This year April opens with Easter. The very best Easter sermon I ever heard was given about 30 years ago at St. Francis House in Madison. On Easter Day the priest stood up and said

That was it, the entire sermon. He was right of course. We all try to add words to what does not really need more words. I’m not sure why. Perhaps we feel we ought to, or that people expect us to, or that the occasion demands it. It’s a bit like the toasts at weddings, or eulogies at funerals. People make speeches because they know people are expecting them to do that. Most of the time what is said could be said in half the number of words or less. On important occasions we feel we need to have lots of words, and they should be

big important words, or – depending on the occasion – suitably funny or sad words.

Yet for the really, really, really, really important things in our lives we only need a few words, like I love you, or I’m sorry. Easter is profoundly simple. Christ rose from the dead and because he did this as God and man we believe we also shall rise. We can talk about this forever and write very long books on the subject but it still all comes down to that. Either it happened or it didn’t. St. Paul once wrote that if this really was true then in Christ all would be brought to life, and if not true then of all people Christians were the most to be pitied.

In our hearts we know it is true. Everything we know about the love of God tells us it is true. Everything we know and feel about those we love tells us that death is not the end.

If we have lost those so very dear to us already, we know that we will see them again.

To those who scoff and doubt and tell us we cannot prove it, we say that we do not need to prove it. Some truths are known in the heart, at a depth and level beyond any words or proving. Anyone who has ever been in love knows that love is real and true; but it cannot be proved in any scientific way, and no human words ever fully cover what we know and feel. We surrender to love, we do not try to analyze it.

Easter is all about God’s love, God’s love for all of us. For love of us Christ died on the cross. For love of us Christ rose from the dead so that we can rise from the dead. And so there really isn’t anything more to be said.

Income $8,088.54
Expense ($12,334.56)
Difference ($4,246.02)

* If your birthday or anniversary was in the month of April and it is not on the list, chances are our records are not up to date. Please call Bobbie at 414/744-3637, e-mail her at office@stlukeschurch.com or leave a note in the office mail slot next to the office door.

Please save your gently used items
All proceeds to go to the Roof Fund

More information will follow. If you have any questions, please call Pat Mueller 482-4994 or Pat Kuenstler 744-5499.

Thanks, The Rummage Team

A 55-passenger bus will depart from the Brookfield Shopping Center and pick up people in Kenosha on the way to visit 3 amazing Chicago churches, and the elegant Café’ Grand Lux for lunch.

The three churches are

St. Clement’s Catholic Church-huge and magnificent, done in the early church, Byzantine style with wonderful mosaics.

First United Methodist Church in the Loop-built in 1923 on the top of a 21-story office building, seating 1,000, outstanding design more in the Episcopal style than Methodist, with a beautiful chapel under the spire, 400’ above the street.

St. Paul’s Catholic Church-twin towered Gothic style church built by German parishioners entirely of brick without a single nail. Venetian mosaics and stained glass windows from Munich. Designed by Schlack in 1897 and completed 30 years later.

Our adventures are not limited to Altar Guild members, or Episcopalians, or even Christians, so bring a friend. There are always several men participating. We hope to limit the cost to $50 or at the most $55.

The Liturgical Art Exhibit at the 2010 Diocesan Convention on October 8 & 9 at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee.

The Diocesan Altar guild is arranging an exhibit of liturgical items of beauty or historical importance at the 2010 Diocesan Convention.

We are asking Altar guilds, parishes, and Episcopal institutions in the diocese to think about what they might contribute. This is your chance to shine!

If you have something in mind, please notify:

Jan Henning at 608.238.4089 or e-mail Jane at shennin2@wisc.edu (and please put "Exhibit" in the subject line).

Items might be vestments, holy vessels, icons, needlework, or sculpture, anything beautiful or historical of liturgical nature. Security will be scrupulous.

Any questions please see Sue Doornek.

That vibrant young couple who graces the halls of St. Luke's is Amy and Steve Cook. They have been here about one and a half years now. Are you wondering how they found us, what they are doing now that they're here, and where did they come from? Read on.

Dana Washburn's Outreach committee "reached out" to them when they had a booth at the South Shore Farmer's Market. Mary Areola talked to Amy and because of her enthusiasm, Amy and Steve decided to come and check out St. Luke's. After visiting a few Sunday's, Steve started singing in the choir, they went to the evening bible study, joined the fellowship committee, and also Altar Guild. Now they are active in several areas of the church.

After a year on the fellowship committee, they resigned when they started to co-teach Sunday School to the older children. They alternate weeks with Krislyn Holady-Wondrachek. They recently visited a church in Pewaukee, St. Bart's, which was renewed after much hard work and training. Many new families have joined St. Bart's, they have a praise band, and the Sunday School is filled with children. With many activities and committees for the congregation to take part in, the visit has shown the committee what can be accomplished with hard work and commitment.

The revitalization committee is also taking a training course called Healthy Congregations, which will be held for St. Luke’s entire congregation this summer. This workshop will help everyone to stay focused on our church mission and purpose, in a non-anxious way to effect change. It will show us how we can meet challenges and talk to each other in a caring way.

About Amy and Steve and their life so far, we see the happy results of two young people who found each other through the personals. Yes, they talked to each other on the phone for a week and found that their interests were very similar, in their faith, their families, even down to playing the French horn in high school. After meeting, they were soon engaged and were married 10 months later.

This year they will celebrate their 12th anniversary. They live in Amy's family home, she and Steve being the third generation to live there. Amy grew up in Cudahy, and worked for the Telephone Company until her eyes became a problem. Steve grew up in Racine, was in the Air Force for a few years, and now works at an insurance company. He is only 6 Powerball numbers away from retirement!

Amy has many varied interests, their dog Kasey, computer research, cooking, stained glass, jewelry, writing, and reading to name a few. Steve loves music, golf, tennis, studying the bible and riding his bike. They both have started to play the French horn again after more than 30 years and have joined the University Community Orchestra at UWM. They know how to laugh at each other and starting to play the horn again sure keeps them in practice!

The couple believes in prayer and has been praying together out loud in the evenings before bedtime. This intentional time to reflect and give thanks has been very rewarding. Their common ground in their spiritual life is their strength.