identity We are an open
community of Christians gathering to seek, celebrate, live and share the love of God for all creation.
vision We envision being transformed
by God and transforming the world into a compassionate, just, inclusive, Christ-like community.
method We experience God’s
unconditional love,
embrace hope,
grow in faith, and become empowered by our passion for ministry and service
in the world.
. Street • Indianapolis, Telephone: -- • Fax: -- • www.stlukesumc.com
: , Dr. Kent Millard, Lead Pastor I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we’re the church together! As I make my final annual report to the people of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, I remember that God has called us to be the church together. The church is not primarily the pastors or the staff or the lay leaders or the members, but we are all the church together seeking to “love God and love our neighbors as ourselves” as Jesus taught us to do. During each season of the year, we lift up certain themes to guide our journey together. In , we focused on themes of () “Now is the TIME,” where we recognized the small steps we can take today towards a better life for ourselves and our community; () “Spiritual Spring Training” when we focused on practicing some of the Spiritual Disciplines while seeking to walk closer with God; () “Turn the World Upside Down” where we looked at the activities, large and
small, that followers of Jesus engage in to be God’s agents in turning the world upside down; () “Summer T.I.M.E.,” a period to be intentional with how we experience renewal of mind, body and spirit; () “Back to Basics,” where we deepened our personal relationship with God and showed love to our neighbors; () “ Days of Giving,” an exciting journey together as we opened ourselves to authentic giving and receiving; and () “The Holy Family” when we delved into the different aspects of what a “holy” family looks like and how we all receive God’s unconditional love. The activities of the past year reflect on these themes in a variety of ways. Here are the some of the highlights of how St. Luke’s continued to be Together In Ministry Everyday in .
Clergy Staff January brought REV. DAVID WILLIAMSON and REV. JAMALYN PEIGH WILLIAMSON to our staff. David provides key leadership to Family Ministries and Men’s Ministries, while Jamalyn serves as our Director of Children’s Ministries. They have both brought new energy and direction to these ministries as well as leading us in new outreach ministries in Haiti. We have been blessed by their first year here, and St. Luke’s has welcomed David and Jamalyn, along with their two children, with open arms. DR. ADOLF HANSEN served St. Luke’s as Theologian in Residence, primarily responsible for enrolling
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David Williamson Jamalyn Peigh Williamson
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new people to consider going into the ordained ministry or making a new decision about their lay ministry. During the past seven years, Dr. Hansen has lead about people through this discernment process, and more than a dozen are serving as pastors or in the process of being ordained and serving as pastors. Dr. Hansen is also an accomplished teacher and administrator, and St. Luke’s has benefited greatly from his leadership in these areas as well. When Dr. Hansen retired from that position on December , our Staff Parish Relations Committee asked Rev. David Williamson to serve as our Executive Pastor. In that capacity, David works with our Executive Team, Lead Team and Clergy Team in helping St. Luke’s achieve the vision to which we have been called. He continues his work with Family and Men’s Ministries as well. DR. LINDA MCCOY, pastor of The Garden, was awarded a clergy renewal grant by Lilly Endowment. She spent a month in Ireland and Scotland to explore an interest in Celtic Spirituality, a month focusing on quality time with her family, and the final month in Colorado in a personal time of reflection and preparation. During her time of sabbatical, The Garden formed a Renewal Leave
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Team that coordinated a list of guest speakers to fill in for Linda, giving other clergy and laity important time with The Garden congregation, as well as two Gatherings of the Gardeners which began to identify the needs for the future and clarifying The Garden’s mission and vision. The Garden celebrated its anniversary in . We also thank God for REV. MARSHA HUTCHINSON’S leadership in counseling and pastoral care for our congregation, and DR. MARION MILLER’S leadership in helping St. Luke’s to become a more inclusive congregation. We thank God for REV. STAN ABELL’S leadership at Oak Hill Mansion in starting the Unplugged Service and the online congregation of the Bluevine Collective.
LEFT:
Haiti devastation
RIGHT: His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Conseco
Global Response
Feeding the Hungry
When the devastating earthquake hit HAITI in January , Rev. Jamalyn Peigh Williamson was in Fondwa, Haiti with about a dozen other people from St. Luke’s and Milroy United Methodist Church. We thank God for their safe return and pray for the , people who lost their lives and the thousands more who were injured.
St. Luke’s has raised about , for the INTERFAITH HUNGER INITIATIVE since this program began three years ago. The Interfaith Hunger Initiative brings together Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh leaders in our community to help end hunger for children and families. In the Indianapolis area, IHI works with Gleaners through the Pantry Partners Program to provide more access to food for the increased number of hungry people who need it. And through Umoja, IHI has provided a school lunch to over children in a county in Kenya who were previously going hungry and not attending school. Thanks to your help, we are now feeding their bodies and their minds. Through the two dozen IHI-affiliated congregations and public support, over , has been raised to date to achieve these goals.
In response to this disaster, the people of St. Luke’s raised over , to assist in rebuilding the lives of those who lost so much. St. Luke’s sent four other teams to minister to people in need in Haiti during , and more are traveling there in . Additionally, teams again spent weeks working in SIERRA LEONE, AFRICA, and the people of St. Luke’s fanned out across the United States working to make a significant difference in many communities.
The Interfaith Hunger Initiative co-sponsored a community-wide event where His Holiness the Dalai Lama, leader of the Tibetan Buddhists, spoke to over , people at Conseco Fieldhouse in May . People throughout our region were inspired to live more compassionate and loving lives through listening to one of the great leaders of compassion in our world. About , was raised by the Dalai Lama’s speech for the Interfaith Hunger Initiative. Senator George McGovern, former the head of the FOOD FOR PEACE program and cosponsor of the Federal Government School Lunch program, also came to speak at St. Luke’s in June to support our interfaith efforts to feed hungry people.
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Guest Speakers In March as part of our Spiritual Spring Training theme, bestselling author A.J. JACOBS (The Year of Living Biblically) shared with us his experience of trying to live by as many edicts of the Bible as he could for one year. Many groups were entertained and enlightened by coming together to read Jacobs’ book, and we were blessed by his unique reflections on some of the more obscure parts of the Bible and his endeavors to understand them from many points of view. June saw the return of a St. Luke’s favorite, author PHIL GULLEY, who spoke about his latest book, If the Church Were Christian. Again, many groups chose to read the book and engage in meaningful conversation around the sometimes controversial topics Gulley presents.
and Pakistan as a way to give girls an opportunity for an education, provide health and employment opportunities to very poor people, and to defeat terrorism. About , was raised from Greg Mortensen’s presentations. On October , the Pedal for Peace bike relay was held, which raised another , for both Greg Mortensen’s Central Asia Institute as well as for AWAKEN (Afghan Women’s and Kids’ Education and Necessities, Inc.), located in Muncie, Indiana, which provides education and hope for the people of Afghanistan. In October, St. Luke’s hosted CAMI WALKER, author of 29 Gifts: How One
Month of Giving Can Change Your Life. Cami shared with us her journey of learning to give while dealing with the pain and debilitation of multiple St. Luke’s was the primary sclerosis, and inspired us to witness sponsoring organization for how giving yourself the gift of giving bringing GREG MORTENSEN, while in the midst of personal difficuladvocate and best-selling ties can have a profound effect on your author of Three Cups of Tea life. The people of St. Luke’s were transand Stones into Schools, to formed as we disciplined ourselves to Indianapolis in September Greg Mortenson give something to someone else every . Mortensen spoke to day for days and discovered how we and the person we gave about people at St. Luke’s, to hundreds of school children to were blessed in the process. in Indianapolis, and to hundreds of college students throughout the state about his mission to start schools in Afghanistan
New Worship Opportunities During , our worship attendance at all services increased from in the year , to in the year , a % increase. This makes St. Luke’s among the ten largest attended United Methodist Churches in the nation. This increase is due in part to starting two new services: a second service at Oak Hill called Garden Unplugged led by Rev. Stan Abell, and Family Fuel for grade school children and their parents led by Rev. Jamalyn Peigh Williamson. GARDEN UNPLUGGED, which started in August , uses elements familiar to Garden
worship services—modern music you’d hear on the radio, and video clips. The essence of the service is the opportunity for participants to be involved in dialogue. The theme is tied to the main Garden theme of the morning, and opportunity for further discussion can be found on the “virtual church” website Bluevine Collective, also launched in . These opportunities open the doors for new ways to worship that can reach far beyond the physical walls of the church. 4
FAMILY FUEL launched on October , . This worship service is geared for kids, with an emphasis on parents learning along with them. Parents and children worship together, enabling them to continue the conversation at home during the week. It’s a high-energy service that is reaching over moms, dads, kids and other family members and friends each week.
Family Fuel worship service
Generosity I thank God for the amazing generosity of the people of St. Luke’s during these difficult financial times. Nationally, religious organizations received about % less in than they received in . However, because of the generosity of this congregation, our income for the budget increased to ,, in compared to ,, in , or an increase of about , during . In addition, you gave , for the final year of the Powerful Possibilities capital campaign, and about another million in gifts for missions in Haiti, Sierra Leone, Indianapolis intercity ministries, Habitat for Humanity, United Christmas Service, Interfaith Hunger Initiative, Greg Mortensen, Pedal for Peace, as well as many other missions supported through The Garden’s % giving program, Stephen Ministry, and children, youth, women and men’s ministries. Furthermore, our Endowment
increased from a market value of ,, on December , to ,, on December , due to generous estate and memorial gifts and an increase in the stock market during . Because our pledge commitments for are slightly less than , our Finance Committee is estimating that our projected income for will be ,,, or about , less than . Our Staff Parish Committee has recommended that we not reduce staff during to balance the budget, especially during this leadership transition time, so the Finance Committee is proposing a budget which does not reduce staff but does reduce communication expenses, new programs, and other areas of the budget. We are committed to a balanced budget and not spending more than our income allows.
During , the St. Luke’s congregation continued to generously support the ministries of the church with their financial gifts. , , ,
Gifts received for Powerful Possibilities Campaign Other Capital Campaign/Building Fund Gifts TOTAL Capital Gifts
Gifts toward Annual Operating Fund Gifts received for support of The Garden Funds received for Missions/Designated Funds/Programs** Gifts received for St. Luke’s Endowment TOTAL Gifts received for Operations/Outreach
,, , ,, , ,,
TOTAL Gifts Received from the St. Luke’s Family in
$ ,,
gifts 5
** Sampling of Outreach Ministries receiving service/funds in American Indian Projects Appalachian Project, Hazard, KY
Global Interfaith Partnership Habitat for Humanity
AWAKEN
Indianapolis; Collier County, Naples, FL; John's Island, SC; Ft. Myers, FL Haiti: Fondwa; Haitian Academy, Port au Prince; John Wesley School, Jeremie; Three Angels
Barnes UMC Community Center Burma/Myanmar Caring Churches Network Central Asia Institute Changing Footprints Construction Ministries (SAWS) CROP Walk Damien Center Deaf Ministry D'Iberville Volunteer Center EPES - Chile Earthquake and Flood Relief First Baptist Food Bank Fletcher Place Community Center Fox Hill Elementary Fresh Start Global AIDS Initiative
Heifer Project Indiana United Methodist Children's Home Interfaith Hunger Initiative IU/Kenya AIDS/Power of One Inter-Faith Alliance Liberia, Africa Lucille Raines Residence Manna from Heaven Mar Elias/Nazareth Academic Institute Metropolitan School District of Washington Township for Nora refugees
Midwest Mission Distribution Center Neema Orphanage Operation Classroom, Sierra Leone & Liberia
Outreach, Inc. Sierra Leone, Africa Taiama, Africa Timmy Foundation Tree of Life, South Dakota UMCOR Underneath It All, We're All the Same United Christmas Service United Methodist Children's Home in Kentucky Vida Nueva Food Pantry World Missions support of work trips Zimbabwe Water Project
••• Total gifts and contributions made to world and community groups from UMW, The Garden, Singles, Children’s and other ministries were over ,. ••• St. Luke’s also contributed , through apportionments to the work of the United Methodist Church throughout the world.
: The congregation continues to respond to St. Luke’s mission with their Prayers, Presence, Service and Gifts.
pledges 2010 Annual Income Statement
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# of Families Pledging
Total Pledges
Average Pledge
,, ,, ,, ,, ,,
, , , , ,
Pledge Income Identified Plate Loose Plate Christmas/Easter Special Gifts Gain/Loss on Securities Prior Year Pledges Facility Rental Sundays in the South Annual Designated
,, , , , , , , , ,
TOTAL Income
,,
EXPENSES Utilities Building Maintenance Staff Parish Relations Church Apportionments Program Budgets TOTAL Expenses
, , ,, , , ,,
Net
,
Welcoming New Members During we welcomed new members at St. Luke’s and lost members by death, transfers or withdrawal for a net gain of members. The total membership of St. Luke’s is , at the end of .
Confessions of Faith Confirmation Class Transfer from UMC or Restored Other Denominations TOTAL New Members Removal of Members Withdrawn Transfer to Other UMC To Other Denominations Deaths TOTAL Withdrawn Net Membership Gain Membership Baptisms Preparatory / Children under 18 Constitutents Average Worship Attendance St. Luke’s Worship The Garden TOTAL
membership
A TIME FOR DECISION On December 27, 2010, I informed the congregation of my decision to retire as Senior Pastor of St. Luke’s effective June 30, 2011. As I sat down to prepare my Annual Report for St. Luke’s, I was reminded of these words of St. Paul: “What is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants who helped you to believe. Each one had a role given to them by the Lord: I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow…the one who plants and the one who waters work together…we are God’s coworkers, and you are God’s garden.” FIRST CORINTHIANS :- St. Paul came to Corinth in ancient Greece and started a congregation of people who trusted in God and followed Jesus
Christ. After awhile, Paul left Corinth and moved on to start other congregations of Christians in other communities, and another Christian leader named Apollos came to lead the congregation in Corinth. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul uses this analogy: The congregation is the garden, Paul came and planted the seeds of faith in that garden, Apollos followed him as a leader who watered the plants in the garden, but God is the one who made the plants in the garden grow. Paul says that the one who plants and the one who waters are not nearly as important as the God who provides the soil, the sun, the seeds and the miracle of growth. St. Luke’s is a garden of followers of Jesus Christ.
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Rev. Bill Imler was the first pastor of this congregation. He worked with a faithful group of lay persons to plant the seeds of faith in this garden in . Dr. Richard Hamilton, Dr. Carver McGriff and I have been the senior pastors of St. Luke’s who have watered this garden of faith since the congregation was founded years ago this March . However, all of the senior and associate pastors who have served here since know that we are simply co-workers whom God uses to help the seeds of faith grow into mature and fruitful plants in this garden of faith. I will retire on June , , and God will bring a new senior pastor here sometime after that. I know that God will use that pastor to continue to water, nurture and tend the garden of faith here along with all of the other pastors and staff of this congregation.
TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT In , it was determined that St. Luke’s needed to expand its facilities in order to accommodate the church’s growing ministry. Ground was broken for a new Sanctuary as well as expanded Educational and Music areas, and the Expect a Miracle capital campaign was launched. That campaign raised just over million. In subsequent years, building Luke’s Lodge, expanded parking and HVAC replacements were completed, bringing the total of all building project expenses (including interest) to million. Through Expect a Miracle and two other campaigns—With God, All Things Are Possible, and Powerful Possibilities—the generous people of St. Luke’s have given million toward those expenses.
The St. Luke’s Governing Board has authorized a TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT capital campaign to generate million in
five-year pledges to make our monthly mortgage payments, and hopefully to become a debt-free congregation by . The debt that was eliminated before I came in enabled the leaders of St. Luke’s to envision what God was calling the church to do next in terms of expanding its strong servant ministries throughout the community and world, and in expanding the facilities to meet the spiritual needs of a growing congregation. Doing the same would leave the next senior pastor and our leaders with a financially strong congregation so that the ministries of St. Luke’s would continue to serve the spiritual and personal needs of thousands of people in our community and beyond.
Before former senior pastor Dr. Carver McGriff retired in , St. Luke’s had a capital campaign to eliminate the indebtedness on the facilities expansions during his ministry here. It was a wise thing to do. The church is now faced with a similar situation. St. Luke’s has expanded facilities and ministries over the past years and is now reaching about twice as many people in worship, education, fellowship and service than before. However, we also have incurred indebtedness in the process. Our current indebtedness stands at nearly million. While there are sufficient capital gifts on hand to pay the mortgage through the end of , additional gifts are needed for mortgage payments beginning in or we may have to reduce staff and programming to make those mortgage payments.
Now is the time to finish what God started among us a decade ago and not pass our indebtedness on to future generations. When we expect miracles and trust God no matter what, the miracle of generosity happens and we discover that our trust in God is not misplaced. When I came here years ago, I had to put aside fear and trust God completely as God led all of us into an unknown future. But we discovered that God is always faithful to us, and when we TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT, God will lead us to greater heights than we could ever have imagined. The best years of St. Luke’s are always ahead of us. Grace and Peace,
Kent Millard 8