The Church on the Circle, on St. Armands Key
Set on the northwest edge of St. Armands Key, the small barrier island that hosts the famous circle of shops and restaurants just across the bay from downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Key Lutheran Church has stood at 40 North Adams Drive since February 1969. Members call it the Church on the Circle, a nod to its location at the entry to St. Armands Circle, and they call themselves the congregation of the Lighted Cross, after the neon cross that rises above the sanctuary and shines out over the neighborhood. It is a parish in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), part of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, and it has been shaped, from its first winter service in the Lido Beach Casino in 1966 to its newest Schantz pipe organ installed in 2025, by the same conviction Pastor Ken Blyth puts at the center of his work: All are Welcome.
Worship on Sunday Morning
Worship is the center of life at SAKLC. Sunday worship takes place at 10:00 AM, with a Fellowship Hour beginning at 9:30 AM. In the winter season, from November through April, the congregation gathers for two services at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, and from May through October a single combined service is held at 10:00 AM. A Saturday evening service is also offered, shorter at about forty minutes, with a simpler and more contemporary style accompanied by piano, guitar and drums.
The Sunday liturgy follows the outline familiar to Lutherans, Roman Catholics and Episcopalians, with hymns and music that blend the traditional and the contemporary. Accompaniment comes from organ and piano, augmented from time to time by other instruments. Holy Communion is celebrated at every service and is open to all the baptized, regardless of denominational background. The dress code, as the parish likes to put it, is Florida comfortable.
Children are always welcome in the Sanctuary. A Children's Room is available for those who prefer it. The church is wheelchair accessible, and free parking is available in the lot on North Adams Drive behind the church. When the lot fills, additional free parking is offered in the garage across the street on Sundays. The Sarasota Bay Runner Trolley stops next to the church, and all the ride-share apps know how to find it.
Services are livestreamed at 10 AM each Sunday, with the video starting five minutes before worship. Recordings are posted the following day to the video archive, and bulletins can be opened in advance online.
Pastor Ken Blyth and the Pastoral Team
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth C. Blyth is the pastor of SAKLC. He was born and raised in Scotland, took his bachelor's degree at the University of St. Andrews, his Master of Divinity at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and his Doctor of Ministry at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He began his ministry at SAKLC on August 21, 2017 and was installed on November 5, 2017, after the planned September installation was cancelled by Hurricane Irma.
Pastor Ken serves as shepherd of the church family and head of staff, with a ministry focused on preaching, teaching, pastoral care, and connecting SAKLC to the wider Manasota community and the wider church. Within Sarasota and Manatee counties he serves as President of the Association for Campus Ministry, which provides chaplaincy services at Ringling College of Art and Design, New College of Florida, and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. He chairs the antibigotry action team of the Sarasota Ministerial Association and serves on its Board of Directors. Within the ELCA he serves as Secretary of the Florida-Bahamas Synod and chairs its Governance Committee, as Secretary of the Region 9 Council (seven southeastern synods, 823 congregations), and on the Advisory Board of Directors of Lutheran Theological Southern Secondary.
Pastor Ken writes a weekly devotional that follows the lectionary texts for the coming Sunday, and he produces a series of short videos called Mini Musings with Pastor Ken, three-minute reflections filmed in his office, around the church building, in the gardens, and at other Sarasota locations.
Supporting him are Michael Bodnyk, Minister of Music and Director of Operations, who holds degrees from Mannes College of Music, Concordia University Wisconsin, and Hunter College, and who is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at Boston University; the Congregation Council led by President Roger Arnholt; and a wider staff and lay leadership that includes the office administrator, financial secretary, accompanist, marketing lead, and maintenance team.
A Music Ministry Centered on the New Schantz Organ
Music is at the heart of what SAKLC does, and the parish has just installed a new instrument to match the ambition. On February 24, 2025, a custom-built pipe organ by the Schantz Organ Company arrived at the sanctuary and was installed over the following weeks. The organ was dedicated with a concert by Olivier Latry, the titular organist at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, on March 3, 2026.
Michael Bodnyk described the project in a letter to the congregation: the goal was an instrument that would continue to enhance worship and liturgy while being a concert-quality instrument that would bring wider attention to the church through concerts and programs by top-tier artists, and inspire a new generation of musicians through education initiatives. Dr. John Behnke, organist and professor of music, served as consultant. The organ leads the eye to the cross at the center of the sanctuary, and its gallery division frames the Luther rose window.
The music ministry offers several ensembles. The Sunday Singers, made up of congregation members and Choral Scholars, lead worship at the late service and rehearse on Wednesdays. A Bell Choir performs roughly twice a month at Sunday services and rehearses on Wednesdays. The Choral Scholars program invites local undergraduate and graduate music students to sing with the ensembles and grow in their musicianship. Saturday evening ensembles accompany the shorter Saturday worship.
Concerts and special music events fill the calendar, including the annual A Little Night Music gala sponsored by the Foundation, the Midsummer Night Music Festival running through July, August and September, free holiday concerts such as From Broadway with Love on Valentine's Day, and visits from touring groups such as The King's Brass.
Christian Education for Every Stage of the Journey
SAKLC takes education seriously. Pastor Ken leads a weekly Bible Study that walks through the scripture readings coming up in Sunday worship, with special attention to those passages that will not be the focus of the sermon. The Bible Study meets at the church on Wednesdays at 11:00 AM, with the same conversation open on Zoom. Participants regularly join from Colorado, Martha's Vineyard and Minnesota, a sign of how widely the livestream reaches.
Multi-week classes round out the year. Recent subjects have included The Grace of Les Misérables, The Banality of Grace, The Literature of the New Testament, and God's Covenants. A new series, scheduled to run Tuesdays from February 21 through March 28, focuses on Richard H. Bliese's book Eighth-Day Discipleship: A New Vision for Faith, Work and Economics. Pastor Ken teaches many of the courses; others are led by guest teachers. A speaker series launched in 2021, Connections: Connecting our Church and Community, brings in voices from across the region, with a light reception after each presentation.
There is also a Tech Training Hub for members who want to learn how to use the various technologies that connect the congregation, and a Faith Today reading list, contributed to by Pastor Ken, retired pastors, and laypeople, that curates articles and books engaging the spiritual questions of the day.
The Community Service Ministry
The Community Service Ministry, often shortened to CSM, is one of the largest and most active teams at SAKLC. It meets monthly to plan, organize and mobilize service projects, and it touches the local community in many concrete ways.
The CSM prepares hot meals once a month for Resurrection House, which provides essential services to people experiencing homelessness in Sarasota. Once a month the team also prepares a hot meal for the Youth Shelter run by the Safe Children Coalition, and supports the Schoolhouse Link Program that serves students who qualify under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act. Members pack backpacks for those students each August, fill Christmas cookie trays for the residents of Second Heart Homes, and provide special occasion cards and gift bags for residents of Pines of Sarasota, a skilled nursing and assisted living facility.
In-kind drives fill brown bags for the Nourish to Flourish initiative, gather winter coats and hygiene supplies, and support Second Chance Last Opportunity and Harvest House, which serve at-risk youth, families, and adults in need of emergency shelter. An Angel Tree each November provides personalized gifts for clients of the Lutheran Services of Florida Guardianship Program.
Each year, SAKLC volunteers pack more than 1,000 Lutheran World Relief Personal Care Kits and ship them, along with 150 or more quilts hand-made by the SAKLC quilters, to people around the world who have been affected by disaster or displacement. Each November, the team also hosts a Kids Against Hunger packing event; in November 2025 alone, volunteers packed more than 20,000 meals.
Past service projects include a Luther Build with Habitat for Humanity done in partnership with sister congregations of the Mid Gulf Conference, and ongoing support of a Refugee Ministry that has helped new arrivals with rent, food and health costs.
The SAKLC Foundation
The SAKLC Foundation was created in 1977 to receive and manage donated funds for the mission of proclaiming and extending the reach of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over its 47 years the Foundation has grown from $175,000 to more than $2.4 million in assets, a nearly fourteen-fold increase that has allowed for significantly greater service.
The Foundation manages two endowment funds. The Church Support Fund makes an annual grant to SAKLC to support the ministries of the congregation. In January 2025 the Foundation awarded the largest grant in its history, $56,500, to the church to replace the furniture destroyed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the offices and the Music Room. The Community Impact Fund makes grants to credible non-profit organizations locally, nationally, and globally. Recent grants have gone to Habitat for Humanity of Sarasota, the Safe Children Coalition, St. Paul's Early Childhood Learning Center, Lutheran Bible Translators, Luther Springs Ministries, and the SAKLC Refugee Support Program.
The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees that includes Pastor Blyth and the Congregation President. It operates through four committees: Investment, Grants, Legacy, and Communications, and it supports a Legacy Society that helps members plan gifts that will continue the spiritual work of the parish beyond their own lifetimes.
Women's Ministry and Other Groups
The Women's Ministry at SAKLC exists to help women of all ages walk hand in hand and grow together in their relationship with the Lord and with one another. The ministry hosts Bible studies, an Advent brunch each December, and a regular Book Group. Recent gatherings have included an Apple Walnut Salad shared at the 2025 Advent Brunch.
Other ways to get involved include the Bell Choir, the Chancel Choir, the Choral Scholars program, Altar Guild, Usher and Greeter roles, Communion Assistants, Readers, the Acolyte program, quilting, the Property and Garden committee, Flower Delivery, the AV Media and Social Technology team, the Membership Outreach Team, and the Speaker Series volunteer corps. A Legacy Society workshop series called Bites and Wisdom covers estate planning, tax efficiency, and life insurance.
The Lighted Cross and the History of SAKLC
SAKLC is nearly sixty years old but already rich in heritage. The story begins on Lido Beach, where seven interested couples and vacationers came together as a Mission Church in 1966. Dr. Hermann Siefkes was invited to minister to the Mission during the winter months of 1966-67. The first service, held in the Lido Beach Casino on December 18, 1966, drew an attendance of 35.
The congregation was organized on Palm Sunday, April 7, 1968 in the Casino on Lido Beach. Dr. Gordon Huffman of the American Lutheran Church officiated at the installation of Dr. Siefkes and the first Church Council, preaching on the text Ye are the Light of the World. Sixty-two members were received that day; 143 were present.
Property on North Adams Drive was secured, the Blix family donating two lots, and a groundbreaking service was held on August 4, 1968. The new church was dedicated on February 2, 1969, with 407 in attendance. Pastor Siefkes retired in April 1969 and was followed by The Rev. Paul Disbro (1969-1972) and then The Rev. Jul Quello (1973-1980). Under Pastor Quello's leadership the building debt was paid off, the Sanctuary was enlarged, Ogram Fellowship Hall was added, and the interior and exterior were redecorated. At the dedication of the renovation on February 25, 1976, the congregation adopted the name it still carries: the Church of the Lighted Cross.
The Rev. William Nies was installed on December 7, 1980. Under his leadership a major renovation and expansion added an enlarged sacristy, choir loft, music room, a 63-rank Allen organ, an educational building, and the Columbarium and Memorial Chapel. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was formed in 1988, the year before Pastor Nies retired. The Rev. Robert Zimmer was installed on December 30, 1990 and saw promissory notes retired, the Washington Drive conference and guest house purchased, and a contemporary worship service formed. A new sanctuary was dedicated on March 21, 1999.
The Rev. Eric P. Wogen began his ministry in April 2000 and was installed in July of that year. Under his leadership a Meditation Garden was developed, a Health Ministry was formed, a Parish Nurse position was established, the Outreach Ministry partnership in the Newtown area was launched, and the neon cross on the steeple was lit again. A new Diane Bish Signature Series Allen Renaissance Quantum Organ was installed, and festival trumpets and windblown pipes were added in 2008.
The Rev. Mark A. Bernthal began his ministry on September 1, 2009 and was installed on October 18, 2009. Under his leadership weekly Eucharist was established at both worship services, the SAKLC Foundation added a second endowment fund, a Vicar program brought seminarians from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary to SAKLC for internships, and a major 2015 restoration and renovation project added new roofing and flooring, among other upgrades.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth C. Blyth began his ministry in August 2017 and was installed in November of that year. The congregation discerned a new Mission Statement and Ministry Plan, and since his arrival the parish has grown in worship, music, education, and community service, as well as in its response to two major hurricanes that struck Sarasota in 2024. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene caused significant flooding that severely damaged SAKLC. Two weeks later, Hurricane Milton added wind and water damage that compounded the loss. The parish continues to recover.
What Lutherans Believe, and What SAKLC Believes About Welcome
SAKLC is a congregation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, one of the larger Lutheran bodies in the United States. The parish teaches the historic Lutheran faith in these terms: that we are made right with God not through our own efforts but as a free gift of grace from God, through faith; that faith consists in trusting the promises of God made in Jesus Christ, and that Christians are called to live a life consistent with these promises of love, mercy, justice and compassion; that in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism the sin of the old Adam is washed from us and new birth begins, making us children of God; that in Holy Communion we encounter the Risen Jesus through bread and wine that are truly his body and blood, our sins are forgiven, and we receive food for the journey of faith.
You do not have to be Lutheran to worship at SAKLC. Several of the most active members are not Lutheran, and many are not life-long Lutherans. Holy Communion is open to all the baptized. The parish frames itself as a field hospital, not a country club, a place where people seek healing and wholeness rather than judgment.
Plan Your Visit
Visitors can plan a Sunday at the Church on the Circle in advance. The church is located at 40 North Adams Drive, Sarasota, FL 34236, with the parking lot on North Adams Drive behind the church and additional free Sunday parking in the garage across the street. The Sarasota Bay Runner Trolley has a stop next to the church, and ride-share services are familiar with the address.
Fellowship begins at 9:30 AM and worship at 10:00 AM. Many Sundays, Pastor Ken greets visitors outside as they come in to worship. Inside, a visitors desk in the narthex offers a greeting and small gifts. Dress is Florida comfortable. Children are welcome in the Sanctuary and in the Children's Room. The worship bulletin can be opened in advance online, and the service is livestreamed for those worshiping at home or away.
Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 3 PM during the winter season (November through April) and from 9 AM to 1 PM during the summer season (May through October); on Fridays the office is closed but phones are monitored remotely. The phone number is (941) 388-1234.
The Meditation Garden and the Columbarium
Just east of the sanctuary lies a quiet garden that the parish has tended for two decades. Part of the larger piece of land the Blix family donated to the congregation over fifty years ago, the corner of Ringling Boulevard and N. Washington Drive was undeveloped for years because of regulatory restrictions. In the early 2000s, a thoughtful request to place a small memorial for a beloved mother gave birth to the idea of a Meditation Garden. Under the creative care of Bill Buttaggi, then chair of the Property Committee, the unused space was transformed into a garden with paths, plantings, and a scatter garden area called Heaven's Gate. The Garden was dedicated in March 2005.
The Garden provides a peaceful setting for meditation and prayer, and also serves as a gathering place for special worship services, intimate family celebrations, and musical and fellowship events. The Sarasota Garden Club has recognized the property with a Civic Beautification Award. After Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, the Garden was lovingly restored by Mark Strollo, Kay Peterson, Robert Boos, and Tom Siegfried.
A Columbarium and Memorial Chapel are part of the church's facilities, and forms for the Columbarium Agreement are available alongside forms for membership, wedding guidelines, baptism information, and other parish business. SAKLC hosts weddings and funerals, and Heaven's Gate Memorial Bricks are available for dedication.
How to Get Involved
There are many doors into the life of SAKLC. Members and friends can join a music ensemble, volunteer with the Community Service Ministry, sign up as an Usher, Greeter, Acolyte, Communion Assistant, Reader or Altar Guild member, help with AV and Social Media, join the Property and Garden committee, deliver flowers, or help in the church office. A new weekly line dance class called Boots, Beats and Blessings meets on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM and is open to church members, friends, neighbors, and anyone from the community who would like to enjoy music, laughter, exercise and conversation together.
Offerings can be made online through the church's secure giving page, with options for one-time or recurring gifts. The Foundation accepts gifts to either of its endowment funds, and a Legacy Society helps members plan future gifts. Gifts can also be made to sponsor a pipe of the new Schantz organ at various levels.
The Midweek Connections newsletter is emailed twice a week. The monthly magazine Heavenly Headlines is published in print and online. An app carries SAKLC to members and friends on their phones, and a video archive of past sermons, music events, and Christian Education classes is available for viewing whenever is convenient.
A Congregation at the Edge of the Circle
From the first winter service in the Lido Beach Casino in 1966 to the installation of the new Schantz organ in 2025 and the work of recovery that continues after two hurricanes, the people of St. Armands Key Lutheran Church have been shaped by the same conviction. They meet at the entry to St. Armands Circle, in the sanctuary where the lighted cross shines out over the neighborhood, and they welcome anyone who walks through the door. The light on the steeple is a small beacon, visible from the bridge and from the circle, a reminder of the promise the congregation has tried to keep for almost six decades: that everyone who enters will be met with open arms, good music, a thoughtful sermon, and the warmth of a community that has learned to call itself a field hospital rather than a country club.