The public is invited to St. Luke Orthodox Church, 501 Sunset Drive, for a 20th year celebration on Sunday, Oct. 21.

The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a luncheon in the parish hall.

Iconography by Linda Fowler at St. Luke Orthodox Church in Abilene. 

The church was formed in 1998, with Father Peter Jacobsen as the first priest, serving until 2000. Father John Winfrey served the community from 2000-2003, during which time it was named St. Luke. After holding services in the chapel of McMurry University for five years, St. Luke moved into its own building in 2003.

Father Michael Keiser, a missions priest for Archdiocese, began visiting the parish that year in order to conduct services. Philip LeMasters, a McMurry religion professor who embraced Orthodoxy together with his family in 2000, was ordained as a deacon in 2004 and a priest in 2006.

LeMasters is the priest at St. Luke and has introduced many residents of the Big Country to the Orthodox Christian faith. For more information, visit www.stlukeorthodox.net.