The Spire - St. Luke's United Methodist Church

Two Sections, Section A • 076510 • Vol. 159 • No. 8 • June 22, 2012 

A 

friend might ask you 

the question “whatcha 

thinkin?” as a simple 

conversation starter, a way to 

build relationship. But it is a 

very important question, one 

that gets at the very core of 

who we are. Henry David 

Thoreau says, “As a single 

footstep will not make a 

path on the earth, so a single 

thought will not make a 

pathway in the mind. To make 

a deep physical path, we walk 

again and again. To make a 

Whatcha 

Thinkin? 

deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of 

thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” 

What are your mental habits? Doom and gloom? Anger? 

Judgmental thoughts about those around you? Judgmental 

thoughts about yourself? What do you find yourself 

“mostly” thinking? 

Love Transcends all 

Languages and 

Distances 

pg. 2 

We can choose our habits of thought, just as we can choose 

our habits of action. In both Hebrew and Greek, there are 

verb forms that mean to do something “continually”. For example, 

in English, the command “eat right” might mean “eat 

right today” or it might mean “eat right always”. 

So when we read, for example, in Hebrews 13, “let us 

continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise,” the word 

“continually” is not in the text, but rather in the verb form 

that means “offer praise continually.” What this form of the 

verb really means is “develop a habit of praise”. In 

Philippians 4:8, Paul says, “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, 

whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, 

whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there 

is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, 

think about these things.” In this passage, he uses the form 

that means to do this continually, or to “develop a habit of 

thinking about good stuff”. Sounds like good advice to me. 

Meet the Duke 

Divinity School 

Interns 

3 

6 

2012 Scholarship 

Recipients 

Westheimer Campus 

Interns 

Continued on Page 2 

7 

Westheimer Campus: 3471 Westheimer | Houston, Texas 77027 

Gethsemane Campus: 6856 Bellaire Blvd. | Houston, Texas 77074 

StLukesMethodist.org 

713-622-5710 

The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profit Drive, Dallas Texas 75247-3919. Periodicals postage paid at Dallas, Texas and additional mailing offices. 

Postmaster: Send address changes to The United Methodist Reporter. PO Box 660275, Dallas, Texas 75266-0275.

Awaken Embrace 2 

Train Move 

Continued from Cover 

Love Transcends All 

Languages and 

Distances 

There is a Dominican Republic proverb that says, 

“Absence is the enemy of love; as the distance is from 

the eyes, so it is from the heart.” 

Many of you know that our Student Ministry sent a 

team to Santiago, D.R. last year to work alongside 

G.O. Ministries, an on-the-ground ministry that seeks 

to empower passionate local leaders serving inside 

their cultures to redeem people, renew communities 

and restore Creation. 

I recently had the privilege to spend a week in the 

D.R. with 50 students and 14 adult leaders from St. 

Luke’s as they returned to Santiago for a second time. 

For some of the students it was a trip filled with the 

anticipation of visiting with friends made last year. 

For others, they anxiously awaited experiences and 

relationships soon to be made. 

Having been on the initial exploratory team from St. 

Luke’s, I was excited to see the fruits of the partnership 

being built between G.O. Ministries and St. Luke’s 

and our students. It was rewarding to watch as our 

students found kinship not only amongst themselves 

but also with their leaders, the G.O. staff and the 

Dominican children. 

Our students worshiped together, worked hard 

digging holes for the foundation of a soon-to-bebuilt 

Medical facility, played baseball with Dominican 

youth and put on Vacation Bible Schools. We also 

visited several nutrition centers where the students 

helped to feed children, jump rope together, and we 

toured some very impoverished places. 

No matter where we were or what we were doing, you 

could always find a happy, smiling Dominican child 

sitting atop the shoulders of a St. Luke’s student. The 

love and kinship shared between our two cultures was 

very apparent and you could see God at work in so 

many ways. 

Our St. Luke’s family should be proud of the students 

who showed they cared by making their way to the 

D.R. and “loving on” the Santiago community and also 

for those who supported them financially and through 

prayer. The friendships built have brought two 

communities closer and helped build on the vision 

that St. Luke’s is truly a church “Where No One Walks 

Alone.” 

Next Steps: 

•Visit our website: 

www.stlukesmethodist.org/senior-high 

•Find links to photos and videos of our trip 

•Learn more about G.O. Ministries 

•Move in Ministry! 

Join us on future trips in 2013 

•Family Trip 

•Adult Trip 

•Student Trip 

•For more information contact 

Alice King at 713-402-5067 or 

aking@stlukesmethodist.org 

Don’t Miss Two New 

Summer Workshops For 

Kids 

Just for kids, FASST and CATTS are two workshops 

starting this summer and are led by the Nick Finnegan 

Counseling Center (NFCC) child specialist Amy Birchill, 

M.Ed., LMFT-S, LPC-S. 

FASST stands for Friendship And Social Skills Training 

and helps children ages 7-11 increase confidence levels, 

raise their self-esteem and master new social skills. They 

practice skills each Tuesday afternoon from July 10 until 

August 28 with a group of their peers. Using an 

interactive approach, FASST teaches kids about making/ 

keeping friends, listening, sharing, feelings and 

respecting/appreciating differences. 

Meanwhile, CATTS is the Children’s Art Therapy Team 

Support program for youth ages 5-17 that have a relative 

with a long-term/life-threatening illness. The children 

are divided into age-appropriate groups as they express 

emotions with art. This helps them reduce feelings of 

isolation and anxiety while learning to understand the 

diagnosis and to accept the illness’ unknown aspects. 

CATTS meets Thursday evenings from July 12- 

September 13. 

Please note that FASST is $20 per session, and 

registration for all 8 sessions is required by July 2; CATTS 

is free to attend, but registration is required by July 5. To 

register or for more information about NFCC’s 

youth-centered services, call 713-402-5090. 

Opportunities to Serve: 

During our summer study of The 

Twelve, we will be suggesting ways each 

week you might respond to God’s call 

to apostleship. Opportunities will be 

available all summer. Find them Sunday 

mornings in the worship bulletins or at 

StLukesMethodist.org/summer. 

DO IT AT HOME* 

Christian Community Service Center 

No Sew Blankets 

Be creative with “no-sew” blankets! Help needy 

individuals and families keep warm by making these fun 

blankets. This is a great project for families, groups or 

individuals. Blankets can be large or small. Baby blankets 

are welcomed as well. For more information contact Clare 

Bruce at cbruce@ccschouston.org or 713-961-3993 X211. 

Please drop at Connection Center. 

DONE IN A DAY 

reVision 

Outreach 

reaching out to our community 

and the world 

What do you like to do? Chances are it would be a 

fun activity/outing for you and 4-8 reVision Youth. 

Transportation is provided and staff also participates in 

this ministry to gang-affected youth. Contact Laralee 

DeHart at ldehart@stlukesmethodist.org or 

713-416-0234. 

MAKE A COMMITMENT 

Gethsemane Food Pantry 

Volunteers are needed to serve weekly as receptionist/ 

greeters, interviewers and food packagers in this food 

pantry located on our Gethsemane Campus. For more 

information contact Clare Bruce at cbruce@ccschouston. 

org or 713-961-3993 X211. 

More information about these opportunities is available 

at StLukesMethodist.org/summer. 

*Family-friendly activities 

The Connection Center is looking for volunteers 

to share smiles and warm hospitality, as a welcoming face 

for St Luke’s. Contact Sondra Koenig at 713-402-5023. 

Breakdancing Ministry is looking for volunteers 

on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays to bring and 

serve a simple meal, and visit with these young dancers 

from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Gethsemane Campus. 

Please contact Alice at 713-402-5067 or aking@ 

stlukesmethodist.org for more information. 




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Meet the Duke Divinity 

School Interns 

Kaitlyn Bowie 

I grew up in the midwest (Wisconsin, Illinois, 

and Iowa) but most recently spent 

four years in Houston, TX teaching in 

Aldine. I am claiming Houston as home 

and plan to return after my time at Duke. 

What you are working on at Duke: I just 

finished my first year towards my MDiv 

(Masters of Divinity). 

I am working with reVision this summer, 

specifically helping to start a summer 

credit recovery and tutoring program for 

our students. I am also spending time 

building relationships with the students 

involved in reVision and plan to work on 

spiritual formation this summer as well. I 

love the people of Houston; it is really a 

blessing to be able to return in a 

different capacity. 

Of course there are surprises! Spending time with people always adds an 

element of surprise that is not necessarily present when studying 

academically. I love the rhythm of connecting with people and seeing the 

ways in which God is actively moving and shaping lives. 

I am horribly addicted to caffeine (so if you have any recommendations 

for local coffee!), I am a dork and love learning new things (whether it’s 

through experience or reading), and I love traveling to new places (I’d love 

to visit all the continents minus Antarctica). 

I am so thankful to be here; I can already see how God is moving in this 

place! Thank you for allowing us to walk with you in this journey for 

the summer. 

Brandon Hudson 

Hometown: Columbus, OH 

I am a senior (3rd year) in the Master of 

Divinity program at Duke Divinity School. 

This summer I am working with reVision 

to provide academic enrichment and 

spiritual formation for young people in 

the program. 

I’m really enjoying my time in Houston. 

The vast array of festivals, museums, and 

restaurants will keep me plenty busy. 

The ministry of reVision is truly a gift. It’s 

amazing to be able to see how churches 

can partner with local government and 

community organizations to empower 

young people and their families. 

You should know that I love reading, play 

chess, and am a hip hop emcee. 

Maranatha Wall 

I am from southern California and Kansas City, MO. I 

have spent significant time in both cities. However, 

I currently live in North Carolina as I complete my 

degree. I am working on my Masters of Divinity 

degree at Duke. 

This summer, I am an intern with St. Luke’s and Rev. 

Justin Coleman is my supervisor this summer. My 

activities vary, but include assisting with the worship 

and formational life at St. Lukes. I went on a 

missions trip with the youth from the Westheimer 

campus to the Dominican Republic my second 

week into the internship and am interested in 

working in the various local outreach ministries. So 

far, I really like Houston. It is a fun city with lots to 

do. Ministry work is going well, and the DR trip 

offered several surprises, especially in regards to my 

assumptions about short-term missions trips. 

Justin Hubbard 

I am working on my Masters in Divinity and a 

certificate in International Development Policy 

I will work closely with Justin Coleman and 

participate in teaching classes, preaching, and 

hanging out with the folks in Revision. I enjoy 

Houston because of its diversity in people and yes, 

food. I love exploring different kinds of food and 

flavor. It is ridiculously hot, but I am getting used to 

it. Hospitality has been wonderful, particularly from 

my host-adopted grandmother, Lela Davis. Working 

under Justin Coleman has been a privilege and he 

has helped me acclimate to Houston and all it has 

to offer. 

Ministry work is going well and I have really enjoyed 

my time thus far with the folks at St. Luke’s. It is 

challenging of course. You are meeting people coming 

from different walks of life, shaped by different 

stories and what it means to live faithfully, different perspectives and worldviews. The 

challenge is to create a space where we can come together with all our particularities 

and think critically and honestly about what it means to be a church committed to the 

Gospel. Navigating those conversations can be difficult, but rewarding. One surprise 

thus far is that I enjoyed preaching last week. 

Before beginning my studies at Duke I lived in eastern DR Congo working with Congo 

Initiative, Bilingual Christian University of Congo. It was a wonderful and deeply formative 

experience…beautiful country, beautiful people and love opportunities to 

share and inform others about the initiative and the challenges in the region. I try to 

think critically and theologically about the intersect between faith and issues of human 

rights, justice and the environment. I enjoy traveling, exploring different cultures, 

sports, the outdoors (hiking, kayaking, fishing, duck hunting), and photography. 

Gethsemane Campus 

Scholarship Awarded 

Rafael M. Basa is the reciepient of the Gethsemane 

Campus’ UMW Scholarship. A graduate of DeBakey 

High School for Health Professions, he will attend the 

University of Houston in the fall. 




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Caring Ministries 

May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace 

as you trust in Him. Romans 15:13 

As Christians, we are called to care and pray for one 

another. 

Cares and Concerns: 

Memorial City: 

Susan Itin 

St. Luke’s: 

Debbie Hemphill 

Recently Discharged: 

Julie Goodman 

Clyde McMeans 

Susan Itin 

Bill Pippin 

Jane Ramsey 

Congratulations to: 

Liz and Clint Freeland on the birth of their son, Walker 

Anthony Freeland, on May 25. 

Lauren and Trevor Prewett on the birth of their daughter, 

Isla Joyce Prewett, on June 4. Proud grandparents are Bill and 

Carrie Prewett and proud great-grandparents are Bill and 

A.J. Yeoman. 

Katie and Seth McNew on the birth of their son, 

William Seth McNew, on June 7. 

Zane Truitt Carson and Brady Farley Carruth, who 

were united in marriage on June 9. 

Amanda Anne Mansell and Nicholas Albert Morrow, 

who were united in marriage on June 9. 

Katie and Bryan Leonard on the birth of their daughter, 

Emma Grace Leonard, on June 12. Proud older sister is Abigail 

Leonard and proud grandparents are Latham and Janet Knight. 

Tammy Mytu Dinh and Sean Van Williams, who were 

united in marriage on June 16. 

Cave and Vanessa McKeown on the birth of their daughter, 

Blythe Alice McKeown on June 5. Proud grandparents are 

Mary Lynn and John Faulk. 

Our Sympathy to: 

Bill and Margaret Hodge on the death of Bill’s twin brother, 

Robert H. Hodge, on May 6. 

Vicki Glass on the death of her husband, Sherman Jay Glass, 

on June 5. 

Nelle McLaughlin, Diane and Salvatore Nizza, Ariana 

and Dan Chapman on the death of Nelle’s sister, Martha 

Elizabeth “Betty” Gaustad on June 6. 

Lee, Tricia, and Chloe Zieben on the death of Lee’s father, 

Herbert Joel Zieben, on June 6. 

Ed Cogburn on the death of his wife, Marilyn Bailey Cogburn, 

on June 8. 

Arlene and Bill Wagner, Rob and Amy Wagner, Elizabeth 

Wagner, and Marian Wagner on the death of Arlene’s 

mother, Mary Alice Whatley Robinson, on June 8. 

Family and friends of Mary Dorthea Dixon Duggan, who died 

on June 10. 

Heather and Allen Dean on the death of Heather’s mother, 

Patsy Darlene Williams, on June 13. 

Celebrating Lives 

BARKER BULL SCHOLARSHIP FUND 

In Memory of: 

John Barker by 

Robert & Mildred Cochran 

Bonnie Mayor 

Bobbie Wisecup 

CHILDREN’S CHOIR 

In Honor of: 

Leah King on her retirement by 

Bobbie Wisecup 

EDLOE WOODSHOP 

In Honor of: 

Hugh Parker by 

Dave & Nancy Barziza 

Tim & Gay Connor 

Paul Renner 

Paul Renner by 



Jim Weatherly by 



Paul Renner 

FINE ARTS MINISTRY 

In Honor of: 

Leah King on her retirement by 

The McKays 

FRIENDS OF MUSIC 

In Memory of: 

Sallie Anne Lewis by 

Lee & Mary Denson 

John Wiegman by 

Ginger Kanaly 

GENE DECKER OUTREACH ENDOWMENT 

In Memory of: 

Pam Grube by 

Charles & Jane Szalkowsk 

Jean Harrell by 

Gene Decker Study Class 

Charles & Jane Szalkowski 

GETHSEMANE CHILDREN’S MINISTRY 

In Honor of: 

Bill Jee on the occasion of his 

Birthday by 

Gon L. Gee 

GOD & GIRLFRIENDS 

In Honor of: 

Rev. Leah King by 

Laurie Noteboom 

In Memory of: 

Virginia Palmer by 

Tommie & Pamela Rape 

RANDY SMITH BIBLE STUDY CLASS 

In Memory of: 


Val Dean & Jack W. Read 

ST LUKE’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 

An anonymous Gift given in Honor of: 

Fannie Parker for her dedication to the 

Disciple One Bible Study 

ST LUKE’S METHODIST CHURCH FOUNDATION 

In Honor of: 

Amy Bezecny by 

Debbie Leighton 

In Memory of: 

Ruth Arrington by 

Shelby & Ward Jones 

Marjorie Banes by 

Doris Koenig 



Winston A. McKenzie, Sr. by 

Erin Connally 

Helen Heyne 

Richard Moehring 

Bob & Anne Wise Pullen 

Fred & Hulda Schubert 

Ted & Wanda Stanzel 

Norman Ray by 

Jacqueline Gaylord Anderson 

Jack S. Blanton, Sr. 


Wilminor & Robert Gardner 

John Wiegman by 


REASONS TO DONATE 

You are looking for a new and unique way to 

honor someone. Someone has died, either 

recently or in the past, and you find that he or 

she and their family are on your mind. It is a 

special someone’s birthday. It is a special couple’s 

anniversary. Graduation time is upon us! One or 

more St. Luke’s ministries has touched you and 

your family in a special way. 

A donation to your favorite ministry area will 

help in so many ways. Won’t you consider this 

next time a special occasion arises? 

For a list of the top areas needing donations, 

please go to stlukesmethodist.org/ 

Generosity/Donations/Gifts in Honor 

or in Memory/Download a List of 

Established Funds. 

If you have any questions please contact 

Roxi Dainty at 713-402-5026 or 

rdainty@stlukesmethodist.org. 




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Train Move 

Pure Sound to Sing 

at Baylor 

The Alleluia Conference of Baylor University’s Center 

for Christian Music Studies has invited our Pure 

Sound Youth Choir to perform at its annual music 

and worship conference, July 17-20 in Waco. 

Pure Sound director, Sid Davis will be the guest 

clinician for the youth choir sessions; what better 

evidence of his success as a youth choir director than 

to have our Pure Sound perform there at the 

conference! This is a huge honor for our choir, as 

their audience will be composed of top church 

musicians from around the country. 

Sessions at the conference focus on various 

music ministry areas, such as youth choirs, children’s 

choirs, adult choirs, handbell choirs and such. 

Alleluia also features nightly concerts which are free 

and open to the public; this is where Pure Sound will 

shine for all to enjoy and appreciate their dedication, 

skill, talent and energy. 

July in the Rotunda 

Gallery 

Isabelle Scurry Chapman is the July Artist of the 

Month. Isabelle is inspired by visionary and surreal 

artists, and paints and sculpts images from nature 

using traditional art materials and found objects. 

Her work tends to be light, whimsical, slightly 

realistic, and figurative. 

Nature is where her greatest childhood memories 

live, and continues to be her muse. Isabelle places 

herself in nature--watching, listening, and learning. 

Some of Isabelle’s favorite art making “stuff” 

includes guache, pencil, paper, seeds, laundry lint, 

thread, broken bits on mirror and glass, seeds, pods, 

colorful foil, cicada wings (after they are finished 

with them) and colored wire. The moon, women, 

hands, trees, flowers, and sacred spaces are among 

her favorite subjects. 

Stop by the Gallery in July to enjoy Isabelle’s 

delightful artwork. If you would like to purchase 

one of her pieces, please contact Monica Griffin at 

mgriffin@stlukesmethodist.org. A portion of all sales 

benefits the Fine Arts fund at St. Luke’s. 

Pure Sound Alumni 

Choir 

The Pure Sound Alumni Choir will sing during the 

9:45 a.m. worship service in the Sanctuary on 

July 8, 15, 22 and 29. Come join Sid, BB and lots of 

old friends! 

Arrive in the Choir room at 9:15 a.m., dressed in your 

Sunday finest. The music is easy to learn, and after 

warming up together, you’ll be ready to sing 

in worship. It’s a fun and important way to serve 

your church. 

Recent high school graduates are also invited 

to participate; contact Sid Davis if you have 

any questions. 

Bridges Summer 

Stock Theater Series 

in July 

The Bridges Academy of St. Luke’s United 

Methodist Church continues its annual Summer Stock 

Theater Series next month with three special 

performances: 

July 13-15: The Odd Couple, a staged reading of Neil 

Simon’s comedy classic, featuring our very own “odd 

couple”, Sid Davis and Steve McCurdy, along with the 

Pigeon Sisters and assorted, dysfunctional poker buddies! 

This non-stop laugh fest runs nightly, July 13-14 

at 7:30 pm and Sunday afternoon, July 15 at 2:30 pm. 

July 20 - 22: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, presented 

by the St. Luke’s Children’s Theater. The show runs 

daily, July 20-21 at 10:30 a.m., and Sunday 

afternoon, July 22 at 4 pm. 

July 27-29: Rob Landes and Friends, with Rob at the 

piano and special guest singers, Sean Brabant (tenor) 

and Jennifer Johnson (soprano). Join them for some 

foot tapping, swinging, swaying and maybe even a 

few sing-alongs! The show opens on Friday night, July 

27 at 7:30, and continues at 2:30 pm on Saturday and 

Sunday, July 28-29. 

Admission is by donation to raise funds for Bridges’ 

Outreach Mission to local public schools and for 

scholarships for deserving students. 

For the full listing of upcoming shows, check 

the calendar on the St. Luke’s website, 

StLukesMethodist.org. 

senior adults 

Alley Theatre Summer Chills 

Saturday, July 14 

12:30 p.m. 

This year’s production of the ever-popular 

“Summer Chills” at the Alley Theatre is 

Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee. The play, 

first produced in 1930, features a plot with 

fiendishly clever twists and a cast filled 

with colorful, suspicious characters that 

are the trademark of the world’s greatest 

creator of murder mysteries. We will leave 

St. Luke’s at 12:30 p.m. for lunch at Pronto 

before the matinee performance. 

Space is limited and reservations and 

payments are due by June 29. Call 

Kathy Neely, 713-402-5139. 

Mainstreamers will not meet in 

July for programs lunchs or day 

trips. 

Put Thursday, August 9 on your calendar 

and plan to come to the Mainstreamer 

Summer Picnic. This “picnic” will be 

indoors, so not to worry! We’ll furnish the 

fried chicken and biscuits, and you bring 

the salads, side dishes and desserts. There 

will be entertainment and a good time so 

don’t miss out! 

Call Kathy Neely, 713-402-5139 to reserve 

your place. 

Coming Up: 

Caregiver Conference, Saturday, 

August 11. This is a free event, open to the 

community as well as to St. Luke’s 

members and friends, and is designed to 

provide resources, information and support 

for family members who find themselves in 

the role of caregiver for an aging parent or 

spouse, or for someone with chronic illness. 

8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Your advance 

registration is requested. Registration 

available beginning July 1 at 

StLukesMethodist.org/caregiver or at 

713-682-5995. 




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Train Move 

BOTTOM ROW: 

Whitney Fournier, Carissa Mark, Colette Mark, 

Barbara Patterson, Jennifer Mueller, 

Kevin Kendziora, Carrie Leader 

TOP ROW: 

Mark Leader, Rachel Ishmael, Kayla Newman, 

Marilyn Budde, Zachary Christians 

St. Luke’s Methodist Church Foundation 2012 

Scholarship Awards 

In 1961, the St. Luke’s Methodist Church Foundation was created to benefit the programs and ministries of 

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and to perpetuate church pledges. Fourteen scholarships have been 

endowed through the Foundation: 

The United Methodist Women’s Founders 

Scholarship: established on the occasion of the 

organization’s fortieth anniversary to aide students 

pursuing a degree from an accredited college or 

university. 

The Jane Sheffield Scholarship: Jane Sheffield 

was a long time member of St. Luke’s and the first 

woman to graduate from the University of Texas 

Law School. 

Lewis Wesley Cutrer Scholarship: the late Lewis 

Wesley Cutrer, St. Luke’s member and former mayor 

of Houston, believed in higher education and 

wanted to help students to realize their dreams. 

The Women’s Bible Class Scholarship: The Class 

organized while the church met at Lamar High 

School, and the scholarship honors the founding 

parents of our church. 

United Methodist Men’s Scholarships: The 

mission of the UMM is to involve men in a 

growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His 

Church. Several years ago, the UMM started a fund 

raising golf tournament to supplement their 

scholarship awards. 

The John T. King Scholarship: established in 

memory of the Reverend King who served St. Luke’s 

with distinction as Minister of Program and 

Administration, and benefits ministerial students 

pursuing a degree from Perkins School of Theology 

in Dallas (John’s alma mater). 

The Ann and Randy Smith Scholarship: benefits 

students pursing a degree in special education. The 

Adult Bible Study Class established this scholarship 

in 1997, in honor of the Smiths, who gave leadership 

to the class since its inception. 

The Grace & Glenn Davies Scholarship: 

established to benefit students pursuing degrees 

from an accredited college or university. The Davies 

were long time members of St. Luke’s and their 

loved ones established these scholarships in their 

memory. 

The James W. Moore Scholarship: established in 

memory of Ruth Claridge, who with her husband, 

Elmond, taught the fourth grade Sunday School Class 

of St. Luke’s for over thirty years. This scholarship aids 

students pursuing a full time Christian vocation. 

The Hines H. Baker Bible Class Scholarship: 

established to aid students pursuing a full time 

Christian vocation. The class, created while St. Luke’s 

was meeting at Lamar High School, bears the name of 

St. Luke’s charter member, Hines H. Baker, who taught 

the class for many years and helped significantly with 

the founding of our church. 

The Jane and Kenneth Ford Scholarships: 

established by charter members, Kenny and Jane Ford 

to benefit persons pursuing a degree from an accredited 

college or university in Texas. 

The Benjamin Vaughan Scholarship: established 

by Margaret and Emory Carl to aid students who are 

pursuing a career in the ordained ministry, church 

administration, religious education, church music, or 

any other full time career of service to the church. 

The Celeste Tybor Scholarship: established to aid 

single adults returning to an institution of higher 

education in the pursuit of a second career or to aid 

single adults pursuing divorce recovery programs, 

retreats, and other ministries related to our singles 

ministries. Ms. Tybor was pursuing her second career 

when cancer cut her life short. Her many friends at 

St. Luke’s established this fund to honor her life and 

memory. 

The Elizabeth Dodge Schwab Scholarship: 

established in 2005 to honor Elizabeth’s memory. It 

was her wish that this endowed scholarship be 

created to help ensure that deserving individuals 

receive all the support they can to achieve a life’s 

ambition and to provide the education necessary to 

pursue that vision. 

NOT PICTURED: 

Miriam Aguila, Bronwyn Barnwell, Kevin Culver, 

Margaret Frazier, Carl Mueller, Breeana Stell, 

William Taylor, Jasmine Young 

St. Luke’s Methodist 

Church Foundation 

2012 Scholarship 

Recipients 

THE GRACE I. AND GLENN R. DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP 

Mark Leader 

THE KENNETH AND JANE FORD SCHOLARSHIP 

Kevin Culver 

Margaret Frazier 

Whitney Fournier 

Carissa Mark 

Colette Mark 

Barbara Patterson 

THE KENNETH AND JANE FORD SCHOLARSHIP with 

THE WOMEN’S BIBLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP 

Bronwyn Barnwell 

THE HINES H. BAKER BIBLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP 

Jasmine Young 

THE JAMES W. MOORE SCHOLARSHIP 

Carl Mueller 

THE ELIZABETH DODGE SCHWAB SCHOLARSHIP 

Miriam Aguila 

THE ANN AND RANDY SMITH SCHOLARSHIP 

Kayla Newman 

Breeana Stell 

THE BENJAMIN VAUGHAN SCHOLARSHIP 

William Taylor 

THE UNITED METHODIST MEN’S SCHOLARSHIPS 

Rachel Ishmael 

Kevin Kendziora 

Jennifer Mueller 

THE UNITED METHODIST WOMEN FOUNDERS’ 

SCHOLARSHIP 

Marilyn Budde 

Zachary Christians 

THE JOHN T. KING SCHOLARSHIP 

Carrie Leader 




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7 

Awaken Embrace Train Move 

Study, was an acolyte, volunteered as a VBS teen 

helper, and was a member of Pure Sound. Through 

all of these various activities and experiences, I was 

able to grow and mature so much in my 

relationship with God while making lasting 

friendships and memories. 

As an intern this summer, I hope to learn how youth 

ministry works and how to best spread the Gospel 

with others. I am looking forward to working with 

the middle school students, and am so excited 

to see how God can work through them in amazing 

ways. I’ll be responsible for teaching Sunday 

school, helping with paperwork and logistics, planning 

Random Beach Retreat, being a leader on all 

trips and activities, and building relationships with 

and learning the hearts of the students. Because 

I am very organized and detail oriented, I hope to 

really be able to help with event planning and other 

activities. 

It was an incredible weekend for 54 students and leaders on the middle school mission trip to San Antonio! 

Six hard-working student teams partnered with Blueprint Ministries and worked two full days in the 

scorching heat to paint homes in low-income communities. Evenings ended with worship and small group 

time where students reflected on why they served… and realized it was for the glory of God. After all their 

hard work, the group ended the weekend with an awesome day at Fiesta Texas Six Flags. Although both the 

students and leaders came home exhausted, they said the experience was rewarding and they can’t wait to 

go back and partner with Blueprint Ministries next year! 

Left to right: Carissa Mark, Rhett Dunson, and Katie Brown. 

Meet the Interns 

The Student Ministry of the St. Luke’s Westheimer 

campus is delighted to welcome three outstanding 

summer interns to grow, help and teach our youth 

what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Let’s meet 

Katie, Carissa and Rhett. 

Katie Brown 

Hi! My name is Katie Brown and I am the high 

school intern for this summer! I will be a senior at 

UT Austin and am majoring in Elementary 

Education and Kinesiology. I was born in Houston 

and was raised in the Humble area with an amazing 

family. My parents just recently celebrated their 

25th wedding anniversary, and I have a younger 

sister who also attends UT, majoring in Radio, Television, 

and Film. 

I have a lot of hopes for this summer which include 

learning more about how student ministry works, 

learning how to teach the students about God, and 

learning about each student and what God has in 

store for their lives. 

This summer I’ll be responsible for teaching Sunday 

school, helping the student ministry leaders in any 

way that I can, and most importantly, investing in the 

lives of the students and listening to the call that God 

has for each of them. 

I believe that I excel in connecting with others, and 

with this skill I hope to be able to connect with all of 

the people that I meet and I hope to help the students 

connect with other students. 

Something that no one would ever guess about me 

is that I almost had my leg amputated from my knee 

down. While in the 7th grade, I developed a staph infection, 

and if I had waited another two weeks to have 

it checked, the doctors told me that my leg would 

have had to be amputated from the top of my knee 

down! 

Carissa Mark 

My name is Carissa Mark, and I will be a sophomore 

at Texas A&M University this fall. I graduated from 

the Awty International School in the spring of 2011. 

Along with my two amazing parents, I also have a 

younger sister, Colette, and two older brothers, Rob 

and Jared. 

Having grown up at St. Luke’s, I consider it to be my 

second home. I actively participated in the youth 

group, went on mission trips, attended Midweek Bible 

Something that no one would ever guess about me 

is that I once camped out in a tent in the middle of 

the Serengeti in Tanzania, Africa with lions, 

elephants, and giraffes roaming nearby! 

Rhett Dunson 

I went to Willis High School in Willis (a little town 

about an hour north of here). I am currently a 

sophomore at Houston Baptist University and am 

majoring in Christianity with a minor in Biblical 

languages. My family consists of three brothers and 

one sister; I am the second to youngest. Up until 

now, I have gone to First Baptist Church, Willis my 

entire life. 

One thing I am definitely looking forward to this 

summer is getting to know the kids and 

ministering to them. I am glad to be interning at St. 

Luke’s because I like working with students, and the 

kids I’ve already met here are awesome. 

Something most people don’t know about me is I 

am an avid bowfisher… Yes, that’s where you shoot 

fish with a bow! 

If you were at the Westheimer Campus for 

Vacation Bible School, you probably ran into Justin 

Ikpo who is spending his second summer as an 

intern in Children’s Ministries. Justin, a student at 

Stephen F. Austin, says he loves VBS and “everyday is 

an adventure at St. Luke’s.” 




713-622-5710


Train Move 

New Members 

Baptisms 

Andrew Hartman unites 

with St. Luke’s by 

transfer from another 

United Methodist church. 

He is a production engineer 

with Energy XXI. 

We welcome Mark Kenney, 

who unites with St. Luke’s 

by profession of faith. He is 

owner of Kenney & Associates 

Financial and joins his 

fiancee’, Ann Chapman, in 

the St. Luke’s membership. 

They plan to be married on 

July 13, 2012. 

Harper Elizabeth Moody, 

daughter of Jason 

Michael Moody and 

Whitney Palmer Moody 

on June 10. 

Lex and Cindy De Groot 

unite with St. Luke’s by 

transfer from another 

denomination. Lex is a 

civil/structural engineer 

with L.Con Inc. and Cindy 

is a financial analyst with 

Kinder Morgan. They are 

the parents of Madeleine 

De Groot, age 18 months. 

Chelsea Whitney unites 

with our congregation by 

profession of faith and 

baptism. She is a teller with 

Chase Bank. 

Save the Date: 

June 16 – 29, 2013 when a trip to the Holy 

Land is being planned. Contact Linda 

Christians at lchristians@stlukesmethodist.org 

or 713-402-5114 for more information. 

A Women’s Event Worth Kicking Your Shoes 

Off For! 

October 5 – 7. Put the date on your calendar 

and plan to come to Round Top for a weekend 

of renewal, relaxation, and fun and 

fellowship with other St. Luke’s women at 

the Fall Women’s Retreat. 

Join national recording artist and women’s 

conference and retreat leader, Shannon Perry, 

for a time apart designed to address the core 

Jack West Davis, son of 

Kevin Bryant Davis and 

Rachel Carole Davis on 

June 17. 

issues that women face in everyday life. Through 

real life examples, original music and humor, 

Shannon Perry delivers the power of God’s Word 

that will change our lives. 

Watch for brochures and registration information 

available soon. 

Westheimer Campus 

8:30 a.m. Sunday – Traditional Worship 

with Holy Communion* 

8:45 a.m. Sunday – Encounter Worship, Fellowship Hall 

9:45 a.m. & 11 a.m. Sunday – Traditional Worship* 

12 p.m. Holy Communion, Chapel 

* Sanctuary 

Gethsemane Campus 

8:30 a.m. Sunday – Blended Communion service 

10:55 a.m. Sunday Traditional Worship 

Sermon videos, podcasts and corresponding study guides are 

available online at: 

StlukesMethodist.org/Sermons 

June 

24 

John: the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved 

Fourth in the Series 

The Twelve 

(Westheimer Campus) 

The Future is Mestizo 

Fourth in the Series 

United By Faith 

(Gethsemane Campus) 

July 

1 

thomas 

Third in the Series 

The Twelve 

(Westheimer Campus) 

Red-Letter Weird 

First in the Series 

Weird: Outside the Lines 

(Gethsemane Campus) 

Scan the code to read the Spire on 

your smart phone. 

The altar flowers are dedicated to the glory of God and 

are given in loving memory of Joyce Marie Huseman 

Renner (4/22/1933 - 6/21/2002) by Paul Renner and 

sons, Dalton and Ray. 

The altar flowers are dedicated to the glory of God, in 

memory of Lucille H. Dainty and John R. Dainty, and in 

honor of Mary Nelle Moore and Miriam Slemmons by 

Roxi Dainty and in loving memory of Carl G. Mueller, Jr. 

by Joanne Mueller. 

There will be no Spire publications during the month of July. 




713-622-5710

The Spire - St. Luke's United Methodist Church

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