Leaders
If you’ve looked at the St. Luke’s calendar lately, you may have wondered whether we’ve figured out how to squeeze extra hours into a weekend. We haven’t! However, we’ve seen what happens when people offer their gifts, time, and leadership to something bigger than themselves.
Two weekends ago, in partnership with the Florida Conference, we welcomed people for the Institute of Preaching, TheoEd, and the Beloved Community Summit. We even included a mini-St. Luke’s Leadership Retreat during dinner. Then, after worship on Sunday, we unloaded a semi-truck full of pumpkins. Together, we experienced that sometimes leadership involves thoughtful conversations around a table, and at other times, passing pumpkins down a line!
Last weekend brought the Florida Man Ministries Summit to our campus, and St. Lukers participated in Orlando’s Come Out with Pride Parade. On Sunday, Civics for Changemakers invited us to consider our community responsibilities, while our confirmands visited Jama Masjid, the Islamic Center of Orlando. Through learning, questions, and hospitality, they explored another faith tradition while growing in their understanding of their own. Last night, our Fall Family Fun Night offered another opportunity to welcome neighbors and enjoy being together.
Tomorrow, our “home” team, the Tampa Bay Rays, begins the World Series! I know many of us are excited to see them compete for a championship. We recognize that just getting there takes talent, preparation, teamwork, and leadership. Of course, so does everything else I’ve mentioned.
Behind each gathering are people praying, planning, preparing, and following through. Thank you to our staff and volunteers for making room for others to belong, learn, serve, and lead. Your faithful leadership and willingness to say yes and then live out that yes matters.
That connection between our words and actions brings us to this Sunday’s conclusion of Sacred Civics. In “Seeing Our Leaders,” we’ll explore Matthew 5:33-42, where Jesus calls his followers to speak truthfully and respond to harm with grace, not retaliation. Jesus says, “Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no” (37) and “When they force you to go one mile, go with them two” (41). What would our communities look like if we all practiced that kind of integrity and expected it from our leaders?
As an election approaches, we should expect more than promises just to secure our votes. We need to ask whether leaders tell the truth, keep their commitments, and use their position and power to serve others. And when rhetoric and campaigns turn cruel, we’re reminded that following Jesus means refusing to let cruelty determine our response.
Yes, our citizenship in God’s kingdom shapes how we evaluate candidates, engage disagreements, and treat people before and after elections.
Join us this Sunday, as we consider what leadership looks like through kingdom eyes and where Jesus is calling each of us to lead.
Remember, it’s not Love University… without U.
With love,
Pastor Corey
