St. Luke's Forest Hills

EVENSONG Opening Sentence If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night," darkness is not dark to you, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike. Psalm 139:10,11 Collect of the Day ~ The Epiphany of the Lord... O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. A Collect for Protection Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. For the Church O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were being cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Hymn Hymn O God, You Search Me and You Know Me Choir of Clifton Cathedral https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zZb37AHyy0

Almighty God, we are your stewards of this good land. We humbly ask for your guidance. Direct our way through this current violence, discord and confusion. Save us from pride, arrogance and every evil way. May our defense of liberty reshape us into one united people.... Endue with wisdom those whom we entrust with the authority of government that there may be justice and peace in our nation. Through obedience to your law may we be a nation that gives praise to your glory. And just as in times of prosperity we give you thanks, now in this day of trouble deepen our trust in you to show us the way of truth and love through Jesus Christ. Amen See more

Dear Friends Enjoy all of the music from our 2020 Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols (slightly out of sequence but all here). We thank Organist and Choir Director William J Stokes for his leadership throughout the year and especially in his having worked with our choir during the particular challenges presented during the pandemic. We thank our choir members who worked remotely in preparing Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.... And we thank our quartet who rehearsed remotely and then gathered for a morning of recording in the church building. The safety of stringent social distancing in no way impeded their offering a beautiful sacred music. We thank Robert Lin, parishionerjoyful and tireless sound and video engineer. Without Bob’s skills, we could not present worship as we have throughout the pandemic and as we did on Christmas Eve. Joy to you All, Father Tom Reese https://youtu.be/j8Iw4afFaI8

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Merry Christmas from Saint Luke’s Choir! https://youtu.be/FVqEN1WiMvY

Children’s Crèche Service with Holy Communion took place at 4pm. Our Parish Festival of Christmas Lessons snd Carols with the Saint Luke’s Choir, Organ and Sermon takes place on Zoom at 8:00pm.

St. Luke's Children's Advent Drawings

St Luke's Forest Hills Is looking for a snow removal person. 718-268-6021

Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Salve Regina https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=ctjG4MjJwEA

EVENSONG The Second Monday in Advent Opening Sentence In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3... Collect of the Day ~ Second Sunday of Advent Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. A Collect for Peace Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen. Prayer for Mission Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. Oratorio Mezzo Soprano Sarah Connolly sings "He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd" from Handel's Messiah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWxEwewGLHk&feature=emb_logo

Church Calendar Week of November 29 Slow down. Quiet. It’s Advent. Have you received your copy of the Advent Wall Poster in your land mail? It’s a day-by-day guide for the season of Advent to help everyone prepare for Christmas. It’ll be great for the whole family, the whole parish family. Each day’s calendar box offers a point for reflection and possible action. Want a little extra? Parishioners and friends can receive a daily mini-meditation voice clip in your email....Continue reading

The First Sunday of Advent Opening Sentence The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5 Collect of the Day ~ First Sunday of Advent... Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. A Collect for Sundays O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Mission Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. For Church Musicians and Artists O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn The Choir of Lichfield Cathedral singing "Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjn3fBTvBjY&feature=emb_logo

ADVENT Almighty God, give us grace... visit us... (Photo credit: Ann Espenschied)

When This is Over When this is over, may we never again take for granted a handshake with a stranger... conversations with neighbors a crowded theater Friday night out the taste of Communion a routine checkup the school rush each morning coffee with a friend the stadium roaring each deep breath a boring Tuesday life itself. When this ends, may we find that we have become more like the people we wanted to be, we were called to be, we hoped to be. And may we stay that way better for each other because of the worst. - Laura Kelly Fanucci

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REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Pie Jesu Andrew Lloyd Webber Saint Thomas Church 1985

In the midst of the ongoing Pandemic , Presidential Ballot counting and Our Resolve to make a positive difference going forward, we need to carry on with practices that open us up for growing and sharing. Everyone is invited and welcome always

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Judy Collins describes her spiritual journey in her beautiful canticle, Singing Lessons. God of the rivers and the waterfalls God of thunder and lightening God of plains and the mountains Of rainbows and prairies... God of birth and death Of love and hope God of sun and moon God of ocean tides You who drive the stars You of perfect light Teach me how to sing And it came to pass on a cloudy night That I found myself lost in the dark And the wind blew cold and I was afraid And if love were lost how would I live You were like some mist in the fading light And my broken dreams wept in the night Where was all the love we had known before In this sea of tears would I reach the shore God of sun and moon God of oceans tides You who drive the stars You of perfect light Teach me how to sing I was on my knees, I was at the end There was nothing left, I would never mend When I heard a song in the waves that tossed Death is not the end, there is nothing lost God of sun and moon God of ocean tides You who drive the stars You of perfect light Teach me how to sing Music of the spheres through eternity Saying that through your tears you will always see Saying the more you lose that the more you own And the more you love the more you own Saying the pain you feel opens up your heart Where the swallows flew there was once a cloud Now the sun was bright and the river smiled And I heard you say death is just a dream Make your songs again you must always sing God of sun and moon God of ocean tides You who drive the sun You of perfect light Teach me how to sing God of everything Teach me how to sing God of everything Teach me how to sing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klpF_6AaY88

Church Calendar Week of October 25 THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED Just as the Church sets aside a day for all the saints, so, too, is there a tradition of commemorating all the faithful departed. A custom throughout the church is to combine these November 1st and 2nd observances during the Sunday celebration of All Saints’ Day. If you would like to remember departed loved ones during our liturgies on Sunday, November 1st, please forward their names to Liz Ramos by this Wednesday mo...Continue reading

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