Family Reunion Church Conference | 01.28.24

Family Gathering Church Conference | 09.24.23

St. Luke’s UMC 2023-2025 | Some Big Ideas for the Next 3 Years

Family Reunion Church Conference | 01.29.23

Staff Changes at St. Luke’s | 12.8.22

Dear St. Luke’s congregation.

I write to share some important news regarding some our key ministries at St. Luke’s.  I have invited Julie Ellerbrock, our long-time Director of Children’s Ministries, to be the next leader of our ministry at St. Luke’s Gethsemane Campus effective January 1, 2023, and she has accepted.  She will step into that role as Rev. David Horton receives his new appointment to be the Senior Pastor of Faith United Methodist Church in Spring.  For some time, Julie has been considering what God may have next for her in ministry.  After much prayer and consultation, she has recognized God’s call to pursue pastoral ministry, beginning the process of becoming a licensed pastor in the United Methodist Church.  As she moves through that process, she will be the Campus Director overseeing all St. Luke’s ministries at Gethsemane.  All of us know that Julie is a gifted leader and administrator, envisioning and executing wonderful ministries, but also reaching personally into the lives of families and drawing them in to the transforming love of Jesus.  I am so excited for Julie as she takes this step in her own ministry, and I believe she is just the right person for this important role.

Lori Fahrbach has accepted our offer to become the new Director of Children’s Ministries at St. Luke’s.  Lori is currently our Children’s Ministries Coordinator.  She has been a part of the team for more than nine years, overseeing elementary age ministry, and she understands the culture of caring and excellence that Julie has forged over the last fourteen years.  She has a degree in education from Kansas State, and experience as a classroom teacher before coming to St. Luke’s.  Energetic and outgoing, Lori has great leadership skills and strong faith.  She is married to Joe, and together they parent Anna, age five, and Dean, age three.  We will begin immediately searching for someone to fill Lori’s previous role on our Children’s Ministries team.  The good news is that Julie will continue to be present to provide coaching and support for the team and for Lori as she steps into her new role.

Finally, we currently are working with our United Methodist District Superintendent to find a new Pastor of Outreach to join our staff, preaching Sunday mornings at Gethsemane, providing pastoral ministry to the Gethsemane community, and giving leadership to our outreach ministry on the Westheimer campus.  Until that person is appointed, Rev. Michelle Manuel will serve as interim pastor at Gethsemane, providing preaching and pastoral ministry, and supporting the pastoral team that is already there –Rev. Yesly Antu, Pastor of Hispanic Ministry, and Rev. Aoci Elize – Pastor of the African Fellowship.

I am reminded of the words of St. Paul – “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”   Each leader does his or her part, and God moves the Kingdom forward using each person’s unique gifts.  We will find a time to celebrate Julie’s ministry in the days ahead, and I know you will embrace Lori’s great leadership as we all work together to “give children a spiritual foundation that will last a lifetime.”

In Christ,

Tom Pace

Family Gathering Church Conference | 9.25.22

Update on the United Methodist Church | 5.15.22

Dear Friends,

I would like to answer some questions I’m receiving about the May 1 launch of a new denomination, the “Global Methodist Church” (“GMC”), and what it means for St. Luke’s. The GMC is a new denomination with a narrower spectrum of opinions around LGBT inclusion. I have waited to update you until I had relevant information from the governing powers that be. On May 10th , the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church issued a decision which determined that an annual conference cannot leave the United Methodist Church until General Conference legislates a process for disaffiliation. The General Conference will not convene until 2024.

Although the May 10th ruling makes clear that an annual conference cannot leave the UMC, several individual churches in the Texas Annual Conference may choose to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church and join the GMC. That process has been in place since 2019. In order to do so, each congregation is required to have a churchwide vote, with a 2/3 majority required for disaffiliation. Additionally, the church must fully fund its share of unfunded pension liability for United Methodist pastors. Any decision to begin a discernment process for a church to consider disaffiliation is not made by the pastor, but by the Church Council or other similar governance body. St. Luke’s Church Council continues to discuss the developments in our denomination, but we have not had discussion regarding a local church vote to depart the United Methodist Church.

St. Luke’s has a marvelous heritage as a part of the Methodist Church, and for the last 54 years as part of the United Methodist Church. We embody the diversity of perspectives that makes the United Methodist Church so beautiful (as well as sometimes messy). People who differ on various social issues sit side by side in worship, have Christian fellowship and friendships with one another, and work shoulder to shoulder for the kingdom of God. Our goal is to gather the family of God around Jesus himself, sharing his love in word and deed with all people regardless of their “category,” including them fully in the life of the church. We seek to bring folks from various perspectives together to make a real difference for Christ in our community. That is why I am so proud to be the pastor of St. Luke’s, and why I will remain a pastor in the United Methodist Church. I hope we will stay focused on our mission – equipping families and individuals to live and love like Jesus, in order that someday, our vision will be realized: a city transformed by the love of Jesus.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly with any thoughts or questions. I covet your prayers for the United Methodist Church, for all the churches of the Texas Annual Conference, for St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, and most of all for the witness of all the people who call themselves by the name of Jesus.

Tom Pace

Church Conference | 3.27.22

Family Reunion Church Conference | 1.30.22

Meet Rev. Colin Bagby – Lead Pastor
Modern Worship Community

Family Gathering Church Conference | 10.17.21

Town Hall | 5.27.21

The Story to launch as independent congregation
May 25, 2021

Dear St. Luke’s Church,

Over the past eighteen months, Bishop Scott Jones has been in conversation with the leaders of the Story Church and St. Luke’s about the possibility of launching The Story as an independent United Methodist congregation.  The bishop and the Texas Annual Conference are responsible for the chartering of new congregations, and Bishop Jones has determined that it is time for the Story to begin that journey.  The Story will launch as a church no later than December 31, 2021.   St. Luke’s Church Council affirmed that decision last night.  Please see the attached letter from Bishop Jones.

If you would like to know more about this decision and the process moving forward, you are invited to a Town Hall meeting this Thursday evening, May 27, at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary.  Additionally, I will be sharing more complete information later today about this decision.  We celebrate the amazing work that God has done through this congregation, and look forward to what God will do through both the Story and St. Luke’s.

Tom Pace

A Pastoral Conversation Regarding Homosexuality and Same Sex Marriage in the Church
September 15, 2019

In my sermon on 9/15/19, I mention having substantive conversations with others regarding difficult issues in a way that is respectful, focuses on issues rather than demonization, and helps us learn about how those who disagree with us come to their points of view. In publishing this paper together, Chap Temple and I have sought to model that process. I hope you can learn something about how people with two different perspectives view same-sex marriage in the church.

2021 Family Reunion – Church Conference
January 31, 2021

Did you miss the Church Conference?

The congregation approved 2 ministry candidates, the 2021 Budget, Governance Slate, and the exciting Capital Campaign- Transformed!

Ministry Moment: Remembering the
St. Luke’s and Gethsemane Merger

Fall Family Gathering | September 27, 2020

Town Hall Meeting April 30, 2020

Watch a recording of this ZOOM meeting here. The password is Slumc1234!

Church Conference January 26, 2020

Church Conference October 20, 2019

St. Luke’s dreams about a capital campaign focused on a city transformed by the love of Jesus.

Saying Goodbye to a Friend…

For 21 years, God has used Dr. Linda Christians to make a significant impact on the people of St. Luke’s Church. She has loved us through deaths and illnesses, family troubles and community challenges. She celebrated with us baptisms and graduations and rites of passage. She taught classes and has been a shepherd to so many people as we grew in faith and love. She has nurtured and encouraged staff and called lay leaders into ministry. In short, she has been a pastor, effective and caring.

The closing scene of the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus is a heartwarming moment in which the band instructor comes to realize the impact he has made on the students whom he has mentored and taught. I know that so many of us are a part of Linda Christian’s Opus. Now, she will be sent to make an impact on others of God’s children. Nonetheless, the impact she has made in this place will be a legacy for decades to come.

Tom Pace

I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

Dear Friends,

Many of you may already know that I received my call to ministry while on a Bible study tour in the Holy Land in 1997. But the reality is that God has been at work in me from the very beginning, gently molding and shaping me for the time he would call me into his service.

Growing up, I learned many things. From my family, I learned discipline and the importance of loving each other through good times and bad. From my church, I learned the importance of having a strong faith foundation and of loving others as Jesus did. From my friends, I learned the importance of relaxing and having fun while forming solid relationships. From school, I learned that with education you could not only dream but have resources to make those dreams come true. Looking back now, I can see God’s hands at work in the different facets of my life, all in preparation for me to be ready for his call.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity of serving at St. Luke’s for the past 21 years, and am honored that the past 13 years have been as Executive Pastor. So many precious memories have been made here! I cherish each friend I have made along the way and will always remember the times we have spent together. I have been privileged to walk alongside others on their faith journeys, all the while knowing that my own faith was being strengthened with each experience. I have been motivated and encouraged as I witnessed the spiritual growth of class members and co-leaders in the classes and Bible studies I have led. It has been a joy to combine my spiritual journey with others making inspirational pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Greece. On a personal note, my husband, Doug, and I have enjoyed watching our children, Zach and Emily, grow from tots into fascinating young adults at St. Luke’s. Without a doubt, I have been blessed in many ways!

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 43:1-4 because in it the Lord assures us that he is with us no matter what we are going through. This has been a source of comfort and joy for me through the various stages of my life. And I am leaning on it now as I prepare to begin a new chapter as Senior Pastor at West University UMC. Know that I will continue to hold you close in my prayers, and I humbly ask for yours.

With a loving and grateful heart,

Dr. Linda Christians


Dear St. Luke’s family,

Many of you have seen the news reports about the called session of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church to deal with issues around same-sex marriage and ordination. The conference, which concluded Tuesday evening, passed an amended version of the plan called “The Traditional Plan,” which continues the current United Methodist position that same-sex weddings cannot be officiated by our clergy or in our churches, and self-avowed practicing LGBT men and women may not be ordained. This was passed by a margin of 53% – 47%. The passage of this plan changes nothing substantively for individual local churches. It does add increased accountability for bishops and boards of ministry in enforcing this covenant, although many of the components to increase that accountability already have been ruled in violation of the United Methodist constitution, so may not be enforceable going forward.

I have heard from many of you how painful this was to hear. Folks in our church family have shared how they feel rejected by a church they love because of their sexual identity. Many of you have friends and family members who feel judged and are turning away from the church because of the message, and you are hurting along with them. Others of you agree with the Biblical interpretation on which this decision was based but feel compassion for those who are hurting. There’s been lots of pain and tears.

There are two things it is important to communicate here. These are the same things I have tried to emphasize over the last few weeks.

First, I want you to know that St. Luke’s is a church for all of God’s children. All of us are created in God’s image. All of us stand in need of God’s grace. All of us are called to be a part of God’s work in the world. St. Luke’s will love and serve everyone, and we will include everyone in the full life of this congregation. This means all people, regardless of their sexual identity, their politics or ideology, or any other of the classifications the world likes to put on people. If you are LGBT, we not only welcome you in any of our ministries, but we will love you and embrace you as a full and equal part of us, and work with you to grow God’s kingdom. While we are a covenant-keeping church – we are a part of a larger denomination and we will keep our covenant to refrain from same-sex weddings – we will continue to study together, worship together, and serve the world together.  Moreover, we have Bible-believing, Jesus-following, loving people who are honestly seeking God’s will and who have reached different conclusions about the Biblical message on this specific issue. We have differing understandings even among our clergy, each with our own nuanced views. But at St. Luke’s, we strive to respect one another’s viewpoints and learn from one another, choosing to believe the best about the motivations that have led us to our positions. We live in a world that is quick to demonize those who disagree. In a culture which is deeply polarized, our witness to the world is that we can disagree about some things and still love one another and work together.

Second, we will continue to focus on our common vision, “a city transformed by the love of Jesus,” and our mission, “to equip families and individuals to live and love like Jesus.” I have used the image of St. Luke’s as the International Red Cross. In the midst of the world’s cultural battleground, our charge is to bring the healing and saving love of Jesus to everyone, and to invite them to follow him. While we do care about the larger United Methodist Church, our primary focus is on who St. Luke’s is called to be, and we are clear on that. We will continue to keep the main thing the main thing.

I know you will join me in prayers for the larger United Methodist Church, but most of all with prayers of both gratitude and intercession for our beloved church.

Tom Pace


The Called Session of General Conference of the United Methodist Church

A special called session of the General Conference of the United Methodist denomination will be meeting in St. Louis from Saturday, February 23 – Tuesday, February 26. The purpose of the session is to make decisions regarding whether United Methodist churches or clergy are permitted to hold or officiate at same-sex weddings, and whether Annual Conferences can ordain self-avowed, practicing homosexual men and women. Ordinarily, the General Conference of the church meets every four years, with lay and clergy delegates from Annual Conferences around the world. In the regular session of the General Conference in 2016, a special commission (The Commission on the Way Forward) was appointed by the Council of Bishops to bring recommendations to this coming called session. The Texas Annual Conference elected nine lay and nine clergy delegates to the General Conference at our annual session in 2015. None of them are members or clergy of St. Luke’s.

At this General Conference, three plans will be presented, and one or none of them may be adopted, or there may be some amended plan adopted. If none are adopted, then the position of the United Methodist Church will remain as it is now – United Methodist churches or clergy cannot hold or officiate at same-sex weddings, and self-avowed, practicing homosexual men or women may not be ordained. However, enforcement of these policies has been left to different jurisdictions and different annual conferences, and this has created concern about accountability and covenant. If you would like more information on these plans, or if you would like to follow what is happening at the session of General Conference, you can find that information at https://www.txcumc.org/GC2019.  The sessions will be livestreamed through www.UMC.org.

As Senior Pastor at St. Luke’s, I want to emphasize three things:

  • We don’t know what will happen, but whatever happens, we will work through it in a healthy way. Some have asked me why I haven’t been preparing the congregation for something ahead. I really don’t know what to prepare us for, and it may well be that there is no change. My intention has been to keep anxiety low, because I know we can deal with whatever comes with grace and love. When the General Conference is over, we will get up the next morning and do the same things we have always done – we will pray and worship, study the Bible, make friends, tell our stories, and give ourselves away in generosity and service (our five Inside-Out Habits.)
  • Luke’s always has been, and will remain, a church with committed, Jesus-following believers across the theological spectrum, with diverse views on a wide variety of social issues. We have always been willing to work and worship with people who disagree with us on various questions, holding fast to the essential issue – God is saving the whole world through the grace of Jesus Christ, received by faith, and put to work in love. On issues of human sexuality and many other issues of Biblical interpretation, we have pastors and leaders with differing views, each with his or her nuanced convictions. Our bishop has called us to “convicted humility,” in which we express our understanding and convictions, with the humility of knowing we may be wrong. Most importantly, we are all committed to welcome all people gladly, and we will love all people with both heart and hand. I have adopted an image that has been helpful for me to understand where we stand: someone asked me “so are you like Switzerland – just neutral?” My response is that we are not like Switzerland – Switzerland just wanted to stay out of the war. Instead, we are like the International Red Cross. We live in an increasingly polarized time, and our calling is to be right in the middle of the cultural battle that rages in the world around us, rescuing, caring for, and loving all, regardless of how they feel about this and many other things. “And when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
  • We will continue to keep the main thing the main thing. Last week, we launched our new vision statement, common to every ministry center in St. Luke’s Family of Ministries – St. Luke’s Church, The Story Houston, The Gethsemane Mission, Nick Finnegan Counseling Center, St. Luke’s Day School, After School and Summer Camps, and Bridges Academy – we all are working to bring about “A city transformed by the love of Jesus.” Each of these ministry centers has its own mission statement, its particular mission to allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to bring about this vision. This vision is our north star, and it will be the focus of our conversation and work in the days, weeks, and years ahead. We will always concentrate on making a difference, rather than simply making a point.

In the worship services February 17 and 24, we will pray for the session of General Conference, that God’s will, not our own, will be accomplished. I ask you to join me and pray personally to that same end. And then we will trust God with the result.

In Christ,

Tom Pace

St. Luke’s Family Reunion | Church Conference Recap
January 27, 2019



St. Luke’s Family Reunion | Church Conference Recap
January 28, 2018


St. Luke’s New Church App – Our Member Toolbox

Want to pay bills, shop, get social, check scores and even do Bible study? Yup -there’s an app for that. And now St. Luke’s has an app!
See it as your member tool box; easy buttons that can get you what you want to access fast. Easy. Fast. Shareable. Get in the know, real time.
Search St Lukes UMC Houston in the app store to download.

Remember— the cool thing about an app is that it’s not just real time information and media at your fingertips (which is pretty cool on its own) but even more, it’s all about sharing with a friend, taking notes, adding events to your calendar, or even hearing from us once in a while through push notifications. Stop by every Sunday in February—no appointment needed!


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Thoughts about Charlottesville
by Dr. Tom Pace

August 20, 2017

I was wrong.
Last Saturday, when the white supremacists marched at Charlottesville, I thought the best response was to ignore them. I urged us all to pray, but also sought to deprive them of the attention they are craving. I refused to let a bunch of haters and a murderer set the agenda for my heart or my church. They are a fringe group, I thought, way out on the edge, and their brand of overt racism is not the real issue in our culture. I still think that part is true. But I have come to believe that their kind of hate is like the little creatures in whack-a-mole. It keeps popping up, and it is up to the whole community to whack it right back down as soon as it pops up. Of course they have the right to speak and say what they want to say. And those of us in the rest of the world have the right to shout them down. And I am so grateful that, pretty much universally across the spectrum of theology and ideology, the world has said “no!”
When extremist murderers attacked innocent people in the name of the Islamic faith, I asked my Muslim friends why some of their own leaders remained silent. They responded just like I did on Saturday: “Those people aren’t us. They don’t represent us. That isn’t is Islam. They aren’t really Muslims; they are terrorist fanatics.” “Yes,” I responded, “but the rest of us need to be reminded of that by you.” And so many Muslim leaders do remind us of that every time it happens. Similarly, those who are targets of white supremacist racism need to be reminded that those people marching with torches don’t represent us, and that what they do is anathema to everything we believe. We shouldn’t have to say it, but it is nonetheless necessary. So, late to the game, I add my voice to the overwhelming chorus. The world has spoken. You are both wrong and destructive to the very fabric of our culture.
The real issues, of course, are deeper than hateful slogans and chants, and more difficult to recognize. The most pervasive racism is built deep into every one of us. It is subtle and deceptive, and just like with most sin, we sinners remain in denial that it is there at all. It is intertwined with so many other issues we face: poverty and crime and violence and history and education and economics and culture and values and opportunity and a dozen more. The church’s job is to acknowledge that sin, and let the love of Jesus Christ work within our hearts to bring about repentance, as well as both personal and social transformation. In the church, we call that “sanctification.” I pray that in the months and years ahead, God will show us ways to do just that. The change won’t come through a triumph of the left or of the right. Nor will it come with the kind of violence and hatred that bubbles up in response to torchlight marches. Jesus always chose to love the people everyone else loved to hate. I believe it will come through a change in the hearts of women and men, through the power of God at work within us. It sounds naïve, but I do believe that “perfect love casts out all fear.”-1 John 4:18. And Jesus is that perfect love.

More from the Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church here.

All initiatives proposed at the Church Conference were passed.

June 25, 2017

Board of Stewards Meeting

May 24, 2017

Fellowship Hall Proposed Renovation

The Fellowship Hall Building Study Committee has been working collaboratively over the past several months.  The committee is comprised of leaders from St Luke’s Executive Committee, staff, clergy, volunteers, Encounter band, Building Committee as well as Design, Acoustical, Audio/Video/Lighting, and construction consultants.

Our goal has been to bring forth a design that not only takes into account the interior of Fellowship Hall, but beyond that, includes the infrastructure and acoustical needs of a space that will be a multipurpose room that could welcome and host events, meetings, receptions, performances, small groups, Children’s Ministry events, as well transform into a worship space for Encounter on Sundays.

This space was St Luke’s first sanctuary, and over the years the room has been modified into Fellowship Hall, which was renovated back in the 80’s.  It has always been our committee’s commitment to honor the space and allow it to come to life for the purpose of growing the Kingdom, while remaining true to St Luke’s Georgian style, heritage and architecture.

Our focus has taken into account the past, present and future of Fellowship Hall.  The specific areas included in the design components are; ceiling, back wall, proscenium wall, stage, side walls, refurbished floors, upgrade mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, wood work, audio, visual and lighting.

The renderings pictured here will help you see the space and look beyond.

We look forward to hearing from you and any questions that you may have. Contact Larry Moore at lmoore@stlukesmethodist.org

Long Range Planning Committee Aims at Ambitious Goals

St. Luke’s Long Range Planning Committee has been at work seeking God’s preferred future for St. Luke’s ministry.  The committee has established eight initiatives as part of our vision for the next five years.  By the end of 2023, St Luke’s will:

  • Overhaul systems for hospitality, engagement, and leadership development
  • Expand strategic communications for traditional worship and all of St. Luke’s ministries
  • Enlarge St. Luke’s outreach ministry, including our work in the Gethsemane parish
  • Grow the Story Houston as an integral part of St. Luke’s mission
  • Strengthen and grow our Encounter worship community
  • Build a strong financial foundation for growing ministries
  • Improve technology, including a new church management system
  • Restructure our governance for more doing and less reporting

Specific strategies are being developed for each of these initiatives, along with objectives and ministry owners.  The plan will be presented at a Church Conference on June 25 at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  All are welcome!  If you have questions or comments, please contact committee co-chairs Kristin Tillman ktillman@greenwoodking.com or Nick Erwin nicklerwin@gmail.com.

New Governance Structure Proposed

As part of the plan for the next five years, the Structure sub-committee of the Long Range is proposing a new governance structure for St. Luke’s.  The purpose of the change is to move more people into ministries of “doing” on teams, and fewer people on committees, whose primary function is simply oversight.  The specific recommendations are that St. Luke’s:

  • Replace our current Board of Stewards with two all church conferences each year, for the purpose of communications.
  • Create a new Church Council with 17 members, serving the same function as our current Executive Committee.
  • Create an Executive Committee of seven officers of the Church Council.
  • Reduce standing committees to 4- Lay Leadership, Human Resources, Finance & Operations and Advancement; all have 9 members
  • Merge Audit Committee into Finance & Operations; merge Executive Nominating into Lay Leadership
  • Replace Discipleship, Worship and Outreach Commissions with enhanced participation in ministry teams
  • Involve representatives from all worship communities in governance bodies.

The committee believes that these changes, consistent with United Methodist Book of Discipline, along with specific charters for each of our committees, will make volunteering at St. Luke’s far more productive, and increase volunteer participation across the whole life of the church.  If you would like to talk more about this new structure, please contact structure subcommittee chair Vicki Keiser vkeiser@swbell.net.

Q&A

Why do we need to renovate the Fellowship Hall? 

There are three primary reasons this renovation is necessary:

  • The room is not in good shape right now. It is the one room in our church that is well below standards for our church.
  • We want to provide excellent spaces for all of our worship communities. We have done so for traditional worship and for The Story Houston, and this would provide such a space for Encounter.
  • We removed a new “Great Hall” from our last capital campaign. As a result, we need to invest in our existing space. The room is used for many purposes: Vacation Bible School, Men’s Life, funeral receptions, dinners, luncheons, outreach events, women’s ministry events, concerts and any time we need a room for more than 100 people. It is one of our most used rooms. In addition, we would like for it to be more acceptable for medium-sized wedding and funeral services themselves.

Why do it now? Can’t we wait until another capital campaign? 

In the Spring of 2016, we made a difficult decision for The Story Houston to have exclusive use of the new contemporary worship building on Sundays. We simply could not find a way to make the times work, and The Story was already growing extremely fast.  We wanted to give The Story the best opportunity to continue to grow. This meant that we would not move Encounter into the new worship facility as we had advertised in the capital campaign. At that time, we committed to those who had made their contributions that we would look at a way to upgrade the worship space for Encounter. We appointed a Building Study Committee in the Fall, before we even appointed the Long Range Planning Committee, and this is their recommendation.

Do we have to do all of it right now?

We considered a smaller, less expensive upgrade, including hanging acoustical clouds on the ceiling and putting acoustical materials on all the walls, but this seemed like a poor option. If we are going to do it, we need to do it right. We also considered a phased approach, in which we did some things now and the rest after a capital campaign, but that was going to be more expensive and would mean shutting the room down twice.

Aren’t Encounter and The Story Houston both the same kind of worship? Can’t they just combine? 

No, The Story Houston has a very specific mission and target. It is to reach irreligious people in the Houston area and is far more than a style of worship. It has its own culture and discipleship and outreach approach. Encounter is a part of St. Luke’s long-standing culture, sharing Sunday School classes, small groups, outreach projects, and has the same broad target constituency as the rest of St. Luke’s, except that it is a different style of worship.

Where will Encounter worship during the renovation to Fellowship Hall? 

The Encounter service will take place in the Activity Center during the renovation.

When will the project start, if passed, and how long will it take?

While nothing is finalized, the plan would likely start after the first of the year and take approximately 6 months to complete.

What is the cost of the project and how will it be funded?

The budget is currently $1.8 million, including Audio/Visual/Lights. The amount will be added to our funding instrument for our What If capital campaign. This will increase our debt when all of the current capital campaign pledges are paid to approximately $7 million. We will retire this debt in a proposed future capital campaign.

Will we be able to have Saturday evening meetings and events?

Yes! We want to enjoy this wonderful space.

Will the kitchen be included in the renovation?

There are no plans for kitchen renovation in this project. However, we will research possible models for expanded use and renovation of our kitchen for the future.

Will the stage be widened and accessible for PureSound, shows and concerts?

Yes!

What is the abatement for?

The abatement is for asbestos removal, typically found in buildings of this age.

Do you have a question?