To our Beloved St. Lucas Community,
As members of St. Lucas UCC, we entrust our Church Council with making difficult
decisions on behalf of the congregation. It is an immense responsibility given the independent nature of our members and our denomination. Council takes this responsibility seriously. The Council deliberated, discerned, and prayed for guidance over making the decision to discontinue the Saturday Evening Worship service at the end of the Lenten Season.
Saturday evening members are valuable to St. Lucas UCC, having contributed their time, talents, and gifts to the betterment of our congregation. They share deep bonds with one another and have had their spiritual needs met by a service preserved for nearly three decades.
As many may know, the Saturday Evening Worship Service has been a consistent agenda item for over three years in which the Council has discussed what to do. We’ve had at least six different ministers preach during those years while the average attendance has decreased, bringing St. Lucas UCC to a critical inflection point. We have felt called to address ways we can move forward to be a more united congregation with a shared theology, liturgy, and culture.
Knowing that our Saturday members attend St. Lucas UCC for a multitude of reasons, we invite everyone to be a part of the Sunday morning worship. We have an exciting new pastor with an energized congregation, vibrant music, youth participation, and a growing presence of families and children. We also have a thriving pastoral care ministry available to all people. Saturday services, while intimate and small, have not mirrored the new dynamic of our church family. Having both our Saturday and Sunday members worship together in one space at one time will result in a truly energized congregation enriched by all voices and people.
Soon we will ask volunteers to form a Search Committee for an Associate Minister. This process can take at least 18 months, and we encourage everyone to prayerfully consider how they would like to participate in this important process.
We know that the future is always uncertain. Yet as faithful people, we accept that we will be led in ways currently unknown to us. As the Church Council, we must consider what is best for the entire congregation. That task can be difficult and agonizing, especially when a vote is not unanimous. Yet with this change, we do feel we will move forward as a united Congregation.
While this decision has caused pain for a number of our members, we truly believe it will create a healthier, more unified congregation. But most importantly, a stronger St. Lucas UCC in the long term.
With God’s Blessing,
Your St. Lucas UCC, Church Council
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