A Letter from The Rev. Erv Uecker

This letter was sent by the Rev. Erv Uecker, St. Luke's pastor from 1970-1980. He and his partner (now husband) lived in the parsonage next door to the church, and he shares here some of the funny, awkward, and ultimately redeemed moments that came with being a gay clergy-person in the 1970s.+++REMINISCING BY ERV UECKER AND ROSS WALKER – AT ST.LUKES 1970-1980While discussing the call to St. Luke’s, Erv was shown the parsonage. He looked it over and said I’ll have to wait and have Ross look it over as he will be living with me. Prolonged silence, but no questions. Together, we made some decisions and moved in. Many in the congregation initially made sense of our relationship by thinking that we were brothers – that is until both of our mothers attended the installation service and reception. Guess people did what they had to do.In May 1973, St. Luke's had its annual Mothers-Daughters banquet, a huge event for many years. The women prevailed upon Ross to prepare the family-style chicken dinner for about 200 people. Ross agreed and set about the task. In the meantime another group planned a surprise "This is your life" event for Erv and invited many people from around the country to participate, including the then "bishop" Jerry Johnson and his wife, Donna, good friends of Ross and Erv at the time. All the guests had to be secluded so as not to compromise the surprise. Ross, while preparing dinner for 200, also prepared snacks, drinks and supper for all of the guests at the parsonage, after the dinner and program. The guests stayed until about 2am. After they left, Ross and Erv went back to the church kitchen to put the leftovers away and saw the kitchen looking like a cyclone had hit it. When they returned about 8:30am, Lyde Timmcke and her granddaughter were in the kitchen up to their elbows doing dishes.In the summer of 1971, a group from one of the sister congregations had prepared a production of "Jesus Christ Superstar". Erv invited them to come to St. Luke's and do their show in Haberland Hall. The show was advertised throughout Chicago and folks came by the bus loads. The hall was jam-packed with people, along with the stairwell and out the front door. People lined up outside and watched through the open windows on both sides of the hall. It was a glorious event.Palm Sunday, 1974, Erv invited one of the three resident drama group to open the worship with a performance of "Hosanna" from "Godspell". They came trooping down the three aisles waving palms and singing at full volume. One of the group swung down a rope from the balcony.There was a couples group called MARCO. They met monthly at each others’ home. Erv attended the first meeting after becoming minister at St. Luke’s They were planning a progressive dinner and Erv volunteered the parsonage for the dessert course. Ross was not invited, even though he served as host. Erv didn’t go back until one of the MARCO members, Bernice Gorny, stopped Erv on a Sunday and said she was hosting the annual MARCO Christmas dinner at her home and she insisted that both Ross and Erv come. We did and other members wondered why the Pastor finally attended. Bernice just commented, “I invited both of them”In the first year at St. Luke’s Erv conducted two gut wrenching funerals – both of double murders of mothers and their little ones – only weeks apart!It was an afternoon with a torrential thunderstorm. Erv hurried to go and visit Ida Meyer at her apartment at Schubert and Sacramento. He went down the back steps of the pastor’s study (now the church office) to the narthex as his car was parked right outside the front doors of the church. He pulled out and headed west on Schubert. Seconds after his car pulled away, lightning struck the façade of the church and the celtic stone cross at the peak came tumbling down to the sidewalk and street in huge pieces. When Erv returned, Ross, the police and a group of neighborhood folks were outside the church wringing their hands!! A close call. There has been no cross since.In the spring of 1975, St. Luke's hosted a Chicagoland acolyte festival. 300 came and participated events throughout the complex. Pastor Jack Lundeen (brother of Bill Lesher), a jazz and contemporary musician dominated the events. St. Luke's acolytes prepared a spaghetti supper, riddled with so much garlic, it could stand by itself. Ralph Shangraw and Ross frantically worked to salvage the pots of spaghetti sauce. While supper was served with everyone sitting on the hall floor, Pastor Jeff Lindgren danced a jig and sang to entertain.Dr. Porter French, St. Luke's first Pastoral Counselor and founder of the St. Luke's Counseling satellite, went to visit a parishioner and her "husband". When he returned he was exasperated and sank into a chair in his office and groaned, "Oh my gosh, Michael is really Michelle!!!" He had had his first encounter with a trans-sexual.On Sunday, July 4, 1976, St. Luke's celebrated the bi-centennial in a big way. After two morning celebratory worships, the events moved outside. Bob Westergaard had arranged for a semi flatbed to be spotted on Francisco outside the front doors of St. Luke's. It was decorated with patriotic banners and bunting. The events started with a community parade through the areas of Francisco, Logan, Sacramento and Diversey. Police cordoned off the streets. Then the two hour program featuring the Agesless Wonders (kitchen band) and the Golden Singers, LSNA, and many others. Food was served in the hall throughout the day and a street dance and fireworks ended the festive day in the evening.Easter Eve, 1977, the 2-1/2 hour long Easter Vigil, with full liturgy, hosted by our resident Old Catholic Congregation (one of seven worshipping groups using St. Luke's facilities), with the worship space full. Old Catholic Bishop, Earl Gasquoine, presided, Erv preached and Wayne Bradley played. It was followed at 1:30am by a festive food array in the hall.Cathy Shangraw Love, confirmed by Erv at age 13 and now 58 years, came from Melbourne, Australia and Pastor Tomas Spath, a “vicar” in the 70’s drove from Houston, Texas, Kay Deacon, Bill and Judi Keippel among others to attend Ross and Erv’s wedding at their church in Grafton, WI on their 57^h anniversary last November.An awesome pastoral staff of Kent Carlander, Porter French, Wes Brun, Keith Davis, Jeff Lindgren, Tomas Spath, Bill Flemr (Pastor Val's grandson-in-law) and many interns and students. The 70’s was the busiest, most hectic, most rewarding and most fulfilling decade of our 58 years together as a couple!