Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church

From the Senior Warden

I want to share with you some of the activities and discussion that occurred at the Vestry Retreat on

June, 2017. The following is from my notes of the retreat:

Agenda Item: Talents/Exercise to Identify Vestry Talents

Following an abbreviated vestry meeting at which the May minutes were approved and the

financials reviewed, Reverend Barbara began the retreat activities with a discussion of the walk to

Emmaus and how it relates to the topic of transition and our current situation at St. Luke’s and how

we discover or identify the talents and skills in our group that we might not be aware of, or have not

communicated to each other. An activity was then conducted to discern how we view each other in

several areas that are critical to leading the congregation on this path of transition:

• Communication-the ability to communicate effectively, whether verbally or in writing or

through media;

• Analysis-the ability to determine when a problem exists, what the nature of the problem is

and develop a means to address it through problem solving, planning and organization;

• Implementation-the ability to implement a resolution to a problem, “getting it done;”

• Humor-the essential ability to not take a situation too seriously, to approach each other

with kindness and goodwill.

(Continued on Page 2)

The Lark August 2017

The activity involved each of us writing another vestry members’ name(s) on a sheet that was

labeled with one of the listed abilities. [Suzanne Bady and Bonnie Weeber were excused from the

retreat, hence you do not see their names.] The activity yielded the following:

Communication: Ann, Amanda, Mary and Robert

Analysis: Don, Money Mike, Mary, Admin Mike, Ann, Jean

Implementation: Amanda, Mary, Jim, Admin Mike, Ann, Jan, Robert

Humor: Jim and both Mikes

In the discussion that followed we realized that we didn’t really know each other well, and so we

went around the room and introduced ourselves to each other and mentioned those talents, skills

and abilities that we possess and have used, or have a strong interest in using, in our lives.

Eve spent a lifetime in interior design and sales. Jean, as a medical technician, wrote detailed

medical procedure books. Mike Kallas is an experienced church administrator which he came to

after a career in the US Air Force in weapons and satellite systems. Mike LeClaire was a Marine

and a Vietnam veteran and spent a career in news broadcasting in production and photography

and has five Emmy awards (he didn’t mention the Emmys-Mary did). Don recently retired after 40

years in finance including 35 years in stock and bond investing. Robert’s background is in urban

design and landscaping and he focuses on large art installations in buildings—he recently did a

mural that spanned multiple stories in a building’s interior. Ann has 40 years in business operations

and human resources with an emphasis on executive search, leadership assessment and crisis

communications. She still does consulting in these areas. Jim Robertson has been involved in the

insurance industry for his career and has recently shifted his focus to wills, trusts and the transition

guidance seniors need for retirement planning. Jan has been deeply involved in Native American

issues through government, she is a curator at the Denver Art Museum in the Native American

section, is an educator and involved in tribal government at the local, state and federal level.

Amanda took her education in biology from work in a fertility clinic into 14 years in telecommunica-

tions training. She is now focusing on designing her own line of jewelry. Mary had a career in law

enforcement, retiring as an Assistant Chief of Police and then went into management consulting with

government, primarily fire and police departments. The Reverend Barbara had a career as an

attorney with the Environmental Protection Agency and worked in the development of the

Brownfields Program, before attending the seminary to become a priest.

At the end of these introductions most of us looked at each other in amazement about what we did

not know about each other, which led to a discussion about the wealth of talent, skills, and interest

that undoubtedly exists amongst the congregation about which we don’t know. It is Opportunity

slipping by us when we don’t know what people like to do or want to do for their church. We then

discussed how to capture that information.

We are still collecting our thoughts and ideas as to how we can get to know each of you and mine

your talents and give you opportunities to be more engaged with the church and its’ programs. Your

ideas are welcomed by the vestry.

Respectfully,

Mary Wamsley

The Lark, August 2017

Page 2

The Lark, August 2017

Page 3 TransFormations

Gordon C. Tucker Jr., Director of Christian Formation

Monthly Feature: Season of Pentecost We are now several weeks into the season of Pentecost, which runs

from the day of Pentecost (June 4) to the first Sunday in Advent

(December 3). It is a time of praise, fellowship and spiritual renewal. It

is often referred to as the “green season” because the liturgical color is

normally green, which seems particularly appropriate at this time of the

year because the trees and plants are blooming and the air is filled with

sweet smells.

Update on Church School: The Church School has taken a summer break, allowing our

teachers time to relax with their families. Church School will

resume on Balloon Sunday, September 10th. Stay tuned for

more information about this traditional celebration of the end of

summer and resumption of Christian education at St. Luke’s.

Update on Adult Formation: Adult Formation has also been on a summer hiatus. I returned in early July

from a three week adventure excavation at Tel Shimron in Israel, which is

located approximately 4 miles west of Nazareth, on the northern edge of

the Jezreel Valley. It was a marvelous adventure, a good follow-up to my

participation for the last five years in the excavations at Ashkelon, on the

Mediterranean Coast. As I have done with Ashkelon, I will present in the

fall a narrated slide show and discussion on Tel Shimron and its role in

antiquity, however; in the article below, I want to share with you now some

of my time in Tel Shimron.

(Continued on Page 4)

Tel Shimron Gordon C. Tucker Jr., Director of Christian Formation

As many of you know, I am a professional archaeologist and I conduct most of my work here in the

United States. few years ago, I “moved up” to a managerial position at my company, which has

had both positive and negative consequences. The most negative aspect of this “promotion” is that

I do not get out in the field as often as I would like. I have compensated for this disappointment by

volunteering to participate in archaeological excavations in Israel. For 5 years (2012-2016), I exca-

vated at Ashkelon, one of the five cites of the Philistine Pentapolis, located on the Mediterranean

coast, approximately 30 miles south of Tel Aviv. In 2016, the project team ended 31 years of exca-

vation at Ashkelon and the excavations were backfilled and closed down. Because the site is a na-

tional park, it is protected and ready for the next round of excavations by some other team, some-

time in the near future.

Meanwhile, the project team moves this year to Tel Shimron, located on the northwestern edge of

the Jezreel Valley, approximately 4 miles west of Nazareth (Figure 1). The acropolis at the site is

located at the eastern edge of the Tel and rises nearly 60 meters (200 feet) above the lowest por-

tions of the settlement along the western edge of the site (Figure 2). An ancient road skirts the

Figure 1. Location of Tel Shimron Figure 2. LiDAR Image of Tel Shimron

(Continued on Page 5)

In the fall, we will also resume our study of Genesis (Sunday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m.) and our

collaborative study of Exodus with Congregation Rodef Shalom (Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to

8 p.m.). More information about all of these activities will be forthcoming next month.

But now, let me share my adventures at Tel Shimron with you.

The Lark, August 2017

Page 4

August Is Back to School Month As we enter into this transition from Summer into Autumn, let us reflect on what the Apostle Paul

taught us in the Letter to the Romans 12:4-6a. “For as in one body we have many members, and

not all the members have the same function, so we who are many, are one body in Christ, and

individually we are members of one another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given

to us.” The school system teaches children and helps them to live out their vocation requiring a

body of people with different gifts. We bless you now as you begin your vocation of helping

children.

St. Luke’s will bless our students and teachers on Sunday, August 20th along with school back-

packs, tablets, laptops, and any other school supplies you would like to have blessed.

Western edge of the site. Preliminary surveys of the area have identified remains spanning from

the Neolithic through the Ottoman periods, more than 8,000 years.

The site is reportedly the largest unexcavated site in Israel, and a significant amount of information

is undoubtedly contained within its many layers of history. I am excited to be part of the team that

will “crack open” this site for the first time. I will present in the fall a summary overview of the

excavations at Tel Shimron.

Have a wonderful summer!

The Lark, August 2017

Page 5

In Our Year of Outreach

Your Outreach Committee partners with Ashley Elemen-

tary School to help support the needs of students and

faculty. In August we provide school supplies of all

kinds: backpacks, notebooks, tablets, pens and pencils

and any and all miscellaneous school supplies students

and faculty may use and need. All donations to the

Ashley Elementary School Outreach box on the stage

are welcomed!

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

1270 Poplar Street

Denver CO 80220-3023

Phone 303-355-2331 Fax 303-355-5388

visit us at www.lukeonlin.org

Do you have information to share with the Parish? Is there a special celebration

coming up in your life? Please contact the office for inclusion in the Lark.

The Lark is Published Monthly

The Lark, August 2017

Page 6

More August Features

August 6th—Rockies Baseball Faith Day! Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies game time 1:10 p.m.

with an after game concert featuring The News Boys

August 6th—Church School Teachers Meeting 9:00 am to 10:00 am

August 13th— Outreach Committee Meeting 11:45 am in the library all are welcome

August 20th—Backpack Sunday. Bring your backpacks, tablets, laptops and any school supplies to

the 10:15 service for a special blessing for all Students, Teachers, and School Administrators.

From Your Outreach Committee

In the July Lark, we outlined who are Core Outreach Partners are and how we try to help them in our community. Today I would like to focus on the Colfax Community Network; our neighbors along the East Colfax Corridor who assist transient families in many ways. Through the Colfax Community Network, your donations of snacks, diapers and wipes, blankets and toiletries and school supplies are needed and greatly appreciated. As the school year approaches, the administrators are seeking volunteer tutors for their after school tutoring program. If this appeals to you, we encourage you to contact Nathan Hickman, Children’s Programs Director at Nathan@ColfaxCommunityNetwork.org or by phone at 303.360.9175. In the meantime please continue with the needed donation items listed in this article. Any and all donations help the low income transient families of our East Colfax community. Respectfully Submitted,

Nancy Rein