Weekly letter from St Luke's - 14 October 2022

Dear Parish Friends This Sunday we celebrate our patronal festival with the Feast of St Luke. This is an opportunity both to look back and to look forward. Looking back we give thanks for the blessings that God has given in this parish, both at St Luke's and in the former churches of St Barnabas and St Aidan. I notices this week that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the installation of the Barnabas windows at the west end of our church, and so this weekend we will especially remember the ministry of that congregation. We also look forward to the new chapter of our life together. Our redevelopment project is out to tender, and it is looking very promising that building will start early next year. Our gospel passage tells of Jesus sending out 70 disciples in pairs to spread the good news of the Kingdom. They were told to give a word of peace, and if it was received to stay and share, but if not to move on. To those who didn't respond, Jesus says that the Kingdom has still come - perhaps it was the work of another disciple to bring the message there. So we can see that Jesus still sends out disciples today, and we each need discernment to see what our particular place of mission is. It is also wonderful that we are celebrating a baptism at the 9am service. We welcome Zoe Kjaer-Olsen and her family. Our services are at the usual times of 7am and 9am, with Zoom streaming also available at 9am. The order of service for 9am and the week's notice paper are available via the links below. After the services, you are all invited to join us in Laura Street park from 11.30am for an informal parish picnic. Bring everything (picnic rugs or chairs, food and drink, family, friends and dogs), and look out for the St Luke's banner. Yours in Christ Rev'd Timothy