexual persons and virtually anyone who does not align with their positions. Their website claims that even Billy Graham is going to hell. They state without qualification that God hates America, Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, as well as all of the mainline congregations in this country and their pastors.

I saw these persons first hand at the United Methodist General Conference in 2000 in Cleveland, Ohio. They carry hateful, profane, and disturbing placards, and call out epithets of judgment on all who pass by. They thrive on media coverage and seem to invite confrontation. Even though the “church” is comprised mostly of relatives of the Rev. Fred Phelps, they have been able to fund their nationwide hate campaign by bringing lawsuits against those who oppose them with any measure of violence. I am sure they will have the necessary parade permits to be allowed on the public sidewalk, but not on church property.

We will be making our own positive statements about love (even in the face of hate) with prominent banners that day. While I am reluctant to direct you to their website, I DO want you to see what we will be dealing with in terms of their signage and rhetoric. If you wish to learn more, you can do a Google search for “Westboro Baptist Church,” or “Fred Phelps.” The direct link to their website is www.godhatesfags.com.

Parents need to be aware that if they are on or around campus from 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. their children may see signs with derogatory words on them, and you should be prepared for questions. Furthermore, neighbors and others passing by St. Luke’s that day may also ask what you know about this group.

These persons have been picketing for many years now, and my guess is that every conceivable response has been tried. Churches have clasped hands and sung; they have knelt and prayed; they have offered coffee and donuts. None of this will make any difference to the demonstrators. The St. Luke’s Church Council and your pastoral and leadership staff ask that your response be to avoid contact or confrontation of any kind. Jesus told us to pray for those who persecute us. (Matthew 5:44) Please start praying now for these who would identify themselves as our enemies and for the many gay and lesbian members of the St. Luke’s family and those in our neighborhoods for whom this may be a frightening and deeply hurtful experience. And be there with them on Easter to build them up in love. This is not a demonstration focused only on sexual orientation, however, in my view it is a demonstration against the people of God who believe in love. I would want to be on that side any day.

I will be writing to you again next week with another reminder, but here is an ironic fact. Topeka, Kansas is also the home of the Rev. Charles Sheldon, who wrote the classic book, "In His Steps". It was there at Central Congregational Church that he asked his congregation to consider, “What would Jesus do?”

I ask you, “What would Jesus do in this case?” I don’t think he would counter-demonstrate. I don’t think he would shout back. I think he would say, “Forgive them Father, for they don’t know what they are doing.” It’s sort of a good reminder for Holy Week, don’t you think?”

With faith, hope and love,
Bill