St. Luke's United Church of Christ
A progressive Christian church that welcomes all seekers

11080 Knights Road ~ Philadelphia, PA 19154 ~ 215.637.8866 ~ Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.

Widening the circle of God's love
Deepening our connections with the Sacred, the world, and each other
Opening our hearts to the inclusive and transforming Spirit

Ministry Team

Rev. Trent S. Williams, Pastor

I have a friend who often says, “life is a journey, not a destination.” If this is true, then it certainly describes my life, my faith, and my vocational journey. I have been deeply shaped throughout my life by extraordinary people and experiences, which have shaped me and made me the person and the pastor that I am today. Through my pilgrimage of faith and my experiences of God’s activity throughout my life, my vocational identity as a person called into ordained Christian ministry has evolved as I have encountered God in new and often surprising ways.

I was born into a family that valued faith, and I have been a part of a faith community throughout my life. My parents raised me in the church and I was baptized as an infant and confirmed in my junior high years. I was taught from my earliest memory the stories and traditions of Christian faith, and I have been indelibly shaped by those traditions. My family has always been very close, and I have known the grace of God in the love and nurture of my family. I am an only child, and I was particularly influenced by my maternal grandparents, who lived near us and were an important influence in my faith development. The witness of my grandparents’ lives was a great blessing, and they taught me the value of Christian community and love of neighbor. My call into ministry originated as I saw this love of neighbor demonstrated during college. As a freshman, I had the opportunity to be part of a mission team that journeyed to the Appalachians to minister to people in dire need. I had never seen the church engaged in such hands-on work in the world, and it became a defining moment for me. As soon as I returned, I wanted to get more involved in that college ministry, and soon I had the opportunity to lead bible studies, teach, and even preach. All along the way, the community nurtured me and affirmed my gifts.

Community has been central to my understanding of faith and life, and I am committed to the ministry of Jesus Christ as lived out in the community of faith. I believe that community is central to the expression of Christian faith, and I am dedicated to nurturing grace-filled and loving community. I am skilled in worship leadership, preaching and teaching, and I bring a passion for justice and peace to the Christian community and ministry. I enjoy teaching all kinds of Christian education--adult, youth, and children--including not only bible study, but topics of interest such as prayer, spiritual growth and personal stewardship. I have significant experience in the educational ministries of the church, having led classes at all age levels. I am also passionate about the worship and liturgical life of the church, and I am committed to a vibrant and powerful worship renewal that seeks to create and nurture disciples of Jesus Christ who will be empowered to live the Story of God's love in the world. I have experience in writing and planning worship services, and I also have experience in the music ministries of the church. I am also a person of compassion, and I enjoy hearing people's stories and nurturing their gifts. I am a skilled listener, giving opportunity for persons to express their journey and find their own voice. I believe that each individual is a unique creation of God and deserves respect and the opportunity to express their joys, fears and concerns within the community of faith. My own experiences as a patient during my adolescence, dealing with scoliosis and the corrective surgery that followed, helped give me insight into the experiences of patients and those facing illness and uncertainty, and in my ministry, I seek to bring my own experiences to bear in providing pastoral care and comfort during difficult times.

In my journey of faith I have experienced the love of God and the grace of a community which has mediated that love to me. I have grown in this love and grace, and I long to share that with others and serve the church. I feel called to serve God through the context of a parish community, helping that community to be the presence of Christ in the world and witness to the love, justice and peace of God’s reign. I am passionately committed to being a part of what God is doing in bringing God’s reign to the world. I understand ordained Christian ministry to be a role of service to the community of faith—empowering people to care for one another and to proclaim God’s Kingdom. In the proclamation of the word of God, the celebration of the sacraments, and the pastoral care of persons, the ordained minister serves the community of faith in imitation of Jesus. I view my call to ministry as a call to serve, and as a call to empower others to serve in the name of Jesus Christ.

Evelyn C. Kenny, Licensed Minister

Eve, as she is fondly called, is a long-time member of St. Luke's. At the June 2009 General Synod meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan Eve was one of three women from our Pennsylvania Southeast Conference that was honored at a luncheon to celebrate the gifts of lay women throughout the United Church of Christ. Eve retired in December 2008 as Minister of Visitation at Pleasantville UCC, in Chalfont where she served for 16 years. In addition to her formal licensed ministries and her many volunteer roles at St. Luke’s; Evelyn has served the wider church as a General Synod delegate, and member of the Conference Consistory and the Spiritual Life Mission Team. Evelyn C. Kenny is a Licensed Minister holding standing in the Philadelphia Association. and volunteers her time as our Minister of Healing and Wholeness. She keeps in contact with St. Luke's members through phone visits and home or hospital visits. Eve works closely with Pastor Trent to plan the healing services which occur throughout the year and leads the Prayer and Reflection "mindfulness" group every month.

Emily Guendelsberger, Music Ministry

Emily Guendelsberger is an Oberlin graduate who has been working in Philadelphia as a freelance writer and musician. Her writing can be found in Philadelphia Weekly as well as Broad Street Review and Strings Magazine. In her spare time, Emily enjoys photography, comic books, bicycle repair and power tools. She plays piano well, organ and drums decently, violin and double bass poorly and sings alto with enthusiasm. Emily enjoyed accompanying the choir at her Catholic church growing up, and is happy to be working with a church like St. Luke’s, whose message of acceptance for all she really digs. Emily is excited to be our organist, pianist and choir director, and always looks forward to introducing folks to music she loves!
 

Lay Leaders

Church Officers

• President: Greg Weeman

• Vice President: Evelyn Kenny

• Secretary: Carolyn Pastore

• Financial Secretary: Lynne Fiato

• Treasurer: Janet McManus

Consistory Members:  Lorraine Dougherty ~ Lynne Fiato ~ Evelyn Kenny ~ Janet McManus ~ Carolyn Pastore ~ Patricia Ryer  ~ Greg Weeman