If St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Federal Way had a pulpit, Rev. Dr. Victor V. Hippe would step into it for the final time on April 27.

After more than 28 years serving the congregation of Community of Christ-St. Luke’s, Hippe is retiring.

Asked what he will miss most as he leaves the pastoral ministry, Pastor Hippe didn’t hesitate: “The people,” he said. “I love the members, the staff, the community. I love the interaction with people.”

Pastor Hippe came to St. Luke’s in 1979 as a co-pastor, and assumed the position of senior pastor a decade later.

When asked what he would like to say to the community of Federal Way, Pastor Hippe said: “I would love to put my arms around this community and encourage us to grow in relationship with each other and to discover the grace of Jesus Christ.”

Before coming to St. Luke’s in 1979, Pastor Hippe served as pastor of First Trinity Lutheran Church, an inner-city congregation in Oakland, Calif. Pastor Hippe and his wife, Shirley, are the parents of two and the grandparents of four.

Moving on up

Jim Hammack was recently selected as the superintendent of the Hinckley-Big Rock School District in Hinckley, Ill.

Hammack is a 1977 graduate of Federal Way High School and in December was inducted to the Federal Way High School Baseball Hall of Fame. Hammack’s new position takes effect July 1.

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Student honored

Danielle Bennett, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School, was awarded the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship, a full tuition college scholarship renewable for up to four years. Evans Scholars are golf caddies who were selected based on a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.