The Rev. Larry Bussey, Co-Priest

While I was raised in the Episcopal Church, it truly became my spiritual home while I was in college. Thanks to role-model clergy and an incredible community, I began to consider pursuing ordination. After college, I took some time to think it over. I served for three years as Youth Minister at St. Stephen’s. I entered Virginia Theological Seminary in 1979 and was ordained a priest in 1982. Over the next ten years, I served at Calvary Church, Rochester, St. Martin’s, and finally at St. Luke’s.

After ten good years, I made a decision to leave active ministry. It was the early 90s. I had come through a long and hard process of coming out as gay. St. Luke’s continued to welcome me, but I felt a personal need to step away. That led to about 25 years of work in the private sector. I loved the work, and never lost a sense of my work as ministry. But after my husband and I were married in 2013, I had a renewed sense that the Episcopal Church was my home, and that my call to ordained ministry had never really left me. Now I find myself back at Sts. Luke and James, a place I Iove, doing ministry at a challenging and exciting time.

I feel very blessed.

email: fr.larry@st-lukes.net

The Rev. Morris Goodwin, Jr., Deacon

The reason I wanted to be a deacon… in all honesty it’s not something I chose entirely on my own. Somewhere along the line I figured out that being a follower of Christ wasn’t just about what I needed or wanted, it's about using the gifts God blessed me with to help with the needs of his church and the concerns and worries of His people.

Throughout my life, while frequently falling short of the mark, I have been inspired by—and try to live up to—the scriptures found in Matthew 25:34-46. In these passages Jesus lays out what is required of us and what he expects us to do. It is a long and demanding list and I am here to try my best to live into this standard life by helping as many people as I can come closer to Christ and to one another. God has allowed me to encounter and survive the worst of my own instincts and has blessed me with a few gifts that hopefully can help Sts. Luke & James move closer toward the purposes God intended for us all.

Larry Reynolds, Director of Music

"Without music, life would be a mistake." -- Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher/poet

It is my belief that music is an integral part of worship, and serves as a means of illuminating God's Word, as well as providing a vehicle for worshipers to do their work of making liturgy expressive, robust, and solely for God's glory. God is the host at God's Table, and we bravely lift our voices through the singing of hymns, songs, and spiritual songs in joyous praise and humble thanksgiving for this life transforming gift of Christ's Holy Meal.

The prayer that all of our musicians pray before every worship service ends this way, "Now we offer you our hearts, our minds, our voices, our music, and our art for your glory and that of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen"

email: music@st-lukes.net

Sheila Foster, Director of Community Involvement

As a small child, youth and adult I have been engaged and involved in the Episcopal faith community. Through out the years, every faith community I've belonged to provided me an opportunity for learning, participating, leading and a worship experience that has deepened my relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I have been blessed with the knowledge that I am a loved Child of God. I enjoy the opportunity to travel with others on their faith journeys and present paths that will also bring them into, or deepen their relationships with God.

email: community@st-lukes.net

Beth Harvey, Administrator

I grew up in the Episcopal church, but drifted away from regular attendance in my teen and college years. After moving to Minneapolis to begin my graphic design career in marketing communications and healthcare publishing, I attended St. Mark’s Cathedral. After moving to south Minneapolis and driving by St. James regularly I decided to attend one Sunday. I immediately felt at home and I have been there ever since. Around 2008 when our priest took sabbatical, my freelance schedule allowed me to step in to run the office and I never left. I’m also the administrator at St. David’s in Minnetonka. I enjoy sharing my graphic design and journalism talents for bulletins, newsletters, logos, and other projects that arise in both church communities. I look forward to getting to know all the new faces and names as we create our new community.

email: office@st-lukes.net