50th anniversary booklet

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church •    

Dear Friends: Most United Methodist Churches are started when the Bishop appoints a founding pastor to gather a new group of Christians together and organize a congregation. Most new churches are given funds to pay pastor salaries and to purchase land and build new facilities. However, that is not how St. Luke’s United Methodist Church was started in .

A small group of lay people from Central Avenue Methodist Church felt called by God to organize a new congregation of believers on the far north side of the city. Without the support of the Bishop and Cabinet these lay persons started a congregation themselves. They rented the American Legion Hall in Broad Ripple, invited retired pastors and lay people to lead the services, recruited Sunday School teachers and started a worshipping community all on their own.

By March  they had over  people worshipping together, so the District Superintendent came on March ,  and officially chartered the church –– St. Luke’s Methodist Church. Rev. Bill Imler was appointed as the first pastor in June . St. Luke’s started without a pastor, without adequate facilities, and without outside support. It’s a miracle that this congregation came into being!

In the course of fifty years most congregations will have ten or more senior pastors since most pastors only stay four or five years in one congregation. However, St. Luke’s has had only four senior pastors in  years: Rev. Bill Imler served for  years; Dr. Richard Hamilton served for  years; Dr. Carver McGriff for  years and Dr. Kent Millard for  years and counting. St. Luke’s has also been blessed with long-term associate pastors like Rev. Cindy Bates who served here for  years, Dr. Linda McCoy who has served here for  years and counting, and Rev. Carolyn Scanlan who has been on staff here  years and counting.

When people ask how St. Luke’s grew to become one of the ten largest United Methodist Churches in the nation, I tell them it is because God has provided passionate lay leaders and staff and long-term effective pastoral leadership. The formula for growing large, society-transforming congregations is simple: competent and faithful lay and clergy leadership over a long time.

For all that God has done through St. Luke’s over the past  years we say “Thanks,” and for all that God will do through St. Luke’s over the next 50 years we say “YES!” St. Paul put it this way: “Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you …was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’; but in him it is always ‘YES!’” ( Corinthians :).

Grace and Peace, Kent Millard

      .     ’  “A very small group among church membership of an inner-city church had a dream of establishing a northside chapel for that church – a family-oriented church in which elderly, middle-aged, children . . . where everyone would have a definite part.”

- Founding Member Fran Hughes, 

On November , , a group of approximately fifty persons interested in establishing a new Methodist Church to serve the rapidly growing far north side of Indianapolis met, selected officers and appointed committees. The first worship service of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church was held in the Broad Ripple Legion Hall at  College Avenue on January , .

The name St. Luke’s was chosen at a congregational meeting on March , .

On the following Sunday,  persons became members at a Constituting Conference and St. Luke’s officially became a member of the Indiana Conference. Guest ministers and lay speakers filled the pulpit until June , , at which time Revered William A. Imler, assigned by the Indiana Conference as the pastor, preached his first sermon at St. Luke’s.

The site for the new church at  and Illinois was approved in the spring of , and the present church site was purchased in January of . The laying of the cornerstone occurred on August , , and the new church was consecrated by Bishop Richard Raines on March , . The following year the church school wing and parsonage were added.

Reverend Richard Hamilton was welcomed as the new pastor in November of . He served St. Luke’s for  / years, during which time a new sanctuary was constructed. In June of , E. Carver McGriff became the new senior pastor, and it was he who preached the first sermon in the new sanctuary on September , . Under his leadership, St. Luke’s grew from a -member congregation to one of , members in . Several building projects were completed during the years Dr. McGriff served St. Luke’s, including the library, parlor, transept, new office area, new youth rooms, and the Great Hall.

Dr. McGriff retired on June , , after serving St. Luke’s for  years.

Reverend Dr. Kent Millard was appointed senior pastor effective October , , following a comprehensive search of all jurisdictions from coast to coast.

He served several churches with distinction in South Dakota and was a District Superintendent in the South Dakota Conference. Dr. Millard earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Dakota Wesleyan University.

He studied for one year at Cambridge University in England and has two masters degrees from Boston College.

In , ground was broken for a new 1,500-seat sanctuary as well as a new children and adult education center and music facilities. The sanctuary was consecrated in September , providing space for the dynamic and evergrowing congregation of St. Luke’s as well as space for large events such as the city-wide Celebration of Hope services, concerts by Christian artists Sandi Patti and Twila Paris, and presentation sites for nationally-known speakers such as John Rosemond, Bill Hybels and John Maxwell. During the 50th anniversary celebration in March , a campaign to raise ,, in one month was launched to build a new youth building. In anticipation of yet another St. Luke’s miracle, groundbreaking for that building is set for April ,  and the building is scheduled to be complete by December .

At the end of , average worship attendance was over 3,300 persons (totals include attendance at The Garden, a St. Luke’s satellite ministry), with a total membership of over ,. Membership continues to grow, with - people joining St. Luke’s each month. In May  St. Luke’s will host the annual nationwide Large Church Conference with a theme of “Passion + Vision = Transformation,” sharing with other churches St. Luke’s vision of “transforming our world into a compassionate, inclusive and Christ-like community,” by encouraging and supporting each person’s God-given passion for ministry and service.

               Adult Ministries

Fellowship Ministries

ADULT EDUCATION

ELDERBERRIES

Terri Coe, -  coet@stlukesumc.com CLASS REGISTRATION:

DeAnna Moran, -  morand@stlukesumc.com Tom & Marsha Reynolds, Chairs CAFÉ CINEMA

Dr. Max Case, -  casem@stlukesumc.com MARRIAGE MINISTRIES

Wedding Coordinator: Carol Helmus, -  helmusc@stlukesumc.com MEN’S MINISTRIES

T.J. Burch, Coordinator SINGLES MINISTRIES

Terri Coe, -  coet@stlukesumc.com Wes Street, -  streetw@stlukesumc.com Susie Canon, Chair SPIRITUAL LIFE CENTER

Betty Brandt, -  brandtb@stlukesumc.com Carol Ernst, Chair UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

Terri Coe, -  coet@stlukesumc.com Jennifer Todd, President

Children’s Ministries Lorie Lee Andrews, -  andrewsl@stlukesumc.com Alison Strawmyer, Chair PRESCHOOL/PARENTS’ DAY OUT/ KINDERGARTEN

Bobbi Main, 846-3404 x330 mainb@stlukesumc.com

Adra Wheeler, 846-3404 x315 wheelera@stlukesumc.com FELLOWSHIP COMMISSION

Carolyn Scanlan, 846-3404 x324 scanlanc@stlukesumc.com Mark & Erica Lampe, Chairs

PRAYER MINISTRY

Dr. Jean Wilson, -  wilsonj@stlukesumc.com STEPHEN MINISTRY

Mary Katherine Schnitz, -  schnitzm@stlukesumc.com Troy Watkins, Chair

ReachOUT

Mary Boyer, 846-3404 x304 boyerm@stlukesumc.com Xandra Hamilton and Henry Greene, Chairs SOWERS

Mary Katherine Schnitz, -  schnitzm@stlukesumc.com Cheryl Conwell, Chair

Member Care/Caring Ministries DEAF MINISTRY

Mary Katherine Schnitz, -  schnitzm@stlukesumc.com Marilyn Ogan, Chair GRIEF MINISTRY

Mary Katherine Schnitz, -  schnitzm@stlukesumc.com HEALTH MINISTRIES

Mission Outreach COMMUNITY MISSIONS

Jayne Moynahan Thorne, -  thornej@stlukesumc.com Barb Danquist, Chair Dr. Donald Griffith, -  griffithd@stlukesumc.com Kay Walla, Chair

Dr. Linda McCoy, The Garden, -  mccoyl@stlukesumc.com

LEADERSHIP CABINET

Dr. Dennis Flaugher, Word on Wednesday, -  flaugherd@stlukesumc.com Rev. Carolyn Scanlan, Later@St. Luke’s, -  scanlanc@stlukesumc.com Dr. Jean Wilson, Living Waters (coming Summer ) -  wilsonj@stlukesumc.com

Music Ministries

Supporting Ministries

ADULT MUSIC

ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Charles Goehring, -  goehringc@stlukesumc.com Linda Hardwick, Chair

Julia Skiles, -  skilesj@stlukesumc.com Mary Boyer, -  boyerm@stlukesumc.com

CHILDREN’S MUSIC

CHURCH COUNCIL

Debra Nethercott, -  nethercottd@stlukesumc.com Jeff & Sharon Hearn, Chairs

MEMBERSHIP

TAIZÉ PRAYER SERVICE

Sylvia Forbes, -  forbess@stlukesumc.com Roger Frick, Chair

Adra Wheeler, -  wheelera@stlukesumc.com Rosy Brownell, Chair

Dr. Kent Millard, -  millardk@stlukesumc.com Marilyn Burger, Lay Leader MEDIA MINISTRIES

Julia Skiles, -  skilesj@stlukesumc.com Ron Pettigrew, Chair OASIS BOOKSTORE

Sharon Holyoak, -  holyoaks@stlukesumc.com STAFF PARISH COMMITTEE

Dr. Kent Millard, -  millardk@stlukesumc.com Gary Walla, Chair STEWARDSHIP COMMISSION

Mary Lynne Voigt, -  voigtm@stlukesumc.com

MEMBERSHIP CLASS REGISTRATION:

HOSPITALITY AND VOLUNTEERS

Dr. Kent Millard, Senior Pastor, -  millardk@stlukesumc.com

WORLD MISSIONS COMMISSION

Mary Katherine Schnitz, -  schnitzm@stlukesumc.com Natalie Manges, Chair Mary Katherine Schnitz, -  schnitzm@stlukesumc.com

Worship

MUSIC OUTREACH

Pamela Haase, Taizé Coordinator

Youth and College Ministries Brian Durand, -  durandb@stlukesumc.com Gary Schnitz, Chair

Dr. Kent Millard, -  millardk@stlukesumc.com Jim Thorne, Chair COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLICATIONS

Lori Crantford, -  crantfordl@stlukesumc.com ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE

Bob Zehr, -  zehrb@stlukesumc.com Chuck Wise, Chair FINANCE COMMITTEE

Julia Skiles, -  skilesj@stlukesumc.com Jeff Peek, Chair

Bob Zehr, -  zehrb@stlukesumc.com Kelly Queisser, Chair TRUSTEES COMMITTEE

Julia Skiles, -  skilesj@stlukesumc.com Curtis Rector, Chair

Partnering Ministries THE GARDEN AT BEEF AND BOARDS & OAK HILL

Dr. Linda McCoy, -  mccoy@stlukesumc.com Suzanne Stark, -  starks@stlukesumc.com Bob Blake, Chair

 .     ’         

Mr. & Mrs. Vincent Adams

Miss Jena Coffin

Mr. & Mrs. Roger Hooker

Mr. & Mrs. George Marshall

Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Shields

Miss Georgiana Adams

Mr. & Mrs. Morris Conly

Mr. & Mrs. Walter Houppert

Mr. William Martin

Mr. & Mrs. Frazier Shipps

Miss Lynn Adams

Mr. & Mrs. A. D. Conner

Mr. Donald E. Hughes

Mr. & Mrs. John McColgin

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Simison

Ms. Linda Scott Arant

Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Conrad

Mr. David B. Hughes

Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd McColgin

Mr. & Mrs. Vincent Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bach

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Cook

Mr. & Mrs. Francis Hughes

Mr. & Mrs. Allan Means

Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Smitha

Mr. & Mrs. Ed Bailey, Sr.

Mr. & Mrs. William Craigie

Mr. David L. Huncilman

Mr. & Mrs. George Miller

Mr. & Mrs. Percy Snively

Dr. & Mrs. George Baldwin

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Crane

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Huncilman

Mrs. Grace Miller

Mr. & Mrs. Deane Stephenson

Mr. & Mrs. Leo Baldwin

Mr. George A. Crossland

Mrs. William Imler

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Moore

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Stewart

Mrs. Frank Ball

Mr. & Mrs. George M. Crossland

Mr. & Mrs. William Jeffries

Mr. & Mrs. Albert Morgan

Mr. & Mrs. John Vaughan

Mrs. Carrie Bassett

Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Darnell

Mrs. Donald Johns

Miss Helen Noble

Mrs. George Vickery, Sr.

Mr. & Mrs. Wells Bishop

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Duke

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Johnston

Mrs. J. W. Noble

Mr. & Mrs. George Vickery, Jr.

Misses Anna & Edna Bixler

Mr. Jack Dyer

Mrs. Karl Kayser

Mr. & Mrs. Harry Nolen

Mr. & Mrs. P. W. Vickery, Sr.

Mrs. C. A. Borchers

Mr. & Mrs. John Dyer

Mr. & Mrs. William Keenan

Miss Pamela Ann Nolen

Mr. & Mrs. P. W. Vickery, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. William Brannock

Mr. & Mrs. Jack Ebbeler

Mrs. Kathleen Keilman

Mrs. Warren D. Oakes

Mrs. Alta Walker

Mr. & Mrs. Burt Brinkerhoff

Mrs. Donald Ellis

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kiger

Mr. & Mrs. Garland Oglebay

Mr. & Mrs. Merlyn Walker

Mr. & Mrs. Carl Brown

Ms. Carol Crane Engledow

Mrs. Clarence King

Mrs. W. E. Orr

Mr. & Mrs. William Weest

Miss Barbara Brown

Mrs. Norma Everett

Mr. George King

Mr. & Mrs. Julian Pace

Mr. & Mrs. Glenn White

Mr. & Mrs. Royer Brown

Mr. & Mrs. Harry Fairley

Mrs. Ruth King

Mr. & Mrs. Wilbur Porter

Miss Marie White

Mr. & Mrs. James Bumgarner

Mrs. George Ferry

Mr. & Mrs. William Klingholz

Mr. & Mrs. A. L. Pressell

Mrs. Gene Williams

Mrs. Parke Burford

Mr. & Mrs. James Forsythe

Miss Minnie Knapp

Mr. & Mrs. Roy Price

Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Williams

Mrs. Howard Burgess

Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Fry

Mr. & Mrs. Burton Knight

Mr. & Mrs. Ted Pruyn

Mrs. C. S. Wiltsie

Mr. & Mrs. Gene Busche

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gangstad

Miss Alice Krause

Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Reeve

Mr. & Mrs. Albert Wood

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Buschmann

Mrs. Maxine Gordon

Mr. & Mrs. Hurley Lee

Mr. James Roberts

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Ziegler

Mrs. Hazel Calvin

Mr. & Mrs. John Gardis

Mr. & Mrs. Everett Light

Mr. & Mrs. John Roberts

Miss Rena Carver

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Guthrie

Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Lugar

Mr. & Mrs. O. T. Roberts

*The names on this list include

Mrs. Esther Cavanaugh

Mrs. C. T. Hanna

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Lugar

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Sage

families who were part of the

Mr. & Mrs. Joe Cavanaugh

Mr. & Mrs. John Harmon

Mr. & Mrs. Donald Lund

Mr. & Mrs. William Schiltges

Constituting Conference and those

Mr. & Mrs. William Clark

Mr. & Mrs. Henry Hebert

Mr. & Mrs. Loral Mahan

Mr. & Mrs. Lester Scott

who joined in the years prior to

Mrs. Mary Jane Clark

Mr. & Mrs. George Heiny

Mr. & Mrs. Rogers Malone

Mr. & Mrs. Chalres Sharp

the move to West  Street.

Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Clifton

Mr. E. R. Hisey

Mr. & Mrs. Francis Manifold

Mr. Verne Sharritts

      

reprinted from the September/October  issue of the Communion

The Pioneers (1953-1959)

It may not have been the authentic Wild West, but when a group of Methodist pioneers pulled up stakes in their urban home church and, in effect, hitched their wagon to God, bound for the wooded, barely populated terrain of northside Indianapolis... well, it had all the trappings of a Big Adventure.

ABOVE: Portrait of Rev.William Imler

by Rosemary Browne Beck.

RIGHT: Frame of the first St. Luke’s

Sanctuary, 1955.

The story of How St. Luke’s Began contains all the quintessential ingredients of a good How the West Was Won-like story. There were strong men, brave women, and obedient children (look, if you’re going to take literary license with history, always have the children be obedient) on the journey that began at Central Avenue United Methodist Church, in the heart of downtown Indianapolis at  & Central. The journey had its small but potent roots in a November  meeting where  people (representing  out of  interested families) decided to start a new Methodist church to serve the far northside of Marion County.

Every good western has a saloon, and How St. Luke’s Began is no exception. By January , the group had taken squatter’s rights (aka rented) a space to hold weekly Sunday morning worship.

That space was the American Legion Hall in Broad Ripple. Not exactly a saloon, you say? “First thing we did every Sunday morning was clean up from Saturday night,” says Alice Weest, a charter member and currently a part-time employee at St. Luke’s

In a conversation with fellow founding members Betty Vickery and Morris Conly, they remember and smile like it was yesterday.

“There were so few of us,” Alice begins. “Everyone kicked in to set up.” “You cleaned up the cigars, didn’t you?” Morris teases. Alice laughs. “We took care of the babies, pushed aside the pool tables to set up the playpens.”

In , Morris was a young widower with five children, the youngest of whom were toddling triplets. “The triplets were in the poker room,” he remembers. “That’s where we had Sunday

School.” A donated brass cross and candlesticks, along with the faith of those present and the spirit of God, transformed the Hall into a place of worship. An offering was taken by passing the hat – literally.

Services began bright & early at : in order to borrow pastors who were willing to lend a hand to this raw church before heading off to their own. Congregational meetings were held following each service to lay plans. Al Wood, who was the group’s chairman, writes “We worked on selecting a name, assigning duties, collecting a bit more money (if we didn’t yet have the  for the week’s rent), creating our new organization... I studied carefully the “Book of Discipline” of the Methodist church to prepare the proper ritualistic agenda that would “constitute” (create) our new church.”

Months of work, faith and vision came together on March , .

A Constituting Conference was held with Dr. Charles Alexander, District Superintendent, and the chosen name, St. Luke’s Methodist Church, became official. One hundred nineteen strong men, brave women and obedient children were accepted into membership that day. It was only the beginning.

The next necessary ingredient was a pastor. Just like when the townsfolk in the Wild West wired the governor for a new sheriff, the new St. Luke’s group was waiting for the bishop to appoint a pastor. And so, in June , Rev. Bill Imler rode into town. It was his second pastoral appointment, his first having been a “two-point” assignment, serving two small churches in New York

State. His church was being held in a pool hall; his parsonage was a rented Broad Ripple bungalow which doubled as the church office. How did it feel to walk into what amounted to a grassroots operation? “I really had no concept of how it would feel to start a new church – no one was doing it,” Imler shares. “This was a church that wasn’t formed by a conference, district or pastor. It was formed by lay people. As a young pastor I was very blessed to have lay people with experience who had carried the ball this far.”

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... oh, wait. There was no ranch!

After the organizational groundwork for forming St. Luke’s had been accomplished, next came the need for a building and land to put it on. The land issue was resolved through the work and generosity of founding member Fran Hughes, who traded a parcel of land he owned for the land where St. Luke’s now sits. He then sold it to St. Luke’s for , after holding it for the church until funds could be secured. He wasn’t interested in profit; “He just wanted to get back his father’s legacy,” Morris Conly says.

The site was chosen very deliberately. “ St. was Road  then,” says Alice Weest. “It was going to become a highway of sorts, and we knew there was going to be growth.” Bill Imler

ABOVE: 1953 Indianapolis Star

headline.

RIGHT: Newspaper announcement.

shares that people on the church committee had great ideas. “We consulted utility companies for statistics on growth – mostly phone and electric.

We knew it was going to grow but had no idea... when we came back [to visit] we were overwhelmed!”

TOP: Dona Lou, Don, Bill,

Carol and Lee Imler.

BOTTOM: Laying the cornerstone.

Early  saw the purchase of  acres at  and Illinois and the establishment of a Building Fund Crusade, which raised over , in pledges, almost twice the amount anticipated.

The selection of an architect was a careful process. Even though, according to Rev. Imler, “someone even suggested a log cabin!” the ultimate design by church architect Harold Wagoner was a mixture of Colonial and Modern styles featuring Indiana limestone and stonecutter’s art. On March , , only three years after it was officially created, St. Luke’s opened the doors to its new Fellowship Hall, education area, office and parlor. The number on the membership roll was nearing .

The final element of every good Western is, of course, bad guys.

Fortunately for the founding members, (but unfortunately for this analogy), there was no bad guy, no Snidely Whiplash waiting

at the railroad tracks, waxed moustache in tow. Any “bad guy” element would have to put down to sheer hard work and selflessness. “You have to remember,” chides Alice Weest in her Alice way, “we did not have lots of money. When we built the church, the husbands did a lot of the work. They laid the tile in Fellowship Hall, dug the septic, painted.” The original organ was donated by the Vickery family (the organ now resides in the Parlor). Carrie Oaks used an inheritance to purchase the Fellowship Hall stove and refrigerator. That’s right – the ones that are still in that kitchen  years later.

Did they feel like pioneers? “Hmmm,” say Morris Conley, mulling it over. “We made the decision to do it,” says Alice.

“Determined,” says Morris. Founding member Betty Vickery remembers her husband George saying, “Tab [Tabernacle Presbyterian] is too big – let’s go to that little church in the wildwood,” meaning St. Luke’s. “Mrs. Vickery [Betty’s mother-in-law] said, ‘There’s no one here I know, but that’s good. It means young people are coming,” Betty remembers. Morris takes up the theme. “It’s hard to realize what’s been accomplished in such a relatively short time, but we’ve always had this attitude – you are the guiding light – it’s yours to take up and do it. The talent of the new people is what’s made it a success.

“Oh my, yes, we are proud. It’s unbelievable.”

      

reprinted from the November/December  issue of the Communion

Changing Times (1959-1967)

When Dick and Anna Lee Hamilton arrived at St. Luke’s in November 1959, the U.S. looked like this: What Things Cost: Car: , Gasoline:  cents/gal House: , Milk: ./gal Postage Stamp:  cents Average Annual Salary: , Minimum Wage: . per hour

there and here have many parallels. “St. Mark’s was a new church,” Dick says. “As a matter of fact, Anna Lee was my only member for a while,” he recalls, chuckling. “Bloomington was growing, and it was a post-war time when new churches were being started. We held our services in a funeral home before we finally built a first unit, much like St. Luke’s did, but no sanctuary. I was  years into my ministry before I had a sanctuary.”

• Alaska and Hawaii become the  and  states.

• Virginia Supreme Court rules that state's laws against school integration are unconstitutional.

• Popular Television Shows: Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Father Knows Best, The Price is Right, Perry Mason.

• Popular Songs: Mack the Knife, High Hopes, Personality, Venus • Best Picture: Ben Hur • Sports: Los Angeles Dodgers defeat Chicago Cubs 4-2 in the World Series

St. Luke’s origins were, of course, in a legion hall, not a funeral home, and there were about - members when the Hamiltons took over the St. Luke’s pastoral duties from the Imlers. Worship was still held in the original building (now Fellowship Hall), but everyone knew there would expansion. “The whole church was started on the assumption that this was a growing area,” Dick says. “It was never an issue of shall we do that [build a sanctuary], but when. It takes time to get the congregation feeling that they can do something like that.”

So – the Price Is Right is still on TV, and the Cubs are still losing, but otherwise America has seen very significant change in the last  years. The emerging change that faced America as it entered the turbulent ‘s was something few could have foreseen. It brought with it great emotion, great division and the need for great faith.

But as we all well know, the heart of St. Luke’s lies with the passion and vision of its members to fulfill God’s plans. “St. Luke’s was built on the energy, commitment and wisdom of the lay leadership,” Dick says. “They were a wonderful group who guided the church. They were very wise.”

The Hamiltons came to Indy at the end of the ’s from St. Mark’s Methodist Church in Blooming-ton, Indiana. Their experiences

Wise heads were needed for their next project: selecting an architect and a design concept for the expansion. “The Big Question became who to hire,” Dick recalls. “We wanted to make a more

ABOVE: Portrait of Rev. Richard

Hamilton by Rosemary Browne Beck.

BELOW: Dick, David, John and Anna Lee Hamilton.

distinctive statement in this building. It became quite a point of discussion.” (Archival documents make reference to the committee wanting a “significant” church.) The architect of the first building, Harold Wagner, wasn’t available, so the search was on.

Through St. Luke’s member and architect Ray Thompson, Edward Dart of Chicago was brought to the committee’s attention. “We went through the process of asking things like, ‘If this building weren’t here, what would you want to build?’” Dick remembers. “It was very apparent that he would not build a neoColonial building. In fact, he made it disappear!” Dick says with a laugh. “But the congregation did buy into this design; there was no division.” Gone was the spire, up went a tower to accommodate bells. Where did the spire go, Dick? “I’m so sorry you asked me about that,” he replies. “I have no idea.”

The new sanctuary (now Robertson Chapel) was intentionally designed to hold no more than  people. “The decision was made, back around , that this church was not going to get larger than  members,” Dick recalls. Megachurches did not exist, and “the whole milieu of church thinking has been revolutionized since then,” Dick states.

While the construction continued all around them, the members of St. Luke’s were forced to deal with another type of building: the building pressure of

the civil rights movement and the changing society of the sixties.

A -year-old Baptist minister named Martin Luther King, Jr. began to attract the nation’s attention as he campaigned for civil rights. His messages of nonviolence were often overshadowed by the violence that erupted–Birmingham, Montgomery, Jackson.

The year  was the -year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, and King was determined to see that the black community would be further freed from the shackles of segregation and discrimination.

On Sunday, August , , Dick Hamilton’s sermon was entitled “Ten Questions for the Marchers.” The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was planned for the following Saturday, and it had the attention of the nation. At the end of the sermon, Rev. Hamilton made a surprising announcement to the St. Luke’s congregation. “I announced I was going on the march,” says Dick. “I was a pretty young, wild preacher,” he begins. “Not wild, just dedicated,” Anna Lee interjects.

Dick smiles and continues. “I went downtown that Friday, got on a bus with an Indianapolis group that was going to Washington. We drove all night. I met Milton Willford when I got there. He was a former Marine and had been on the Capitol police force. At that time Milton was a student at CTS (Christian Theological Seminary) in Indianapolis and a part-time youth leader. Because he knew the city, he got me around.”

While Dick was in Washington with nearly , others listening to the dreams of Martin Luther King, Jr., back home in Indiana some St. Luke’s members were upset by what their

pastor had done. “There were some who were upset that I was going,” Dick remembers. He pauses, struggling with his memories and emotions as he continues with some difficulty. “That’s a good example of the role of Fran Hughes in those days,” he says tearfully. “He quietly went around to people, calmed them down.

These folks weren’t racist, they were just concerned about change, fearful about schools. In the end people did not remain angry or divided. We had no long-lasting problems because of this issue.”

St. Luke’s ties to the black community continued through the efforts of many families and individuals who continued to work with the Central Avenue Methodist Church community.

St. Luke’s itself, however, remained a white congregation. “There were no blacks in our immediate neighborhood, none in our congregation,” Dick says. “We would have black visitors occasionally, but the issue of membership did come about. We were just a small church,” he states. “They [the black community] would not look at St. Luke’s to change things.”

Just as the tumultuous events of the summer of  began to fade, President Kennedy makes a fateful trip to Dallas Texas on November . A shocked and mourning nation turned to one another and their faith for answers. When asked to compare Kennedy’s assassination to the events of September , , Dick Hamilton notes, “It was very similar in how it [the assassination] shook the nation’s reality. It was just an unbelievable event and it had a strong impact on people. What kind of society had we become? How can this kind of violence happen?” St. Luke’s service that Sunday was packed, and partisanship was nowhere to be seen. “The idea that a young man could be shot down like that,”

Dick says, shaking his head. “Politics took a huge backseat.”

Still, in the midst of these events, St. Luke’s grew and remained unified. The construction progressed, but before Dick Hamilton could preach his first sermon in the new sanctuary, he was transferred back to Bloomington as a Methodist District Superintendent. “I never wanted to be a D.S.,” Dick states, “so when they discovered they had one too many D.S.’s in that district after the merge, I quickly volunteered to vacate my position.” Dick served at the Methodist Temple in Evansville, Indiana from - before taking the senior pastor position at North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. He retired from North in , but it remains their home church.

So that the Hamiltons would have some sort of official event in the new sanctuary before they left St. Luke’s, a farewell dinner was organized and held there. “There was no floor, and we sat at card tables,” Anna Lee remembers. “They just wanted to make sure we were in there.” During the Hamiltons’ time here, they remember Don Hughes (one of Fran Hughes’ sons and now a Methodist minister) doing a film series much like our current Café Cinema.

And a young Dick Lugar, recently returned from a stint with Navy Intelligence, became chairman of St. Luke’s Education Commission and also started a book study. “Our time at St. Luke’s was a wonderful time for us.” More things than the price of a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk had changed by , but at St. Luke’s some things still remained: the willingness to be an open community of Christians gathering to seek, celebrate, live and share the love of God for all creation.

ABOVE: Rev. Hamilton in the pulpit for

his going-away party in 1967.

      

reprinted from the January/February  issue of the Communion

Carving Out Their Niche (1967-1993)

By the time the Fall of  rolled around, St. Luke’s was  years old, had a built a new seat worship space and was losing a beloved senior pastor. Dick Hamilton was on his way to Bloomington, and -year-old Carver McGriff was on his way to take the helm at St. Luke’s. Dick & Carver had known each other for years, dating back to the time when Dick was pastor at St. Mark’s in Bloomington and Carver – well, Carver owned a children’s clothing store on the square in Bloomington.

ABOVE: Portrait of Dr. Carver McGriff

by Rosemary Browne Beck.

“My dad always said ‘Be your own boss if you can,” says Carver. Sound advice, especially since Carver was fired from his first sales job “for incompetence.” An Indianapolis native, Carver served in the Army in World War II, then came back home to attend college at Butler University. The ill-fated sales position was followed by a stint as assistant manager in a department store. “I can do this better on my own,” Carver thought, and so he opened the children’s store. “It was not a great success,” he admits.

Whether it was the tedium of tights, the odiousness of overalls or simply Divine intervention, Carver is hard-pressed to say what exactly prompted him to go into the ministry. “It’s hard to define that moment,” he shares. “I was never happy or right about my life until the day I left for seminary. And I have never felt unhappy or wrong about my life since then. Somewhere along the line I crossed the Great Divide.”

He attended Garrett Theological Seminary in the Chicago area, then came back to Indianapolis and started a church on the eastside. His from-scratch church (Asbury Park, which is a different denomination now) grew to  members in the time Carver was there. When the Bishop reassigned Dick Hamilton as District Superintendent in the Bloomington area in , he tapped Carver as the new St. Luke’s Senior Pastor. Carver & Dick Hamilton had also maintained a friendship and before he left St. Luke’s, Dick Hamilton said, “It was not up to me to pick my successor, but if it had been, I’d pick the man they picked.”

It might have literally been the proverbial match made in heaven.

When he came in  St. Luke’s membership was . When he retired in , it was nearing , with  in regular worship attendance. Why the phenomenal growth? “We had community growth, certainly,” says Carver, “and we had fantastic staff, clergy, members... but deep in my heart, I think God wanted St. Luke’s to grow. Time and time and time again God stepped in at crucial moments to make up for my mistakes.”

There were certainly enough landmines to step in if he’d had a mind to. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s and RFK’s assassinations . . .

Vietnam . . . Kent State . . . Watergate . . . the OPEC oil crisis . . . inflation . . . Roe v. Wade . . . Three Mile Island & Love Canal . . . the Iran hostages . . . Reaganomics . . . corporate takeovers . . . drug epidemic . . . Challenger space shuttle . . . AIDS . . . Iran-contra . . . Desert Storm . . . Rodney King beating. While there were highlights (Neil Armstrong walks on the moon, Communist reform, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall), the  years that found Carver McGriff at the spiritual helm of St. Luke’s had

their share of tragically powerful events. Carver’s approach to tackling the issues: “I felt that many contemporary issues that are political should not be talked about from the pulpit. We would use small groups and invite people on either side to discuss views.” Some issues, however, ended up meriting a sermon.

“Vietnam,” Carver says. “I started out as a hawk (pro-war) and ended up as a dove (anti-war). Many people questioned the patriotism of clergy who were opposed to the war. But because I was a veteran, had been wounded, was a POW (Carver’s unit was part of the invasion of Normandy in WWII), they couldn’t do that with me.” Civil rights continued to be a focus at St. Luke’s, as staff and members continued to work on fostering harmony.

Another issue that began to gain more attention was homosexuality. “I knew I had to speak my mind, and I tried to be neither disdainful nor disrespectful. I got a call from a member,” he continues, “who said, ‘Carver, I don’t agree with you on this issue and I don’t know if I can be part of this church.’ We met and

talked for over an hour. I told him I respected how he felt but he also knew my position. He ended up staying as a member – not sure he ever agreed with me, but he stayed.”

Lots of people stayed, and they needed more space.

During this time, St. Luke’s added on Great Hall, the Parlor, the Library and the Transept to the Sanctuary. If the word “Transept” doesn’t sound familiar, try “The Penalty Box.” While St. Luke’s legend has it that Carver put you in the penalty box if you brought children into the Sanctuary for service, the truth is it was affectionately known as the penalty box because latecomers often had no choice but to sit in this area where the view was, shall we say, Grade B rather than Grade A. And what about the Carver-doesn’t-like-kids-in-worship legend? “Yes, it’s true,” Carver admits but hastily adds, “I like kids, I really do!” and launches into several warm & fuzzy Carver & Kids stories where, by the time he’s done, you can actually imagine him in a purple dinosaur suit singing “I Love You, You Love Me.” “I just always felt that when kids talked or cried during worship it was distracting for everyone,” he says. “But really, we babysit a lot and I like kids, I do!”

In , tragedy struck St. Luke’s in a very personal way. Carver’s wife, Ruth Ann, died in an automobile accident. “The congregation ministered to me in a wonderful way,” he says reflectively.

“Many people said it made me a better preacher. The death of a person you love most, coupled with the necessity of going on, caused me to draw upon my faith more deeply than I ever had

ABOVE: Carver, Ruth Ann

and Amy McGriff.

RIGHT: McGriff, Imler, Hamilton and

LeRoy Hodapp at the September 1967 Sanctuary consecration service.

before. Some of the things I believed in my head . . . I now believed in my heart.”

ABOVE: Too full for the Sanctuary

already – Easter 1982.

Despite that tragedy – or perhaps in light of the congregation’s response – Carver insists that he does not have one unpleasant memory of his time as senior pastor of St. Luke’s. “In  years I never encountered a single moment where someone did not act Christian. Not that I didn’t meet a few screwy people,” he says with a chuckle, “but there’s a great spirit here that is generated by the people, the thousands of people who have worshipped at St. Luke’s. It was passion-driven then and it is passion-driven today.” When asked what he sees for St. Luke’s ten years down the road, he responds, “I think it will be one of the most important forces for good in Indianapolis and the surrounding territories.”

Carver takes a bit of credit himself for St. Luke’s growth, saying “I was something of a factor – you can’t have someone in the pulpit and not have an affect,” but he gives most of the credit to God for sending wonderful staff and lay leaders to St. Luke’s during its year history.“I would like to name various staff members to whom I feel great indebtedness, but if I did I’d surely forget someone,” he says. “So if they read this, please let them know how grateful I am.”

“Part of the joy in my life is to watch things happen at St. Luke’s.

I treasure my friendship with Kent Millard,” Carver concludes.

“I think the most extraordinary example of God being at work here is sending Kent. He’s a sweetheart.” A sweetheart and a kidloving softie... looks like our God really is a loving God after all.

Two St. Luke’s Mysteries The Bells I asked both Dick Hamilton & Carver McGriff about the bells that don’t ring (in the tower over what is now Robertson Chapel).

“Not enough money, I think, to put in real bells,” was Dick’s answer. Carver just said,“No, they’re not real, they play a recording.” Dick relayed a story about a call he received from a Jewish woman who lived nearby complaining about the loudness of the recorded bells on Sunday morning.“You know,”she told Dick, “Jewish people don’t get up early on a Sunday morning. Could you turn those bells down?”They complied.

The Steeple You can’t get a straight answer from Hamilton or McGriff on the subject of where the tall, extremely noticeable steeple from the first St. Luke’s building went. “I don’t know – you’ll have to ask Carver about that one,” Dick says.

Carver’s response to the same question: “People would come up to me and say, ‘Hey Carver, have you seen Dick Hamilton lately? He’s trying to sell a steeple.”

      

reprinted from the March/April  issue of the Communion

A Transforming Vision Rides into Town (1993-present)

October . A -year-old pastor, not from this conference, not from this place, steps up into the pulpit where Carver McGriff might just as well have actually left his shoes. The significance of the job at hand, the immense popularity of the man that Kent Millard had to replace, the not-quite-figurative collectively held breath of the congregation – all these things were palpable at St. Luke’s on that fall Sunday morning.

For his debut, St. Luke’s new senior pastor had written a sermon entitled “For All That Has Been, Thanks, and For All That Will Be, Yes.” Nearly a decade later, it is a theme that continues to frame Kent Millard’s approach to pastoring –– grateful for those people and actions that have shaped St. Luke’s, and an openness, an eagerness for accepting God’s will for what will come.

In the quiet hours of that week before he first took the St. Luke’s pulpit, Kent had to be thinking of alternative sermon titles . . . titles like, “I Came, I Saw, I Got Kicked Out.” “Give a Bald Pastor a Break.” “I’m OK, You’re OK, Carver Was Just

Tall.” “For All That Has Been, Thanks, and for All That Will Be, Well, I Probably Won’t Be Here to See It.” It was against the advice of many friends and colleagues that he took the St. Luke’s job.

Following a long-term, beloved, effective senior pastor is risky business. “My friends said ‘Don’t go [to Indianapolis]. Put your name on the list, but don’t really go –– it’s professional suicide,” Kent shares. “Only about 10% of pastors who follow a long-term pastor last more than a year or two.” In fact, in a Communion exclusive, Kent reveals that he was actually 4th or 5th choice on the list for the job. “Yes, there were others ahead of me,” he confides in a Barbara Walters-type moment. “They ultimately turned it down because of the significant risk of it being a short-term assignment.”

ABOVE: Portrait of Dr. Kent Millard by

Rosemary Browne Beck.

LEFT: Renderings for the

But Kent was reared in Faith – Faith, SD that is. “Population ,  miles to the next town in any direction,” Kent says. “I look at the journey from there to St. Luke’s –– it’s amazing to me.” He credits that journey with getting him ready for the work here. “It seems all my life in ministry has been preparing me for St. Luke’s. I learned lessons at each church –– managing staff, building facilities, mission outreach, race relations –– without those experiences I would not have been ready to come here.”

Still, the choice was not an easy one. Kent & Minnietta talked, prayed, wrestled with leaving family & friends behind. Last year, Kent shared that one of the songs from

new Sanctuary.

“Superstar” helped him make that decision.

“Minnietta and I had come to Indianapolis to meet with Bishop White and some members of our Staff Parish Committee. I was absolutely torn over what God might be calling us to do. On the one hand, I was happy in Sioux Falls and excited about the next chapter in the life of that congregation. On the other hand, I wanted to be open to do whatever God called me to do and to go wherever I was sent.

RIGHT: Dr. Millard’s contribution

to the Sanctuary support beam graffiti.

BELOW: Ready for Easter, 1999.

“We were staying at the Wyndham Gardens hotel and I had about three hours to make a decision and give an answer . . . finally, I went for a walk in the little park north of the hotel. I knelt down and started praying the prayer that Jesus prayed: "Father, let this cup pass from me yet not my will but thine be done." I prayed that prayer over and over and then a song from Jesus Christ Superstar came to me. In the Garden of Gethsemane scene Jesus prays: “God thy will is hard but you hold every card. Take me now before I change my mind.’

After praying that prayer a feeling of peace came over me and I asked God to "take me now before I change my mind." I went back to the hotel and told Minnietta that we would

let God take us to St. Luke's and I have felt since that moment that God led us to serve in this congregation.”

(Minnietta had a turning-point song as well. “I was listening to an easy-listening radio station,” she shares, “which is why it was so strange when "Indiana Wants Me" –– definitely a Country/Western song –– came on. I'd never heard it before.

And it was the last song I heard at 5 p.m. when I was going home so we could leave early the next morning for the interview at St. Luke's! I think it was one of those “God incidences.”)

One big decision led to another: “When I got here,” Kent says, “it was really important to me to meet Carver. He was the main person I wanted to get to know.” Determined not to become what others had predicted (he was referred to as the “unintended interim, short-term pastor” by a major church consultant), Kent nixed all the naysayers by becoming friends with Carver. “While Carver & I are different,” Kent confides, “we have the same heart’s desires, the same agenda. Carver did not want to see a church he loved and had worked so hard for fall apart, and neither did I.” They’ve done weddings and funerals together, and have co-authored a book (The Passion-Driven Congregation). “It’s a huge testimony

when two senior pastors can work together,” Kent says. “Carver has always been very supportive of me.” Kent also extends his thanks to Bishop White, because “he took a risk and entrusted the largest congregation in his area to an unknown pastor from South Dakota. It was a huge leap of faith.”

But then leaps of faith are what St. Luke’s has always been about.

Reflecting on the  anniversary of this church, Kent says, “I thank God for the miracle of the establishment of St. Luke’s.

Most churches are started by the Bishop and the Cabinet with an appointed pastor. St. Luke’s was started by  or so lay people –– led by Fran Hughes, Al Wood and others –– who organized without a pastor and were chartered on March 8, 1953, still without a pastor! They went six months without a pastor and did so because of their commitment to organizing the church, getting preachers or preaching themselves . . . that kind of lay leadership and commitment, that passion has continued. At most churches, lay people come up with ideas and rely on the pastors to implement them. Here,” he continues, “lay people come up with ideas and don’t expect anyone else to implement them. They model what it means to rely on the passion of the people to get things done. Most churches start ministry from the top down; at St. Luke’s it’s from the bottom up. That’s our culture.”

Before Kent’s arrival, a visioning committee painstakingly crafted St. Luke’s mission statement: “An open community of Christians gathering to seek, celebrate, live and share the love of God for all creation.” That open, loving and active environment continued to account for steady growth in membership, and the

issue of space became St. Luke’s “toddler” –– something that simply could not be ignored. In  the “Expect a Miracle” campaign was launched, and over  million in gifts and pledges was raised to expand the Education Wing, create a larger space for the Music Department and build a -seat Sanctuary.

Those spaces were completed in . A second campaign, “With God, All Things Are Possible” raised another  million to help pay for expanded parking and assist with the building expenses. And this month, Kent is leading the charge for the “Miracle Month of March” to raise ,, in one month for the new Youth Center.

“Being at St. Luke’s has taught me to expect miracles,” Kent says emphatically. “The miracle of generosity has happened as we’ve spent  million in facilities ––  million in pledges with  million of that paid in a -year period. Meanwhile, the annual fund giving continues to increase as well. Amazing.” That type of generous giving in  made possible St. Luke’s first-ever operating contingency fund to tide the church over during the low months of giving, eliminating the need to borrow money to pay expenses. Always looking forward, Kent speaks to a future challenge. “In  St. Luke’s will probably have to provide space for our burgeoning Children’s Ministry. The ‘ building is already about % full, so we’ll need another capital campaign. If we want to keep reaching more children,” he continues, “we’ll need more space. By the time I retire I’d like to see those identified needs completed.”

BELOW: Cornerstone.

ABOVE: Rendering for proposed

youth building – 2003.

Those needs are simply another result of St. Luke’s vision –– to transform our world into a compassionate, inclusive and Christlike community. “I see St. Luke’s continuing to make a huge impact in our community, state and nation,” Kent says. “St. Luke’s has always been a paradigm-breaking chuch. The conventional wisdom paradigm is that only fundamental churches can grow –– St. Luke’s is a progressive church that’s growing. Another paradigm-breaking aspect of St. Luke’s is that the senior minister is not the only one who preaches –– at St. Luke’s all pastors are preaching pastors. Another paradigm shift is holding all services in the Sanctuary –– we have services in many locations.

vision engenders passion in me,” he says, leaning across the table to emphasize his point, “because I see how we can make a difference. The local church is the hope of the world because it makes a difference to and in people. I see St. Luke’s as a flagship church of leading hope.”

“St. Luke’s has always had a forward-looking history. [Author and church consultant] Lyle Schaller says that the church in the year  will look much like St. Luke’s –– a large church with several satellites. We’re really made up of “mini churches” – kids, youth, adult ed, missions, The Garden, Later, singles, etc. Right now our average attendance is ,” Kent continues. “In terms of numbers, Jesus once fed  people with  loaves and  fish. Our goal is to feed  people weekly in multiple services and locations. In  the people of St. Luke’s gave , to missions beyond our church; I think by the time I retire we’ll be giving away  million annually, and we will be transforming the world.”

What about Kent? “I want people to know how much I love this congregation,” he says sincerely. “Sometimes I have to keep my composure on Sunday mornings when I sit up front and look at the congregation and think ‘I love these people!’ Longevity deepens affection, and I grow more in love with this congregation, its mission and vision every year. I’m the luckiest pastor in the world to serve St. Luke’s . . . there’s an ambiance of ‘with God anything is possible,’ that we can do anything we set our minds to. There is more talent, commitment and generosity here than in any church I’ve been a part of.”

When it comes to St. Luke’s, there may be no subject nearer and dearer to Kent’s heart than the goal of transformation. “Our

Even though the “R” word – retirement – escaped Kent’s lips a time or two, it’s not in his imminent plans. “I’m  and my plan is to retire when I’m  or so,” he states. “St. Luke’s has become a spiritual home for my children. When we moved here the one sacrifice we thought we were making was leaving our family behind,” he says. “Then our daughter Koretta came to the University of Indianapolis, our son Kendall went to law school at IU, Minnietta’s mom came to live with us and then my mom moved here! God is so faithful, he brought them here.”

And his message to the members of the past  years, the members of the next  years? “For Everything That Has Been, Thanks, and For Everything That Will Be, Yes.”

      ’     “I used to worry about the size and what St. Luke’s would grow into, but I don’t anymore. When we had real needs this year at the hospital, at the hospice, in the marketplace . . . well, I now hope that St. Luke’s will get so big that there will be a St. Luke’s where ever there are people with need.” - Lay Leader Marilyn Burger, 

It’s been a fifty-year growth spurt for St. Luke’s UMC: Membership Worship Space Annual Budget Building Campaign

  Pool Hall , ,

 , -seat Sanctuary ,, ,,

ST LUKE’S STAFF • MARCH  CLERGY STAFF:

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT STAFF:

M. Kent Millard Linda McCoy, Dennis Flaugher Carolyn Scanlan, Jean Wilson Max Case, Don Griffith

Jan Emmons, Sylvia Forbes, Dee Higginbotham, Faina Kleyner, Linda McGlothlin, Janet Miller, Brandon Truax, Alison Strawmyer, Amy Walker, Alice Weest, Tonda Zeek.

PROGRAM STAFF:

St. Luke’s was started as an outreach church, and that mission also continues fifty years later. In addition to a commitment to offer opportunities for spiritual and personal growth within its own walls, St. Luke’s members continue to breathe life into the vision statement through their generous donations of time, talent and monetary gifts. In , the following outreach ministries received assistance: Africa University Brightwood Community Center Central Ave. UMC Food Pantry Earthquake and Flood Relief Fletcher Place Community Center Fresh Start Habitat for Humanity Haitian Academy Hospital

Heifer Project Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home Inter-Faith Alliance Jamaica and Zimbabwe Scholarships United Christmas Service World Missions Support of Work Trips

Total outreach giving by the people of St. Luke’s totaled over , in . That spirit of giving has been a guiding light, passed from decade to decade, never fading but growing steadily stronger. In , our founders stated it this way: “From the beginning, St. Luke's has been destined to have the wonderful and rewarding experience of shaping vision into reality.

Through prayer, faith and sacrifice, much has already been accomplished.

Much is yet to be done. In this spirit each can discover his part, and objectives will become realities. We know that the taking of one step has made it possible to take another. We know that what we have begun we shall finish.

We know –– because it is a work of God.”

Lorie Lee Andrews, Director of Children’s Ministries; Mary Boyer, Administration Manager; Betty Brandt, Director of Spiritual Life Center; Terri Coe, Director of Singles Ministry & Adult Education; Lori Crantford, Publications Editor; Brian Durand, Director of Youth & College Ministries; Andy Engle, Youth Intern; Nate Faris, Associate Director of Youth Ministries; Charles Goehring, Director of Music; Don Griffith, Director of World Missions; Pamela Haase, Taizé Prayer Service Leader; Derek Hakes, Assistant Director of Handbells; Carol Helmus, Wedding Coordinator; Sharon Holyoak, Manager of Oasis Bookstore; Marsha Hutchinson, Grief Ministries; DeAnna Moran, Singles Special Events Coordinator & Adult Ministries Assistant; Tamara Lorinczi, Child Care Coordinator; Bobbi Main, Director of Weekday Ministries; Charles Manning, Assistant Director of Music; Debra Nethercott, Director of Children’s Choirs; Sarah Nevin, Publications Design; Anne Oskay, Associate Director of Youth Ministry; Mary Katherine Schnitz, Director of Care and Outreach Ministries; Julia Skiles, Executive Director of Ministries; Wes Street, Young Singles Coordinator; Jayne Moynahan Thorne, Director of Community Ministries; Mary Lynne Voigt, Music Outreach Coordinator; Cheryl West, Director of New Song Choir; Adra Wheeler, Director of Hospitality & Volunteers; Kit Williams, Technical Director; Terry Woods, Later@St.Luke’s Director of Music; Bob Zehr, Director of Business Development.

CUSTODIAL/MAINTENANCE STAFF:

Rich Potterf, Building & Grounds Ministry; Brad Cherry, Tujuianna Lockhart, Rickie Murphy, William Taylor, Wanda Wilburn, Rich Wisman.

THE GARDEN:

Dr. Linda McCoy, Pastor; Suzanne Stark, Director of Music; Stan Abell and Marion Miller, Pastoral Assistants; Judy Tolley, Administrative Assistant; Parry Schreir, Music Assistant.

FORMER ST. LUKE’S PASTORS: SENIOR:

William Imler, Richard Hamilton, E. Carver McGriff ASSOCIATE:

Lucinda Bates, Fletcher Graham, Louis Cain, Charles Cruse, Robert Epps, Barry Fitzgerald, Gene Merrick, Steve Miller, Richard Moman, Jay Morrison, Albert Nunery, Craig Overmeyer, David Owen, Holly Rudolf, Allen Rumble, Lynn Thayer, Wayne Trevathan 50TH ANNIVERSARY BOOKLET:

Copy: Lori Crantford Design: Sarah Nevin

Who we are: “An open community of Christians gathering to seek, celebrate, live and share the love of God for all creation. ~mission statement

Where we are going: To transform our world into a compassionate, inclusive, and Christ-like community. ~vision statement

How we get there: By encouraging and supporting each person’s God-given passion for ministry and service. ~method statement

IMAGE: September 11, 2001 Service

 .  St., Indianapolis,   • .. Fax: -- • www.stlukesumc.com