More about Pastor Stuart Luce
 

Some questions that you might have; and some answers.

Where are you from?  I grew up in Eastern Montgomery County and this is the area that I call home.  Through school and my training as a pastor, I've also lived in central Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts and two different places in Ohio.

How long have you been at St. James and how long does a pastor stay?  I came to St. James in August of 1997 and I plan to be here for a while.  St. James is such a phenomenal place to be in ministry and such exciting things are happening that I can't see moving anytime soon.  I'm also very aware that nothing serves a congregation like consistent, faithful and long term leadership.  Within the organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, it's really up to the congregation and the pastor to work out how long a pastor stays with a congregation.  Even though I know the value of long term leadership, I'm also very aware that my call comes from God and I want to be faithful to where and what God would have me do.  I have my hopes and dreams for the ministry of St. James, but God has, on occasion, reminded me that my own plans are always subject to His plans.

Why did you become a pastor?  Well, how long do you have?  I think the road to the ministry is made up of many, many tiny events that took place over most of my younger life that all combined to point in this direction.  There was, however, one major event in my life that dramatically changed my relationship with Jesus Christ and my sense of direction.  When I was 19 years old I worked at my home church as a custodian and one of the extra duties was working at weddings.  You were paid to open up the church, light the candles, sweep and close up after the wedding.  It was during a wedding that one of the pastors of the church had a major heart attack and died, right in the middle of the wedding.  For the rest of my life I will remember how he fell over at the front of the church and how the EMT's worked on him as the wedding couple sat nearby, watching and praying.

At that age this event made a number of vital impressions on me.  One was how very short life is.  I'd never really thought about death up to that point and certainly not my own death.  In the weeks after that event, though, I struggled with what my life would stand for and what I would accomplish for God before my time came.  Another vital part of that day was that I was very angry with God.  I know each person must die, but it didn't have to be the pastor in the middle of a wedding.  The only way I can describe my anger at God is to ask, "Have you ever had a knock down, drag out argument with someone but it really helped clear the air and make your relationship better?"  Well, I felt like I had that kind of argument with God.  No longer was God or Jesus far away and distant, but he was very personal, guiding and leading me each day.  

If I ever write a book, I'd like to title it "The Weeping of God" because I came to realize later in life that God was as pained and full of sorrow that day as I was.  He was there crying right along with me and the rest of that large congregation.  The other discovery that occurred that day was in the area of prayer.  Another pastor was there helping with the wedding and he led us in prayer, yet my pastor wasn't saved.  I thought surely if God answered prayers, he would have answered this one.  But I had always thought of prayer as something like giving your Christmas list to Santa Clause.  After that day, prayer changed for me into a regular communication with God, not just offering our requests, but the building of a personal relationship.

As I said, I always feel God is still working on me, making me the best servant that I can possibly be, but that event certainly "jump started" my relationship with God.

                               
How old are you and do you have a family?  I am 42 years old (in 2008) and so that gives me an intimate knowledge of what many young families are looking for in a church.  I love kids and feel so passionately about communicating the Gospel to the present and the next generation.  My wife would tell you that I'm really a kid anyway!  Carolyn and I have been married for 17 years (in 2008) and we have two wonderful boys who constantly teach us about love (and patience)!

How long and where have you been a pastor?  I was ordained in 1992 at my home congregation in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania and since that time I have served two congregations, St. John's Lutheran Church in Bellevue, Ohio, and St. James.  I was in the flat lands of Northwestern Ohio for five years, and learned a lot there.  I loved the people and ministry there, but this area is really the area I call home.

I invite you to listen to some sermons that have recently been offered at St. James.