The Steeple
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
210 SE Ninth St., Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003
www.episcopalbartlesville.org
Volume XIX, Number 11
March 25, 2015
HOLY WEEK, MARCH 29 – APRIL 4
Palm Sunday, March 29. Preceding both services, The Liturgy of the Palms
will be observed at 7:50am and 10:20am and will begin in Metcalf Hall. Easter
Egg Hunt for children through 5th grade will be at 9:15am during the Sunday
School hour.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE…
Weekly Calendar
2
From the Rector
2
Steve’s Stuff
2
With Sympathy
2
Easter Flower Remembrances
3
ECW Conference
3
St. Crispin’s Summer Camp
3
Crafting Our Prayers
3
St. Luke’s Prayer List
3
Good Friday, April 3, Liturgy & Holy Eucharist, 12noon.
Lay Ministry Schedule
4
Holy Saturday Liturgy, April 4, 8am. This is a brief reflective service of
scripture and prayer.
Important Dates
To Remember
Vestry Retreat, Fri.-Sat., March 27-28
Palm Sunday, March 29
Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, March 29,
9:15am
Holy Week, March 29-April 4 (see
schedule this pg.)
SUNDAY SCHOOL
SCHEDULE:
Palm Sunday, March 29--9:15
Story and Egg hunt
Easter Sunday, April 5--NO
Sunday School
April 12, 9:15--Music practice and
regular classes. Random ringers
will play in church this morning.
Weekday Daily Noon Eucharist, Tuesday through Friday, March 31 - April 3.
Maundy Thursday, April 2. Holy Eucharist & Stripping of the Altar, 7:00pm.
Nursery provided.
Prayer Vigil 8:30pm Thursday April 2 through 12noon, Good Friday, April
3. There will be a sign-up poster for the Prayer Vigil in the narthex. You may
sign up for a 60-minute slot to pray anytime between the listed times.
Good Friday, April 3, Stations of the Cross, 11am.
Great Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 4, 8pm. This is the holiest and most
celebrative service of the liturgical year. We will listen by candlelight to
readings of God’s saving deeds in history. We will celebrate the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ and the First Eucharist of Easter. Nursery provided.
Easter Sunday, April 5 Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 8am & 10:30am.
The Choir will sing at both services. No Sunday School today, but nursery is
provided for children age 3 and under.
The Great Easter Egg Hunt
The annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held this Sunday, March 29,
during the Sunday School hour. Children of all ages should come at
9:15 for a story, then join the youth for a rollicking good
hunt. You may bring your own Easter basket, or baskets
will be provided. Come enjoy this special time.
What a week this is and Holy Week hasn’t begun! Last week
we had the funeral for Mary Glover and this week continued
with services for Virginia Maddux, Ralph Farris and Mary
Witty. Then we have the annual Vestry retreat on Friday
evening and Saturday morning. This is followed by interviews
with two prospective Curates for the rest of Saturday. All of
this leads to Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
The good news is that we are headed for Resurrection Celebrations! The fact
that we have been through this cycle many times before in our life in Christ
gives us reasons to believe and hope and rejoice. This truth helps when we
have to offer up friends to God in Requiem Masses – for life is changed not
ended.
The harder lesson is learning to die to self in Christ in order to truly live the
Christ Life – our True Lives. This is an ongoing process – actually for the rest of
our lives. Holy Week and the Easter Season provide stepping stones to go
deeper and truer in this journey. Thank God we have each other to help us
find the way with the Risen Christ in each of us and before us as our guide.
People have asked me how can you do all these funerals without getting worn
down and depressed. Simply stated, what an honor to know people like these
recent four and walk with them into their transition and to love and comfort
their families. This is indeed an honor and privilege. And then, to do that with
a vision of Easter before us to experience again, I know I am blessed to do what
I do and share the experience in our community of faith at St. Luke’s.
To show you what I mean, here is a pre-Easter gift I received today which I just
turned into a Gratitude Note. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Read it and
then look for people around you who need a blessing today – glimpses of
Easter will happen.
Gratitude Note: For Virginia’s Christmas Greeting from the Grave. This
morning we had the Requiem Mass for Virginia Maddux – one of the most
loving, outspoken and funny women you could ever meet. She was a hoot and
could in her own words be “a pain the ass.” I loved her and enjoyed her upfront
way of talking – you never had to guess what she was thinking. After her
service at St. Luke’s, her daughter-in-law gave me an envelope saying, “This is
Virginia’s Christmas card for you. I have been carrying it around for months.” I
didn’t open the card because we were on our way to bury Virginia’s ashes in her
backyard. When I finished, I told my wife, Lynda, I wanted to eat lunch
someplace quiet like Sterling’s and she agreed. While waiting to give our order,
I open the Christmas card and discovered a gift certificate – for Sterling’s!
Inside the card Virginia wrote, “I always enjoy the time we get to spend
together. You bring out the best in me. Thank you for just being you. Virginia.”
The knees of my heart buckled with gratitude and amazement. Virginia did
indeed have the last word.
Blessings,
Fr. Lee+
Weekly Activity Calendar
Sunday, March 29, 2015 Palm Sunday
7:50am Liturgy of the Palms, MH
8:00am Rite I
9:15am Sunday School Classes &
Easter Egg Hunt
10:20am Liturgy of the Palms, MH
10:30am Rite II
Monday, March 30, 2015 Holy Monday
10:30am Women’s Prayer/Craft Group, Vestry
Rm.
5:30pm Holy Eucharist
Tuesday, March 31, 2015 Holy Tuesday
10:00am Lenten Study, library
12:00pm Holy Eucharist
6:30pm EFM, Rm. 217
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 Holy Wednesday
7:00am Holy Eucharist
12:00pm Holy Eucharist
6-8pm Young Disciples, RH
7:00pm Choir
Thursday, April 2, 2015 Maundy Thursday
6:45am Men’s Fellowship, MH
12:00pm Holy Eucharist
7:00pm Holy Eucharist & Stripping
of the Altar
8:30pm Prayer Vigil Begins
Friday, April 3, 2015 Good Friday
Church Office Closed
11:00am Stations of the Cross
12:00pm Holy Eucharist
Saturday, April 4, 2015 Holy Saturday
8:00am Holy Saturday Liturgy
8:00pm Great Easter Vigil
Sunday, April 5, 2015 Easter Sunday
8:00am Rite I
NO Sunday School Classes
10:30am Rite II
Monday, April 6, 2015
9:30am Church Staff Mtg.
5:30pm Holy Eucharist
Our sincere sympathy and prayers
go to Diana Farris (1115 Brookside Pkwy.,
Bartlesville, OK 74006) on the death of her
husband, Ralph Farris, on Wednesday,
March 18. Funeral services for Mr. Farris
were held on Tuesday, March 24 at St.
Luke’s.
Prayers also for the friends and
family Mary Witty, who passed away on
Sunday, March 22. Funeral services are
11:00am, Friday, March 27 at St. Luke’s.
A big thank you goes to Mike Watkins for sorting out the technology items for recycling from Room 210. Rob took it all to
Staples and it is gone, gone, gone!
Speaking of cleaning up, Hugh has been tasked with going through the numerous cans of paint in various locations on church
property. He is sorting the latex from any oil based paint and we will dispose of it all properly. If, perchance, you have a
certain fondness for some paint you carefully stashed for some future project, I expect you ought to let me know soon.
I still have an April 1 deadline for saving anything in Room 210. As always if you have any questions or concerns, call me at 918-3361212 or email [email protected].
ST. LUKE’S PRAYER LIST
Please keep these persons in your prayers
(Names on the Prayer List are rotated off
every 4 weeks. If there is a need for
continued prayers, please let us know.)
Jo, Charlie, Sandy, Aaron, Ashley, Jean,
Shane, Elizabeth, Jim, Marty, Lisa, Daitrone,
Synthia, D’Manuel, Larry, Barbara, Robin,
Tom, Tiffani, Charles, Mark, Gail, Laura,
Missy, Mike, Ronnie, Quinn, Lindsay,
Joseph, Terry, Pat, Barbara, Judy, Richard,
Jan, Greg
If you have a prayer request, contact our Prayer
Ministry Coordinator Thelma Blackburn at
918-333-7902 or [email protected] or contact
the church office at 918-336-1212 or
[email protected].
Church Camp at
St. Crispin's
How do we grow a new crop of
Episcopalians? We place them in
the warm Oklahoma sun for one
week during each summer. We
make sure they get plenty of water
(swimming, canoeing, fishing),
and plenty of dirt (well--you
know, camp isn't very clean). We
nurture them with songs, lots of
food, plenty of love and
acceptance. We add lots of
giggles and laughter for extra
growth. We teach them to pray
and talk about their faith with
their peers. Let your future
Episcopalians get the best
growing experience possible.
Sign them up now (if they are in
third grade or above) for an
unforgettable week at St.
Crispin's. Brochures are available
in the office. Sign up and
wonderful pictures are online at
www.episcopaloklahoma.org/cam
ps/stcrispins.html .
Speak Lord,
Your Servant is Listening!
The Episcopal Church Women’s Annual
Conference
and Bishop’s Day
April 24-25, 2015
Grace Episcopal Church, Ponca City, OK
Keynote Speaker: Fr. Lee Stephens
This conference will be one to remember – be prepared
to be filled with the Holy Spirit!
Registration forms are available in the church office
which includes information on hotel accommodations.
Or you may go to the Diocesan website, www.Epiok.org
and click on the “News & Events” tab, and go to the
latest edition of the Diocesan Newsletter. There is a link
for registration there:
(http://files.ctctcdn.com/36bf4610101/5c09799a-3afd4f1c-b38d-e06c964adbc7.pdf).
Please call Susie Clark, 918-519-7580 or email her
[email protected] with questions or more
information. We request that you turn in your
registration and payment no later than April 5. For those
who are interested, we plan to carpool to Ponca City.
EASTER FLOWER REMEMBRANCES
Last week, letters and envelopes were mailed requesting donations to our Easter
Flower Fund. If you plan to submit a remembrance or thanksgiving for loved ones for
the Easter Season, please have your envelope to the church office no later than
Monday, March 30 so that they may be included in the Easter
bulletins. You may place your envelope in the offering on Sunday
morning, bring it to the church office, or mail to 210 SE 9th St.,
Bartlesville, OK 74003. Extra envelopes are available in the church
office or narthex. Checks should be made out to St. Luke’s
Episcopal Church with Flower Fund in the memo. Thank you!
CRAFTING OUR PRAYERS
"Crafting our Prayers" is a woman's prayer group that we began in Advent and that
has continued to grow and meet special needs. Right now we are all learning to knit
(or continuing to knit expertly) and crochet as we make prayer shawls and scarves for
those in need. We will meet for that purpose on Monday, March 30, at 10:30.
However, our focus will change right after Easter. On Monday, April 13, we will
learn about quilting from Barbara Martin. We will choose a project to do from her
wisdom, beginning with the small step of making a quilted pot holder.
Come, pray, learn, and enjoy the fellowship. If you have a movable
sewing machine, you might bring it. She has promised to bring
supplies for all of us. Any questions? Call Lauri Watkins, 918766-2473 or email her at [email protected].
MANY THANKS to Lauren & Juanita Green for installing the trim in the downstairs
women’s restroom. Our renovation is now complete! Again, thank you to everyone
who helped in any way! The work that all of you did looks wonderful!
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
210 East 9th Street
Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003
(Return Service Requested)
http://www.episcopalbartlesville.org/
The Rev. Dr. T. Lee Stephens, Rector ([email protected])
The Rev. Douglas Freebern, Deacon ([email protected])
The Rev. Lauri Watkins, Deacon/Christian Educ. Director ([email protected])
In an Emergency, call 918-397-3683 or 918-914-0525 or 918-766-2473.
Ann Bell, Parish Secretary ([email protected])
Steve Forsythe, Parish Administrator ([email protected])
Dolores McCreary, Organist/Choir Director ([email protected])
Ellen Heald, Sr. Warden ([email protected])
Jim Liehr, Jr. Warden ([email protected])
Office Phone: 918-336-1212
Office Fax: 918-336-2557
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am–4:00pm
Holy Eucharist: Sunday 8am & 10:30am
Monday 5:30pm, Thursday 12pm
“The Steeple” is a weekly publication of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 210 SE 9th St., Bartlesville, OK 74003
LAY MINISTRY SCHEDULE 3/29/15 through 4/5/15
Acolytes
Sunday, March 29
No Acolytes scheduled
Sunday, April 5
Servers
Anneke Borg, Max Mitchell
Layreaders
Sunday, March 29
8:00am
Conner, Carroll
10:30am
Grillot, Dreiling
J. Green, P. Williams
Sunday, April 5
8:00am
Birk, Williams
10:30am
J. Green, Carroll
P. Williams, Grillot
Church Nursery Volunteers
March 29
Katie Todd
April 5
Rachel Gurule
April 12
Natalie Conner
Scripture Lessons for
Sunday, March 29
Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16;
Philippians 2:5-11;
Mark 14:1—15:47
Sunday Plate Counters
March 29
Jim Grillot
April 5
Amy Borg
Volunteers: Please make your
own substitutions.
Coffee Fellowship Hour
March 29
Steve & Maureen Forsythe
April 5
Easter Sunday
April 12
Glenda Garrison
Bereavement Committee
March 2015
Barbara Martin, Susie Clark
April 2015
Kris Bonner, Suzanne Read,
Gretchen Hoyt
Greeters
Sunday, March 29
8:00am
Gretchen Hoyt
10:30am
Becky & Jim Liehr
Carol Murphy
Sunday, April 5
8:00am
Don Davidson
10:30am
Glenn & Thelma Blackburn
Jo Oertle
St. Luke’s Bookstore
The Bookstore is open
Sundays between the two
services and after the
10:30 service. All proceeds
from sales go to St. Luke’s
Outreach Projects.
*To volunteer, you may
contact Melinda Wesneski,
918-333-7758 or
[email protected].
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
Please have articles that
you would like printed in
The Steeple to the church
office no later than
Tuesdays at 10am.
Thank you!
Ushers
Sunday, March 29
8:00am
Gardner, Zervas
10:30am
Birk, Warring
Sunday, April 5
8:00am
Gardner, Zervas
10:30am
Malone, Simmons
Children’s Chapel
March 29
Becky & Brian Ferguson
April 5
Stefanie & Bob Tedstrom
April 12
Heather Boyle, Erin Perry
Agape Mission
4th Thursday, March 26, 2015
9-11am
Fr. Lee, Jim Liehr
10:45am-1:00pm
Jeff Birk, Glenda Garrison,
Molly, Ferguson, Darian Kedy,
Jen Peterson
1-2:45pm
Carol Murphy,
Radomir Petrovich