About St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
A comfortable, committed family gathered in his world
Full History
2003 — The Beginning
- On Holy Name Day, January 5, the Episcopal parishes of St. John’s and St. Mark’s came together and re-named themselves St. Luke’s. The Rev. Bruce Henne had been named Priest-in-Charge of St. Luke’s by Bishop Harry Bainbridge in June of 2002. On January 26, 2003, St. Luke’s held its first annual meeting and elected the following as their first Vestry:
Lew Powell and Suzanne Buchan, Co-Wardens; Buddy Hall, Andrea Hoffman, Gary Jacobson, Janice Jemtrud, Frances Marshall, Gretchen Matthern, Paul Menser, Laurel Neilson, Carolyn Robertson and Cher Stone.
2004 — Holy Week
- Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday, and continues through Holy Saturday. Palm Sunday begins with a procession of palms and includes a reading of the Passion Gospel. At St. Luke’s, there are services throughout the week, including Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.The Lighting of the Paschal Candle is the beginning of the Great Vigil of Easter. The Paschal Candle is lit in darkness from a newly kindled fire and the Celebrant leads the procession to the chancel. Easter is one occasion where there can be Baptism or the Renewal of Baptismal vows.
2005 — Confirmation
- In the Episcopal Church, Confirmation is a personal decision for those old enough to make a public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their baptism. When they are ready to make this commitment, they participate in Confirmation Classes, which culminates with being Confirmed by the laying on of hands by the Bishop.In 2005, St. Luke’s sponsored a Rite 13 class for those members who were ready to make this decision and commitment. One of the activities of the Rite 13 class of 2005 was to host a coffee hour, where they decided to make pretzels.
2006 — Mission Teams
- Beginning in 2004 and continuing through 2016, St. Luke’s sponsored Mission Teams that served others through Group Work Camps. Teens and adults were welcome to participate in the week-long camp each year and traveled to various states plus Africa and Haiti.
Trips included:
Monument Valley UT (2004) | Loveland CO (2010) | Rocky Mount NC (2005) | Busby MT (2011) | Wasilla AK (2006) | Fort Yates ND (2012) | Desmet ID (2007) | Minnesota (2013) | Ethete WY (2008) | Leogane Haiti (2015, 2016) | Texas City TX (2009)
2007 — Communal Dinners
- “All our meals and all our living make as sacraments to thee, that by caring, helping, giving, we may true disciples be. Alleluia! Alleluia! We will serve thee faithfully”The Rev. Percy Dearmer
English Anglican priest, author, and social-justice advocate.
What would church life be without a coffee hour, potluck, a Bishop’s reception, or a progressive dinner? When we gather at the Lord’s table or the parish hall table, we are a little bit closer to that upper room in Jerusalem. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, also, has a long history of sharing our reception space with community groups.
2008 — The Soup kitchen
- The Soup Kitchen, Inc. has its roots in the basement of St. Mark’s during the 1980’s. Joanne Galbraith and Lois Greenwood wanted to reach out to those who may be in need of a meal, and using just one hotplate, started providing 15-20 meals on Saturdays and Sundays each week.By 2004, it had moved next door to what is now The Community Outreach Center. The Soup Kitchen is now open 365 days a year, serving over 55,000 annually. Daily serving teams come from various area churches, service groups, and anyone who volunteers. It is supported financially by fundraisers, area churches and individual donations.
2009 — Blessing of the animals
- One of St. Luke’s traditions is the annual Blessing of the Animals. At the Sunday services close to St. Francis Day (Friar and Deacon Francis of Assisi, 1226), we welcome those present to bring their pets to church to be blessed by the service Officiant. From the common cats and dogs to the uncommon birds and tarantulas, all animals are blessed.
The St. Francis Garden on the east side of the church provides a resting place for the cremains of any beloved pet. The names of pets injured in the St. Francis Garden are placed on a plaque located in the Columbarium of St. Luke’s.
2010 — turkey boxes
- In the late 1990’s, St. John’s started an outreach of providing “Turkey Boxes” in November to families that may not have the means to have their own meal. A Turkey Box gives a family everything they need to have their own Thanksgiving dinner, including the turkey. The first year we provided about 35 meals to local residents. Working in conjunction with School Districts 91 and 93, by 2020 this outreach had grown to almost 400 Turkey Boxes provided to students and their families.
2011 — Hospitality
- St. Luke’s strives to be hospitable to everyone who walks through our doors, as well as towards our neighbors. From church potlucks to the annual progressive dinner with neighborhood churches to our Luncheon.
Luncheons and more, our parishioners greet all with a smile and sometimes a meal.
2012 — The Flowering of the Cross
- The flowering of the cross has been traced back to the 6th century. It is an especially striking and beautiful way to symbolize the new life that emerges from Jesus’s death on Good Friday. Traditionally before the Easter Sunday service, the cross is covered with real flowers and the top draped in white. The entire cross is covered with flowers and is placed prominently at the front of the church to symbolize the new life in our risen Lord to all the worshippers present on Easter Sunday morning. Every year, on Easter morning, all the children present are invited to help the Rector “Flower the Cross.”
2013— Stewardship
- Stewardship is an important aspect of St. Luke’s; whether it is time, talent or treasure. We practice stewardship year-round and each year we hold an Annual Pledge Campaign.In 2013, our Annual Pledge Campaign included Dinner Theater In- the-Round, where members of St. Luke’s presented “Murder, Mayhem and Marshmallow Salad . . .”, by Shelly Sellepack ,” a stewardship-themed play directed by Johannah Grant and starring parishioners Roland Smith, Victoria Grant, Mark Lee, Paul Menser, Warren Jones, Brian Grant, Angie Lee, and Carolyn Neblett.
2014 — Bishop’s Visitation
- The Bishop of the Diocese of Idaho officially visits St. Luke’s each year. His visit may include baptisms and confirmations, and usually includes a meeting with the Vestry and Rector as well as sharing a meal with the congregation.
2015 — Celebrations
- We enjoy celebrating the major events of all of our congregant’s lives; whether it is a birthday, anniversary, graduation or recognizing another accomplishment in their life.
Each year in May we celebrate the parishioners who are graduating from one aspect of their education by recognizing them during the church services and enjoying fellowship time with them after the services.
2016 — Music
- St. Luke’s Episcopal Church celebrates music with three distinct music groups:
The St. Luke’s Bell Choir also known as Tintinnabulation, the ringing or sounding of bells.
Faith and Harmony is our choir that provides more contemporary music at services. They welcome musicians playing a wide variety of instruments including violin, bongo drums, guitar, and more. The St. Luke’s Adult Choir provides more traditional music during our church services.
2017 — Celebrations
- Weddings, baptisms, confirmations and funerals are celebrations in the Episcopal Church, and we love to share these celebrations with our church families.
In order to be married in the Episcopal Church, at least one member of the bridal couple must be baptized. We offer full service premarital counseling. We require that your intended spouse be in your will and life insurance, and we suggest Financial Education and a personality survey.
2018 — Necessary needs outreach
- Outreach is an important part of St. Luke’s. In 2018, Phoebe Jones presented our Vestry with her proposal for earning a badge for Girl Scouts: A Necessary Needs Cabinet which she would build and fill with items that are not provided by other agencies, especially personal products and pet food.
In October of 2018, Bishop Brian Thom blessed our newest outreach project with Phoebe standing by his side.
2019 — st. nicholas day
- St. Luke’s recognizes St. Nicholas Day every year, as well as many other Saints throughout the year. St. Nicholas (Bishop Nicholas of Myra, 342 CE) always falls during the season of Advent.Advent season marks the beginning of the Christian year across many western churches in the United States. Its length varies from 22 to 28 days, starting on the Sunday nearest St Andrew’s Day and encompassing the next three Sundays, ending on Christmas Day. St. Nicholas usually visits St. Luke’s at a Sunday service, as well as making an appearance at our Family Advent Party.
2020 — lego league robotics
- The St. Luke’s Lego League team participates in the annual FIRST Lego League robotics competition. In this competition, they design, build, and program robots using the Lego Mindstorms platform to accomplish a set of challenges on a 4 x 8 tabletop board, with a different theme each year.They also develop an Innovation Project to solve a real-world problem around the same theme. The team got started in 2018 thanks to a grant from the Idaho Episcopal Foundation. In 2019, they advanced from the Idaho Falls competition to the South Idaho State Championship in Twin Falls.
2021 — Pray-ground
- A Pray-Ground is a designated place in the front of the sanctuary where young children can experience worship through age appropriate worship materials and tools that will help keep them engaged. St. Luke’s Pray-Ground was introduced in 2021 in response to a number of shifts in church culture, such as
parents desiring to have their young children in worship with them | congregations that do not have enough children to sustain a nursery | the understanding that the children can only learn to worship by regularly being in worship
2003 — The Beginning
- On Holy Name Day, January 5, the Episcopal parishes of St. John’s and St. Mark’s came together and re-named themselves St. Luke’s. The Rev. Bruce Henne had been named Priest-in-Charge of St. Luke’s by Bishop Harry Bainbridge in June of 2002. On January 26, 2003, St. Luke’s held its first annual meeting and elected the following as their firstVestry:
Lew Powell and Suzanne Buchan, Co-Wardens; Buddy Hall, Andrea Hoffman, Gary Jacobson, Janice Jemtrud, Frances Marshall, Gretchen Matthern, Paul Menser, Laurel Neilson, Carolyn Robertson and Cher Stone.
2004 — Holy Week
- Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday, and continues through Holy Saturday. Palm Sunday begins with a procession of palms and includes a reading of the Passion Gospel. At St. Luke’s, there are services throughout the week, including Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.The Lighting of the Paschal Candle is the beginning of the Great Vigil of Easter. The Paschal Candle is lit in darkness from a newly kindled fire and the Celebrant leads the procession to the chancel. Easter is one occasion where there can be Baptism or the Renewal of Baptismal vows.
The Rev. Bruce Henne is shown lighting candles from the Paschal Candle at the beginning of the Easter Service.
2005 — Confirmation
- In the Episcopal Church, Confirmation is a personal decision for those old enough to make a public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their baptism. When they are ready to make this commitment, they participate in Confirmation Classes, which culminates with being Confirmed by the laying on of hands by the Bishop.In 2005, St. Luke’s sponsored a Rite 13 class for those members who were ready to make this decision and commitment. One of the activities of the Rite 13 class of 2005 was to host a coffee hour, where they decided to make pretzels.
- Those pictured are Grechen Grant, a friend, Shannon Collear, Jared Nigg, Amanda Lee, Cody Lee, Zatha Loewen, and Kim Ozaki. Back row: Cheryl Zimmer, Gretchen Matthern and Penny Henne.
2006 — Mission Teams
- Beginning in 2004 and continuing through 2016, St. Luke’s sponsored Mission Teams that served others through Group Work Camps. Teens and adults were welcome to participate in the week-long camp each year and traveled to various states plus Africa and Haiti.
Trips included:
Monument Valley UT (2004) | Loveland CO (2010) | Rocky Mount NC (2005) | Busby MT (2011) | Wasilla AK (2006) | Fort Yates ND (2012) | Desmet ID (2007) | Minnesota (2013) | Ethete WY (2008) | Leogane Haiti (2015, 2016) | Texas City TX (2009)
2007 — Communal Dinners
-
“All our meals and all our living make as sacraments to thee, that by caring, helping, giving, we may true disciples be. Alleluia! Alleluia! We will serve thee faithfully”
The Rev. Percy Dearmer
English Anglican priest, author, and social-justice advocate.
What would church life be without a coffee hour, potluck, a Bishop’s reception, or a progressive dinner? When we gather at the Lord’s table or the parish hall table, we are a little bit closer to that upper room in Jerusalem. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, also, has a long history of sharing our reception space with community groups.
2008 —The Soup Kitchen
- The Soup Kitchen, Inc. has its roots in the basement of St. Mark’s during the 1980’s. Joanne Galbraith and Lois Greenwood wanted to reach out to those who may be in need of a meal, and using just one hotplate, started providing 15-20 meals on Saturdays and Sundays each week.By 2004, it had moved next door to what is now The Community Outreach Center. The Soup Kitchen is now open 365 days a year, serving over 55,000 annually. Daily serving teams come from various area churches, service groups, and anyone who volunteers. It is supported financially by fundraisers, area churches and individual donations.
- Pictured above is one of St. Luke’s serving teams including Buddy
Hall, Cheryl Creed, and Daniel Devasirvahan.
2009 —Blessing of the Animals
- One of St. Luke’s traditions is the annual Blessing of the Animals. At the Sunday services close to St. Francis Day (Friar and Deacon Francis of Assisi, 1226), we welcome those present to bring their pets to church to be blessed by the service Officiant. From the common cats and dogs to the uncommon birds and tarantulas, all animals are blessed.
The St. Francis Garden on the east side of the church provides a resting place for the cremains of any beloved pet. The names of pets injured in the St. Francis Garden are placed on a plaque located in the Columbarium of St. Luke’s.
2010 — Turkey Boxes
- In the late 1990’s, St. John’s started an outreach of providing “Turkey Boxes” in November to families that may not have the means to have their own meal. A Turkey Box gives a family everything they need to have their own Thanksgiving dinner, including the turkey. The first year we provided about 35 meals to local residents. Working in conjunction with School Districts 91 and 93, by 2020 this outreach had grown to almost 400 Turkey Boxes provided to students and their families.
2011 — Hospitality
- St. Luke’s strives to be hospitable to everyone who walks through our doors, as well as towards our neighbors. From church potlucks to the annual progressive dinner with neighborhood churches to our Luncheon.Luncheons and more, our parishioners greet all with a smile and often a meal.
- Pictured in aprons created by Gretchen Matthern: Patti Sherlock, Susan Mills, Linda Biedleman, Kathy Smolik, Carol Roberts, Sandy Price and Jacquie Janibagian.
2012 —The Flowering of the Cross
- The flowering of the cross has been traced back to the 6th century. It is an especially striking and beautiful way to symbolize the new life that emerges from Jesus’s death on Good Friday. Traditionally before the Easter Sunday service, the cross is covered with real flowers and the top draped in white. The entire cross is covered with flowers and is placed prominently at the front of the church to symbolize the new life in our risen Lord to all the worshippers present on Easter Sunday morning.Every year, on Easter morning, all the children present are invited to help the Rector “Flower the Cross.”
- Pictured: The Rev. Susan Spier assisting children as they flower the cross before the Easter service.
2013 — Stewardship
- Stewardship is an important aspect of St. Luke’s; whether it is time, talent or treasure. We practice stewardship year-round and each year we hold an Annual Pledge Campaign.In 2013, our Annual Pledge Campaign included Dinner Theater In- the-Round, where members of St. Luke’s presented “Murder, Mayhem and Marshmallow Salad . . .”, by Shelly Sellepack ,” a stewardship-themed play directed by Johannah Grant and starring parishioners Roland Smith, Victoria Grant, Mark Lee, Paul Menser, Warren Jones, Brian Grant, Angie Lee, and Carolyn Neblett.
2014 — Bishop’s Visitation
- The Bishop of the Diocese of Idaho officially visits St. Luke’s each year. His visit may include baptisms and confirmations, and usually includes a meeting with the Vestry and Rector as well as sharing a meal with the congregation.
- Pictured below: The Rt. Rev. Brian Thom enjoying the children of St.
Luke’s sing “Shine, Jesus, Shine.” Children include Xavier Jones,
Phoebe Wright, Anya Smith, Eden Smith, Elizabeth Wright and
Phoebe Jones.
2015 — Celebrations
- We enjoy celebrating the major events of all of our congregant’s lives; whether it is a birthday, anniversary, graduation or recognizing another accomplishment in their life.
Each year in May we celebrate the parishioners who are graduating from one aspect of their education by recognizing them during the church services and enjoying fellowship time with them after the services. - Pictured below: Victoria Grant and Anya Smith cut into the Graduates Cake during coffee hour.
2016 — Music
- St. Luke’s Episcopal Church celebrates music with three distinct music groups:
The St. Luke’s Bell Choir also known as Tintinnabulation, the ringing or sounding of bells.
Faith and Harmony is our choir that provides more contemporary music at services.They welcome musicians playing a wide variety of instruments including violin, bongo drums, guitar, and more. The St. Luke’s Adult Choir provides more traditional music during our church services.
- Pictured: Johannah Grant, Angie Lee, Marva Hoard, The Rev. Deb Adams, Holly Crawley, Carolyn Neblett (directing) and St. Nicholas.
2017 — Celebrations
-
Weddings, baptisms, confirmations and funerals are celebrations in the Episcopal Church, and we love to share these celebrations with our church families.
In order to be married in the Episcopal Church, at least one member of the bridal couple must be baptized. We offer full service premarital counseling. We require that your intended spouse be in your will and life insurance, and we suggest Financial Education and a personality survey.
- Pictured: In 2017, St. Luke’s celebrated the marriage of Grechen Grant and Jeff Hargrove.
2018 — Necessary Needs Outreach
- Outreach is an important part of St. Luke’s. In 2018, Phoebe Jones presented our Vestry with her proposal for earning a badge for Girl Scouts: A Necessary Needs Cabinet which she would build and fill with items that are not provided by other agencies, especially personal products and pet food.
In October of 2018, Bishop Brian Thom blessed our newest outreach project with Phoebe standing by his side. Acolytes pictured are Anya Smith, Xavier Jones and Eden Smith.
2019 —St. Nicholas Day
- St. Luke’s recognizes St. Nicholas Day every year, as well as many other Saints throughout the year. St. Nicholas (Bishop Nicholas of Myra, 342 CE) always falls during the season of Advent.Advent season marks the beginning of the Christian year across many western churches in the United States. Its length varies from 22 to 28 days, starting on the Sunday nearest St Andrew’s Day and encompassing the next three Sundays, ending on Christmas Day. St. Nicholas usually visits St. Luke’s at a Sunday service, as well as making an appearance at our Family Advent Party. Pictured here are Ginger Wright, Pageant Jones, St. Nicholas, Misty Martinell and Jacquie Janibagian.
2020 — Lego League Robotics
- Since 2019 St. Luke’s has sponsored a Lego League Robotics. Led by Larry Aagesen and Kris Smith, children engineer, build and program a robot to autonomously solve missions built from LEGOs. After identifying a problem in the community (how do we improve the outdoor skating ice rink?), they created a solution and presented their ideas. They competed locally and qualified to compete at the state tournament.
2021— Pray-Ground
- A Pray-Ground is a designated place in the front of the sanctuary where young children can experience worship through age appropriate worship materials and tools that will help keep them engaged. St. Luke’s Pray-Ground was introduced in 2021 in response to a number of shifts in church culture, such as:
parents desiring to have their young children in worship with them | congregations that do not have enough children to sustain a nursery | the understanding that the children can only learn to worship by regularly being in worship.
2022 — Baptism
-
In the waters of Baptism, we are lovingly adopted by God into God’s family, which we call the church, and given God’s own life to share and reminded that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ. Holy Baptism, which can be performed through pouring of water or immersion in it, marks a formal entrance to the congregation and wider church; the candidates for the sacrament make a series of vows, including an affirmation of the Baptismal Covenant, and are baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are marked as Christ’s own for ever, having clothed themselves with Christ.
2023— Maintaining God's Ministry
- Maintaining God’s Ministry (MGM) is our funding for the stewardship of our physical property. Throughout the years, the MGM account has allowed us to update and replace capital improvements to our church. Our church was originally built in the late 1950’s and 1960’s. The Parish Hall was renovated in the mid-1990’s to remove several pillars, update the restrooms, and open the floor plan. The ramp and columbarium area were added in 2010. In 2023, we updated our kitchen to meet current building codes for commercial kitchens. Some of the original cupboards, that were hand-built by a parishioner, were upcycled and are now in the Rector’s office.
2024 — Christmas Eve
- A long standing tradition in the Episcopal Church is the Christmas Eve service. The service includes listening to the story of Jesus’ birth, singing Christmas carols, and Holy Eucharist. The service traditionally ends with everyone lighting small candles and singing “Silent Night”
The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe
The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe was elected presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church in June 2024 and took office on Nov. 1 for a nine-year term. In this role, he serves as the church’s chief pastor and CEO. Known for his expertise in organizational learning and adaptive change, Rowe is committed to strengthening support for local ministry and mission.
He was ordained bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania in 2007 after serving as rector of St. John’s in Franklin, Pennsylvania, for seven years. From 2014 to 2018, he served as bishop provisional of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, and from 2019 to 2024, he led a partnership between the Episcopal Dioceses of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York.
Rowe holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Grove City College, a Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in organizational learning and leadership from Gannon University. He has served as a leader of many civic and churchwide organizations and governance bodies, and as parliamentarian for the House of Bishops.
THE RT REV. JOS THARAKAN
Bishop Jos Tharakan was born and raised in a traditional and devout Roman Catholic Eastern Rite home in Kerala, India. His parents and four siblings grew up in a poor but religiously rich and diverse place, among Hindus and Muslims.
A native of Kerala, India, he was raised in a devout Roman Catholic home. He completed his seminary studies at Franciscan Seminaries in Kerala and was ordained in 1994. He obtained additional degrees in economics and political science at the University of Delhi, and English and social sciences at the University of Bhopal, India.
He came to the United States in 1997, and in 2006, then-Arkansas Bishop Larry Maze received him into The Episcopal Church. Before coming to Missouri, he served at Christ Church, Mena, and All Saints Church in Russellville, both in Arkansas. His wife, Kimby, was born in California and raised in Arkansas. Together, they have six children, three grandchildren, a dog and a cat.
Tharakan said that in his ministry he is “called to walk with the other, like Jesus on the way to Emmaus, listening carefully, living authentically, and loving genuinely. The Franciscan call to ‘Rebuild My Church’ is my everyday focus; nothing more and nothing less. I have never run after a position for power, prestige, or pocketbook, but have followed God’s call from the age of 15. I have also observed that I am happy, and feel blessed and effective when I go where God sends me. And there I work hard and love people, and God does the rest.”
A multi-media artist, he has composed music and soundtracks and created short films, educational videos and websites. The COVID-19 pandemic has created “incredible opportunity for digital ministry, spiritual growth, and a tremendous potential for a new church model,” he said. “An absolute opportunity for creating basic Christian communities and empowering rural small churches where intergenerational ministry is waiting to explode.”
Clergy
Priest
Priest Vacant
St. Luke’s current situation without a priest offers exciting opportunities for growth and community engagement. This is a chance for congregation members to step up and showcase their talents. Inviting guest priests or empowering lay leaders can enhance worship and activities, fostering unity and collaboration. This period encourages reflection on the qualities desired in a future priest, ensuring the next leader aligns perfectly with the community’s vision and aspirations. Together, the congregation can strengthen their bonds and maintain a vibrant spiritual atmosphere.
Staff
Bookkeeping
Janet Miller
Janet is an indispensable part of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, seamlessly balancing her dual roles as the bookkeeper and bell choir director. Her meticulous attention to detail ensures the church’s finances are in order, while her passion for music brings the bell choir to life, enriching services with harmonious melodies. Beyond her commitment to the church, Janet is a devoted grandmother, cherishing every moment spent with her grandchildren. Her nurturing spirit and dedication to her family and community make her a beloved figure, embodying the values of love, service, and harmony both in her personal and professional life.
Communications
Lonnie Martinell
Lonnie likes church fellowship and is very friendly. She earned a degree from Idaho State University. She has been the director of both Sunday School and Vacation Bible School which qualifies her for the fast pass to heaven. Lonnie is a hospitality volunteer who loves to welcome new members. She lives with a retired engineer husband who likes playing in a band and with his adorable grandchildren. Lonnie likes to cook and read. She looks quiet but is secretly funny. “It is nice to be important but it is more important to be nice.”
Records
Theresa Jones
Theresa has proven to be an invaluable addition to the team since she joined in 2025, seamlessly managing a variety of office administration tasks with efficiency and precision. Her tech-savvy nature ensures that any technological hiccups are swiftly addressed, making her an essential asset in maintaining smooth operations. Outside of her professional life, Theresa’s passion for the outdoors shines through her love for hunting and fishing. She cherishes the time spent with her loyal companions, her horse Sonny and her dog Journey, who accompany her on many adventures, reflecting her deep connection with nature and animals. Her diverse interests and skills bring a unique and vibrant energy to the workplace, fostering a positive and dynamic environment.
Vestry
Co-Senior Warden
Kay Moor
Kay loves the tradition and ritual of a Rite I Holy Eucharist service. She has served on the altar guild, vestry and many funeral receptions. She earned a BA from the University of Arkansas and a Masters in Education from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. She lives with her husband. You can often find them in front of the fire, listening to the ‘60s station on Sirius Radio. Kay likes to cook, travel and attend local sporting events. Kay is a retired school principal. She knows that there are many paths to a good life.
Co-Senior Warden
Karen Ruggiero
Karen likes to hear the sermon at church. She has served on the altar guild, the vestry and was the chair of St. Luke’s Wednesday Super Club for a long time. Karen studied English at San Diego State, Education at the University of Arkansas but she has the eye of the tiger after a long teaching career at Idaho Falls High. Karen raised a Brady Bunch blended family: three girls and three boys between herself and her husband, Jim. She did this “Without the maid, the money or the mansion.” Today, she likes to be fireside or in the kitchen with her nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Tenderhearted and kind, if Karen tells you, “It is a God thing,” it probably is.
Junior Warden
Bill Rogers
As the junior warden at St. Luke’s Church, Bill plays a crucial role in overseeing the management and maintenance of the church’s property. His responsibilities include ensuring that the facilities are safe, functional, and welcoming for both parishioners and visitors. This involves coordinating with contractors for repairs, managing the church’s landscaping, and ensuring compliance with local regulations and standards. Bill’s attention to detail and proactive approach help maintain the church as a vibrant and well-cared-for space, supporting the church’s mission and activities. His dedication to property management not only preserves the church’s physical structure but also enhances the overall experience for the community it serves.
Treasurer
Susie Smith
Susie’s favorite part of church is the Holy Eucharist and singing. She has experience with the Vestry, Sunday school and choir. Her business degree is from Idaho state University. Two rescue dogs, and a retired security person make her home extra safe. Susie’s family loves the landscapes of Idaho and Montana. When not at church, you can find her hiking or glamping in a cabin or tricked-out trailer. She buys the fish she eats because her fly fishing ethic is always catch and release. Susie is an audiobook addict. She likes to quote Winnie the Pooh saying, “I always get to where I’m going, by walking away from where I have been.”
Clerk
Kathryn Harvey
Kathryn is the dedicated clerk for St. Luke’s Episcopal, a role that she embraces with both professionalism and a touch of grace. Her meticulous attention to detail ensures that the administrative aspects of the church run smoothly, allowing the congregation to focus on spiritual growth and community engagement. Kathryn’s warm demeanor and approachable nature make her not just a clerk, but a vital part of the St. Luke’s family, where she often brings a spark of humor to meetings, reminding everyone that while their work is important, a little laughter can go a long way in building a strong community. With her commitment and passion, Kathryn truly exemplifies the spirit of service that underpins the mission of St. Luke’s Episcopal.
Stewardship
Kevin Vallejo
Kevin D. Vallejo contributes to the mission of St. Luke through the stewardship efforts of helping organize our annual pledge campaign and finding friendly faces for each week’s service Vestry Person On Duty (VPOD). Kevin is originally from Ciudad Juárez, México, and found himself joining the St. Luke community after moving to Idaho Falls for a scientists position at the local government laboratory.
Evangelism
Alia Long
Education
Ellie & Benjamin Rollins
Pastoral Care
Buddy Hall
Outreach
Paul Menser
Paul likes singing and making music in church. His parents met in a church choir, so he gets his love of music naturally. He has been involved in music, outreach, evangelism, and teaching. Paul has served on the vestry multiple times. He studied history at the University of Delaware and currently works at Idaho National Laboratory “…with world-class minds creating world-changing solutions.” Paul is a guitarist, cyclist, hiker, and canoer. He would sail if he had a boat and did not live in the desert. His mid-century home is full with his wife, Karen, a retired Montessori teacher, their son, Bill, and their two small dogs. Paul collects sunglasses and vintage wrist watches. He likes to say, “Take a sad song, and make it better.”
Have questions? Call us.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
270 N Placer Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Phone: 208-522-8465
Email: communications@stlukesif.org