A Note from Pastor Bill

Dear St. Luke’s Saints:

Many of you have flown the coop for Spring Break, and I hope that wherever you may be reading this the weather is perfect and so are all the things you want to do to strengthen your family. For all of you still at home, isn’t it nice that for a couple months now the traffic will be a little lighter! College spring break is over and summer vacations in Orlando have not yet started. Our earlier-than-ever Easter has made it possible for us to use the time before our own vacations begin to focus on a new worship series: “Find Yourself Again…at St. Luke’s.”

Last Sunday Beth and LeeAnn introduced the series of sermons which will highlight our St. Luke’s core values: Christ-centered acceptance, hospitality, community, discipleship, and service. Our commitments to acceptance and community guided us in determining our response to the picketing by Westboro Baptist Church last month. While the demonstration itself was very small and did nothing to disrupt our Easter services, the anticipation of it actually brought us together as we acknowledged the values of grace and care that are hallmarks of our identity as a congregation.

This week in worship we focus on Christ-centered acceptance, and we consider the thing that got Jesus in more trouble with the religious leaders of his time than anything else: his choice of dinner guests, or their choosing of him. It’s “A Table Text,” Mark 2:13-17 that we will be considering. Check it out.

Last week I told you that we were close to filling the part-time position for Praise Teams at the HopeSpring site. Almost as soon as the e-news went out Daphne Miller confirmed her acceptance of our invitation to join the staff, and we are delighted. In addition to her leadership for HopeSpring, she will be working with our youth praise bands. We have an incredible array of talent in our students, and Daphne is excited to be helping them use their musical gifts for the glory of God.

On Wednesday of Holy Week, Dr. Gary Mason, our good friend and clergy leader of the East Belfast Mission welcomed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to the mission. As a follow-up to Gary’s investiture at Buckingham Palace, the Queen requested a visit to East Belfast as part of her trip to Northern Ireland. Gary had told me about the visit a couple of months ago, but because of security concerns it had to remain a secret until a few days before her arrival. In fact, even Gary’s own staff at the mission didn’t know about her visit until the day before! Gary had invited me to come over for the visit, but I wanted to be here for Holy Week. The reason the Queen wanted to visit East Belfast is because Gary is close to completing the fund raising for the $40 million urban renewal project at East Belfast called “Skainos.” It is the largest faith-based urban project in Europe, and will dramatically transform the neighborhood as well as serve as a prototype for what a faith community can do when it takes seriously its mission to build the Kingdom of God. (Sound familiar?)

Yesterday Gary sent some photos of the Queen’s visit that I know he would want me to share with you:

Gary welcomes Her Majesty to East Belfast.

The Queen unveils a plaque commemorating her visit.

The Queen and Prince Philip leave the mission after receiving flowers from a child.

With faith, hope, and love,

Bill