MEET THE GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH STAFF

 Jeremy N. Lucke was born in Spokane, Washington into a family of educators. His parents, both 5th grade teachers, conveniently began dating when Tom (father) asked Becky (mother) out on a date during recess duty. Jeremy also has two sisters. His sister Melinda resides in Washington D.C. working as a foreign service officer. His sister Beth calls Tacoma, Washington home where she works as a college librarian. She is married to Robert and has a son named William. 

CONTACT PASTOR JEREMY LUCKE

Richard S. Engel was born and raised in Tidewater, Virginia where he honed his skills as a jokester among his six siblings on a small "gentleman's farm" in Norfolk County. The fourth child of Erv and Elizabeth Engel, he was always blessed with a loving Christian environment and was privileged to attend Concordia Prep School in Bronxville, NY during his teen years. He graduated from Concordia Junior College, Bronxville, NY and Concordia Senior College, Ft Wayne, IN before matriculating at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO.

During a six-year educational break, Rick worked as a Financial Planner for a local investment firm and then as a Juvenile Probation Officer for the City of Virginia Beach, VA. He returned to seminary and graduated from Concordia Seminary in 1977 then served as sole pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Easton, MD until June, 1995. In that capacity he also founded the Hospital Chaplaincy Corp at Memorial Hospital, served as president of the Talbot County Mental Health Association, President of the Talbot Hospice Foundation, President of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and President of the Talbot Association of Clergy and Laity. During that time he also commenced doctoral work at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.

In July, 1995 Pastor Rick began ministry at Grace Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, FL as sole pastor where he has overseen two building programs, initiated a parochial school, lead the circuit to develop plans for planting four new congregations and overseen the development of a church and school and staff that now numbers 25.

Pastor Rick has been married to Sandra (née Brown) for 43 years and has four grown children: Chris (wife Gina) is a Regional Planner for the Greater Richmond (VA) Chamber of Commerce; Tara Chapman (husband Paul) is a 5th grade teacher living outside Roanoke, VA; Josh is an engineer with Whiting-Turner in Baltimore, MD; and, Janna, an Interior Design specialist living in Reston, VA.  Pastor Rick and Sandy are expecting their 8th grandchild this year.

Pastor Rick has a passion for East Africa and plans regular short-term mission trips.

CONTACT PASTOR RICK ENGEL

 

 

Contact Tina Strickland

I am Lois Charlton, Membership Secretary at Grace. I was born in a small farming community in central Illinois. Because of my husband's career, I have lived in North Carolina, Virginia, and Arkansas before moving to Jacksonville in 1988. I have a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My husband Rick is the Director of the Transplant and Cellular Immunology Laboratory at Shands Jacksonville. My family consists of a daughter Erin, an attorney,  and her husband Troy, who live in Orlando, Florida, with their precious son Thomas and a son Nathan and his wife Jennifer, both physicians, who live in Charlottesville, Virginia, with their adorable son Will. Being a grandmother is a great joy of my life!!   I enjoy cross-stitching, basket weaving, working crossword puzzles, going to the beach and working out at the YMCA. I have been a member of Grace since 1993 and am now part of Hope Lutheran, the Grace mission congregation on Baymeadows Road.   I have served as membership secretary since March of 1998. I strive to look at my position as a ministry, serving the Lord and the people at Grace in any way possible.

 

CONTACT LOIS CHARLTON