St Luke Anglican Church

06/25/2026

It was an honor to serve at the opening Mass at our Synod.

06/24/2026

The Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is celebrated annually on June 24 to recall the birth of the prophet who foretold the coming of Jesus. The Church honors his earthly birth because it is divinely tied to the timeline of salvation.

06/21/2026

In the Gospel for today, the 3rd Sunday after Trinity, Jesus tells his disciples: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)

Sometimes it helps to remember that when Christ spoke, He spoke into a Hebrew world rich with symbolism. A little digging into the cultural meaning behind His words often reveals just how layered and intentional they were.

To be “wise as serpents” is not a call to deception, but to discernment. It is a call to pay attention, to understand the environment you are walking into, to recognize wolves when you see them, and to navigate hostility without being naïve.

But then He pairs that with something equally important, “innocent as doves.” The Greek word used there is 𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘰𝘪, meaning unmixed, pure, without hidden agenda. In Jewish imagery, doves symbolized gentleness and purity.

Put together, the picture is powerful. Be perceptive, but not cynical. Recognize what is happening in front of you, yet refuse to let that awareness harden your heart or sharpen your tongue. Discernment is not a license for suspicion, accusation, or contempt. It is clarity without corruption.

When you look at the cultural meaning behind the imagery, the verse becomes less confusing and more instructive.

Christ is calling His disciples to move through a complicated and often hostile world with open eyes and a clean heart. To understand what is real, to see danger for what it is, and yet to remain free from duplicity, manipulation, harsh judgment, and hidden agendas.

06/18/2026

A patristic era view of prayers for the departed, long before the medieval corruption of pardons and indulgences appeared in the Western church.

Let us not then be weary in giving aid to the departed, both by offering on their behalf and obtaining prayers for them: for the common Expiation of the world is even before us. Therefore with boldness do we then entreat for the whole world, and name their names with those of martyrs, of confessors, of priests. For in truth one body are we all, though some members are more glorious than others; and it is possible from every source to gather pardon for them, from our prayers, from our gifts in their behalf, from those whose names are named with theirs. Why therefore do you grieve? Why mourn, when it is in your power to gather so much pardon for the departed?

St John Chrysostom, Homily 41 on 1 Corinthians

06/17/2026

College of Bishops meeting, June 2026, Tulsa, OK.

06/12/2026

“We bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them.” - Barnabas the Apostle (?-c. 60)

Barnabas was a Jewish believer from Cyprus. Originally named Joseph, he was nicknamed “Barnabas,” meaning “son of encouragement.” Soon after the Holy Spirit descended upon the church at Pentecost, the church held all things in common (Acts 2:44) and Barnabas sold his field and gave the money to the Apostles (Acts 4:36). When Paul, who had persecuted the church, became a Christian, Barnabas was one of the early few willing to risk offering Paul grace. Barnabas vouched for Paul and the two became missionary companions, doing such powerful signs and wonders that the pagans believed Barnabas was Zeus and that Paul was Hermes. When Barnabas and Paul told the pagans to turn to the living God, the crowd tried to kill them. In a sad turn of events, Paul and Barnabas had a falling out, disagreeing over whether to allow Barnabas’ cousin Mark to join them on their next missionary journey. Mark had earlier proven himself unreliable, and Paul was unwilling to repeat the mistake. Barnabas once again vouched for someone who didn’t deserve it, this time for Mark. Paul opted to head to Syria. Barnabas and Mark sailed for Cyprus. Barnabas was given the title “apostle,” indicating that he was ordained by the 12 Apostles to carry on their ministry of shepherding churches (this title was later changed to ‘bishop’ to avoid confusion with the unique office of the original 12 Apostles.) It is believed that Barnabas was stoned to death while serving as the bishop of Cyprus.

Grant, O God, that we may follow the example of your faithful servant Barnabas, who, seeking not his own renown but the well-being of your Church, gave generously of his life and substance for the relief of the poor, and went forth courageously in mission for the spread of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & history by Ben Lansing

ORDER the book 📖 ourchurchspeaks.com

06/06/2026

Corpus Christi Sunday

Jesus said ‘ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ (John 6:51)

This Sunday we will observe the Feast of Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi honors the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It is a day when, amidst the green, growing season of Trinitytide, we pause to focus specifically on the profound mystery of the Holy Eucharist.

Although we celebrate the institution of the
Eucharist on Maundy Thursday “the night in which He was betrayed”, the observances of Maundy Thursday are colored with the darkness and solemnity of Holy Week.

Thus, it seems fitting to have a different day set aside specifically to celebrate with joy and awe that Christ give Himself to us in Holy Communion.

06/02/2026

We are celebrating the feast of the Visitation at our 6pm Service this Wednesday evening since it fell on Trinity Sunday this year.

The Visitation: “From now on, all generations shall call me blessed.” “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

May 31 commemorates the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth. This meeting of two pregnant women is filled with prophetic significance. Mary’s prophetic statement that “all generations” would call her “blessed” was first realized when she was greeted by Elizabeth. Both women bore children in their wombs whose births had been prophesied. The Prophet Malachi had said, centuries before, that Elizabeth’s son, John the Baptist, was to “prepare the way of the Lord.” John, it was prophesied, would “be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15). Even before his birth, Scripture records that John began to fulfill this prophetic mission. As Elizabeth greeted Mary, John sensed the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb and proclaimed the coming of the Messiah by leaping in Elizabeth’s womb. In response to these significant events, Mary proclaimed her hymn, “The Magnificat” (“My soul magnifies the Lord,” Luke 1:42-45). This hymn continues to be sung by Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Lutherans and many other Chrisians every day at Evening Prayer.

Almighty God, by whose grace Elizabeth rejoiced with the blessed Virgin Mary and greeted her as the mother of the Lord: Look with favor on your lowly servants, that, with Mary, we may magnify your holy Name and rejoice to acclaim her Son as our Savior; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Art & history by Ben Lansing

ORDER the book - www.ourchurchspeaks.com

05/31/2026

Today the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday—a feast unlike any other. For today, we are not marking an event in the life of Christ, nor a
moment in the history of salvation. Instead, we are invited to contemplate the very life of God Himself.

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

05/26/2026

“Send forth missionary bishops to Africa and Texas. Let the leaven spread - the grain of mustard grow - let the net be cast into the deepest waters. God will give the increase. It is for us to plant and water.” - Jackson Kemper (1789-1870), First Missionary Bishop in the United States

Jackson Kemper was born in New York to a father who had served in the Continental army under George Washington. He was educated at Columbia and ordained an Episcopal priest in 1814. In the 1830’s, the Episcopal Church named Kemper the first missionary bishop to the western frontier. He was assigned to shepherd a vast area, including what is now the states of Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Iowa. He traveled by foot, by stage coach, by steamboat, and on horseback to reach the widely dispersed parishes under his care. Kemper found it challenging to convince Eastern clergymen to leave the comforts of civilization to join him in his frontier mission. He decided to raise up leaders from among those who were already in the west. To this end, he established a college in St. Louis along with Nashotah House Seminary and Racine College, both in Wisconsin. Kemper was devoted to outreach to indigenous peoples and he oversaw the translation of Scripture and liturgy into indigenous languages. Kemper valued the Oxford movement’s emphasis of ancient church practice. His seminary, Nashotah House, remains a bulwark of Anglo-Catholic formation to this day.

O God, our heavenly Father, you raised up your faithful servant Jackson Kemper to be a Bishop and pastor in your Church and to feed your flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your divine mysteries; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

ORDER the book - www.ourchurchspeaks.com