Dear St. Lukers,
Happy New Year!
A new year always carries that quiet mix of gratitude and anticipation—thankful for where we’ve been and curious about what God might do next. And this Sunday, as the calendar turns, we will step into the year the church always begins with: intention and trust.
We will renew our covenant with God through John Wesley’s Covenant Renewal Service, remembering that our lives belong not to chance or circumstance, but to grace.
We will journey with the Magi, following the light that leads us closer to Christ.
And we will receive our Star Words—simple, prayerful gifts to guide us as we listen for God’s leading in the year ahead.
All of it reminds us that faith is not something we leave behind in December. It is something we carry forward—together.
As we step into 2026, we are also stepping into a new theme and a new adventure. This year, we’re going back to school—but not just any school.
Welcome to St. Luke’s LOVE U.
Over the next year, we will walk through the core, foundational courses of discipleship—learning again what it means to Learn, Live, Love, and Lead as followers of Jesus. Think of it as a year-long course schedule focused on loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength…loving our neighbors and our community…loving with action…and loving in ways that boldly change the world.
Your syllabus is already set.
Your classmates are already here.
And the invitation is open to all.
This new year also marks an important and hopeful transition in the life of St. Luke’s. We are excited to welcome Rev. Corey Jones and his family back to St. Luke’s as Corey serves alongside me as Co-Lead Pastor for the coming months, before becoming Lead Pastor in April.
Corey will continue his work with Warren Willis Camp during this season, just as I have been balancing two roles with the Conference. This shared leadership gives us space to lead well, together. Corey will be full-time with St. Luke’s beginning April 1. His family – Carol, and their sons, Isiah and Gavin – will move into the parsonage in June, once the boys finish the school year in Lake County.
You’ll begin seeing Corey in worship very soon. His first Sunday preaching will be January 11, and on January 18, we will gather for one combined worship service at 10:00 a.m., followed by a welcome lunch for the Jones family, with special music from the Bethune-Cookman University Chorale. It will be a joyful day of worship and welcome.
As we enter this new year, we do so grounded in faith, shaped by love, and confident that God is already at work ahead of us. New years are not about having everything figured out—they are about trusting the One who walks with us into what comes next.
So Happy New Year, St. Luke’s. May this be a year of deep learning, courageous living, generous loving, and bold leading—together.
With gratitude, hope, and excitement for what’s ahead,
Jenn. ✨
