A Christmas Welcome from the Cathedral Church of St. Luke!

Dear Friends,

The first service held at the Cathedral of St. Luke was on Christmas in 1868. In the 156 years since, this community has sought to share the good news of Jesus Christ through worship, service to our community and fellowship. We are glad that you have chosen to join us on this joyful occasion.

The Christmas story told in the Gospel of Luke includes an angel appearing to shepherds watching their flocks proclaiming ‘the good news that will bring great joy for all the people’. The angel was, of course, announcing our Savior’s unlikely arrival in a manger in Bethlehem. The arrival of God, in the person of Jesus, is called incarnation.

The Doctrine of the Incarnation says that God became human so that we might become one with him through his body. Jesus is 100% human while maintaining full 100% divinity. If the math sounds wrong it’s because this is a mystery, something we will never be able to fully grasp. The Apostle Paul calls it “the mystery of godliness” (1 Tim. 3:16).

In his book, The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes of how the Incarnation of Jesus transforms our relationship with one another. He says, “The Incarnation is the ultimate reason why the service of God cannot be divorced from the service of others.”

As a cathedral, St. Luke’s is the seat of the bishop and chief mission church of the Diocese and people of Maine. We gratefully serve the people of Portland and beyond by hosting the St. Elizabeth’s Essentials Pantry, the St. Luke’s Food Pantry and many other outreach ministries. Information about our many outreach ministries, educational opportunities and history can be found on our website.

If you are visiting with us, I hope that you will find the Cathedral a place of welcome. Thank you for sharing in the good news and joy of this blessed season.

Merry Christmas! The Rev. George R. Stevens, Interim Dean