A Quiet Progress

Lt. Luke's Episcopal Church, Fair Haven, VT

It was an after-thought to mention the renovation project.  For at St. Luke’s in Fair Haven, the renovation project is a means to an end rather than the end itself.  St. Luke’s is at the approval and fundraising stage of a project to install an elevator that will allow handicap access to their undercroft. But it is the reason behind these renovations—to welcome everyone to all parts of their church—that is important, not the renovations themselves.

schematics for elevator installation

The small congregation at St. Luke’s Church, Fair Haven has a much greater concern for reaching out to its community than to wax on about its renovation project.  In fact, building an elevator is in direct response to members of the community to whom they are reaching out.  Each month, St. Luke’s host a community breakfast which, as is typical of church community meals, serves a number of individuals and families in need. Right now because of the lack of access, those who cannot use stairs are fed upstairs in the church and are unable to join the company in the undercroft.  While they still enjoy the meal, it is not an ideal situation, for they are separate from the rest of the company.  The elevator will make it so everyone may partake of the meal together. Another idea in the works is that of ecumenical worship in the park (Fair Haven’s town green) celebrating God’s love.  This is

still a germinating idea with hopes for fruition this fall.  St. Luke’s has been for many years a combined congregation with St. Mark’s Church in Castleton. For the past two years, St. Mark’s has been closed and the congregation worships exclusively at St. Luke’s and the building in Castleton is to be sold. The congregation came to the understanding that maintaining two church buildings in separate towns for a single congregation was simply an impracticality that they could ill-afford. Several members acknowledged that making the decision has been liberating and has allowed for growth and flourishing in ways they hadn't expected.

interior images at St. Luke's

St. Luke’s recently welcomed their new Priest-in-Partnership, John Miller, and his wife.  In the same month, they made their farewells to two very important members of their parish—their co-senior wardens, in fact.  Prior to the Miller’s arrival, the congregation became used to worshipping with their interim’s dog, whom they affectionately termed their “Episco-dog.” They were happy to welcome the new priest’s pet, Leo, as their new Episco-dog.  One church member expressed how having the animals at worship(which another member interjected were better behaved than some of the human members!) expanded their understanding of God’s creation and family—that as our pets are members of our own families, so are they beloved members of God’s divine family. While they welcome Leo, they haven’t completely embraced the idea of welcoming the potentially hazardous distraction of pets on a regular basis! Even as they welcomed their new priest, they endured the difficulty of saying goodbye to two other very dear members and they journeyed westward to make their new home in Oregon. These transitions, welcoming newcomers and letting go of those who leave, are all part of the ongoing changes that life in a small parish brings.

St. Luke’s Church is a quaint and charming clapboard building with a warm interior that includes a distinct

sanctuary, nave, and chancel

nave, chancel and sanctuary. The nave, representing the present populous church, is the lowest level furnished with wooden pews and the floors covered by area rugs.  The chancel, representing the expectant church, is carpeted and sparsely furnished.  It rises above the floor of the nave in front of the rood arch and is bounded with a wooden railing.  The sanctuary, representing kingdom come or the future church, rises one more step and is tucked in behind the rood arch.  The congregation takes communion around the altar in the sanctuary rather than at the railing which would keep them out of the future.  This congregation prefers to take part in the future church and so offers themselves as the present church moving through the expectant church to be in communion with the future church. It makes a statement of how the Spirit is stirring at St. Luke’s! The stirrings may not be loud, and they may not be profuse, but they are forward-looking.