Semper Fi

For many who come new to St. Philip, Don Letourneau is among the first to reach out with a warm welcome. Shortly after joining the congregation in 2013, as part of the first New Members’ Class led by newly called Pastor Jason Lee, Don volunteered to lead the Mission Outreach Committee and to organize teams of ushers and greeters. More than a decade later, he continues to give time and energy to these ministries, grateful for the life experiences that shaped his faith and led him here.

Don grew up attending Catholic Mass every week. It was expected in his family, though as a boy he admits he found it largely uninspiring. After graduating from high school, Don and several friends enlisted together in the United States Marine Corps. For a young man who had been spoiled by his sisters, this was truly life-changing. The Marine Corps motto, “Semper Fi,” short for Semper Fidelis or “Always Faithful,” began as an ideal but slowly became a way of life. Don’s commitment to his fellow Marines and to the mission expanded his understanding of what lifelong faithfulness to God, family, and community should be.

When his enlistment ended, Don married and began a career in sales. What he could not do was return to “simply attending Mass” as his spiritual practice. One afternoon, his wife’s Lutheran pastor stopped by for a visit and invited Don to join a Bible study. That invitation changed everything. Reading and discussing Scripture opened God’s Word in new ways. Sermons began to make sense, and Don found himself eager to learn more. He became active at Trinity Lutheran Church in Joppa, Maryland, organizing ushers, greeters, and communion assistants. Just as important, he made it his mission to warmly invite others to “come and see” what Christ’s Gospel was about.

In 2012, Don and Bonnie, enjoying a second marriage and living part-time in Myrtle Beach, worshiped at St. Philip. With Pastor Hank Moody serving at the time, they were drawn in by thoughtful preaching and a strong sense of connection. When they became permanent South Carolina residents, joining St. Philip felt natural. So did getting involved, especially for a Marine shaped by a life of mission and service. Don values leading outreach efforts and deeply appreciates the congregation’s generosity of time and resources for neighbors in need. Alongside Bonnie, he continues to serve as an usher and greeter, still among the first to welcome others into worship.

Remembering the invitation that once changed his own life, Don hopes others may find at St. Philip a deeper understanding of God’s love and purpose, not just as ideas, but as a foundation for lives lived abundantly in service - Always faithful!