Feast Day of St. Luke
Today we are celebrating the Feast of St. Luke, our patronal saint. Actually, the original Episcopal congregation in Ballard was named St. Stephen’s and the church building was over on 17th and NW 52nd. It was open for less than 20 years before the church was closed and the building later destroyed. When Ballard was incorporated into the City of Seattle in 1906, the parcel of land we currently inhabit was given to the Episcopal Church by the big three developers Burke, Leary and Ballard. We were a mission congregation of Trinity Church downtown and met in a temporary building in 1910 until we were strong enough to undertake building our chapel which was dedicated in 1924.
I have not yet discovered why we were named for St. Luke since there are already four other St. Luke’s congregations in this diocese, but I’m glad it is so. Luke is my favorite gospel writer and when you pair his gospel with the Acts of the Apostles, which he also composed, he is the author of the largest portion of the New Testament.
Luke alone gave us the Annunciation of Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, the genealogy of Jesus all the way back to Adam, the story of the Nativity with angels, shepherds and friendly beasts, along with the Parable of the Prodigal, Lazarus and the rich man, and so much more.
Luke emphasizes the compassion of Jesus in his many healings and in his stories of poor people and women, giving them dignity by naming them each individually. Luke’s Jesus is a friend to outcasts and Luke’s Beatitudes have Jesus proclaiming, “blessed are the poor” rather than “blessed are the poor in spirit.” As he hangs on the cross, Jesus offers hope and care to the thief next to him by promising, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” There is humility and humanity in Luke’s portrayal of Jesus as well as clarity that this One is truly the Messiah for whom all the world has been waiting.
The mission and vision of Jesus is summed up in his first recorded sermon, his “keynote address” at the synagogue in Nazareth. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” This text from the prophet Isaiah had never been identified with a specific person, but only with an unnamed servant of God. But in his first sermon Jesus proclaims, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus brings God favor, particularly to the least, the last and the lost.
Every year at the end of the Spiritual Pilgrimage, we ask those who have made the 3 month journey from Ash Wednesday through Pentecost to consider their own personal mission statement. We reflect on Jesus’s vision and the mission statement of our congregation, “We feed people in body, mind and spirit with the love of God, in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.” After that, it’s really a question of how the scripture is being fulfilled in each individual’s life as well as in our community of faith. If Jesus was certain that God’s grace and compassion was operating through him, we can be sure that God is also working in and through us as the Body of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit.
This year’s Fall Giving Campaign theme is also from Luke’s gospel. He speaks to a small and anxious group of his followers who are concerned about their future and survival. He knows they are worried about many things, many of them similar to our own concerns. “How will we pay the bills?” “What does the future hold in store for us?” “Will we get through all the upcoming challenges and changes?” “How do we know what is God’s will for us?”
He reassures them by saying, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:31-34)
That’s it, friends. “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
This theme along with our Feast Day has me reflecting on the treasures of this congregation and how we can invest in what matters most. This accounting of our riches has made me incredibly grateful as I think about the past 10 years with you.
Luke is generally known as a physician and therefore, ministries of prayer and healing are often associated with parishes dedicated in his name. That is certainly true here. Every Sunday, someone composes the Prayers of the People, taking into account our needs and concerns as well as the Sunday readings and themes. These are no rote or generic prayers but lovingly, thoughtfully, beautifully crafted words to assist us in offering ourselves and the needs of our community, nation and world to God.
Prayer is also offered daily by the individuals who form our prayer chain and weekly on Thursdays by our faithful prayer group. We gather from as far away as Florida and California and include those whose health keep them close to home. Each week I am amazed and encouraged by the wisdom, compassion and power of those who are engaged in this ministry. Many of them also share their gift of praying for others by being present each week at our prayer station to offer personal prayers for any kind of need or concern.
If you have ever written or led the Prayers of the People, been part of the prayer chain, prayer group or Sunday morning prayer ministry, I invite you to stand or raise your hand so we can acknowledge the treasure we have here.
For many years we have been characterized by our radical service to the poor through the Edible Hope Kitchen and many other ways we connect with our neighbors who are on the margins. The good news we bring is that each one of them is named and valued, even when the world overlooks and degrades them. Each one is a beloved child of God and worthy of respect, dignity, a warm place to rest, good food and compassion in the face of overwhelming difficulties. Following Christ’s example, we are not to keep the poor at a distance but are to come close, offering not only assistance but love and friendship to those who are too often rejected and despised.
If you have ever been part of or supported the Edible Hope Kitchen, Bridge Care Center, Prison Ministry or Vicar’s Discretionary fund, I invite you to stand or raise your hand so we can acknowledge the treasure we have here.
St. Luke was a skilled evangelist and writer. He transmitted the teachings and sermons of Jesus as well as the wild adventures and miraculous stories of the Acts of the Apostles. We are called in our own time to proclaim the good news of God in Christ in both our words and in our actions. Over the years we have been blessed by those who have shared their gifts of writing and preaching. It is no surprise that many of the award-winning sermons in our diocese were preached here. We are grateful for the treasure gifted to us by Kate, Grace, Hillary, Aaron, Nathan, Lynne and Carla and for the ongoing ministry of Mary, Peter, Rody, Kristen, Ryan and now Vince.
If you have ever preached or written for our newsletter, I invite you to stand so we can acknowledge the treasure we have here.
God has called us to share the immense riches we have received for the good of others and that includes the property which we steward on behalf of the mission of the church. We already see incredible progress on the first building of our redevelopment and expect to open 84 units of affordable, family-focused housing in October, 2025.
And while it feels like we have been on hold for a long time because of higher interest rates, our developer assures us that we will receive our 6 month notice soon and construction on our second building and new church space will begin this coming summer. For over seven years, our Property Stewardship Team has been working towards this amazing accomplishment. Members of the Bishop’s Committee have been leading and supporting this effort and this congregation has given and pledged financial support towards our capital campaign, “Building a Place Where Love Dwells” to make this not only possible, but a reality. Because we had 100% participation from the congregation in our 3-year capital campaign, I don’t need to ask you all to stand.
But, if you have been part of the Property Stewardship Team or Bishop’s Committee during this process, I invite you to stand so that we can acknowledge the treasure we have here.
And so, little flock, do not be afraid. We have come this far by faith and the power of the Spirit. God has promised to be present with us through all the changes and chances of this life. Our treasure is found in this community of faith, hope and love and it will not wear out, be taken away or destroyed. We have good reason to continue in prayer, worship and mission until our race is done. Amen.
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