Youth and Children Formation (Sunday School) Classes
10:30 a.m. (livestreamed)
Holy Eucharist with Sermon, Choir, and Children’s Chapel
11:30 a.m.
Fellowship and Refreshments
4 p.m.
More Than A Meal Outreach
4–6 p.m.
Episcopal Youth Community (EYC)
5 p.m.
Contemplative Holy Eucharist with Music and Third Sunday Choral Evensong (September–May)
WORSHIP
All are welcome to every worship offering and to explore the rich musical tradition at GSL. Worship at GSL provides intentional opportunities for people to thank God for blessings known and unknown, connect with one another, be nourished by Word and Sacrament, and be restored to face whatever lies ahead. Our various liturgies include readings from and meditations on the Holy Scriptures, music, and silence. Most services include the sharing of Holy Communion at God’s Table, food for the journey.
WEDNESDAYS
Noon–12:30 p.m.
Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers and without music
Community life at GSL is rooted in our Mission, Vision, and commitment to Belonging. Worship is offered both in person and via livestream. Christian Formation and Sunday School offerings for all ages are vibrant and enriching. Meaningful opportunities for connection are essential and ongoing. Seasonal editions of The Messenger: Life at GSL share more about the abundance of our life together.
Gratitude: A Daily Spiritual Practice
“Gratitude practice is beneficial for every spiritual personality. It is both an internal practice and a practice of ministry. We find our own souls expanding every time we feel and express gratitude, and when we’re grateful, we find that our lives expand as well. Those who are grateful bring grace into the lives of others. As stated before, gratitude builds on itself, and when we grow in gratitude, others grow in theirs. One moment of gratitude leads to another, and in the end, we have hearts filled with joy.”
–The Rev. Renée Miller, an Episcopal priest, author, poet, and conference leader, facilitated the January 2021 GSL Vestry Retreat, providing leadership wisdom for parish ministry administration. This excerpt from her book, “Strength for the Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Practice”, is a reflection on and invitation to the spiritual practice of gratitude.
The Reverend Ollie V. Rencher, Rector 901-252-6320 | orencher@gracestlukes.org
2026 Christian Formation and Storytelling
Growing in faith and storytelling are lifelong processes. Christian Formation at GSL exists to support all adults, youth, and children on their faith journeys. Beyond communal worship offerings, Sunday School, Wednesday night, weekday morning, and mingling of other spiritual formation offerings are intentional opportunities for growth in personal knowledge and the understanding of our faith. Classes designed to deepen study and knowledge of the Bible can be an exceptionally meaningful boost to an Episcopalian’s literacy of Holy Scripture. Even as approximately 75% of The Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer services come from Holy Scripture, most Episcopalians admit that they are under-educated about the Bible and want to learn more. GSL values the practice of learning in community as a vital part of Christian formation. I continue to hear that most participants do not regret the act of being present with other seekers, even if either showing up or signing up for a formation event may feel overwhelming to an already busy schedule, scary, or intimidating. Every Christian has a unique faith story. Storytelling is at the core of what is taught and learned through formation events and experienced in worship, namely how our personal stories often are interwoven with the stories of our spiritual ancestors, fellow Christians, and other members of the human family. Storytelling is and will become an increased aspect of our abundant life at GSL. This you will find in this edition of The Messenger: Life at GSL through stories about clergy-staff team members, more congregational life photos, videos, and gatherings throughout the year!
January 4
The Second Sunday of Christmas & Observance of the Feast of the Epiphany
Faith Forum: Wellness & Recovery Sunday Panel of Coaches and Counselors
Burning of the Greens after the 10:30 service
Brooks Museum: “Of Salt & Spirit” Exhibit hosted by Justice Ministry
5:30-8:30 p.m. YOUnited: Feast of Lights
January 11
The First Sunday after Epiphany
Faith Forum: “Advocates for Immigrant Rights” with Casey Bryant & Fifo Bermudez
January 18
The Second Sunday after Epiphany
Faith Forum: “The Influence of Scripture on the Ministry of Martin Luther King, Jr.” with Dr. Dan Pigg
St. Columba Youth Ski Weekend
5 p.m. Evensong In Observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Feast Day
January 25
The Third Sunday after Epiphany
Faith Forum: “Epiphany: What Is Jesus’ Call for All Christians?” with Dr. Dan Pigg
11:45 a.m. Messy Church
Sunday Spotlight
9:30 a.m. Faith Forums with guest speakers, special events, and fellowships
February 1
The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Faith Forum: Emmett Till Interpretive Center with Executive Director Patrick Weems
5 p.m. Candlemas Service with the Childrens’ Choirs
February 8
The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Faith Forum: Thistle & Bee with CEO Autumn Chastain
2 p.m. Natalia Vanegas-Escobar & David Córdoba Hernández, Piano Duets
February 15
The Last Sunday after Epiphany
5 p.m. Choral Evensong
February 22
The First Sunday in Lent
Faith Forum: Lynching Sites Project of Memphis Tour
March 1
The Second Sunday in Lent
11:45 a.m. Messy Church
March 8
The Third Sunday in Lent
YOUnited: Calvary Service
Project
March 15
The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Faith Forum: GSL Church History Team Storytelling Presentation
5 p.m. Choral Evensong
March 22
The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Faith Forum: Jazz Listening Session & Conversation with Dr. Jeff Jackson
11:45 a.m. Courageous Conversations
March 29
Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
Faith Forum: “Unpacking the Drama of Holy Week and the Easter Triduum”
3 p.m. Go Ape Treetop Adventure at Shelby Farms
5 p.m. Holy Week Lessons & Carols
April 5
The Day of Resurrection: Easter Sunday
8 and 10:30 a.m. (no 5 p.m.)
April 12
The Second Sunday of Easter
Youth Celebration Sunday
April 19
The Third Sunday of Easter
Bishop Michael Curry’s Visit
Faith Forum: Conversation with Former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
5 p.m. Choral Evensong
April 26
The Fourth Sunday of Easter
Faith Forum: “Scripture in Summertime” with The Rev. Dr. Lauren Winner
May 3
The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Rock Climbing at Memphis Rox
May 10
The Sixth Sunday of Easter
The Bishop’s Spring Visitation
May 17
The Seventh Sunday of Easter
11:45 a.m. Courageous Conversations End of Year Luncheon
5 p.m. Choral Evensong
May 24
Pentecost Sunday
Start of Summer Worship Schedule: 10 a.m. & 5 p.m.
May 31
Trinity Sunday
Parish Picnic | Children & Youth Family Ministries
Summer Celebration
Adult Sunday School Classes, 9:30-10:15 a.m. also include Bible Study in the Peete Room and Young Adults in McClure Hall on most Sundays
STORIES ABOUT GSL CLERGY & STAFF
Find out more about the clergy and staff supporting parishioner journeys at GSL!
The Rev. Ollie V. Rencher | Rector
901-252-6320 | orencher@gracestlukes.org
Not everyone is a people person, but the way you engage, remember faces, names, and their stories draws people in; is this something you have learned or is there wisdom behind how you interact with people that you carry with you?
My ability to remember faces, names, and stories, most of the time, goes back to childhood according to my parents, older brother, younger sister, and friends. Like my father (of blessed memory), I typically look a person in the eyes, listen carefully, remain focused (most of the time), and repeat the person’s name internally, all while mindful that the person is sacred and God’s image, which keeps me engaged.
What drew you to the Episcopal Church and, are there additional elements within it that you would like to see here?
The Anglican/Episcopal way of being Christian based on the three-faceted combination of scripture, tradition, and reason as foundational to the tradition and teachings; constructive critical reading of scripture; high regard for the sacraments, especially Baptism and Holy Eucharist; strong rootedness in Judeo-Christian practices and deep respect for Islam and other faiths and their prayer practices; general broad-mindedness in the approach to understanding another person; historical excellence in offering choral, organ, and other forms of inspiring music for worship; and a diversity of liturgical expressions rooted in contemplation, spiritual growth, and service to others. Ideally, more parishioners would engage in regular and seasonal variety of formation/learning offerings for large and small groups as ways to learn and grow personally, build faith-based relationships with fellow parishioners, and become more intentional in inviting others to enjoy and benefit from what is offered through the Episcopal tradition and life at GSL. Our vision of hope, belonging, and healing is to be celebrated and is bound to help all on the life journey!
What motivated your pivot from the corporate world to the spiritual? Are there elements that cross over? While attempting to balance many younger adult years of serving as an active lay leader in many areas and full engagement in corporate work of healthcare and telecommunications marketing and business development, my heart carried a deeper desire to serve God by full-time church work, especially through administration of the sacraments and all that comes with priestly vows. Indeed, there are elements that cross over, including my joke that now “I’m marketing Jesus and hope to a world that needs what each can teach us.” Extended corporate professional experience in organizational management and finance, personnel recruitment, development, and performance, and strategic planning have been particularly beneficial to some of the duties of a rector.
The Rev. Ollie V. Rencher (continued)
How have you seen the parish evolve? As a whole, what are some strengths, and where do you see opportunity for growth?
Yes, I have seen the GSL community of the church and school evolve, particularly as the diversity of the world in which we live continues to evolve. I often describe some of our strengths as going deeper on difficult issues and topics; naming aspects of life and God’s justice where the human family is unreconciled, especially about the sin of racism, and our Christian call to be healers; and developing one of the finest worship music programs in the Episcopal Church. Our growth opportunities appear to be around finding creative ways for more parishioners of all ages to regularly and physically come together as a Christian family for worship, formation/learning, service, and fellowship amid a world, lives, and other events that decentralize the church as the center of a household’s activities.
How are the staff, clergy, vestry, and others supporting your personal vision?
Because my personal vision is for GSL members and non-members to do all things possible to deepen individual and household engagement in our regular and seasonal offerings of worship, formation/learning, service, and fellowship, I find that fellow clergy-staff team members, vestry, and ministry areas leaders also are carrying a similar vision and making commitments to help others with engagement.
What do you believe your gifts are, and how do they support you as a Rector?
Some of my gifts include showing up and doing my part alongside others for our shared ministry roles at GSL, involvement in planning meaningful worship, programs and events, encouraging parishioners and guests to take advantage of the abundance of offerings associated with parish life, supporting fellow clergy and staff in their roles and responsibilities, and supporting the vestry as parish elected spiritual leaders. My experience has been one of positive, helpful, prayerful, and collaborative support from fellow clergy, staff, wardens, vestry members, ministry area leaders, and parishioners.
Tell us about your favorite moment in a Sunday service.
The moment when all ages and many sorts of God’s beloved children come and go from receiving the consecrated elements of bread and wine from God’s table as the holiest of feasts of our Anglican/Episcopal heritage.
With Jesus’ divinity and humanity being equally whole as number one, what do you believe is the number two testimony of a Christian life, and how is that encouraged/supported here at GSL?
In response to Jesus’ divinity and humanity as the perfect example of God’s love and incarnation, the number two testimony should be an intentional, radical, Christian faithfulness to Jesus, who is the “way of love” and “embodiment of hope.” Our worship, namely through the collection of abiding prayer, scripture, homilies/sermons, sacraments, and the dismissal to “go in peace to love and serve the Lord”, encourages such faithfulness.
The seasons of Advent and Christmas are upon us, with Epiphany following; what is the crux of these seasons that may be overlooked, but are incredibly important?
The crux of these seasons is one long journey of waiting (Advent) for birth (Christmas) and light (Epiphany) to teach and support the paths of dedicated followers of Jesus. Because of countless secular/worldly factors that often are described as either distractions or opponents, it historically has been hard for most Anglican/Episcopal Christians (and other Christians who follow a liturgical calendar) to lean wholeheartedly into the fullness, traditions, and customs of the church’s Advent-to-Epiphany journey. The crux is clear, and the annual invitation is made for us to take radical approaches in what we choose to do, individually and collectively, to observe the three-season journey for its intent, ancient-modern meaning, and promises for Christians today.
The Rev. Ollie V.
Rencher (continued)
These three words are important to you: “hope, belonging, and healing”. What is significant about them that you are emphasizing their attention here at GSL? Have these words shaped who you are as a clergyman?
Hope is entrusting oneself to a belief that God always provides and will never leave us comfortless in a mysterious way and time that one cannot predict or see. Belonging is the epitome of being seen, respected, loved and feeling at “home” amid others because of who one is, created equally in the sacred image of God. Healing is a journey to wholeness and peace in mind, body, and spirit from myriad dispositions of suffering and unreconciled experiences. The definition and essential nature of each word are deeply interwoven with the Christian faith, the Baptismal Covenant, and who we are called to be as followers of Jesus. Jesus is our hope, who models the importance of ensuring that all children of God abide safely in spaces and bear feelings and experiences of belonging, and who spent his life healing and expects that those who follow him will carry out the work of healing of both self and others. These words have shaped my priesthood and continue to inspire me as well as my spiritual leadership.
The Rev. Dr. Jesse W. Abell | Associate Rector for Pastoral Care
901-252-6330 | jesse.abell@gracestlukes.org
What is the importance of pastoral care and why have you made that your area of emphasis here at GSL?
This is a little hard for me to answer because Ollie+ specifically invited me to come on board to spearhead GSL’s pastoral care ministry work. (It’s not like I was asked to select from multiple options.)
The reason I agreed to join Fr. Ollie’s staff as the Associate for Pastoral Care is because it is one of the aspects of priesthood ministry that I am best at. It comes intuitively and naturally to me. I love being in conversations with people. I’m fully comfortable sitting with people in the moment, whether it’s to talk about faith or prayer, or at the hospital after a procedure, or at their home after a loved one has died.
For me, one of the most important truths of the Christian Faith is that we are not alone and that God never intends for us to go through life alone. God made that particularly manifest in the Incarnation of Jesus, showing tangibly that God seeks to be among us and in relationship with us. Part of following Jesus faithfully is being present and in relationship with one another, just as Jesus sought (and still seeks) to do with us.
Are there life lessons or offered advice that guide you in your work today?
When I was in seminary and we had to do a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), it was stressed that the most important thing we do in pastoral visits is to be a “non-anxious presence”. That seemed nebulous at the time, but I’ve come to appreciate it. When people are hurting, pastoral care ministers can’t take the pain away, and we don’t have any magic words that can make everything better. But also can’t underestimate the power of simply being present and sitting beside someone in their time of need. We don’t need to have all the answers; we just need to care. And that is huge.
What message do you have for the parishioners of GSL who have been hit with the unexpected?
Please reach out. Let us know what you’re facing, and let us be there for you. Actually, I think that sort of goes for GSL members in general, even when you’re not surprised by some big event or development in life. My clergy colleagues and I enjoy meeting up with people to talk about life, spirituality, and faith. It’s one of the things that drew us to ordained ministry. We love being invited out to talk over coffee or lunch!
The Rev. Dr. Jesse W. Abell
(continued)
Pastoral care is actually a broad term. Will you break down what this ministry is and who is included/affected by it?
Pastoral Care can take on many forms in life today. The Clergy regularly visit with people when they have a stay in the hospital or a rehab facility, or after the death of a loved one. We also love to meet with folks one-on-one for breakfast or lunch, or to share a cup of coffee. We want to hear about what you’re facing, how you’re experiencing God, or what support would be helpful for you.
Of course, Clergy do not do the work of pastoral care alone. At GSL, we have a big team of lay pastoral care ministry volunteers. They’re divided into three teams, and each is on duty for roughly two weeks at a time. They send cards,make phone calls, do visits, deliver meals, etc. Their personal contacts with our members help GSL to support all its members in whatever life brings their way.
Since you’ve been here at GSL, how has this community inspired you?
GSL is such a rich community with people of diverse backgrounds. It has a legacy of being a presence in the Midtown area. It values worship of God, meaningful preaching, engagement with our community, providing help to those in need in the broader community, and bringing God’s healing presence to the place of hurt in our lives.
Is there a certain biblical passage or example from the Bible that guides your approach?
Aside from Jesus’ call to service when we asked the disciples’ feet, I think 1 Peter has a beautiful challenge to pastoral ministers: “Like shepherds, tend the flock of God among you. Watch over it. Don’t shepherd because you must, but do it voluntarily for God. Don’t shepherd greedily, but do it eagerly. Don’t shepherd by ruling over those entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory” (5:2-4).
The Rev. Laura F. Gettys | Associate Rector for
Community Engagement
901-252-6329 | lgettys@gracestlukes.org
It is good to be back at GSL after a beautiful and meaningful threemonth sabbatical. I am grateful for the time – it was a gift to not only myself but to my family, which is stronger and more whole because of our time together. For my time centered around beauty, I found myself sitting with poet Padraig O’Tuama as we studied scripture through the eyes of literature and meaning. I also got to reflect with the former poet laureate Joy Harjo on the concept of time or, as she calls it, “the whole of time”, and how time itself is less linear and chronological like our calendars demand and instead more seasonal and cyclical. Art and beauty were found for me in museums, art classes, and nature as I painted, wrote, traveled to see famous works of art, and delighted in the beauty and wildness of the Junction Butte wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park.
I don’t believe I am the only one who enjoys beautiful and joyful experiences and events. Beauty is found in many forms for us humans. So, knowing what speaks to each of us is important. For me, beauty is found in nature, the creative, and God’s people. What is it for you? If you aren’t sure, what an awesome exploration it could be to find out!
Author Ross Gay once said, “We must tend to what delights us as fiercely as to what is broken in the world and what we’re called to make better and more just.” I agree with this and would add that practicing what delights us also increases our resilience in the important and holy work each of us is called to live out in our community and world.
It is wonderful to return to GSL and continue our shared journey this winter with you.
Ms. Abby Huber | Congregational Life Associate
& Assistant to the Rector
901-252-6336 | ahuber@gracestlukes.org
You’ve reached six years of GSL, congratulations! Can you describe your first day working here, what you were excited about, what was the unknown, and what have you come to love today?
Thank you so much! Time has flown, especially when you throw a global pandemic into the mix 5 months into my working at GSL! My first day, I remember being warmly welcomed by Father Ollie and all the staff. I had the unique experience of being a parishioner prior to the job, so while I was appropriately nervous, I wasn’t stepping into a complete unknown situation with people I had never met before. It also helped that I came in right around the same time that Dr. Patrick Scott did, and it has been so fun to grow and work alongside him! I started at the end of October, so one of my first memories in my role was Reverend Meredith and Patrick playing a Halloween prank on the organ for the students during chapel. I knew from the start this would be a fun and enjoyable place to work. I love many aspects of my job, but my answer always comes back to the people, whether it’s parishioners or my colleagues. People put so much time and energy and love into GSL, and it is a privilege to bear witness to that on a daily basis.
I believe you grew up in this congregation. What did you think of it when you were younger, and how does it compare to being an adult working here?
I sure did grow up here. I am a third-generation GSL parishioner! I also went to GSL school. Growing up, I always felt very loved and supported by the church community. I have such fond memories of Sunday school with a variety of teachers, including Pete Shearon, Donna and Jerry Sanders, Jim Greer, and Jonathan Large. EYC was also very formative for me, and we were housed in what is now the Scout Lodge. The friendships I made in that program were so important to my upbringing, and I am still friends with many of them today. My family and I also always enjoyed our church retreats, including singing karaoke, playing football with Father Richard at quarterback, and singing around a campfire.
Because of the warm feelings GSL has given me since I was a child, it was a no-brainer to apply for the receptionist position in 2019 when Father Ollie told me about it at the church retreat. While it is certainly a totally different ballgame working for a church rather than just being a parishioner, I have gotten to know GSL on a deeper level and understand more about the Episcopal Church. One of my favorite things that is different about working here as an adult is getting to know our awesome parishioners who may have once been just faces that my parents talked to after services. The people here make this place the home that it is, and it is a joy to get to serve with them.
Are there interests and passions you have outside of your role that you’ve been able to plug-in here at GSL?
A lot of what I love to do is totally separate from my work, but I believe keeping work and hobbies separate isn’t always the worst thing. However, there is a lot about my job that has to do with things I enjoy. For instance, I am a big fan of music, so getting to work in a church with a thriving music program is always exciting. I also enjoy writing, and I get to use that skill in a variety of ways in my role. Beyond my work responsibilities, it’s fun to share my interests outside of work with my colleagues.
What are some lesser-known facts/attributes to GSL and the staff you’ve come to know?
The staff truly are a bunch of goofballs! Everyone has their talents and interests outside of work, which I’ve loved learning about; for example, Anthony writes and creates digital media, both Chris and James are musicians, and Chapman can tear up a tennis court.
Ms. Abby Huber (continued)
You are often the first person people meet when they enter the church during the week, and you’re at the center of many GSL plans including Ollie+’s schedule, how do you view your role and what does it offer for you? I love my role because I get to have a hand in pretty much everything that goes on in the church. I like being someone who parishioners and community members can come to for answers and assistance. Arguably my favorite part of my job is getting to interact with the people that come through the doors on a weekly basis, from Food Pantry volunteers to Altar Guild folks to our neighbors looking for some food. I’ve gotten to know so many people this way that I might not have otherwise, and it makes my day getting to see folks! I’ve also become quite good at being flexible and multitasking as my work day tends to be interrupted with visitors and unexpected ongoings, but it keeps every day exciting.
Can you tell me about The Reverends’ strengths that they bring to GSL and how they have been an encouragement? We are so lucky to have the clergy that we do at GSL. All three of them bring such different energy and important skills to the church. A cool part of my job has been forming friendships with the priests - they are regular people too!
In terms of strengths, Ollie+ has a knack for the pastoral side of things. He is always willing to show up to pray for a parishioner before a procedure, even at ungodly hours of the morning. He loves officiating weddings and making couples feel seen, and he can comfort a grieving family and speak on behalf of the deceased like he has known them for years. We are lucky to have his heart and his leadership.
Jesse+ is one of the most organized people that I know. His leadership and organization have made our Pastoral Care ministry thrive, and more people than ever are hearing from their fellow parishioners and receiving visits from priests. He clearly cares so much about his role, and it shows in his work and the success of the program.
Laura+ does everything she does with care and intentionality. She always takes the time to meet with a community member who has come to the church in need of a listening ear and assistance. She has spearheaded so many pivotal programs taking place at the church (MICAH, Sacred Ground, the restructuring of the Outreach Committee, Room in the Inn, etc.), making GSL a leader in outreach and justice initiatives. She truly cares about GSL and our Memphis community.
Mr. John H. Barnum | Director of
Finance & Operations
901-252-6324 | jbarnum@gracestlukes.org
My wife had attended GSL a few times during Covid when the churches in Mississippi had not reopened. As for becoming a staff member, I realized I was enjoying my work as treasurer at the parish in Southaven
more than my regular job of 21 years. I was burned out. Two different people contacted me about the position of Director of Finance and Operations at Grace-St. Luke’s Church, and they thought I should apply for it. Roughly two months later, I was here.
This team is the best I have ever worked with professionally. I know I’m with people who care about what they are doing and have the skill to exceed at their ministry.
Now being both a staff member and parishioner, I feel like I’m part of something that makes a difference.
I feel more positive about my skills being used to do good in the world. I feel lifted up, if you will, by the people I have met here.
The history, the beauty, and the work that people do here are what make GSL stand out to me.
To vendors and people I meet, I always share the work being done in outreach and the food programs offered.
Mrs. Chapman Morrow |
Membership & Stewardship Associate
901-252-6328 | cmorrow@gracestlukes.org
How long have you been working at GSL, and what brought you here initially?
I began working at GSL in 2014 after retiring from my law practice. The Rev’d Richard Lawson asked me to help with stewardship and planned giving.
In what ways does your relationship with staff impact or add meaning to how you view GSL?
I’m inspired by the work that our folks do every day – their creativity, their compassion, their enthusiasm, and their love of this place and our people. Their dedication motivates me to do what I can to support their work and this place.
What brings meaning to you as you continue in your role here?
That the work of the church (being the hands and feet of God in the world) is more vital than ever.
You are involved at GSL beyond your title as Stewardship Associate; what other areas do you participate in?
I am a verger and a eucharistic minister. I previously served as the fellowship committee co-chair and GSL school board president. Back in the dark ages, I also served on the board of our parents’ day out.
Why is it important to you to have multiple areas of service here?
I enjoy being a part of our community and getting to know fellow parishioners.
How did you get introduced to GSL? As a child or later in life?
I had a lifelong friend who taught at the school for many years. I also had friends with children at parents’ day out, so when it came time for my own child to attend, GSL seemed to be a natural fit. We also live in the neighborhood. When Mary Chapman started at Miss Lee’s, I wanted our family to be part of the parish.
Dr. Patrick A. Scott |
Director of Music & Organist
901-252-6323 | pscott@gracestlukes.org
How did you first connect with GSL and what was your first impression of this space?
I first learned of GSL because of my connection to Ollie+ from us both living in Charlotte, NC, at the same time. He was at St. Peter’s in Charlotte, and I was in a Methodist church just down the street. I would sometimes attend St. Peter’s for their Sunday afternoon service of Choral Evensong. The first time I attended, I noticed this priest down front was singing along to the Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis – so I introduced myself after the service. We found mutual connections through my teachers, Judith & Gerre Hancock, with whom Ollie+ sang for a time during his NYC days years earlier. After two years in Charlotte, I moved to Atlanta, where I spent the next 5 years at the Cathedral of St. Philip. During one season of Lent, we received an email from Ollie+ who was on sabbatical and had arranged to sing the Triduum services at the end of Holy Week with the Cathedral Choirs. I thought I didn’t know him that well, I remembered him singing during those services in Charlotte and volunteered him to sing the Exultet at the Easter Vigil! A couple of years later, he sent me an email asking if I would be interested in an open position at a church where he’d moved in Memphis – Grace-St. Luke’s. I said thanks, but I wasn’t interested in moving then. He called a few weeks later and invited me for a visit – and the rest is history.
Dr. Patrick A. Scott (continued)
An organist’s primary responsibility is, of course – to play the organ! So, the Nave and Organ(s) of a church are a primary factor when choosing a job. The beautiful renovation of the Nave had just been completed a few years earlier, the Schantz Organ is a beautiful service-playing and recital instrument, and the addition of the Nichols & Simpson Gallery Organ during the renovation was literally the cherry on top for me. The Gallery Organ’s primary job is to support the front organ during hymns and organ solo pieces, creating a surround-sound that encourages congregational singing instead of having the sound die the further back you are. Most churches aren’t able to have multiple instruments in one liturgical space, and congregational hymns and songs end up suffering from the lack of support at the back of the room.
In addition to the church space, I was quite impressed with GSL School. I’d never been in a parish with anything more than a preschool, so this was very appealing to me.
Your role as Director of Music is meaningful to each service as it sets the tone and unites prayers through hymns, but how does it impact you?
After planning all aspects of liturgy (hymns, choir anthems, service music, and working with clergy for prayers, collects, blessings, etc.), very little catches me off guard anymore. But every once in a while, I will get caught up in the moment, and that moment is always during a hymn. There’s just something about a room full of people singing the same music and text (some of those texts having been sung since the 7th & 8th centuries) and being lucky enough to accompany them. It’s truly an honor, and I count myself extremely lucky to get to plan, create, and organize liturgies at GSL. Everything from planning what hymns we may sing on any given Sunday morning, to Evensongs, our huge services of Lessons & Carols, and of course Christmas & Easter.
What do you enjoy most about your role and the team you work alongside?
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I really love to play the organ. Playing for Sunday morning liturgies is my favorite thing in the world. I’m lucky to be able to do that with an incredibly supportive rector and associate priests who really support me and our entire music program. I’m lucky to have a choir of fabulous musicians who are even better humans. I inherited Debbie Smith as GSL’s assistant organist, and we really hit it off from our first phone call. I was lucky to be able to work with her for six years, and she has since retired to Birmingham to be close to her family. Her retirement required us to do a search for a new Assistant Organist-Choirmaster when the amazing Sam McDaniel agreed to come join us. We are indeed lucky to have him a part of the GSL music program!! A church staff the size of ours often requires us to help each other, which we do so beautifully. We are indeed lucky.
Why are the music and hymns, and the format of the Contemplative Holy Eucharist at 5 p.m., so significant here?
The 5pm service is a unique and special opportunity for those not wanting or unable to attend Sunday morning liturgies. Most Sunday afternoons are a short service of holy communion accompanied by many of our amazing soloinstrumentalists in Memphis, Jeanne Simmons (flute), Estefan Perez (cello), Stephen Lee (jazz piano), and Benjamin-Minden Birkenmaier (guitar). About once a semester, I will fill in on the piano, and it’s one of the things I love doing most. It’s a place to come and sit quietly, not have to sing hymns, not have to participate in many responses – just a place to sit and be and take in the beauty of your surroundings.
Dr. Patrick A. Scott (continued)
On the 3rd Sunday of most months, the choir sings a service of Choral Evensong. One of the true jewels of the Episcopal and Anglican liturgies that is filled with music from beginning to end. Similar to our Contemplative Communion service, except for two hymns, there isn’t much participation from the congregation, so it truly is an opportunity to soak in the beauty of music and the visual art that is our magnificent Nave.
Tell us what it’s like to teach the children for choir in comparison to adults and what you enjoy about this. The GSL adult choir is wonderful, of course. We’re so lucky to have some truly professional singers mixed with members who are singing in a choir for the first time. Because of the amount of music we go through and how quickly we must get through it, we do require a little bit of knowledge of music. Even the best of singers still needs to rehearse, so on Wednesdays we review our music during rehearsal, and that’s where we have the opportunity to work on dynamics and tone, and fix really difficult spots in our music – but for the most part, they really are singing through their music correctly most of the time.
Children are the complete opposite. Most every chorister comes to us without any knowledge of singing or musical theory. We pretty much start from scratch every year, teaching basic musical skills and how to sing with good tone and correct vowels. Unhealthy singing really can be detrimental to long-term vocal health, so we try to teach proper singing techniques that will lead to a lifetime of singing. It takes much longer for this age group to learn their music – some of our youngest members are still learning to read and write, we must remember! Adding notes to those words takes some time. But my absolute favorite thing about working with children is how quickly they pick up things and to be able to see real growth from the beginning of each year to the end.
You are a musician inside and out, but what matters to you as you put together and participate in musical events with the parish and abroad?
In addition to wonderful music each week, it’s important to me that each of our services has flow and the music that we select lines up with the scripture lessons from the lectionary. Our hymnal has over 700 hymns, plus we have additional Episcopal music supplements with even more hymns. I try in most every service to be sure that there is a hymn or two that is familiar, as well as try to introduce new hymns and new texts from time to time. Over the past few years, we’ve combined with other choirs from other churches to join in singing a service together. It’s always great to be with fellow musicians who do exactly what we do, every single week, only down the road or across town. It brings us together in a very special and unique way. This coming summer, we’re bringing the GSL Choir to Wells Cathedral, where we will be in residence to sing their daily services. This continues the daily life of the cathedral there while their own choir is away for the summer, and it’s a chance for us to sing some of this music that was written for those enormous, vast, yet stunningly beautiful cathedrals.
How would you rank the words “hope”, “belonging”, and “healing” in terms of how GSL puts them into practice?
1. Belonging – the church as a community is a beautiful thing. There are so many opportunities to be involved and to be surrounded with like-minded people who support what you enjoy – whether it’s choir, a cooking team, or altar guild. It’s beautiful to be in community with all these folks.
2. Hope – Hope is one of the main reasons we come to church, right? To find peace, to find enjoyment, to be challenged, to offer support, to be in community. One of the easiest things in the world to do is to lose hope, so we must be reminded often to keep that hope. Scripture often strings together “faith, hope, and love”, and they do indeed go together very beautifully. We then offer hope to those around us, whether our neighbor sitting in a pew or those who come to church for assistance or for those needing to attend Room in the Inn or More than a Meal.
3. Healing – I’ve worked in a lot of churches, and the one thing they all have in common is that no place is perfect and no one is perfect. We’re all healing from something or someone, and I think the sooner we realize that and offer grace and hospitality to those around us, the better we are inside.
Dr. Patrick A. Scott
(continued)
Many times, we find healing in helping others and being in community through outreach and justice or the food pantry and More than a Meal; sometimes we offer healing to ourselves by sitting quietly in a 5 p.m. Sunday service. Other times, we may find healing in singing the Easter procession hymn at the top of our lungs!
What would you like parishioners to know about you who may not have met you and only seen you in service on Sundays?
I hope it’s obvious: I really do enjoy working in the church, and particularly at GSL. It’s the longest I’ve worked anywhere, and it has fulfilled me beautifully and constantly. If I’m not at church, you’ll likely find me out for a walk, cooking, attending a show at the Orpheum, at a Grizzlies game, or eating in any of Memphis’s fabulous restaurants.
Mr. Sam McDaniel | Assistant Organist-Choirmaster
901-252-6333 | smcdaniel@gracestlukes.org
Welcome to Memphis! How does this city compare to back home, and how are you settling in?
Katie and I have really enjoyed exploring Memphis and all that the city has to offer. We’re both from small Georgia towns, so living in a place where there are so many great restaurants and things to do nearby is a nice change of pace. This fall, we have taken advantage of the weather and spent a lot of time in Memphis’ parks and gardens. Moving into the winter and Christmas season, we’re looking forward to exploring the museums and other arts and music events in the city. We’re also hoping there will be a bit of snow!
Tell us about your background and your connection to music. I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old, and I began singing in my church’s choir from a very young age as well. I’m sure there’s a recording somewhere of me as a boy soprano singing my debut solo of “In the Bleak Midwinter” in the church’s Christmas program! As I got older, I played in my school’s band, sang in school and church choir, and eventually learned to play the organ. One day, while I was in college and trying to decide what direction to take in my life, I attended a choral service at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta. The anthem that day was Hubert Parry’s “Blest Pair of Sirens”. The music and the feeling of so many people singing together was absolutely thrilling, and at that moment I knew that I wanted to pursue sacred music as a profession. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t doing music of some sort, and I love that I get to make and share music with people every day at Grace-St. Luke’s.
Your bookcase in your office is almost maxed out. What are some of your favorite books you brought with you, and how do they inspire you?
I love reading memoirs and biographies of the great musicians of the past. One of my favorite composers is Edward Bairstow, who was the Organist at York Minster during the first half of the 20th century. His last student, Francis Jackson, edited Bairstow’s autobiography and completed the story of Bairstow’s life. This book is a very moving tribute to one of the great musicians in our Anglican/Episcopal musical heritage. I love reading the stories of the people who created our musical heritage, as it reminds me that there is always room to add our own stories and create something that will one day inspire others to do the same.
You’ve been at GSL for less than 6 months. What are you learning about this congregation and the staff here? It is wonderful to be around such a supportive group of people. I always look forward to seeing our clergy-staff team in the office each day and to collaborating in ministry across all our areas. I’ve also found that Grace-St. Luke’s is a “singing congregation.” Whether I’m playing hymns at the organ or singing in procession, it is an amazing ex-
Mr. Sam McDaniel
(continued)
perience to hear so many people raising their voices in song. There is a palpable love and appreciation for music throughout the parish. I really feel that people have welcomed me to Grace-St. Luke’s with open arms, and I anticipate many more joyous years of music to come.
Where do you find joy, and how does it link with your profession?
I’ve always found joy in making music. One of the chief joys of sacred music is sharing a wonderful piece of music with other people during worship. Music can inspire, comfort, heal, and help people in so many ways. Giving people, and, in my position, especially our choristers, the gift of music brings joy to all our lives. As St. Augustine said, “those who sing pray twice”, and I feel so fortunate to assist in enriching our worship and lives through music week after week.
Do you get a sense of hope, belonging, and healing here at GSL?
Staying true to our patron, St. Luke the Physician, I get a wonderful sense of healing here at Grace-St. Luke’s. I love that the GSL community embraces all people, no matter their background, and offers the healing words and love of God to all. By way of this, I also feel a strong sense of hope and belonging at GSL; a hope in new beginnings and new ways of belonging amongst the beloved people of God.
Mr. Anthony Calzia | Director of Children & Family Ministry
901-252-6321 | acalzia@gracestlukes.org
How long have you been at GSL, and what was your first encounter like?
I started at GSL in August 2022. I had been working as a hospital chaplain and part-time Director of Children and Families (CFM) there and was happy to be able to work in parish ministry full-time.
I was struck by the excitement for young families that was evident in every parent and so many parishioners. And when I first started, there were few active kids around! My second Sunday, we had one or two. My first few months were spent wrestling and strategizing around these two paradoxes: 1. the parish’s clear desire and energy to see a community that supported kid and family faith, and 2. the reality that many of those families were not around often.
COVID-19 had caused disruptions to the whole Church’s worship ways and combined with historical trends of declining attendance and how busy modern life can be for families to create, what always exists in some way, a gap between desire and reality or between our dreams and the fact that most of life is mundane. I would add personally, I don’t
think anything is mundane. The poet Gerald Manely Hopkins wrote, “The earth is charged with the grandeur of God.” Parenting, for example, is charged with possibilities, but we think it’s so normal. To parent well is an art; those who do it well are artists on the level of a Mozart or Van Gogh.
So I’d summarize by saying my first impression of GSL was as a place where dreams of God’s beloved community for families were meeting the real challenges of changing cultural and social realities. The question for me was, how shall we adapt? And I think we have! Last week, we had twenty-two children; we sang, studied the Bible, and over a dozen parents met. Messy Church has opened new space for a fresh expression of the Church’s ministry to children.
Working with so many children and their families, has this always been a passion for you? What was your path to this role?
I was not always a Christian or a minister. I was once a child, and my childhood and teens and early adulthood
Mr. Anthony Calzia (continued)
were marked by turmoil, pain, and a lack of caring adults to help guide and teach me. I became a Christian in 2003 and, within a year, began teaching Sunday School, second graders, and serving as a high school counselor. I have always felt strongly that adults must take responsibility for becoming caring, trusting, connected supporters of children. They are some of the most vulnerable. I tell my own kids, 9, 10, and 12, that when they are with another child, even a year younger, they must be ready to help and care. We are all siblings in Christ, and the care of children is a good marker for whether we are healthy as humans, as Christians. So, I think this early experience of abuse and neglect, and my first few years teaching Sunday School, did shape my desire to serve children. For years, every Sunday involved an assistant and I teaching groups of 12-15 second graders, then third graders, the words of Jesus and prayer.
But I did not plan to be in ministry with children as long as I have. I went to seminary and planned first to be a pastor, then a priest, when I was received into TEC in 2015. My move to Memphis put an end to a vocational discernment process that had been a year of challenging prayer and processing the call to ministry. But it is hard to get people to step into the Sunday School room. I find many adults who are great with their own kids and with friends’ kids seem nervous about ministry in the church with children.
I say that to say part of the path to here was simply that I answered the call. From God, yes! But also from numerous staff ministers who asked for volunteers. I have always believed the old saying: “I can’t do everything, I am only one person. I am one person, so I can do something. What I can do I must.” So much of my life has simply been about trying to go where the need is.
I also believe Jesus with all my heart when he takes up a small child and says to the adults in the room, “See this kid? If you want to see the kingdom of God, look closely at them, learn from them. Only children like these get into the kingdom.” Kids were not highly regarded in the society around that time, especially in Roman society. The early Christian movement grew, in part, because of Jesus’ expansive call to the “outsiders.” Some of his most devout followers and leaders were women; he spent time with ‘undesirables,’ and never seemed to think much about it. We forget that children were and sometimes, in many spaces, sadly, many churches, “outsiders.” Even our Episcopal liturgy is hard for kids because adults made it. Thankfully and with much support, Grace-St. Luke’s has striven to be a place where children feel cared for, valued, and seen.
So part of the path is to see Jesus call that the ‘stranger’ be welcomed in the Church, extended to children.
The arts are a big part of your expression and communication; how did you discover this part of you, and what about it do you want to teach the children in your ministry?
Creating–drawing, painting, writing–has been a part of my life since I can remember. I have been writing seriously for twenty years. I started after a great deal of trauma, but it was never fully the trauma. There was in life, in a wasp nest or a mosquito caught in a screen in our open-air patio, so much more than I ever felt (feel) could/can be captured. Long before innocence gave way to experience, there was a plastic spring-mounted brindled grey pony named ‘clip-clop.’ As a kid, clip-clop was my ‘noble steed.’ My devotion both to riding ‘clip-clop,’ and telling stories to my pony was widely known in the family. We did not have a lot of money. My parents were unskilled workers who eventually climbed to the middle of the shrinking middle class in our Southern California neighborhood. But with whatever they were able to use, they bought me those pastel colored Disney books and this ugly maroon set of abridged Reader’s Digest volumes. White Fang, The Red Badge of Courage, Alice…etc., all were companions. These books made storytelling with clip-clop possible. Clip-clop lived a long plastic life until my maniacal younger brother hit him with a baseball bat.
Mr. Anthony Calzia (continued)
Art is the attempt to find the beautiful, good, and true in our reality. All art is made in the crush point between chaos and control. Chaos, absolute freedom is in the spirit of every artist I know. The desire to allow a medium and image or idea to take shape in a medium without any kind of restrictions, save those of truth to reality. But, there is another force always moving the artist toward formal considerations. Control is brought to bear when an artist learns how certain brushes work, how to develop their strikes, or shave wood or write enjambments in poems, etc. I am a chaotic individual and always have been. This may explain the success I have with children; they are agents of chaos. But my faith in the God who ordered the beauty of creation in the Genesis stories, the first chapters of the first book in the Hebrew Scriptures or Christian Old Testament, has shaped me to understand the need to develop skills of control. In my visual artwork, to wrestle with color, form, line, texture, etc. As a writer, to understand meter and how words work together to make poetry beat with the rhythms of our heart or make it skip a beat.
Children are learning words, many to read, and this presents a challenge because so much Christian formation involves words, and I love words. But I incorporate so much art because if it is true to create beauty, goodness, and truth, even with a finger tipped in tempora, is in some way to touch something beyond our reality, then the fingerpainting child engaged in the act of creation is engaged with God! That is complicated, and I don’t explain that to the kids, but it is part of my “philosophy of education and ministry,” something begun in seminary and which I have developed more and more.
I was gratified to have a poem published in the Anglican Theological Review and to be invited by faculty to apply to the Master of Fine Art in Creative Writing at the University of Memphis. I take evening workshops and hope to be a leader in the church and the Memphis community in making art more accessible.
How do you create a space of Hope, Belonging, and Healing working with children?
First, I try to find spaces and ways I can belong, find healing, and grow hopeful personally. The saying, “Wounded people wound people”, is mostly true. Equally true is the maxim, “Healed people, help heal people”. So through art, community organizing and personal justice work, and spiritual direction/therapy, I learn what healing is so that when I am present with children, I am present as a healing presence, rather than passing on whatever harms I might carry.
Second, I know the kids’ names and know most of their parents’ names. Jesus as the Good Shepherd is important for me. The Bible says Jesus is a Good Shepherd, “and the shepherd knows his sheep by name.” So we usually begin children’s chapel with a naming song:
“Jesus, Jesus loves Anthony, yes he does, yes he does, Jesus, Jesus loves Hazel, yes he does, yes he does, Jesus, Jesus loves everyone, yes he does, yes he does, and he wants us to love them too.”
Third, etc. I attempt to remember that every child is an image-bearer of God, made to enjoy life and God forever. I respect children and take what they do seriously. I have been in spaces where children were treated more like luggage to be moved around–and as a parent, I am not free of guilt here–but when I am centered and prayerful and walking in the Spirit, I see children as beings worthy of consideration and care, and teach this way of seeing children to others. I would
A picture from Messy Church: “What is Wealth?” The True Rich’s Community Collage above was a way for children and caring adults to choose images from nature, scenes of family and friendship, and other gifts from God as a way of reminding ourselves that true wealth is found in loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Mr. Anthony Calzia (continued)
add that children and youth are much more capable of participating in the life of the church, and part of our thought-work around the future of ministry must be engaged in inviting children, youth, and parents into decisionmaking and leadership in the church. GSL has already started this. We have children read Scripture and the Prayers of the People and serve as leaders in Children’s Chapel, and we will only be growing these capacities. Children and youth are not only the church of the future, they are the Church now.
Why is it important to you to have Messy Church, and can you explain what this is, and who can participate?
Messy Church started in England as a “Fresh Expression,” a term used to describe a service or ministry that has not been a part of Anglican/Episcopal routines and worship. It started because of a gap between traditional Church of England parishioners and the working classes of England, who, for a host of complicated reasons, were alienated from the life of many of the English Anglican churches. That was part, the class part, but Messy Church also emerged as a way to engage children at their own level.
We have learned a ton about childhood development and the ways kid brains are different and similar to adult brains, and Messy Church is a place shaped not primarily with adult sensibilities, but with children in mind. I think of it like this: A beautifully opulent high church Evensong service, with incense and a full choir–“all the smells and bells” as a liturgy from 10,000 feet, Messy Church is from the ground level, or the eye level of the child. By saying “10,000 feet up,” I do not mean there is any distance between the worshippers and worship, I love certain high masses and regularly attended Evensong in seminary and found God near. But if you analyze the liturgy, if you compare it to how kids learn, their attention spans, their ability to vocalize and understand, a traditional Evensong is not for kids. And that is okay. To quote Hopkins again, “Christ plays in ten thousand places, lovely in limbs not his…” Christ is working all over the Church.
Messy Church is planned and run to maximize the engagement, participation, and understanding of children. So the tactile, kinetic, auditory, visual, and all the elements that help children learn attempt to expand a Bible story or theme. The question is always, how will we make the Bible or an aspect of Christian faith accessible to children? And that is not the full picture. Messy Church is intergenerational, or strives to be.
Intergenerational means that all ages are welcome to come and play and pray. But this has been a struggle. Messy Church trends toward kids 4-11. Our new Youth Director, Marta Lopez-Flohr, is helping engage our youth, and at our last Messy Church, we had many youth as leaders! We would love to see that increase and also to invite “children of all ages from 1-100” to be a part of Messy Church.
What kind of impact do you want to have on the staff and families here at GSL?
I house-sat for an older couple in my early twenties and was not responsible. Luther, the husband, took me out for coffee after he and his spouse, Helen, had returned and shared how hurt he and Helen felt that I had not taken better care while they were away. And he was right to be hurt. I would often come to Luther and Helen’s to watch American Ninja Warrior. Luther was a deacon at the Baptist church I went to, and they were friends. But he loved me and gave me this: “Anthony, when you are responsible for something or someone, leave it or them better than when you found it.”
It reminds me of John Wesley’s maxim, “First, do no harm. Second, do good. Third, stay in love with God.”
I hope that I will leave the ministry at GSL, whenever that time comes, better than I found it. I hope that in my ministry with parishioners and my relationships with staff, I do no harm. In everything I do at GSL, I hope to do good and that my example, faith, and prayers will keep me in love with God and make others want to do the same.
Mrs. Marta Lopez-Flohr | Director of Youth & Family Ministry
901-252-6339 | mlopezflohr@gracestlukes.org
You’ve been a part of GSL for a few months now; what was your first impression, and how does it compare to now?
My first impression of Grace-St. Luke’s was actually made years ago when I was a Girl Scout leader who brought Troop #13778 here to serve at More Than A Meal. Thanks to Dave & Susie Carlson, regular MTAM volunteers, I had a chance to collaborate and see the church in action, and what a great impression was made. Faithful people doing the Lord’s work in serving our neighbors. When I joined the team a few months ago, I’ll admit that I wrestled a bit with imposter syndrome. “I’m not from Central Gardens. Do I have what it takes to work in a place that considers itself High-Church?” After meeting more of the families and feeling the support of the clergy-staff, I felt surrounded again by the shared love of Christ that I had felt years ago. Later, the warm and thoughtful responses I received after my first sermon on October 5th affirmed that feeling even more... reminding me that God calls us to the places where we are meant to be. I’m deeply grateful and even overjoyed that one of those places [for me] is Grace-St. Luke’s.
You show great care in the youth living out their baptismal promises. How does this link to the programming you put together for them?
When you truly believe in the promises made in our Baptismal Covenant, you walk through life with a different sense of purpose and conviction. I want our youth to feel strengthened by their faith and these promises made. In fact, the Baptismal Covenant gave me the courage to try something new recently as a youth director. In my previous setting, as a Latina, I never took time to honor Hispanic Heritage Month. This year, I felt a different calling to do so, particularly because of the anti-immigrant rhetoric in the news. I was able to present a different perspective rooted in faith, community, and shared humanity. I prayed about how to make it meaningful for our youth. I decided to break bread with them in the form of some Latin treats (with my mom’s help), share the story about the life of St. Óscar Romero (a faithful witness who spoke out for justice), and even taught a few Latin dance steps as a joyful act of fellowship.
When I reflected afterward, I realized that what we had done was a living expression of our Baptismal Covenant...we continued in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread; we resisted evil; we loved our neighbors as ourselves; strove for justice and peace among all people, and respected the dignity of every human being.
What is a challenge you’ve faced in your short time here? Have you overcome it? What led to that?
One challenge I’ve noticed in my short time here is how strongly our youth identify with their schools, but not their church. They seem to see themselves first as an Owl, Gryphon, Spartan, Lynx, Turkey, or Purple Wave, or whatever mascot represents their school, before they see themselves as part of this Anglican community. Some are hesitant to attend EYC unless their school friends are there, and that saddens me because I want each young person to feel confident, loved, and affirmed in this space.
I want our youth (and their families) to truly feel the sense of belonging expressed in our mission statement. If they did, I believe they’d feel comfortable showing up on their own, knowing they are part of something larger and deeply rooted in faith. I recognize that relationship building takes time, and one way I hope to address this challenge is by grounding our ministry in the Anglican Communion’s Five Marks of Mission. This moves our faith into action, and I love how it’s summed up through the “Five Ts”:
Mrs. Marta Lopez-Flohr (continued)
Tell – Proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. Teach – Baptize and nurture new believers. Tend – Respond to human need with loving kindness. Transform – Challenge and change unjust systems in society. Treasure – Safeguard the integrity of creation.
Each of these connects directly to the promises we make in our Baptismal Covenant. When we Tell, we continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. When we Teach, we strengthen others in faith and nurture discipleship. When we Tend, we serve Christ in all persons and love our neighbors as ourselves. When we Transform, we strive for justice and peace among all people. When we Treasure, we respect the dignity of every human being and care for the world God made.
It’s my hope that helping youth and families see this connection will create that sense of security and belonging. It may even result in a blueprint for how we want a young person to grow up living their faith. We’re not only talking about what we believe, but how we live it out together.
Who is Marta?
I am a perfectly imperfect beloved child of God.
How does your past as a teacher support your role at GSL?
I’m incredibly grateful for my years of teaching experience because they shape so much of how I approach ministry. I tend to view youth group time through the lens of relationship building and classroom management. It is crucial to create a safe, structured environment where every young person feels seen and valued. I also recognize how vital communication with parents can be. Establishing those strong lines of connection helps ensure we’re all working together to nurture each child’s faith journey.
Beyond logistics, teaching forces you to remain present. You must meet students where they are, in order to establish a genuine relationship with them. Tweens & teens can smell phony. When we connect with them, we have to engage in different learning styles. Why else in the world would I be willing to embarrass myself trying a viral Tik Tok dance? I’m perfectly flawed with this dance, but I’m doing it anyway to model how we have to step outside of our comfort zones. My goal in the end is to create lessons and experiences that spark curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of how faith shows up in everyday life.
Have you always wanted to be in a ministry role, or did it find you? What motivates you in the work you lead? This is such a fun question to answer! When I taught professional development at the University of Memphis, I often demonstrated a Values, Interests & Personality platform for my students. Without fail, my top five recommended careers always included Clergy, Professor/Teacher, Event Planner, Academic Advisor, and Parks & Recreation Director. I used to laugh out loud and tell my students to disregard the clergy suggestion, saying, “I think this platform is great, but I have no idea where that clergy stuff is coming from!”
Now here I am, in a ministry role that somehow combines all of those jobs. I teach, plan events, advise, nurture growth, and help create spaces for joy and belonging. It’s more than coincidence; I truly believe God was planting seeds all along. One of my CliftonStrengths is Developer, and I see that as a gift for this work. I love recognizing the potential in young people and helping them grow in confidence, faith, and leadership. Watching them discover that their voice and presence matter in the life of the church is what keeps me motivated every day.
Of the three words “hope”, “belonging”, and “healing”, do any of them stand out to you as the Director of
Mrs. Marta Lopez-Flohr (continued)
Youth & Family Ministry? If so, how? Do they “fit” with what is happening/on track to happen in your program and connection?
Shortly after accepting the position, I prayed on a one-word theme for my first year, and it was belonging. I asked God to reinforce my sense of belonging with this new denomination and to use me to create a sense of belonging for our youth. I put the words “YOU BELONG HERE” on a bulletin board leading to the basement, both for myself and others. I even shared this word with our adult EYC Advisory Team, so the fact that it appears as an option in your question makes me feel that the Holy Spirit is at work!
As I grow alongside the youth in this ministry, I see belonging taking root in small but powerful ways; a parent inviting me to cheer on a youth at a swim meet; a kid waving at me just before the school play starts; a shy tween being willing to help me take down Halloween decorations in our shared space; the activity on our EYC Adult Group Chat; a youth inviting their friend to visit EYC time. I believe that this foundation of belonging has the power to nurture healing and hope, not just at EYC but in our entire church community.
Have you begun to see the impact of your efforts in this short time?
In addition to changes in our physical youth space, the feedback received from the EYC Advisory Team from parents is promising. I’m so grateful to have them as a sounding board and as supporters in this ministry work. They have shared that folks are pleased by the consistency of activities thus far, and with the level of communication taking place. I think some are a bit surprised by all that so much planning is in progress from the “Light The Night” LockIn in January, to participating in Diocesan Happening, our projected youth summer trips, and the launch of our Shoe-Drive Fundraiser in January to support travel expenses for said trips. We are off to a strong start.
How would you encourage parents to support/motivate their children to join your activities?
If your tween or teen says they’re “not interested,” don’t give up just yet. Sometimes they just need a little time, a little nudging, and a clear reminder that EYC is always an option. Encourage them to give it a chance. And if nerves are the big hurdle, suggest that they bring a friend. Don’t have a friend available? No worries… Our kids are great at welcoming new faces. One thing you should know: I’m relentless, but in a good way. I don’t give up on trying new things until we find what makes youth light up. If there’s something you think we should try, email or text me. Truly. That’s how Taco Tuesday was born; a high schooler said they wanted some high school–only fellowship time, so now we meet at a taco shop in Cooper-Young. Sometimes the best ideas come straight from the youth (or their grown-ups).
Shoe Drive Fundraiser: January 4 – Good Friday (April 3)
Our Youth Group is excited to launch a community-wide Shoe Drive Fundraiser! From January 4th through Good Friday, April 3rd, we invite you to bring in any gently worn, new, or used shoes you no longer need. We are partnering with Funds2Orgs, a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to groups like ours in exchange for collected footwear. For every pound of shoes we gather, Funds2Orgs donates money directly toward our mission trip...so every pair makes a difference! Please deposit your unwanted shoes in any of the collection bins that you’ll find around GSL.
Ms. Christi Authement | Recreation & Wellness Director
901-252-6325 | cauthement@gracestlukes.org
You have been at GSL leading the Recreation & Wellness since... the 1990s?? What keeps you here? I love coordinating, multi-tasking, people, and building relationships, movement, being active, the outdoors, helping people have the best quality of life possible, and MOST DEFINITELY BEING CREATIVE AND HAVING FUN!!! All of these things are incorporated in my work here at GSL Church.
Tell me about your role and what inspires you year after year?
Under Recreation, I oversee all aspects of the youth sports programs from Junior Kindergarten through 4th grade. This includes the sports registration process, recruiting volunteer coaches, player evaluations, dividing teams, ordering uniforms, photos, and trophies, field and gym maintenance, managing coaches, advertising and promotion of all programs, overseeing the GSL Church Recreation Committee Members, being on-site for field and gym games, keeping the mission of church recreation sports versus competitive sports, representing GSL at league functions, being a good listener, communicator and leader to parents, coaches, and players. Under Wellness and Fitness, I coordinate, oversee, supervise, and promote all aspects of the Wellness and Fitness activities, programs, and events. This is where I get to be creative and have a little fun. Our mission is to seek and improve the health and wellbeing of our community by offering a range of fitness and wellness programs that are open to all, such as Yoga, Pilates, 60+ Adult Fitness classes, speakers on topics such as, “How to Care for Your Aging Loved Ones”, Memphis Redbirds games, Enneagram Workshops, Self-Defense and CPR/AED/First-Aid courses, Kayak trips, outings to art exhibits, Theater Memphis plays, Seize the Clay activities, 5K Runs, and cooking classes, etc.
What inspires me year after year is to see the fruits of my labor. I can see this immediately when the children are in their uniforms, on the field, playing a sport they’ve just learned (or improved on) from our volunteer coaches. I also see the fruits of my labor when I see previous year’s sports participants return with their children to participate in the GSL Church sports programs. It comes full circle, so I must be doing something right.
What are you proud of that you’ve been able to accomplish, and that you’ve noticed in your committees, coaches, players, parents, etc.?
I’m proud that over all these years I’ve been able to oversee a (at times very challenging) department and have earned a reputation of being a fair, firm, good Athletic Director, who runs a vibrant, healthy, and thriving sports program. I’ve noticed that my committee members are very supportive and really want to make decisions that are in the best interest of the programs as a whole, and not per individual participant. Our sports programs include approximately 600 annual participants, so the best interest of these programs needs to be in constant check. All our coaches and committee members are diversely gifted, and I’ve learned a great deal from their life experiences, professions, and character. They each bring something new, fresh, and different to the table. They constantly inspire me with their dedication and commitment, ESPECIALLY the coaches who work hands-on with the parents and players at practices and games. This is not my greatest gift! This is why I am the COORDINATOR and not the coach. It takes the patience of Job, and I am inspired by them.
Is there anything you enjoy more than sports?
Yes, I love working with animals, at-risk youth, folks who are justice-involved, folks in recovery, digging deeper into my Christian faith, and teaching others to fish, and NOT fish for them.
Ms. Christi Authement (continued)
Tell us about yourself!
I was raised watching my father literally give others the shirt off his back and really take an interest in people, especially those who were less fortunate and had more challenges than the average person (he was always a cheerleader for the underdog), while creating an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment for ALL. I learned early on how important people and relationships are, and how to love others. I also learned about giving others grace (didn’t know it was called this at the time) and helping them have a better quality of life. I saw my father hire justice-involved persons at his businesses and offer them two chances when others did not. So, it was not surprising that I earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. Fast-forward: Because I was raised in an environment of helping others having fun (there were MANY parties and celebrations coordinated and thrown at home and elsewhere), it was a natural progression that I work with people, coordinate programs and events that help them have a better quality of life, while creating an atmosphere of fun and celebration. So, here I am, almost 30 years later, doing this very thing for the GSL Church and the greater community!
If you’re not on the field or on the courts, where would we find you?
At the park walking and taking in nature, at a 12-step meeting, eating lunch/dinner with friends, getting a massage, in my den doing African and Latin Dance, yoga, going to see my friends play music, at home having coffee and watching and playing with my cats for hours, at the movie theater, watching horror movies, watching REAL crime documentaries, and reading Christian, spiritual, and inspirational books.
Can you tell me about how this department was when you were first a part of it and how it’s grown today?
For years, this department was recreation only and was previously a part-time position. In 1997, the church decided to hire a full-time person; hence, I was hired. Part of my job was overseeing youth recreation, and the other part was overseeing the fellowship programs. Over the years, the recreation department grew into a very large program, consisting of more non-GSL Church/School participants and participants from the Greater Memphis area. After Covid, GSL Church Leadership believed wellness/fitness programs needed to be added to the recreation department. So, we added wellness and fitness, and I was no longer a part of the fellowship programs.
Have there been challenges you’ve had to overcome in this role?
For sure. The majority of people I work with are parent volunteer coaches. This can be challenging. Some of the challenges are not having volunteers step up to coach, not wanting to ask too much from them, having boundaries around their role, and holding them accountable. We’ve rarely had a parent not step up to volunteer, and we’ve always provided seasonal sports, so it always works out. Another challenge can be coaches getting more competitive over the years and me having to be firm and keep with our sports mission. Our sports mission supports participants learning sports fundamentals in a Christian environment, following league rules, providing players with meaningful playing time, balancing teams equally with player ability, and all are welcome to play. Sometimes coaches have tunnel vision with their players, teams, and being a bit competitive when it comes to church recreational sports. We are human, coaches are competitive, but it’s up to our recreation committee and me to keep within the guidelines of our sports’ mission.
GSL emphasizes Hope, Belonging, and Healing; I’m curious as to how this takes shape when working with young people who may not be affiliated with GSL or another church.
Belonging comes to mind first. Our coach’s information (that has a section on expectations) states that the coaches, parents, and players provide an atmosphere for ALL to feel welcome in our sports programs. We have more and more participants and families who are not part of the GSL Community. They
Ms. Christi Authement
(continued)
play in our sports programs because they might be close in proximity to our church or they have heard good things about our programs. Over the years, I’ve witnessed non-GSL Community folks get plugged in to our community. Many joined GSL Church (not sure if they were affiliated with another church before participating in our sports programs), and many children enrolled in GSL School. I absolutely expect a “welcoming” environment from my coaches, parents, and players. There have been times over the years when my coaches have had to have meetings with parents and players about this issue, and players were held accountable by having less sports playing time (or no playing time) if they were being non-welcoming and non-hospitable to others. As far as hope and healing. I see hope and healing many times with our youth participants (in or not in the GSL community) who may not be the best athletes or are more challenged with being socially accepted by their peers. They may be hesitant to attempt to play a “team” sport. This absolutely stretches their boundaries and requires courage, resilience, and working with others. In taking a risk, they make new friends, break boundaries of their perceived limitations, and their self-esteem soars. I know there is healing that comes along with this experience. Healing from self-criticism, self-pity, and fear, etc. I’ve seen teams be so supportive of a teammate who’s struggled on the team when they make their first basket, goal, base run, or tackle in the entire season. I’ve seen their teammates, and parents in the bleachers, stand up and cheer. To me, this is hope and healing in action.
Mr. Chris Swenson |
Facilities Manager
901-252-6335 | cswenson@gracestlukes.org
What about this church building have you discovered as it relates to your interests and findings?
Researching and learning about this building’s history has always inspired me to look for opportunities to become more deeply connected with it. I have a personal interest in maintaining and preserving beautiful, old, historically significant structures, so my work here aligns perfectly with this interest. Perhaps the most fascinating things I have discovered during my time here are two time capsules that are still sealed and wedged between floor joists directly under the west transept. We located them during the extreme cold snap in January 2024, when we were repairing numerous freeze ruptures in our closed chilled water loop system.
There’s a catacomb here; were you impressed by the history within the walls?
A former rector chose to be interred directly under the altar in the chapel. The only other areas that resemble what one might consider to be catacombs in the traditional sense are accessible through the maintenance room in the basement. But the only artifacts or historically significant items stored there are the Chrismon ornaments and creche that have been part of holiday tradition at GSL for many decades. I have been most impressed by the parish archives, which tell the story and reveal a historical timeline that includes the original construction groundbreaking ceremony, the additions of all school buildings, the evolution of an old gymnasium and auditorium into what is now Trezevant Hall, multiple nave renovations, and even some construction plans that apparently never saw the light of day.
Mr. Chris Swenson (continued)
What is something you have grown to love in your time here?
I love that there is never a dull moment around here. I love having the opportunity every day to collaborate with and provide support to this amazing and talented clergy-staff and all the dedicated volunteers who do meaningful outreach ministry work here.
How long have you been working at GSL, and what motivates you to say yes to the job each day?
My time at GSL began on May 22nd, 2023. But my connections with many of the parishioners date back more than 30 years. I think what motivates me most to say yes is the variety of projects and tasks I get to lead here every day.
With a schedule that fluctuates based on the needs of the church, what programs, events, changes, etc., do you look forward to here?
Having only been here for about 2.5 years, I’m still finding my rhythm in terms of parish traditions and the liturgical calendar. I think GSL music programming is top-notch, so the Memphis Jazz Workshop performances, choir concerts, Luna Nova, the Christmas Eve service, and producing the weekly rector’s forum and Eucharist livestreams are all among my favorite events to attend and support.
Do you have other interests or skills that you’ve been able to plug in here?
Throughout my professional career, I have very intentionally chosen to pursue work that incorporates my personal interests and the skills I have developed over decades of working in broadcast and music production environments, being a semi-professional performing musician, small business proprietorship, and building and systems engineering. I also have a genuine interest in Memphis culture and history, which has led to thoroughly researching the early origins of Grace Church, St. Luke’s, and the 1940 merging of the two parishes.
Mr. James Plopa | Facilities Assistant 901-272-7425 | jplopa@gracestlukes.org
What about this church building have you discovered as it relates to your interests and findings?
I really enjoy the older architecture, the stained glass as well as the old pews, and the 100+ years of service behind them! Cleaning, maintaining, and repairing them is very rewarding!
There’s a catacomb here; were you impressed by the history within the walls?
Yes, I was made aware of the catacomb and our resident within. I wasn’t too shocked, but I was a little surprised! The history is quite fascinating, and I was also surprised that our stained glass is insured for a sum too.
How long have you been working at GSL, and what motivates you to say yes to the job each day?
I came to work for GSL in February 2025, and I say yes to the job every day for the simple reason that I believe in the mission, the servants, and the message of this place.
With a schedule that fluctuates based on the needs of the church, what programs, events, changes, do you look forward to here?
As to the schedule, I look forward to each passing season as they all have their individual challenges and rewards- some are filled with maintenance, others more cleaning, it just depends on the event and the time of year.
Do you have other interests or skills that you’ve been able plug in here?
I play music as a hobby and I’m able to sit in sometimes with the music acts that come through the church, it really makes me feel part of it!
RECREATION
Spring Sports Information
SPRING SOCCER 2026
WHAT TO EXPECT CHECKLIST
1) SPRING SOCCER REGISTRATION IS: January 1-31. TEAM ASSIGNMENTS: are made with every effort to keep the “previous” GSL Church Fall soccer teams together (they will play on the same team for one year, Fall & Spring).
2) PRACTICES: may begin in March and are held at Tobey and GSL Fields. Soccer Coaches generally have one to two weekly pre-season practices. Please contact Athletic Director Christi Authement if you have not heard from a coach by March 1st.
3) SEASON BEGINS: April 11. Games are on Saturday mornings and afternoons and held at GSL and away fields. Game schedules will be ready mid-March. We play in the ESCRA League, and soccer information may be found on the ESCRA website: http://escrasports.org/sports/soccer/.
4) SOCCER UNIFORMS: are provided by GSL (jersey and shorts). Players will provide their own RED soccer socks. Uniforms are distributed by the coaches before the season begins.
5) GSL RECYCLES UNIFORMS: each year to keep the replacement costs low. Please return your uniform to your coach at the end of the season or place in the announced Uniform Drop Box.
6) SPRING SOCCER is an extended season. Our main season is in the Fall, so, team photos and trophies are not provided during this season.
PLEASE LOOK AT OUR GSL ATHLETICS WEBSITE UNDER YOUTH AND SPORTS FOR CURRENT INFORMATION! http://www.gracestlukes.org/youth-sports/
If you have any questions, please contact Christi Authement at 901-825-7353, 901-252-6325, or email Christi at cauthement@gracestlukes.org.
BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, & T-BALL 2026 WHAT TO EXPECT TOP 10 CHECKLIST
1) BASEBALL REGISTRATION IS: FEB 1-28. TEAM ASSIGNMENTS are made according to an individual’s grade and ability, with an effort to make the teams as even as possible.
2) By tradition, recreational league coaches are VOLUNTEER PARENT COACHES. If needed, we make every effort to equip coaches with knowledge and assistance to provide quality coaching.
3) PRACTICES may begin at the end of March and are held at GSL and Tobey Fields. Coaches generally have one/two weekly pre-season practices and typically drop one when the season begins. Please contact Christi Authement at 901-825-7353 if you have not heard from your coach by March 27.
4) COACHES EXPECTATIONS: as part of the commitment to play in our sports programs, coaches expect players to make practices and games a priority and be on time for both. Playing for a team is not only an individual commitment but also a team commitment. Coaches may want to have a “Parent Meeting/Email” at the beginning of the season to discuss the expectations of coaches and parents and to review team rules, etc.
*IMPORTANT: Parents, please advise your coaches about your summer vacation plans. This will affect team planning.
5) The SEASON is April 20-May 24. There are two games per week (Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday rotation) at 5:15/30 p.m. or 6:15/6:30/45 p.m. Game Schedules will be available by mid-April. GSL Home games are at GSL Field (2233 Harbert Avenue).
6) TEAM PHOTOS - at GSL Field, time TBA. Rain-out location is in the GSL Gym. Photos will be distributed by the coaches at the end of the season.
7) UNIFORMS are provided by GSL and will be distributed by the coaches to the players a week before the season begins. Uniforms MUST be returned to the coaches at the end of the season or dropped off in the Uniform Drop Box-date TBA.
8) GSL RECYCLES UNIFORMS each year to keep the uniform replacement costs low. We ask that players return the baseball/ softball/t-ball pants, jerseys, and belts (players may keep their socks and hats/visors.
9) TROPHIES are provided by GSL. Coaches will distribute the trophies at the end of the season.
10) Many teams have an END OF THE YEAR PARTY, which is organized by the parents. This is a great opportunity for coaches to distribute pictures, trophies and collect uniforms!
*Baseball and Softball ASSESSMENT is FOR 1st-4th GRADES ONLY. DATE: March 22rd - Times TBA.*
WELLNESS
Artisan extraordinaire Kristi Ductkworth has been creating mosaics for over 23 years and she is teaching a course at GSL on Tuesday and Thursday, January 27 and 29. Participants ages 7+ will learn the art of mosaics with easy cut stone-like tiles, creating their own 6”x6” design, and can choose from several designs or create their own template. Kristi will help all finish the designs and the final result is a beautiful work of art!
Registration deadline: Friday, January 23rd at midnight
Limit of 15 participants
2. Trip to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Exhibit: “Remembering the Memphis College of Art 1936-2020: An Enduring Legacy”
For eighty-four years, the Memphis College of Art offered a rigorous arts education to students from across the country and around the world. Through this exhibition of ninety faculty, administrators, and graduates who represent the diversity associated with the institution, “Remembering the Memphis College of Art, 19362020” highlights the school’s success in educating and fostering artists. Featured are ninety works across a range of media spanning the school’s history and is organized into groupings of faculty and their students. The exhibition is an opportunity to reflect on the historical impact of the college as well as celebrate its continued legacy regionally and beyond.
Registration deadline: Friday, February 20th at 4:30 p.m.
3. Go Ape Treetop Adventure at Shelby Farms Park
Join us for a Treetop Adventure at Shelby Farms Park on Sunday, March 29th at 3 p.m. This is the ultimate aerial experience, offering a thrilling journey through the forest canopy. This is a 2–3-hour adventure (time depends on how long it takes for you to do the courses). This adventure offers heart-pounding ziplines, challenging obstacle course rope crossings, and exhilarating Tarzan swings, all set high above the ground in the forest canopy. This is perfect for thrillseekers and nature lovers alike. It’s an unforgettable way to explore the treetops, push your limits, and make enjoyable connections. Get ready to embrace the excitement and create lasting memories in this
one-of-a-kind outdoor adventure.
Where: Shelby Farms Park at the Treetop Adventure area (next to the playground), 6903 Great View Drive North, Memphis, TN 38134
When: Sunday, March 29th at 3 p.m. Please arrive 15 minutes early to get signed up, gear on, etc.
Register at: https://tinyurl.com/GSLGoApe2026
Cost: $40
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, March 25th at 4:30 p.m.
• Required Age: 10 yrs. and older and must be at least 4.7 inches tall.
• 1 adult per every two children 10-15 yrs. of age.
• Ropes Course Guides will help participants gear-up and provide course instructions.
If you have any questions, please contact Christi Authement at 901-825-7353, 901-252-6325, or email Christi at cauthement@gracestlukes.org.
Inquirer-Confirmation Retreats for Adults and Youth
(6th grade & older):
Saturday, February 7, 8:30 a.m. to Noon (Part 1)
Sunday, February 8, 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Part II)
Saturday, February 21, 8:30 a.m. to Noon (Part 1) Sunday, February 22, 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Part II)
Learn more and register today at gracestlukes.org/inquirers-classes
Mosaic Classes
NEWS FROM GSL SCHOOL
How did fall go by so fast? We are eagerly anticipating our annual Grandparents’ Day event on November 25, when we hold not one, but TWO special chapel services – with the help of the church’s clergy and staff – to welcome all the grandparents and special friends who join us to celebrate Thanksgiving. This day brings hundreds of guests to campus to visit grandchildren’s classrooms and enjoy a beautiful service, as we all reflect on the blessings of family and community. We have so much to be thankful for, and we are so grateful for the church’s help in making this day such a special one every year.
We are also grateful for a number of accomplishments on the school front this fall. We finalized important construction projects that will help ensure our school’s security and sustainability for years to come, with the completion of new first grade classrooms as well as beautiful brick enclosure walls for our playground spaces. We’ve heard members of our 8th Grade Class of 2026 deliver eloquent speeches in All-School Chapel as part of our annual Chapel Talk series. We won two important honors in “Memphis Parent” magazine’s annual Family Choice Awards: First Place in the Independent/Private School category and First Place in After School Care Programs! We also wrapped up an incredible first trimester and are eagerly looking forward to the Christmas season and the new year.
Special shout-out to our fifth graders, who work hard every year organizing and promoting a school-wide food drive to help those in need. This
is underway at the time of this writing. Thousands of food items are collected annually from our generous community, and this year it will all go to Grace-St. Luke’s Church’s food pantry. We are so happy to help support this important outreach mission.
Please also know that all are welcome to attend our fourth annual Lower School Advent/Christmas Evening Chapel on Thursday, December 18, at 6 p.m. in the Church. We invite you to join us and see our Lower Schoolers help perform and lead this beautiful service. Other upcoming school events are also listed at right.
Finally, on the admissions front, we continue touring and welcoming prospective families who are beginning the decision-making process about their children’s educational journey. We cannot emphasize enough how important your positive word-of-mouth is to us! We all agree that an educational experience rooted in the Episcopal tradition is impossible to beat, and GSL’s (award-winning!) program is outstanding at creating kindhearted and enthusiastic lifelong learners! Please direct any inquiries to Head of School Andy Surber or Director of Admissions Shelly McGuire at 901-278-0200, or visit gslschool.org/ admissions
We are grateful for the many parishioner families who choose GSL School for their children’s journey, and we look forward to being with you all this Advent season and in the coming year!
Upcoming Events & School Holidays
November 14-December 12
Fifth Grade’s Annual Schoolwide Food Drive, Benefiting the Grace-St. Luke’s Church Food Pantry
December 18
Lower School Advent/Christmas Evening Chapel, 6 p.m., Grace-St. Luke’s Church
December 22-January 5 Christmas Holidays, No School
January 6 Classes Resume
January 16
Re-Enrollment Agreements Available to Families
January 19
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No School
January 30
Parent-Teacher Conferences, No School
January 30
4th-8th Grade Sweetheart Dance, 7 p.m., Anchor Center
February 1
Re-Enrollment Agreements Due
February 5
Black History Month Special All-School Chapel Service
February 7
4th-8th Son-Day Fun Day Event, 5 p.m., Anchor Center
February 13
New Student Enrollment Agreements Emailed
February 16
Presidents’ Day, No School
February 18-20
Annual 8th Grade Internships
February 23-27
Fourth Annual Celebration of Giving Week at GSL
Church
March 1
New Student Enrollment Agreements Due
clergy and staff held an Opening Convocation service for the entire Saints community in the Saints Gym in August. From left, Dr. Patrick Scott, Chapman Morrow, Anthony Calzia, Father Jesse Abell, Father Ollie Rencher, Abby Huber, Marta Lopez-Flohr, and Sam McDaniel
DISCOVER JANUARY
HISTORICAL NOTES
A Century of Feeding the Hungry
By Murray McKay, GSL History Team
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” - Matthew 25:35
Like all Christians (and Southerners), the ladies of Grace-St. Luke’s Church, and Grace and St. Luke’s Churches before it, have a long tradition of putting good food in front of all comers. In addition to providing nourishment, eating together creates bonds of community, understanding, and love.
From time to time, the ladies of the church have published cookbooks containing favorite recipes.
Following a fire that destroyed the Grace Church building in 1893 (1), the ladies of Grace Church started raising funds to build new church buildings at Vance and Lauderdale. Among their fundraising activities was the publication and sale of “The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Collection of Tested Recipes for the preparation of Daily and Occasional Dishes” (2). This book includes both recipes and general housekeeping advice.
In 1949, following the merger of Grace Church and St. Luke’s Church, the women of GraceSt. Luke’s Church undertook various projects as part of a community building exercise to bring the two congregations together (3). One of these projects was to compile a “Cookbook
Dr. Jeff Jackson
MARCH
of Autographed Recipes” (4).
In the Grace-St. Luke’s Archives, we ran across “Grace-St. Luke’s Soup Kitchen Tips and Recipes!”, dating from 1987 (5). This was a more limited document: it was intended to assist novice soup kitchen cooks in planning, purchasing, and cooking meals for the soup kitchen.
All of these documents can be found in a folder accessed using the QR code to the right (https://tinyurl.com/GSLRecipeBooks).
As a comparison, all three of these books have a recipe for Chili, although exactly what they mean by Chili has changed a bit over the years – in the past, it was more of a sauce than a main dish.
“The Housekeeper’s Friend” has a simple recipe that does not give a lot of process detail and does not use modern measures.
The “Cookbook of Autographed Recipes” goes into considerably more process detail, and uses more modern measurements.
The “Soup Kitchen Tips and Recipes!” has a more modern concept of Chili, including both meat and beans.
The older recipes are centered around tomatoes, peppers, and vinegar. The later recipe replaces tomatoes with canned tomato juice and peppers with chili powder.
1 “Drink and Disgrace”, The Memphis Commercial, Nov. 17, 1893, pg. 5, columns 1 - 3
2 The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Collection of Tested Recipes for the preparation of Daily and Occasional Dishes, compiled by the Guild of the Holy Name (Woman’s Guild) of Grace Church, Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis, Tenn., Degaris printing co, 1897) https://hdl.handle.net/2027/loc.ark:/13960/t8gf13d95
3 Edith Heller, Interview with History Team, July 27, 2025 4 Cookbook of Autographed Recipes, Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Memphis, Tennessee 1949, ccompiled by the ladies of Grace-St. Luke’s Church (Grace-St. Luke’s Church, Memphis, TN, 1949) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_J4Sdvx-QAmMUqTgfQTFklZ430lfcMfV/view?usp=drive_link 5 Grace-St. Luke’s Soup Kitchen Tips and Recipes!, compiled by Bridget Moore, June 1987 (Grace-St. Luke’s Church, Memphis, TN, 1987) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1czQe5nT1utqnmqfWi_gPuRSW99TTU2Tx/view?usp=drive_link
APRIL
Community Engagement Meetings
Outreach Committee Meetings, 1 p.m. in the Lounge: January 8, February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7
MICAH Core Meetings, 6 p.m. in the Lounge: January 14, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13
WEDNESDAY CLASSES, 6-7 p.m.
January-March & Beyond
Learn more & sign up: gracestlukes.org/small-groups
January 7, 14, 21 – The Rev. Dr. Jesse W. Abell
January 28, February 4, 11 – Dr. Mitzi Minor
February 25 & March 4 – The Rev. Ollie V. Rencher
March 11, 18, 25 – Dr. Dan Pigg
Youth & Children events on back page
HOLY WEEK, & EASTER
February 17: Shrove Tuesday Festival - 5:30-7:30 p.m.
February 18: Ash Wednesday - 7 a.m., 8:05 a.m. (GSL School Chapel only), Noon, 6:30 p.m.
March 29: Sunday of the Passion - Palm Sunday - 8 and 10:30 a.m.; 5 p.m. Holy Week Lessons & Carols
April 1: Wednesday in Holy Week - Noon, Holy Eucharist
April 2: Maundy Thursday - 6:30 p.m. followed by Overnight Vigil
April 3: Good Friday - 7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer, Noon Solemn Liturgy
April 4: The Great Vigil of Easter - 7 p.m.
April 5: Sunday of the Resurrection - Easter Day - 8 and 10:30 a.m. (No 5 p.m.)
Youth & Children events on back page
During the MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope) Jazz Soirée and Fundraiser on November 9, Dawn Currica received MICAH Leader of the Year and Murray McKay received MICAH Sower of Justice.
MICAH’s Mission Statement: Equipping people of faith and goodwill to organize communities for systemic change through collective action.
Grace-St. Luke’s food pantry is more than shelves stocked with canned goods and freezers stocked with prepared meals. It’s a lifeline for individuals and families in our community. Every prepared meal and bag of groceries we share with those in need represents hope, dignity, and Christ’s love in action. Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ face difficult decisions between paying their bills and buying food. Your support helps to ease this burden.
When you donate food, money, or volunteer your time, you help share God’s love and blessings with others. While our pantry helps to meet one’s physical need for nourishment, it also opens doors for encouragement and connection. Together, we can work to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry and every person who walks through our doors feels respected, valued, and cared for.
If you are interested in providing food and funds or volunteering to cook on a cooking team, lead a cooking team, and/or distribute meals to Church Health patrons and groceries to those in need, please reach out to Congregational Life Associate & Assistant to the Rector Abby Huber (ahuber@gracestlukes.org) or Jerry Hudson through Realm (tinyurl. com/RealmJerryHudson). We look forward to hearing from you!
–Submitted by Amy Hudson
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
JUSTICE + OUTREACH
Congratulations to two GSL members on receiving MICAH awards in November!
CHILDREN & FAMILY MINISTRY
Introducing the Children and Family Advisory and Ministry Team (CFAMT)
It is with joy we introduce and celebrate the beginning of a new team of parents who will help advise and serve as leaders within Children and Family Ministry (CFM). In the Book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul describes the work of priests as “equipping the saints for the work of ministry”. Ministry is the work of the whole Church, and bishops, priests, and deacons have a special responsibility and role in helping give every parishioner the knowledge, practices, and other tools to be effective ministers in our parish and beyond. The following parents have been engaging CFM and are working with Director of Children and Family Ministry Anthony Calzia to continue to build Grace-St. Luke’s ministry among families with young children:
• Price Peacock
• Elizabeth Warren
• Catherine and Ryan Knoll
We offer thanks and prayers for their ministry!
“Everliving God, strengthen and sustain the ministers of this congregation, lay and ordained, that they may faithfully follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ, proclaiming in word and deed the good news of your reign of justice and love, especially we pray for all who give their talents and time to the children of our parish; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
- Diocese of Georgia, adapted from prayer on BCP p. 560 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
January 25 March 1
Check out gracestlukes.org/messy-church for updates!
YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY
For more information, visit gracestlukes.org/youth-formation
Diocesan Feast of Lights Epiphany Service Sunday, January 4 from 5–7 p.m. St. Columba Episcopal Camp & Retreat Center, 4577 Billy Maher Road, Memphis, TN 38135
All are invited to join us for this year’s Feast of Lights Epiphany Service, a beloved tradition now in a new setting at St. Columba. This family-friendly outdoor worship service celebrates the revealing of Christ’s light to the world and will include youth lectors, a carol sing, and the commissioning of our new Diocesan Youth Council members.
Following the service, gather around the bonfire for refreshments and fellowship as we welcome the Epiphany season together.
Bundle up, bring your friends, and come share the light!
The Diocese of West Tennessee Happening #76 Friday, Feb. 13-15 starting at 8 p.m. St. Columba Episcopal Camp & Retreat Center, 4577 Billy Maher Road, Memphis, TN 38135
Happening is a Christian experience presented by youth for youth with the help of clergy and lay adult leadership. This experience seeks to bring young people and adults to a fuller personal knowledge of and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to a deeper level of apostleship. It is a weekend of fellowship, games, and fun! Any student in 9th-12th grade may attend Happening. Our very own Father Ollie will serve as on-site clergy.
The deadline to register for Happening #76 is Friday, February 6: https:// docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6eBoD4rBOuUlgxIFVUnxVxzH4ko rwVhCyy_bKiYzyCgykNQ/viewform
Honoraria
To Friends of Music in honor of Mary & Jon McCalla’s 50th wedding anniversary by Jane & Mackie Gober
In honor of Mary & Jon McCalla’s 50th wedding anniversary by Janice & Charles Pazar, David Brown
In honor of Betty & George Johnson’s 50th wedding anniversary
To Friends of Music in honor of Bruce Williams by the Barton & Melton families
In honor of Sidney Hickey on her birthday by Jane & Bruce Williams, Dennis Higdon
Elizabeth Whitlock Haynes
Cynthia McElhaney
Barbara Condra King
Ruthie Lentz
Cissy & Waldrup Brown
Barney Rolfes
Jan & Bliss Hicky
Elise Stratton
Bond & Jim Moore
Betty & Jack Moore
Barbara & Buddy Adams
Huey Holden
Bond & Jim Moore
John Griffin
Amy & Jerry Hudson
Alice & Matt Crow
Sidney & David Hickey
2025 Memorials and Honoraria
Memorials
Clarence Lynn Strickland, Jr.
Ann Pate
Chapman & Mary Chapman Morrow
Ruth Lentz
Lucy Owens
Alice & Matt Crow
Cissy & Waldrup Brown
Donna Valenski
Edith & Bob Heller
Sidney & David Hickey
Lynn Strickland, Mary Elizabeth Partin, Jean Nichols
Penelope Register
Della Huber
Amy & Jerry Hudson
To the Food Pantry in Memory of Robert Thompson
Juan Fuentes
Altar Flowers, Eucharistic Supplies During Worship
Altar Flowers are made possible by parishioner donations in memory or honor of loved ones. To share in this meaningful way, contact Director of Finance and Operations, John Barnum (jbarnum@gracestlukes.org, 901-252-6324) or Congregational Life Associate, Abby Huber (ahuber@gracestlukes.org, 901-252-6336). Flowers are $215 per Sunday, which one or more people may share in giving. Eucharistic supplies (wafers, wine, candle oil) also may be donated for $25 per week. For more information, visit gracestlukes.org/altar-flowers.
Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church benefits from financial gifts to support our life and ministries. Visit gracestlukes.org/onlinegiving.
Transfer In
Membership News (September-November)
• Lyle Confrey from Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island
• Molly Lyle Ince from Holy Trinity, Memphis Baptisms
• Lucy Ellen Lamb, daughter of Natalie & Zach Lamb, granddaughter of Ellen & Ian Hendry, and great-granddaughter of Florence McGowin
• Lawrence Howard “Wren” Maxson, son of Amanda & David Maxson
Confirmations (November 2)
• Elizabeth Coleman Behnke
• Mary Louise Behnke
• John Ronan Keough
• Julia Leigh Martin
• Michelle Fox Mathewes
• Mays Kopert Meeks
• Zachary Michael Moore, Jr.
• Samuel Guyer Shipley
• Parker Lee Taylor
• Ellis Ann Weston
Receptions (November 2)
• Daniel Paul Massey
• Philip Charles McKelroy
• Stephen Watts
Reaffirmations (November 2)
• Elizabeth Anne Harcourt Deaths
• Barbara Condra King
• Donald William Grice
• Clarence Lynn Strickland, Jr.
• Thomas A. Reynolds Burials, Committals
• Barbara Condra King
• Clarence Lynn Strickland, Jr.
• Robert Thompson
• Donald William Grice
• Oscar John Norris, Jr.
Pastoral Care: Sharing and Responding to Concerns
To alert the clergy of a pastoral matter concerning yourself or a member, including any medical procedures, contact the clergy confidentially via 901-252-6330 or pastoralcare@gracestlukes.org. For hospitalizations or emergencies concerning a member, contact the 24/7 Clergy-on-Call phone line at 901-252-6334. This is the best way to communicate pastoral needs and ensure a prompt response from a member of the clergy or pastoral care team. Lay Pastoral Care Coordinators: Natalie Davis and Maggie Hays.
Baptisms at Grace-St. Luke’s
The sacrament of Holy Baptism will be administered in 2026 public worship at Grace-St. Luke’s on January 11 and April 4. For more information on scheduling a baptism, contact Membership & Stewardship Associate Chapman Morrow (901-252-6328, cmorrow@gracestlukes.org).
Support Groups at GSL
Looking for a supportive community on your recovery journey? Join one of these meetings:
• AA (Alcoholics Anonymous): Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
• Narcotics Anonymous: Sundays at 7 p.m.
• Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous: Saturdays at noon
Interested in starting a new recovery support group at GSL, such as Al-Anon, a 12-step young people’s meeting, Nar-Anon, Gamblers Anonymous, or Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA)?
Contact Support Groups Coordinator Lucy Owens at lucy.owens@gmail.com or 901-497-0691 to explore new possibilities!
Grace-St. Luke’s Church offers a rich variety of weekly and seasonal opportunities for worship, formation (learning), community-building, music, and more, all designed to nurture the faith and spiritual journeys of adults, youth, and children. Most activities take place on campus, with select offerings available online. For the latest updates, changes to scheduled events, or additional opportunities not listed here, please visit gracestlukes.org and check the weekly eNews, social media, and worship leaflet announcements.
Realm Online Directory for GSL & One-Way Texts. Realm is a GREAT WAY to connect to other parishioners. In order for other members to find you in the Realm Directory, your privacy settings need updating through your Realm profile. Text START to 901676-9013 to Opt In to Receive One-Way Texts from GSL. In addition to replying to opt-in email requests, the simplest way to opt in to receive One-Way Texts from GSL via Realm is to text START to 901-676-9013. Your mobile number must be added to your Realm profile for this to work. You can log into your Realm profile here: onrealm.org/gracestlukes. For questions or more information, visit gracestlukes.org/realm or reach out to Abby Huber (ahuber@ gracestlukes.org, (901-252-6336).
Subscribe to the GSL eNews
Missing your weekly eNews? Check your spam folders! We use the email service, MailChimp, to send out our eblasts. If you are not getting eNews emails, they are most likely going to your spam or junk folder. Be sure to add gsl@gracestlukes.org to your address book.
Privacy Policy & Photo Opt-Out Form
Grace-St. Luke’s privacy policy and photo opt-out form may be found on the GSL website at gracestlukes.org/privacy-policy
The Rt. Rev. Phoebe A. Roaf, Bishop
The Rev. Ollie V. Rencher, Rector
2026 Vestry, Treasurer, and Chancellor gracestlukes.org/vestry
2026: Dawn Currica, Jerry Hudson, Jim McCall, Terry Trojan, Susanna Weston
Daniel Reid (Treasurer) Johnny Norris (Chancellor)
Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church Vision Statement
Our Vision is to be a thriving community of hope, belonging, and healing through worship, parish life, and service, and who rejoices in the love of Jesus to transform the world.
