St. Luke's monthly Celebrates Newsletter helps St. Lukers connect to one another as we navigate life together.
We wish a very Happy Birthday to all our St. Lukers! Join us in celebrating everyone who has a birthday this month.
Welcome to the family!
St. Luke's celebrated four baptisms during the month of December.
We promise to surround these children with love, support, and care, and look forward to seeing them grow into faithful disciples of Jesus in the coming years.
Flora Lucia Rivera was baptized at the Contemporary worship service on December 15. In attendance were her parents, Elizabeth and Fernando, and other family members. It was a beautiful day the family will always remember.
Kayden Taylor Turpish was baptized at the Contemporary worship service on December 15. Kayden is the son of Jill Taylor and Robyn Turpish. Siblings Jillian, Wesley, Hope, and Faith were present as well. It was a joyous and memorable occasion for all.
Pictured: Simon and Ilan Alphonse
On Sunday, December 29 Ilan Khaleil Aphonso Alphonse and his younger brother Simon Lorenzo Antoni Alphonse were baptized in the Sanctuary. They are the nephews of Yvette Desrosiers-Alphonse, former co-Lay Leader and Chair of the Missions Council among many other things, who passed away in January of 2023. In attendance were their parents, Maria and Frantz, older brother Ari, and 80 friends and family members. It was a very special day that brought much joy and created happy memories for all.
We appreciate the faithful commitment St. Lukers make to the church's ministries. Join us in celebrating everyone who has a church Partnership anniversary this month.
Janet Vincent passed away on November 25 at the age of 84. Janet joined St. Luke’s in 2020 along with her husband Ben. She is the mother of one adult child, Dan. In her younger years, Janet studied in Paris. She was a flight attendant, interior designer, and enjoyed making her own stylish clothes. She was a confident traveler and loved going on adventures. Janet made meaningful connections with everyone she met. St. Luke’s will host a memorial service to celebrate Janet’s life on January 18 at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Please keep Ben, Dan, and extended family members in your prayers.
Ann Lee Earnshaw passed away peacefully on December 7 in Jacksonville, Florida at the age of 87. She was a founding member of St. Luke’s – Church Member Number 9, having joined the church in December of 1979. Ann Lee was a graduate of Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The daughter and granddaughter of Methodist pastors, she was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church. She was very involved in the early life of St. Luke’s, leading numerous small groups, serving on the building committee, and working to establish Stephen Ministry at the church. She later served as St. Luke’s first Director of Spiritual Formation after retiring from her publishing career.
She lived her life to the fullest, with curiosity, kindness, and humor. Ann Lee is survived by her three children, Melissa Lawhon, Rebecca Hudson, and Jeff Earnshaw, and three granddaughters, Jane-Elizabeth, Caroline, and Ellie. A memorial service was held on January 7 at St. Luke's. Gifts may be given in Ann Lee's memory to the scholarship fund of Wesleyan College, 4760 Forsyth Rd, Macon, GA 31210. To read Ann Lee’s full obituary, click here. Please continue to lift up the family in prayer.
On December 29, Deanna Ginther passed away. She was 86 years old. Deanna is the wife of Stan Ginther and mother to Dennis, Ken, and Laurie. She and Stan joined St. Luke’s in 1996. She had a passion for crafts, cooking, traveling, and singing. She is survived by her husband, three children, six grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held for Deanna on January 8 at Woodlawn Memorial Park & Funeral Home. Rev. Jad Denmark officiated. Please continue to lift up the family in prayer.
St. Luker Jim Arnold, passed away on December 30 at the age of 95. Jim is the husband of Audrey Arnold, and they were married for 44 years. Jim enjoyed a long career with Martin Marietta and retired from that same company now known as Lockheed Martin in 1992. He loved to take family and friends boating, enjoyed scuba diving, cruising with Audrey, and served faithfully as a greeter at events and GriefShare facilitator at St. Luke's. At home he adored watching all the wildlife surrounding them from raccoons to bears. A favorite pastime was feeding the deer that visited followed by a delicious bowl of homemade vanilla Blue Bell ice cream.
Jim is survived by his wife Audrey; daughter, Lynn; sons Steed and David; stepchildren, Kenny and Kathy; eight grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and three great great-grandchildren. To read his full obituary, click here. Jim’s memorial service will be held at St. Luke’s on Friday, January 17 at 1:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that gifts be made in Jim’s honor to St. Luke’s. Please keep his wife Audrey and their extended family in your prayers.
Thank you, St. Lukers!
Your generosity and service made the Circles Holiday Party & Toy Shop a huge success. Thank you for donating more than 1,200 toys to help underserved families in East Winter Garden. Because of your generosity, not only were Circles families served, but there were extra gifts for three additional nonprofit organizations. We also extend our deep gratitude to more than 150 St. Luke’s volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event a reality. From pricing, organizing, and transporting toys to decorating, making crafts, serving food, wrapping presents, hosting activities, and singing karaoke, you made a difference. We couldn’t have done this without U! Thank you for helping us spread holiday cheer and making a lasting impact on our community!
We are excited to celebrate the commissioning of 4 new members of
our Care Visitation Team!
Their commissioning took place on Sunday, January 12. Barbara and Dennis Barber, Cathy Ellis, and Vicki Pietrack are using their spiritual gifts and sharing the love of Christ with those who are unable to attend our church services. We are thrilled to have them join this incredible team!
Our Care Visitation Team is a team of trained St. Lukers, who partner with our Parish Nurse and our pastors, to make home, hospital, and assisted or skilled nursing home visits during times of illness, hospitalization, or rehab. Our team provides companionship, encouragement, and loving support for all our church families who can’t attend church while also building meaningful relationships. If you or a family member are interested in arranging a visit from someone on our team, please contact the Care Office to get connected.
St. Luke's Shout Outs!
The December featured Staff Shout Out goes to our Director of Children's and Instrumental Music, John Mason! Shout out to John for his skillful balancing of the "many hats" he wears at St. Luke's. And for his leadership and collaboration on the combined Confirmation service. It was a beautiful service and a great opportunity not only for our youth to help lead in worship, but for everyone to experience this special moment together. Well done!
