St. Luke’s Tulsa Block Party
St. Luke’s in Tulsa recently hosted its first-ever Block Party, funded by a $500 Congregational Vitality Grant. The event aimed to connect with the church's neighbors and strengthen relationships, particularly with Owen Elementary School—just a mile away—and Street School, a nearby alternative high school.
Held on Saturday, November 16, the theme of the Block Party was “Celebrating World Kindness,” chosen to coincide with World Kindness Week. The event was a success, bringing together church members and their neighbors for a day of fun, food, and community engagement.
The idea for the Block Party began months earlier when Kay Eason, a member at St. Luke’s, suggested it at a Bishop’s Committee meeting. Originally planned for July 4, the event was moved to November to avoid the summer heat and coincide with World Kindness Week. Invitations were hand-delivered to the surrounding neighborhood and nearby schools, including Owen Elementary and Street School, St. Luke’s members delivered over 750 invitations to their neighborhood.
The church’s backyard was filled with kids enjoying bounce houses, games, bubbles, and a s’mores station. Inside the Parish Hall, guests were welcomed with a table offering door prizes and gift card drawings, “be kind” buttons, and fun carnival games. Food included grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and mac and cheese, while a craft table allowed kids to paint rocks with inspirational messages.
In addition to the fun, the event also provided valuable resources. Anthony Adams, from Family and Children’s Services, was available for questions, and Officer Steve Villarreal, from the Tulsa Police Department, gave a talk on home defense.
The Rev. John Rule, Vicar of St. Luke’s, reflected on the event: “Our main purpose was to get to know our neighbors and let them get to know us. Knocking on doors to deliver invitations was, I think, a critical part of our effort; we were surprised by the number of homes where folks answered the door, and we had several good conversations. Some people who attended the block party mentioned visiting our worship services; we’ll see about that—we’d be grateful if that happens, of course, but it wasn’t our primary focus.”
Canon Steve, our Diocesan Canon for Congregational Vitality, shared how St. Luke’s is showing what it means to be a vital congregation, “St. Luke’s is doing great work in connecting with their neighbors and building partnerships with local schools. This builds on the strong foundations they've already established, like solid faith formation and practices like Dwelling in the Word. The abundant life of Christ is evident at St. Luke’s.”
Looking ahead, St. Luke’s is already planning for next year’s Block Party, eager to continue fostering community connections and spreading kindness.
