Serving Our Church

St. Luke’s Church invites and encourages all to become involved in the life and ministries of our parish in ways that will enrich us as individuals and as a faith community. Our parish ministries and outreach programs allow us to sustain a practice of service that connects us to our neighbors both inside and outside our parish walls. Come, discover and serve!

“I … beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”   Ephesians 4:1-3

Parish Ministries

One of the best ways to learn about St. Luke’s is to participate in a parish ministry. These ministries span service activities from setting up and maintaining the altar to pruning our gardens, from teaching or leading faith formation sessions to being a greeter or usher during services. The following lists describe many different groups that would welcome your participation. To learn more about a particular ministry, follow up with the contact person listed. And if you have ideas about new ways to nurture and/or expand our ministry offerings, please share your thoughts with us!

Worship

The Altar Guild prepares, maintains and sets up the furnishings of the altar and sanctuary for Sunday services and other liturgies throughout the year. They are responsible for purchasing vestments and linens, managing flower memorials, replenishing the supply of bread, wine and candles, advising about memorial gifts for use in the sanctuary and participating in special liturgies such as Christmas and Easter. The Guild is divided into five teams, each of which serves two weeks every two months.
Contact: Liz Fox

The ministry of Acolyte is open to those from 5th grade to adult. Acolytes are trained to assist at the altar during worship services. New acolytes participate in a training session and then shadow veteran acolytes before they assume full responsibilities. Service protocol refreshers are provided each fall for new and veteran acolytes. Each year, the acolytes are recognized during a worship service in the fall and high school seniors are honored in the spring for their service and leadership.
Contact: Dr. Charlie Cronin

Eucharistic Ministers and Lay Readers serve under the direction of the clergy and are authorized to administer the Sacrament during Celebrations of Holy Eucharist. After training by the parish clergy, a confirmed communicant will be licensed by the Bishop at the request of the Rector. Lay Readers are invited to read lessons and prayers of the people as scheduled.
Contact: Parish Office

Greeters volunteer to greet people as they enter the church to attend services. They welcome newcomers and visitors, encouraging them to sign the Guest Book and join parishioners at coffee hour. Greeters work on rotating six-week terms.
Contact: Parish Office

Ushers provide service bulletins to those entering the church and assist with seating as needed. They receive the offering, assist the congregation to the altar rail for Eucharist, and close the church following services.
Contact: Steve McLoughlin

Parish Support

Coffee Hour Hosts and Hostesses Volunteers are periodically scheduled to be in charge of a coffee hour after either the 8:00am or 10:00am services on Sundays. The supplies are at the church and instructions are on the cupboard doors in the kitchen and in the Blackburn Room. The person in charge coordinates supply of milk for coffee and goodies to share.
Contact: Marcia Gladue (8:00am service) and Tracy Sampson (10:00am service)     

Pastoral Care  Pastoral Care volunteers  minister to our parishioners who are in need of support and prayer during illness, family crises, or stressful times in their lives. Their gifts of care are extended through personal visits, cards of support, cheer and sympathy, preparation and delivery of meals, and delivery of prayer shawls blessed by the clergy and Caring Crosses carved from olive wood from the Holy Land. Some committee members elect to be trained as Eucharistic Lay Visitors who take Holy Communion to our parishioners who are unable to attend Sunday morning services.

Special ministries initiated by the committee include outreach to college students and our military men and women.  The Pastoral Care Committee was also responsible for publishing The Windows of St. Luke’s Church, with all proceeds going toward maintenance of these windows. The committee meets monthly under the guidance of St. Luke’s clergy.
Contact: Dottie Fleming     

Newcomers  This team of parishioners works together to identify, welcome and engage newcomers to St. Luke’s Church. The team hosts fall and spring receptions for all newcomers, providing them an informal opportunity to meet each other, parish clergy and staff, vestry members and program leaders. Additional outreach is incorporated throughout the year to inform newcomers about upcoming events, service schedules and parish traditions and to help them become involved in parish ministries and outreach.

The Newcomers Team also coordinates activities with the East Greenwich Chamber of Commerce to assure St. Luke’s and other faith communities are included in Chamber welcome materials and in Chamber-sponsored events such as the Summer Main Street Strolls. Outreach to the local community through mailings, local media coverage, and social media is an ongoing mission of the team as they invite our neighbors to ‘come see’ what St. Luke’s is all about!
Contact: Jan Burch    

Buildings and Grounds If you love to work with your hands, here is the group for you! The committee has the responsibility for planning and implementing the maintenance and repairs of St. Luke’s church, parish hall and grounds. The committee meets quarterly, contributing their time and talent to take care of the smaller projects…extra hands are always welcome. Of course, professionals are hired to handle major items but the Committee is always looking for parishioners with technical skills or professional licenses who would like to help.

A Breakfast/Project Party is held the third Thursday of every month beginning at 8:00am in St. Luke’s Dining Room. After breakfast and fellowship, the assembled men and women select from a list of projects what they would like to do that morning. In addition, Saturday morning work parties are scheduled each year, enabling employed parishioners to contribute as well.
Contact: Doug MacPherson and Steve Nichols      

Twilighters Yet another way to use your landscaping and maintenance skills is to join The Twilighters group!  Since many parishioners work during the day or have sports with our youth on weekends, this group gathers on Monday nights from 6:00-8:30pm during the spring, summer and fall months. Each evening starts with a light meal of soup and salad, then off to raking, pruning, clearing and sprucing up the grounds…or, taking care of targeted cleaning tasks inside St. Luke’s as needed. No experience necessary: bring a rake, bring clippers, bring gloves, bring a friend or family member and be a blessing at twilight!
Contact: Cindi Lovejoy