St. Luke's monthly Celebrates Newsletter helps St. Lukers

connect to one another as we navigate life together. 

We wish a very Happy Birthday to all our St. Lukers!

Join us in celebrating everyone who has a birthday this month.

We appreciate the faithful commitment St. Lukers make to the church's ministries.

Join us in celebrating everyone who has a church Partnership anniversary this month.

David Andrew Medvec II and Kathleen Linnemeier were married by Pastor Jenn Stiles Williams on December 9, 2023 in the St. Luke's Chapel. Congratulations!

Gary Dirlam passed away on December 2 in Ocala.

Gary was an attorney and respected litigator in Orlando for fifty years. He loved to spend time on the lakes. He grew up on Lake Weir in southern Marion County and later lived for decades on Lake Sheen in Orlando.

Gary was dedicated to gaining recognition for veterans, especially World War II veterans, in local parades, civic programs, and special events. He was an active member of St. Luke’s Military and Friends Cluster Group.

A memorial service was held on December 15 in Ocala. Please keep Gary’s family in your prayers.

Aie Richardson passed away on December 22 following a sudden cardiac event.

Aie took delight in singing in the St. Luke’s Sanctuary Choir prior to moving to Clermont a few years ago. Her angelic voice graced many music halls and church Sanctuaries during her lifetime. Aie majored in music at Seoul National University and then taught music before moving to the states with her husband Bob.

She lived a life surrounded by family and close friends. She enjoyed walking, swimming, and chatting with friends in her community. Aie was an amazing cook and loved sharing meals and quality time together.

A memorial service to celebrate Aie’s life was held in Clermont on January 7. Please keep her adult children, Kimberly and Benjamin, along with her extended family in your prayers. To read Aie’s full obituary, click here.

St. Luke’s Hearts to Hands ministry turned in their last collection of knitted and crocheted items to area hospitals for 2023 on December 6.

Can you guess the final number of donated items for the entire year? It’s 1,891 beautiful creations! That’s a lot of knitting and sewing. This number includes baby hats and blankets, prayer shawls, pillowcases, teddy bear/dolls, and more.

The ministry gathers weekly on Wednesdays to knit/crochet, talk, teach, pray for each other, and share in fellowship from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the Barnes Learning Center Room 210.

A lot of love and prayers are knitted into their creations for the person who receives them. Items are blessed once a month before being donated to the hospitals. Above is a photo of the blessing of the items from the collection day in December. Just look at how many items were collected in November and December!

Is learning how to knit/crochet on your 2024 list of goals? Hearts to Hands can teach you for free! All ages and skill levels are welcome. Yarn and needles are provided. We hope you will join this amazing ministry on Wednesday afternoons. If you can’t make the meetings, you may still contribute from the comfort of your home.

For more information on patterns or general questions about the ministry, contact the Care Office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 or email care@st.lukes.org.

                               Holiday Bags of Grace 2023

                      St. Lukers, we can't thank U enough!

Together, we were able to provide 450+ bags of food for families at Maxey and Mollie Ray Elementary, our partner Title 1 schools. Because of your generosity and willingness to truly go ALL IN, they had food over the holiday break.

We thank everyone who brought out groceries on December 17, and all the volunteers, youth, and our Missions team for packing up the bags and delivering them to those facing food insecurity right in our own neighborhoods. Your love and support for those in our community knows no bounds, and we can't wait to see what U do next.

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