On a tree-shaded lot off Narcoossee Road sits a small but mighty church that’s been part of the fabric of the Whitted community of Osceola County. In fact, St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church is older than Osceola County.
In 1883, English investor Arthur Fell purchased some 12,000 acres then in Orange County. Part of the land was developed into citrus and sugar cane fields, and later the turpentine industry, as young black families migrated from North Carolina in 1886 to work the harvests. Those families formed St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church on land Fell donated.
Now, 138 years later, the descendants of those families—Jones, Eady, Paul, and Whitted, among others—are still well known throughout the county. And many of them still attend the little church under the trees.
“For five generations, my family, the Pauls, of which I am a fourthgeneration member, have been actively involved in the life of this vital community church,” St. Cloud City Council member Jennifer Paul said. “St. Luke’s unwavering commitment to service and its profound influence have firmly established it as a cherished cornerstone of our community, a treasure we are fortunate to have.”
Through the years, the church has had many pastors, but none as young as its current leader, Rev. Marcus Stovall.
“When I first got here, I read the qualifications for the job,” Stovall said. “They wanted somebody 35 years or older. They wanted somebody that was married.”
As a single, 28-year-old man, Stovall met neither, but still applied. At that point, Stovall had been in ministry for 10 years, having preached his first sermon before he left to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Stetson University. He later attended seminary in Atlanta and is pursuing his Master of Divinity at Berkeley School of Theology.
“God brought me here to Narcoossee, and it’s been a blessing,” he said. “I like saying I was different to this church. They never had anyone like me … my age, with hair like myself … but they grow with me.”
Stovall was installed as senior pastor in 2020, and the youthful reverend has infused his energy into the venerable church as he leads them into the future. While honoring the rich and long history of St. Luke, Stovall said he’s moving the church forward through technology and community outreach initiatives like school supply drives, a community Easter egg hunt, and Christmas caroling at local nursing homes—all while the church’s members have taken him in like family.
“I came not knowing anybody, and so a lot of the older members kind of took me on,” he said. “They respect me as pastor, but a lot of them are like grandparents, almost. A lot of times on Sunday mornings, Sunday after church, they say, ‘Come on over for dinner,’ or ‘Come on over for lunch and get you a plate.’” “They got to know me as a person, and I believe that’s important,” he said. “It’s not just how a person looks, because you never know what you can learn from somebody. I think over the past five, six years, they’re seeing how God can use anybody, regardless of what you look like, what race you are, whatever that looks like. God can use you, as long as you’re willing to be used.”
