When I say St. Luke’s is a part of my DNA, I am not exaggerating. My parents met and were married here, my siblings and I were baptized and confirmed here, and now I am a member and employee here! St. Luke’s has always been an unfailing, unwavering constant in my life, creating lasting friendships that still flourish today.

Like so many generations before me, I spent every, single Sunday morning at St. Luke’s, from childhood all the way through high school. Upon graduation from college, I returned to Houston and prayed I would find a community in which I could grow. I found a class that, although the demographic was slightly older, allowed me to be part of an established group of Christians from whom I could learn and mature in my faith. I was out of my element, but still grateful to be back in my church home.

About a year after joining this group, Reverend Thomas Harper reached out to me and a handful of other people who grew up in the church to see if there was interest in starting a new, recent college graduate class. I was ambivalent—after all, I had spent a year nurturing new friendships—but I came to this conclusion I expressed in an email to Rev. Harper:

When we last spoke, I think I was overwhelmed by decisions that didn’t really hit me until I saw just how invested everyone else was in this new group. Since then, I’ve been talking to my parents and praying about my future in the young adults ministry, and I think my head is finally clear enough to come to terms with where I fit into all this.

As I have previously mentioned, St. Luke’s has always been my home. Coming back to Houston after college, I made every effort to adapt it to my current stage in life, but it was difficult at first. I’ve benefited so much in my faith and in making friends, and I feel like I’ve really laid some roots here. When I learned about the desire to create a recent graduate class, I was first and foremost excited for the church. But to be honest, I felt like I got the short end of the stick. I did everything I was supposed to do – put myself out there, found a community in the church, committed my time and effort – yet now I’m faced with a difficult choice. Do I stick with this wonderful group of people I’ve invested a year in? Or do I take a leap of faith (literally) and help be a part of what I believe to be a great thing?

All this said I’ve decided that I would like to be a part of this recent grad class. God did not place me here only to rip the rug out from underneath me in order to punish me. I think he wanted me to step outside my comfort zone and make friends, and now I feel that he’s calling me to step up to the plate once more and go where I’m needed. This class is something that I want to happen, something that I can see growing into a great community, and something that I feel I should be a part of. Besides, what’s the fun in never having a challenge?!

 

Thus, The Choice was born! Created in the Fall of 2016, The Choice is a Sunday School class comprised of young professionals, both singles and couples. (We began as the recent college graduate class, but most of us are in our mid to late twenties now!) Starting out, there were only about five of us, but we have since grown to around 30 active members, most of whom were new to St. Luke’s when they joined the group.

What makes this group of people so special is not that we know how to have a good time together (which we do)… It is that we are all rooted in our shared desire to grow as Christians. The reason we chose the name “The Choice” is because this is the point in our lives wherein we fully decide how we invest our time, energy, and hearts. We have watched one another get married, buy homes, pursue higher degrees, and change careers. We have also been through hurricanes, illnesses, job losses, deaths, breakups, and now a global pandemic. Never once have I questioned the support and genuineness of these friends, for we have created an environment in which we can belong as our true selves, followers of Christ.

To me, The Choice embodies the best St. Luke’s has to offer, which is a place to cultivate one’s relationship with Jesus through one’s relationships with others. Countless times, this church has provided opportunities for me to expand my horizons and step into a realm of untapped potential: leading a Bible study centered around Star Wars, dramatic storytelling in the pulpit every Sunday one summer, mentoring an elementary school-aged child each week, roles in theater productions, writing devotionals, and—perhaps most significantly—working for Children’s Ministries, right where it all began.

St. Luke’s has been around for 75 years, and my 27 have only accounted for a fraction of its lifetime. While I love imagining what the next 75 years might hold, I know that I need not worry or pressure myself to plan. When a place is as full of possibility and promise as St. Luke’s, it becomes easy for us to trust in the will of God, letting our light shine before others to glorify our Father in Heaven.