Ministry and Outreach:
Living Our
Baptismal Covenant
through Lay Ministry
Lay ministry is at
the heart of St. Luke's.
We are each called by God
to be
ministers of the Gospel
And proclaim the Good News of Christ.
We rely on lay ministers to carry out much of
the work of the church.
Lay Ministers Facilitate Worship:
Below, you can witness all the ways St Luke's community shares God's love in the world, locally and globally.
St. Luke's is a
Lay-led ministry
Contact St Luke's Church Office for information:
302-629-7979
Our pastor provides spiritual leadership.
It's the church members who facilitate worship and lead ministries that witness to Christ's love in the world.
IT TAKES A TEAM OF LAY MINISTERS TO MAKE THE WORSHIP SERVICE HAPPEN;
Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, Preachers, and Proclaimers work with the Pastor to facilitate worship:
Members of St Luke's congregation serve at the altar during communion - or carry the cross. Others read lessons from the Bible, and/or proclaim the Prayers of the People.
Church members also prepare the space for worship, from opening the doors and lighting candles, to making coffee after the service.
Pastoral Care:
Ushers greet the people and attend
to the needs of worshipers.
They prepare the altar for each service.
It is an ancient calling, part of an unbroken tradition reaching back to the faithful women who provided for Jesus during his lifetime.
(Mark 15:40-41; Matthew 27:55)
Joining the Altar Guild means learning many fascinating aspects of Church tradition, including the obscure names for all the various vessels, vestments, linens and ecclesiastical paraments used in worship.
Altar Guild:
The Altar Guild prepares
the "physical" church for worship:
Hosting the 2018 Annual Convention
for the Diocese of Delaware:
In 2018, St. Luke's served as hosts to the 233rd Annual Convention of the Diocese of Delaware held January 26-27, in Ocean City MD.
Hosting a convention permitted St Luke's to minister to the entire Episcopal community of Delaware, which consists of 23 congregations.
We welcomed and registered state-wide delegates and other attendees with gift bags, counted ballots from the business meeting, provided servers at worship, maintained a hospitality room for volunteers and staff, and generally did everything we could to facilitate the convention. Members of St Luke's were identified by their red shirts.
Episcopal Church Women (ECW):
Outreach ministries listed here are operated by St. Luke's ECW, which meets at noon on the third Tuesday of September, November, February and May.
United Thank Offering:
The United Thank Offering is a ministry of The Episcopal Church that invites you to: Notice the good things that happen each day. Give thanks to God for your blessings. Make an offering for each blessing. Your Blessing becomes a blessing for others.
Seaford Community Food Closet:
The Food Closet is a cooperative Christ-centered ministry..."Providing emergency food relief to individuals and families encountering hardship...in the greater Seaford, DE area."
St. Luke's is one of several churches that provide regular donations to the Food Closet.
The second Sunday of each month, St. Luke's parishioners bring donations of peanut butter, beef stew, mac and cheese, and other staples to church. These are transported to the Food Closet at St. John's UMC for distribution to those in need.
Samaritan's Purse:
Each Christmas we fill shoeboxes with gifts for children around the world. Each shoebox gift becomes a tangible expression of God's love for a child in real need. Shoeboxes help ensure Operation Christmas Child’s continued presence in places that are hard to reach.
Stockley Center:
The Stockley Center provides habilitative training, health care, family services, and residential services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Church Periodical Club:
...an independent, affiliated organization of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, dedicated to the worldwide Ministry of the Printed Word and to the Promotion of Christian Mission. St. Luke's ECW maintains a loose change collection jar in the narthex. Donations placed in the jar go to support the mission of CPC.
Adult and Teen Challenge - Home of Hope:
Adult & Teen Challenge provides Christian faith-based residential care to young women and adult women who struggle with life-controlling problems. St. Luke’s ECW has contributed financially to this effort for over 5 years
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children - Nevada:
St. Luke’s members donate the front side of Christmas cards for usage in the creation of new cards by St. Jude's Ranch for Children residents.
Camp Arrowhead:
...A Camp sponsored by the Diocese of Delaware, Camp Arrowhead is a co-ed residential summer camp serving students entering grades 2-11 and a Day Camp program for local children entering grades 3-4. St. Luke’s has donated to their capital campaign and also sponsors by scholarship youths who wish to attend camp.
Young Life:
This is a Christian Ministry that reaches out to Middle School, High School, and College Students. Young Life goes where kids are and builds personal relationships with them, providing fun, adventurous, life-changing experiences. St. Luke’s funds their ministry at Seaford High School with monetary donations.
Community:
Members of St Lukes Episcopal have actively volunteered, and participated in the following local organizations and institutions:
Code Purple:
Code Purple
Mid-Delmarva
Rich and Peggy Boyd, receive award from Love INC on behalf of St Luke's Episcopal Church, Seaford, DE in recognition of 8 years service to Code Purple shelter ministry.
Code Purple provides meals and overnight shelter to people experiencing homelessness during the winter months. St Luke's hosts Code Purple guests from 8:30 pm to 8 am, and from November through March
Annual Winter Coat Giveaway:
Cinni Cunningham organizes winter clothing for distribution at St Luke's Parish House.
Shared Worship:
Sunday, July 1st, 2018, Heaven-Bound Ministries, our nearest neighboring church joined the congregation of St. Luke's for a joint service blending the worship styles of both churches in a truly joyful celebration of the love of Jesus Christ.
Plans have been in development for another shared service, with Heaven Bound as the host congregation.
Community Event Participation:
Seaford District Library * MLK Prayer Breakfast * Seaford Historical Society * Nanticoke Riverfest * Eastern Shore AFRAM Festival
Pastor Marianne offered the opening prayer, and was among three judges to select the winner of the festival's Sweet Potato Pie Contest.
A quilt exhibited at AFRAM's Art Show, was crafted by Ms. Brenda Holbrook depicting historic churches of Seaford, DE including our own St Luke's Episcopal Church.
Council of Elders:
Members of St Luke's volunteer with the "Council of Elders" at Seaford High School, meeting with senior students several times a week to review their scholarship cover letters, personal resumes, and essays written in response to scholarship applications, as well as their actual applications. This is facilitated by the high school Guidance Department counselors
St Luke's Parish House and Great Hall:
