St. Luke's Pastors

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Dr. William S. Barnes, Lead Pastor

Bill has been the Lead Pastor of St. Luke’s since June 1992. Since that time St. Luke’s has grown to be one of the largest and most influential congregations in the United Methodist denomination. Always known for their servant hearts, St. Luke’s believers have continued to respond to the needs of a changing community with creativity, commitment, and compassion. Their vision of a church that is “Building the Kingdom by Building Disciples” while welcoming all with God’s love, hope, and healing makes St. Luke’s one of the most dynamic, dedicated, and distinctive churches in Central Florida.

A graduate of Emory University with degrees in both business administration and theology, Bill has been an ordained minister in the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church since 1974. He has served in rural, urban, and suburban churches, as well as Chaplain of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. He is a recipient of the Jefferson Award for American Public Service and the Manhattan Institute’s Award for Social Entrepreneurship, among others. He is well known in Orlando for founding Shepherd’s Hope a faith-based volunteer health care organization for the uninsured.

Bill is married to Kim, who designs her own line of custom jewelry. They have two children, Kristin and Meredith, a terrific son-in-law named Sean, and the father of one grandson, Brady.

The Rev. Beth Farabee-Puckett, Minister of Discipleship

Beth has been on the pastoral staff at St. Luke’s since 1999. She is a native Floridian and loves living in the Orlando area. As the Minister of Discipleship she oversees and helps to implement the spiritual formation offerings for all ages along with preaching in traditional and contemporary worship from time to time. Beth also enjoys her role as primary pastor of, PowerHouse, our family worship experience which ministers to children pre-school through 5th grade and their families.

She graduated from Florida State University with a BS in Elementary Education and received her Masters of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School. There’s no doubt the time she spent preparing to teach elementary school children has been a blessing to the ministry she’s engaged in now!

Beth is married to Tom Puckett and they have a beautiful daughter, Anna Nicole.

Dr. David Stephens, Minister of Congregational Care

Dr. David E. Stephens came to St. Luke’s in 1988 and serves as the Minister of Nurture. Nurture is one of St. Luke’s Essential ministry commitments, and it involves congregational care, the building of Christian friendship and support, and a sense of genuine Christian concern.

David has general oversight of the congregational care ministries which includes the St. Luke’s Counseling Center, Hospital and Home visitation, Crisis support, Grief and funeral support, Grief recovery, Stephen Ministry, Divorce Recovery, Wellness Ministries, and others. He liaisons with Spiritual Formation, teaches regularly, and helps with Worship.

David is a graduate of Stetson University, and has a Masters of Divinity degree and Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

David and his Wife Marca have four daughters and five grandchildren. They enjoy team teaching and often use the “Companions in Christ” materials that focus on both Christian friendship and spiritual growth. They also enjoy movies and game nights with friends. David loves to bike, swim, and run, and often organizes bike outings for small groups.

The Rev. Jenn Stiles Williams, Minister of Relational Evangelism

Jenn is a native of Florida and was born and raised in the United Methodist Church. As the Minister of Relational Evangelism at St. Luke’s, she oversees the REACH mission essential and all of the REACH ministries including School of the Arts, Recreation Ministries and the Child Development Center.

Jenn received a major in sociology and minor in psychology at Wesleyan College, a UM women’s college in Macon, Ga and attended Candler School of Theology at Emory University for her Masters of Divinity. She began working in UM church as a youth director in her senior year of high school and has worked in youth, children and program ministry and has served as pastor in charge and associate pastor in churches in both Georgia and Florida. Her spiritual gifts include leadership, teaching and evangelism and her passion is helping make sure the church works! Her role at St. Luke’s is to coordinate events and opportunities for St. Luke’s to reach into the community and introduce people to the love, grace, mercy and acceptance found in the Body of Christ. She also preaches Contemporary Worship at the Central Campus.

Jenn is married to John Stiles Williams, who is works at a local elementary school. They have three children Grace, Caroline and Sam. As a family they love Disney, Georgia Bulldogs and anything to do with the water.