Membership
The Order of Saint Luke is a dispersed religious order whose members affirm that they will live the Rule of Life and Service in covenant with all other members. Membership in the Order of Saint Luke is based upon an intentional commitment to the Rule of Life and Service.
While we encourage gifts and tithes as a spiritual discipline in support of the work of the Order of Saint Luke this is not the basis of membership.
Most members make an annual reaffirmation of their commitment to live the Rule of Life and Service. Some, after some years of renewing vows annually, discern a vocation to lifelong profession.
If you want to know more about the order and becoming a member, we welcome your inquiries by contacting Br. Jim Dufriend, Companion for Seekers, Inquirers and Discerners.
Br. Matthias Tanner has written a document designed to help folks in the discernment process. (Download Br. Matthias’s document here)
The Path to Membership
Membership in the Order of Saint Luke® is vocational. We depend on the Holy Spirit to call each new brother or sister, and to engage in discernment of “call” in concert with members of the Order of Saint Luke®. We provide seekers with information and spiritual guidance. For starters, please explore this website, especially the tab “About Us”.
The path to membership allows seekers to learn about the Order, discover its life and work, and to “try on” the common life of the Order for a period time before becoming a member. It is like trying on new shoes to see if there is a proper fit. The Companion for Seekers, Inquirers and Discerners will point you to additional resources.
When seekers determine that they want to move forward toward membership there are two movements: A Time of Inquiry and A Time of Final Discernment. Both involve a pilgrimage of learning and discernment of call while sharing in the life of the Order.
Continued Membership—Reaffirmation of Annual Vows
“Membership in The Order is continued by
A. Making annual renewal of vows and communicating this renewal to the Chancellor General and
B. Professing this renewal in the context of the General Chapter or a Chapter or Association, whenever possible; or
C. Undertaking profession of Life Vows.”
(The Constitution, Article V—Section 2)
We do not take our affirmation lightly; we ask members to make their commitment before God, making the reaffirmation with an attitude of prayer and, perhaps, a time of fasting and discernment.
All renewing members are asked to reaffirm these vows annually on the Feast of Saint Luke, October 18th. We encourage all members who take annual vows to renew online. Reaffirmation forms are mailed out annually to members who have not renewed online.
Lifelong Profession
The Order of Saint Luke® established life vowed membership in 1995. There is no expectation that members will take life vows. As with annually vowed membership, life vowed members covenant to live their lives according to the Rule of Life and Service. Life vowed members are different in terms of the duration of their professed intention, but life vowed members are not superior to annual vowed members. This is evident in our polity. For instance, one can hold any office in the Order (including Abbot) as either a life vowed or annually vowed member.
While annually vowed members may begin discernment of call to profess life vows after three years under annual vows, we strongly encourage waiting several years before considering this step. Members seeking to enter discernment begin the process by writing to the abbot stating their request to begin discernment of call to life vows. During the discernment period, a life vowed member accompanies the discerning member throughout the process of self-examination. Except in extenuating circumstances, lifelong profession is made at the annual retreat. Discernment of life vowed membership takes place under the abbot’s direction over at least one year’s time.
Life vowed members do not complete the annual reaffirmation form but are expected to update their information with the Chancellor General each year.
Friends of the Order
We welcome anyone who seeks a more informal relationship with the Order of Saint Luke®. If you are interested and want to take your time in getting to know us and our mission, you can elect to be a Friend of the Order. Friends of the Order are welcome to attend the annual retreat/convocation, local chapter, or association meetings, participate in the Order of Saint Luke® Facebook groups, or to be part of one of our other Covenant Communities.
If friends contribute financially to the Order’s work, they receive subscriptions to our periodicals. Friends of the Order differ from members in that they do not make a profession of vows to live the Rule of Life and Service in covenant with members of the Order.
If you would like to become a Friend of the Order, please request this status using the online form.
