Church recognized for its 'habit of being'

By Matthew Carlisle
Hoosier UM News Staff Writer

After a two-year search, Paul Wilkes, a University of North Carolina professor and Catholic layman, completed a Lily Endowment funded search of 300 exemplary Protestant congregations in the U.S. The results of which were disclosed in the newly released book, Excellent Protestant Congregations. Indianapolis' own St. Luke's UMC was one of five Indiana churches named in the book.

Prior to visiting churches, the research team created a list of potential congregations. The list was compiled with the help of pastoral and church institutes, scholars, ethnic and cultural groups, and religion writers. Wilkes states in the book's introduction, "Quite honestly, we were looking for congregations that had what the writer Flannery O'Connor called 'a habit of being': congregations with a soul."

According to the Rev. Kent Millard, senior pastor of St. Luke's, he and the congregation were unaware of the search team's presence. In a recent letter to his congregation, Millard made this statement, "While we are grateful to be recognized in this way, [but] we are not in ministry to receive recognition from others. I believe God has called St. Luke's into being to help 'transform our society into a compassionate, inclusive, Christ-like community' and this is the reason we are and we do what we do."

Other Indiana churches identified in the book are: Light of the World Christian Church, Indianapolis; Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis; St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, South Bend; and Zionsville Presbyterian Church, Zionsville.

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