At the Edge of a Dream:

The Story of St. Luke's United Methodist Church of Lubbock, Texas

St. Luke’s story traces our growth from a small assemblage in 1955 to a corporate-size congregation fifty years later. Each chapter explores an important area of church life, and taken together they tell how one Methodist Church expanded and changed during the tumultuous second half of the twentieth century. Yet the enduring religious theme remains the same, a deep belief that the power of the Holy Spirit can transform our personal life.

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Regarding St. Luke’s founding, we must mention the popular mood in America during the initial post-World War II decade. Limitless optimism was the rule, and why not? Thankful simply to be alive, and lucky to live in the U.S.A., people everywhere looked beyond their city limits for future expansion. Overnight, housing developments and suburbs swallowed agricultural lands. But the new subdivisions lacked the built-in social cohesion of either the prewar small town or the urban ethnic district. Rows of tract houses were searching for a community identity. New churches and schools helped satisfy the craving.

Our church’s beginning five years were critical. Apparently no one wrote down a formal five-year-plan. However, what transpired constitutes a fascinating tale of risk-taking, human ingenuity and selfless dedication, and proves again that when people passionately want their own house of worship God finds a way to make it happen.

To us, who are lay observers, the core of a religious denomination is the nature of its worship services. But what is the correct form for divine reverence? Sunday Morning Worship Services at St. Luke’s underwent many changes during the 1955-2005 period. It’s interesting to learn how we went about balancing honest differences yet never losing a common insistence that the heart of our religion lies in the individual’s personal relationship with God. There is strength in unity. There is strength in diversity. Pooling the two is always tricky but ultimately worthwhile. The chapter on worship also recognizes outstanding clergy who worked over the years to make St. Luke’s a very special place.

Another important part of our tradition lies in a strong commitment to Christian education and to education in general. Of course, Sunday School thrives as a cherished institution. Its roots are tied to the historic Methodist effort to reach out to those who have been neglected by society. Originating in England among Wesley’s followers, the movement quickly spread to Colonial America where Francis Asbury seized upon its potential. Operating in a Daniel Boone world, this first American elected bishop traveled an incredible 5,000 miles per year on horseback, crossing the Alleghenies sixty times. Riding his saddlebag circuit he struggled to build meetinghouses and societies in the frontier settlements, and was desperate to recruit preachers.

Championing literacy was a central theme of his ministry and he preached that Methodists had a duty to read and study the Bible regularly. But the hitch was that most of the settlers were illiterate. Public education was still a dream on the frontier. To the pragmatic Asbury the answer was simple, and brilliant. Use Sunday School meetings for basic literacy instruction combined with Bible study. This set in motion a chain reaction. As one might expect, many lay teachers become preachers, and when they moved on to form their own congregations they championed the Sunday School system. Fostering education became an important Methodist doctrine that continues to the present. St. Luke’s respects this tradition.

It’s essential to address another topic that’s closely related to education, namely, St. Luke’s Youth and Childcare Ministries. During its first fifty years the church’s role as a second home for young people increased. Changing patterns of family life dictated this. Church camps, youth missions, recreation programs, pre-school activities and projects such as parents day out, all serve vital needs.

Lubbock, Texas is famous for music. Choirs, bands, singers and instrumentalists abound, and many outstanding local musicians serve our congregation. The Music Ministry chapter brings us up to date on the changes occurring in church music styles, as well as the expanding role of music in church life. In a larger sense, music organizations provide a setting for small group bonding and encourage creativity.

Ours is a caring church where members really do look out for each other. In today’ secular world, religious groups can provide the quality of personal stability once supplied by the extended family. Weddings, Baptisms, and yes, even Funerals, are special events that defy the finality of time because they are bridges spanning the past, present and the future. It’s the church that brings family and friends together on these solemn occasions. They prove again that a House of Worship remains humankind’s best defense against unpredictable chaos. Truly, here we witness St. Luke’s heart and soul.

Church sponsored organizations and activities help us to acquire insight, crystallize our thinking and point us in new directions. Self-help programs such as financial planning groups open opportunities. Working with charitable agencies like the Food Bank teaches that even the smallest contributions are important. Get-togethers for pure fun restore vitality and creativity. As we discover ourselves we discover God, thanks to churches like St. Luke’s. Church sponsored tours also afford unique opportunities to grow in faith. For instance, the eleven-day Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in March 2000 was inspirational for its thirty-two members. The recently inaugurated Wednesday evening Masters Classes foster volunteerism, reinforce friendships, and champion intellectual stimulation for all ages.

Religious settings are beautiful because God is present. The architecture should reflect that highest beauty. Whether as simple as an open field with a single cross on a hill, or as intricate as a cathedral, Christians have always sought ways to pay proper homage to the Creator. Our church was blessed to have members who understood this and worked to achieve it

Five decades have passed since pioneers built a new church on 44th Street, way out where the cotton fields started. Today a second location, St. Luke’s Southwest, is taking shape, this time way out on 98th Street, again straddling Lubbock’s outer rim. AT THE EDGE OF A DREAM seemed like an apt title for the church story. The parallels remind one of a back-to-the-future epic. St. Luke’s is again leading the charge into a developing neighborhood. New families are arriving almost daily. Coming from everywhere, they bring diverse backgrounds and God’s gift of boundless energy. Like the founders of the original Memphis Avenue site, new leaders are taking the helm to create a house of worship that fits their neighborhood.

If we were writing the St. Luke’s story in the format of a stage or screen drama the task would be a snap. Act I would open in 1955 with a chunk of land, a band of ambitious pioneers, a dedicated leader, and a movie theater. Act II opens in 2005 with seventeen acres of bare ground, another crew of ambitious pioneers, another dedicated leader, and another movie theater. But what about Act III? Could it be that God has an even bigger dream for us? Here, perhaps we should let our imagination be God’s."