St. Luke’s wants to celebrate your baby’s birth and welcome them to our church family. We can provide you with helpful information regarding childcare during worship, baptism classes/dates, and meal assistance for the family upon arriving home from the hospital. Notify the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 of a new birth.

St. Luke’s no longer facilitates this support group, but we are happy to connect you to a support group offered by the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. This group meets monthly to share ideas, concerns, challenges, and celebrations while managing life as parents of young children with ASD. They share resources, provide insights, and support one another. We invite you to join this group on the second Thursday of the month (unless otherwise noted) at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. For additional information and to reserve a spot for one of their next meetings, click HERE.  Contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 or by email if you have additional questions.   

• Prayer Follow-Up Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to follow up with St. Lukers regarding previously submitted prayer requests so the prayer team may continue to pray for them. You may call or email from the comfort of your home. Training provided.
• Funeral Hosts: Volunteers are needed for funeral/memorial services. Tasks include directing people to the worship venue, restrooms, seats, reception area, assisting with floral arrangement arrivals, help setting up the Narthex area, passing out bulletins, opening doors and greeting guests as they arrive, and tidying up afterward. Dark professional attire is recommended.
• Baptism Hosts: Volunteer to assist families baptizing their infants/small children on the third Sunday of the month at the 9:30 a.m. contemporary worship service in Founder’s Hall or the 10:00 a.m. traditional worship service in the sanctuary. Duties include greeting the families upon arrival, directing them to their reserved seats, pointing out the restroom facilities and family room in the back of each worship venue. Volunteers will also assist with taking a family baptism photo after the service.
• Holiday Greeting Card Writers: Volunteers are needed to help write 12 – 14 holiday greeting cards at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. St. Luke’s provides the cards, addresses, inspirational messages, and postage. You may write the cards from the comfort of your home and drop them in the mail in time for the holiday!
• Veterans Greeting Card Writers: Join this fun group on campus to share fellowship and write cards to veterans residing at the Orlando VA Community Living Center four times a year. Next writing event will be in October in advance of Veterans Day.
• Drivers: Volunteers are needed to drive St. Lukers to their doctor’s appointments/medical treatments, grocery store, pharmacy, library, etc. Drivers also drop off Caring Kitchen meals when requested at St. Lukers’ homes. Meet new friends by helping someone get to where they need to be. Must have a valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and pass a background check.

If you are interested in serving in any of the areas listed above, please email care@st.lukes.org or call 407.876.4991 ext. 262 for more information.

St. Luke’s Care Call Team follows up each week with people who have been attending worship regularly and then stop attending for a few weeks. Volunteers email, text, or call to check in and offer care and prayers if needed. They help make our large church feel more like a small church family. Volunteers serve from the comfort of their homes and normally reach out to four-six people per week. Training and scripts are provided. If you are interested in serving with this ministry, contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 or email for more information.

Caring for a spouse, parent, or child with a long-term illness, special needs or age-related issues brings stress and unforeseen challenges to our lives. St. Luke’s invites you to attend a safe space for you to share your concerns, challenges, and blessings with others who are experiencing similar situations.  Take a small break from your routine on Sunday, December 8 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and join Care Ministry lay leaders online for candid conversations where you can share your questions, struggles, and blessings when caring for a loved one. CLICK HERE to sign up. We hope you will join us.

The St. Luke’s Care Visitation Team (CVT) is comprised of trained lay members who in partnership with our Parish Nurse and St. Luke’s pastors, make home, hospital, or assisted-living visits during times of illness, hospitalization, or rehabilitation, including long term care. Our team provides companionship, encouragement, and support for all our church families while also building meaningful relationships. If you or a family member have difficulty attending church and would appreciate a visit by our team, please contact our Care office to be connected with one of our Care Visitation Team members.

Caring Kitchen meets the first Thursday of the month (unless otherwise noted) in the kitchen of Building C from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.  Share fellowship with others and help make healthy frozen crockpot-ready meals for St. Lukers who are recovering from surgery, dealing with a chronic illness, going through cancer/other treatments, having a new baby, etc. Adults and children age 12+ are welcome. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring a sharp knife and an apron if you have them. No experience is required – just a compassionate heart and a passion for cooking and caring!

Next Meeting Date: Our next meeting will be on Thursday, January 9. We have the capacity for ten volunteers including the leadership team. 

Click here to sign up for the January 9 meeting.

If you know a St. Luker who would benefit from a crockpot meal during this time, email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262.

Stephen Ministers:

• Are children of God who walk beside a hurting person
• Are caring Christians who really listen and provide confidential one on one support
• Helps meet the needs of those who are facing illness, loneliness, bereavement, job or spiritual crisis, etc.
• Serves communion
• Receives extensive training in how to provide distinctively Christian care

Stephen Ministry is an international lay caring ministry used by more than 13,000 congregations worldwide. Click here to learn more about Stephen Ministry. While Stephen Ministers are not pastors or professional counselors, they have 50 hours of training skill sets that includes active listening, confidentiality, and trust building. They cannot provide counsel or advice but will walk alongside you during life’s storms such as job loss, divorce/separation, grief, relocation, etc., and offer loving care, prayers, compassion, and support. Women are matched with female Stephen Ministers and men are matched with male Stephen Ministers. If you are in need of a Stephen minister, mark the box on your Connection card on Sunday indicating you are going through a difficult time and need support, email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 to be confidentially matched with a caring Christian listener.

The St. Luke’s Community Counseling Center offers one on one counseling sessions to accommodate most schedules and budgets. Counseling is provided by Licensed Mental Health Counselors and support groups may be available. Click here to learn more about St. Luke’s Community Counseling Center and to download a brochure or make an appointment. Tele-therapy sessions are available as well as in-person sessions. For more information contact call 407.876.8237.

GriefShare Weekly Support Meetings 

GriefShare consists of weekly support group meetings designed to help you rebuild your life after the death of a loved one. Our groups are led by caring lay members who have experienced intense grief themselves. GriefShare helps with all kinds of losses – loss of a child, parent, sibling, spouse/partner, other family member, or friend. You’ll find a warm, caring environment and will see your group as an “oasis” on your long journey from mourning to joy. Meetings include videos, small group discussions (support group), and personal study exercises that reinforce weekly session topics.

Click here to view a short video about GriefShare.

St. Luke’s offer two options to attend GriefShare beginning in January. We offer a daytime in-person class and an online evening class. Please see options below.

• Tuesday morning in-person class starts Tuesday, January 28 and runs through Tuesday, April 29. Class meets from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in The Barnes Learning Center (second floor of Founder’s Hall adjacent to Building C), Room 210. There is no class on April 15 during Holy Week. Click here to register.
• Thursday evening online class starts on Thursday, January 30 and runs through Thursday, May 1. The class meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom. There is no class on April 17 during Holy Week. Click here to register.

Please join us in the Barnes Learning Center (second floor of Founder’s Hall/Building C) in Room 210 on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. or knit/crochet items for Hearts to Hands from the comfort of your home.

• Knits and crochets prayer shawls, newborn and preemie hats and blankets, and prayer squares.
• You don’t have to be experienced in knitting or crocheting, just have a willingness to learn and an eagerness to create. Free classes are offered on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Barnes Learning Center (second floor of Founder’s Hall/Building C) in Room 210. Share fellowship while knitting/crocheting with friends. Contact the Care office at care@st.lukes.org or call 407.876.4991 ext. 262 for more info.

• Promotes opportunities for full participation in worship and programs for persons with special needs
• Provides sensory-friendly accommodations at church-wide and community special events
• Connects with and supports area ministries and organizations which serve persons of all ages with disabilities and their families
• Works to make the church campus and programs safe and accessible to all
• For more information email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262

The Prayer Team meets weekly online via Zoom to pray over all prayer requests. Contact the Care office with any questions or prayers. 

• Receives prayer requests submitted on the church website
• Prays on Wednesday mornings for those on the prayer list, Connection Cards, and submitted prayer requests throughout the week

Do you need a ride to a doctor’s appointment, medical treatment, grocery store, pharmacy, etc.? Contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 or email to arrange for a transportation volunteer to take you free of charge. Please give us five to seven days’ notice so that we may find a driver.

Looking for a new way to serve while meeting fellow congregants? Here’s your chance! Volunteer with St. Luke’s Transportation Ministry and help St. Lukers get to and from appointments on your schedule. Proof of insurance and background checks are required. Interested in getting involved? Contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 or email for more information.

Here are some additional resources for support and care in the Orlando area. Email or call the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 for more information.

• Divorce support – DivorceCare is a 13-week support group designed for people who are currently separated or divorced. Click here to locate a church that is currently offering DivorceCare.
• Respite care for parents of children with special needs – Buddy Break is a free respite care program for children with special needs ages 3 years – 16 years and their siblings ages 4 years through fifth grade. Buddy Break is offered in partnership with local churches and Nathanial’s Hope. Click here for Central Florida locations for your child or to volunteer as a Buddy.
• Cancer support – If you or someone you know needs assistance in finding a local cancer support group, contact the Care office at 407.876.4991 ext. 262 regarding available support groups in the community.
• In-Home care –  Email the Care office or call 407.876.4991 ext. 300 for more information and recommendations regarding in-home health care.
• Memory care – Navigating memory care options in Florida is often an overwhelming task for families. Please check out these free helpful Memory Care Guides courtesy of MemoryCare.com:
  • Memory Care in Florida
  • What is a Memory Care Facility
  • When to Consider Memory Care
  • What to Expect in a Memory Care Facility

St. Luke’s is host to the Dr. Phillips Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group and also Friends of Bill and Bob AA Group. A.A.’s Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole. Click here and select the “month tab” at the right hand top of the page to learn the days, times, and meeting rooms for AA meetings at St. Luke’s.

Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA) meetings take place on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Barnes Learning Center (second floor of Founder’s Hall adjacent to Building C), Room 212. Email or call 954.937.2928 for information.

Al-Anon meetings take place Fridays and Sundays on campus. Click here and select the “month tab” at the right hand top of the page to learn meeting days, times, and locations on campus. Email or call 407.896.4929 for information.

IMPORTANT: NAMI support groups are no longer meeting on St. Luke’s campus. Click here or call 1-800-273-8255 to find a meeting place near you. 

NAMI does offer both Connections and Family Support meetings every Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church in Rooms 14 and 15. Their address is 220 Horatio Ave W, Maitland, FL 32751.

NAMI also offers an online Family Support group on the first Monday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Registration is required. All meeting information, including Zoom link and password, will be sent on the day of the meeting. If you have never registered for an online support group meeting with NAMI, register here.