Click here to view the full Weekly Update from March 5, 2026
The Rev. Melissa Cooper Minister of Adult Formation and Leadership
Chosen to Advocate, Called to Love
Dear St. Lukers,
Last week, our Director of Missions Development, Saniye Kazan, and I had the privilege of traveling to Washington, DC, to join nearly 2,000 United Methodists advocating for those that Scripture calls us to protect: immigrants, children, and people experiencing hunger. We hand-delivered 88 letters from you to your senators’ and representatives’ offices, and many more of you have called or emailed your congressional leaders in recent days.
Some of you have thanked Saniye and me for going, but the real thanks belongs to you. You are a church that doesn’t just speak about justice; you act on it.
For years, Pastor Jenn has reminded us that each of us carries the voice of a theologian. We are called to live as disciples and to advocate for “the least of these.” How we treat one another, how we use our influence, and how we speak about people and issues all reflect the ways God is transforming us. Our faith is not passive; it is lived out each and every day.
This Sunday, we continue our Lenten series as we stand at the crossroads between feeling unseen and feeling chosen. Pastor Jenn often says we are “the primary theologian of our own lives.” We cannot leave it to others to ensure people feel seen. And we must remember that we have always been chosen by God to participate in God’s work in the world.
Join us at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary for a combined worship service as we hear this message from Pastor Jenn one final time. Many of us are navigating a season when it feels like our voices don’t matter. But God sees us. God hears us. And God continues to choose us to reveal the Kingdom.
I hope you’ll join us, whether in person or online, as we continue leading our lives with purpose and intention.
Blessings,
Pastor Melissa
Sent as an email on March 3, 2026.
View this week’s email newsletter
Listen
Your Week With St. Luke’s
A weekly Bible Study to go along with the worship series at St. Luke’s UMC in Orlando, FL. St. Luke’s Pastors and special guests will guide you through the scriptures and offer practical applications for your life!
Listen on Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube RSS
-
What does it mean to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? In this episode of Your Week with St. Luke’s, we explore Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13–16 and what they reveal about our identity and calling as citizens of God’s kingdom. Rather than…