A great article about the congregation led by our 2022 NT-NL Synod Assembly preacher the Rev. Dr. Richie Butler can be found here. Butler has led congregations in Dallas since 2002 and St. Luke’s since 2020. In that time he has dealt with pandemic and devastating damage from the 2021 winter storms.
During the time they were not in their worship space St. Luke’s worshipped at Highland Park UMC where I had a chance to be with them last fall. At HPUMC Butler also connected with NT-NL pastor the Rev. J. Todd Bruning who serves Mount Olive Lutheran Church – Dallas and has a role at HPUMC working with their Belong Disabilities Ministries. We are working to develop more ecumenical connections in South Dallas to support sustainable ministries in Fair Park and beyond.
All these connections make Rev. Butler a great person to bring the word for us at our Friday night liturgy. And in addition he and I both played football in high school at what was then Reagan High School in Austin, TX (now Northeast ECHS Football). He predated me there by a couple years, and his teams had a bit more playoff success than mine. But it will be a joy to have a fellow #Raider4Life with us. If you haven’t registered for assembly, please do so as soon as possible: https://www.ntnl.org/event/2022-ntnl-synod-assembly/