St. Luke’s wants to celebrate your baby’s birth and welcome them to our church family. We can provide you with helpful information regarding childcare during worship, baptism classes/dates, and meal assistance for the family upon arriving home from the hospital. Notify the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 of a new birth.

St. Luke’s is excited to offer a support group for parents of children and teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders. We invite you  to join this helpful support group on the second Thursday of the month (unless otherwise noted) at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom to share ideas, concerns, success stories, challenges and fellowship. A trained facilitator will offer a brief topical lesson each month. Contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 or email if you have additional questions. 

Next Meeting: This support group will continue meeting online. Our next meeting is Thursday, July 6 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please contact the Care office for the Zoom meeting link and password.     

• Prayer Follow Up Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to follow up with St. Lukers regarding  previously submitted prayer requests so the prayer team may continue to pray for them. You may call or email from the comfort of your home. Training provided.
• Funeral Hosts: Volunteers are needed for funeral/memorial services. Tasks include directing people to the worship venue, restrooms, seats, reception area, assisting with floral arrangement arrivals, help setting up the Narthex area, passing out bulletins, opening doors and greeting guests as they arrive and tidying up afterwards. Dark professional attire recommended.
• Baptism Hosts: Volunteer to assist families baptizing their infants/small children on the third Sunday of the month at the 9:30 a.m. or the 11:15 a.m. worship service in the sanctuary or Founder’s Hall. Duties include greeting the families upon arrival, directing them to their reserved seats, pointing out the restroom facilities and family room in the back of each worship venue. Volunteers will also assist with taking a family baptism photo after the service.
• Holiday Greeting Card Writers: Volunteers are needed to help write 12 – 14 holiday greeting cards at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. St. Luke’s provides the cards, addresses, inspirational message and postage. You may write the cards from the comfort of your home and drop them in the mail in time for the holiday!
• Veterans Greeting Card Writers: Join this fun group on campus to share fellowship and write cards to veterans residing at the Orlando VA Community Living Center four times a year.
• Drivers: Volunteers are needed to drive St. Lukers to their doctor’s appointments/medical treatments, grocery store, pharmacy, library, etc. Drivers also drop off Caring Kitchen meals when requested at St. Lukers’ homes. Meet new friends by helping someone get to where they need to be. Must have a valid driver’s license, auto insurance and pass a background check.

If you are interested in serving in any of the areas listed above, please email care@st.lukes.org or call 407.876.4991 ext. 262 for more information.

St. Luke’s Care Call Team follows up each week with people who have been attending worship regularly and then stop attending for a few weeks. Volunteers email, text or call to check in and offer care and prayers if needed. They help make our large church feel more like a small church family. Volunteers serve from the comfort of their homes and normally reach out to four – six people per week. Training and scripts are provided. If you are interested in serving with this ministry, contact Antony Larry at 407.876.4991 ext. 265.

Caring for a spouse, parent, or child with a long-term illness, special needs or age-related issues brings stress and unforeseen challenges to our lives. St. Luke’s invites you to attend a safe space for you to share your concerns, challenges, and blessings with others who are experiencing similar situations.  Take a small break from your routine on Sunday, June 11 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and join  Care Ministry lay leaders online for candid conversations where you can share your questions, struggles, and blessings when caring for a loved one. Click here to sign up.  We hope you will join us.

St. Luke’s Care Visitation Team (CVT) is comprised of trained lay members who provide follow-up care in partnership with St. Luke’s pastors to provide compassion, encouragement, and support for church families during illness, hospitalizations, and/or long-term care. Know a St. Luker who can no longer come to church but wants to remain connected? Contact the Care office to schedule a visit with one of our Care Visitation Team members.

Photo taken at Commissioning Service in November 2021

The Caring Kitchen meets the first Thursday of the month (unless otherwise noted) in the kitchen of Building C from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.  Share fellowship with others and help make healthy frozen crockpot ready meals for St. Lukers who are recovering from surgery, dealing with a chronic illness, going through cancer/other treatments, have a new baby, etc. Adults and children age 12+ are welcome. Wear closed toe shoes and bring a sharp knife and an apron if you have them. No experience required – just a compassionate heart and a passion for cooking and caring!

Next Cooking Date: Caring Kitchen will meet next on Thursday, August 3. Volunteers must register beforehand. We have capacity for  ten volunteers including the leadership team. 

Click here to sign up for the August 3 meeting. Caring Kitchen does not meet during July.

If you know a St. Luker who would benefit from a crockpot meal during this time, email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262.

Stephen Ministers:

• Are children of God who walk beside a hurting person
• Are caring Christians who really listen and provide confidential one on one support
• Helps meet the needs of those who are facing illness, loneliness, bereavement, job or spiritual crisis, etc.
• Serves communion
• Receives extensive training in how to provide distinctively Christian care

Stephen Ministry is an international lay caring ministry used by more than 13,000 congregations worldwide. Click here to learn more about Stephen Ministry. If you are in need of a Stephen minister,  mark your Connection card on Sunday, email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 to be confidentially matched with a caring Christian listener. Stephen Ministers are not pastors or counselors. They cannot provide counsel or advice but will walk alongside you during life’s storms such as job loss, divorce/separation, grief, relocation, etc. and offer loving care, prayers, and support. Women are matched with female Stephen Ministers and men are matched with male Stephen Ministers.

The St. Luke’s Community Counseling Center offers one on one counseling sessions to accommodate most schedules and budgets. Counseling is provided by Licensed Mental Health Counselors and support groups may be available. Click here to learn more about St. Luke’s Community Counseling Center and to download a brochure or make an appointment. Tele-therapy sessions are available as well as in-person sessions. For more information contact call 407.876.8237.

GriefShare Weekly Support Meetings 

GriefShare consists of weekly support group meetings designed to help you rebuild your life after losing a loved one. Our groups are led by caring lay members who have experienced intense grief themselves. GriefShare helps with all kinds of losses – loss of a child, parent, sibling, spouse/partner, other family member or friend. You’ll find a warm, caring environment and will see your group as an “oasis” on your long journey from mourning to joy. Meetings include videos, small group discussion (support group), and personal study exercises that reinforce weekly session topics.

Click here to view a short video about GriefShare.

St. Luke’s  offers two options to attend GriefShare in the fall beginning in August.  We offer a daytime in person class and an online evening class. The fall cycle also offers a special GriefShare class entitled “Surviving the Holidays”. Please see options below.

• Tuesday morning in person class runs from Tuesday, August 22 through Tuesday, November 28. Class meets from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in The Barnes Learning Center (second floor of Founder’s Hall adjacent to Building C), Room 210. There is no class during the week of Thanksgiving. Click here to register for this in person group. Please ensure you also register on GriefShare’s website for this class and purchase the workbook during the registration process. They will mail it to your home.
• Thursday evening online class runs from Thursday, August 24 through Thursday, November 30. Class meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom. There is no class on November 23 due to Thanksgiving. Click here to register for the Thursday evening GriefShare Class. Please ensure you also register on GriefShare’s website for this class and purchase the workbook during the registration process. They will mail it to your home.

Please join us in the Barnes Learning Center (second floor of Founder’s Hall/Building C) in Room 210 on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. or continue to knit or crochet items for Hearts to Hands from the comfort of your home.

• Knits and crochets prayer shawls, newborn and preemie hats and blankets, and prayer squares.
• You don’t have to be experienced in knitting or crocheting, just have a willingness to learn and an eagerness to create. Free classes offered on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Barnes Learning Center (second floor of Founder’s Hall/Building C) in Room 210. Share fellowship while knitting/crocheting with friends. Contact the Care office at care@st.lukes.org or call 407.876.4991 ext. 262 for more info.

• Promotes opportunities for full participation in worship and programs for persons with special needs
• Provides sensory friendly accommodations at church-wide and community special events
• Connects with and support area ministries and organizations which serve persons of all ages with disabilities and their families
• Works to make the church campus and programs safe and accessible to all
• For more information email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262

The Prayer Team meets weekly online via Zoom to pray over all prayer requests. Contact the Care office with any questions or prayers. 

• Receives prayer requests submitted on the church website
• Prays on Wednesday mornings for those on the prayer list, Connection Cards, and submitted prayer requests throughout the week

Do you need a ride to a doctor’s appointment, medical treatment, grocery store, pharmacy, etc.? Contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 265 or email to arrange for a transportation volunteer to take you free of charge. Please give us five to seven days’ notice so that we may find a driver.

Looking for a new way to serve while meeting fellow congregants? Here’s your chance! Volunteer with St. Luke’s Transportation Ministry and help St. Lukers get to and from appointments on your schedule. Proof of insurance and background checks are required. Interested in getting involved? Email Antony Larry at alarry@st.lukes.org.

Here are some additional resources for support and care in the Orlando area. Email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 for more information.

• Divorce support – DivorceCare is a 13-week support group designed for people who are currently separated or divorced. Click here to locate a church that is currently offering DivorceCare.
• Respite care for parents of children with special needs – Buddy Break is a free respite care program for children with special needs ages 3 years – 16 years and their siblings ages 4 years through fifth grade. Buddy Break is offered in partnership with local churches and Nathanial’s Hope. Click here for central Florida locations for your child or to volunteer as a Buddy.
• Cancer support – If you or someone you know needs assistance in finding a local cancer support group, contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 regarding available support groups in the community.
• In-Home care –  Email the Care office or call 407.876.4991 ext. 262 for more information and recommendations regarding in-home health care.
• Memory care – Navigating memory care options in Florida is often an overwhelming task for families. Please check out these free helpful Memory Care Guides courtesy of MemoryCare.com:
  • Memory Care in Florida
  • What is a Memory Care Facility
  • When to Consider Memory Care
  • What to Expect in a Memory Care Facility

St. Luke’s is host to the Dr. Phillips Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group. A.A.’s Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole. Click here and select the “month tab” at the right hand top of the page to learn the days, times, and meeting rooms for AA meetings at St. Luke’s.

Al-Anon meetings take place Fridays and Sundays on campus. Click here and select the “month tab” at the right hand top of the page to learn meeting days, times, and locations on campus. Email or call 407.896.4929 for information.

IMPORTANT: NAMI support groups are meeting on campus. Click here or call 1-800-273-8255 for more information regarding support groups. 

NAMI’s Connection Support Group meetings follow NAMI’s Connection model and are open to adults 18 years of age and older living with a mental illness. There is no cost to attend meetings. Meetings are drop-in and confidential; you do not need to make a reservation or call ahead unless you need more information. Meetings take place the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Building C, Room 207.

NAMI’s Family Support Groups are open to family members, caregivers or friends of people living with a mental illness. Meetings are drop-in and confidential; you do not need to make a reservation or call ahead unless you need more information. Meetings take place in Building C, Room 208 on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. To learn more about NAMI, click here.