A Letter from The Rev. William Lesher

This letter was sent by the Rev. William (Bill) Lesher to St. Luke's to be read at the Farewell Dinner on the eve of our service of leave-taking from the building that has been our historic home since 1900.  Pastor Lesher served St. Luke's throughout the 1960s and remarks on the nature of those turbulent times.+++Dear Erik,Many thanks for  remembering me and Jean with your kind, thoughtful letter.  It was sobering, yet not surprising, to hear of these recent milestones in the life and ministry of St. Luke’s Church in Logan Square.   Needless to say, my mind is flooded with a host of memories:

• My first Sunday as pastor when the acolyte instructed me about how we should enter the chancel, “we go to the foot of the stairs,” he said, “bow our heads and count to three before going to our seats;”
• another occasion when we dedicated and lit an eternal lamp for the altar, and the acolyte extinguished the flame with the altar candles as we recessed;
• the packed church that greeted me and my wife on the Sunday after our return from marching with Dr. King in Selma and the tense congregational meeting that followed;
• the council meeting a few weeks later when the council, at the request of the Southern Christian Leadership Council, (MLK's parent organization) voted to provide office space for a headquarters in Logan Square – latter the SCLC leadership decided to put their office on the west side;
• Holy Week at St. Luke's with service all week in what we called our Holy Week retreat, processions around the church to stations of the cross, foot-washing, acting out the Good Friday Drama for Children, Tenebrae, Saturday night bread and soup supper with conversation about anticipating Resurrection and all the glorious services of Easter;
• the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, born at St. Luke's, the “Nowhere Club”  for high school kids, the Friday evening worship service
• and educational program for physically and mentally challenged youth and their families co-sponsored with LSS;
• etc, etc, etc.

That was another time and another chapter in the ministry of this community of faith and witness in the Logan Square neighborhood.  The stately church building that we called, “A House of Prayer for all People,” has seen many chapters of ministry come and go.  Along with Erik, who has a long history embedded within these sacred walls, I find myself remembering and reflecting on how the various physical spaces in this rambling building have been the dwelling place of God in worship, education, and outreach to a changing community.  From Erik's description of this great congregational transition, I am most happy to know that these walls will be renewed and the ministry of Christ will continue in this place albeit in different form.  And I am especially glad that St. Luke's congregation will remain together and is moving on.Please include Jean and me (and our two sons David and Greg, who were elementary school kids during our years at St. Luke) in your prayers of thanksgiving and your hopes for the future.  Very likely you will be praying one the most familiar prayers in our tradition, but with special meaning on this Sunday of leave-taking from the grand old church building:

“O God, you have called your servants to venture of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen"

Peace blessings and good cheer to all,William Lesher