St. Luke's Church hosts open house celebrating 145 years

St. Luke’s Church hosts open house celebrating 145 years

As part of the October 4, 2024, Lebanon Valley Council on the Arts First Friday Art Walk, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Lebanon will host an open house with tours (5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and a presentation (at 6:30 p.m.) on the architecture, renovations, and history of the current church building. This year marks the 145th anniversary of the laying of the building’s cornerstone.

This event marks the successful completion of an extensive capital improvement project designed to improve access and the church’s facilities.

“St. Luke’s was a gift of the Coleman Family to the Lebanon community,” said Wiley Parker, chairman of St. Luke’s Capital Campaign Committee. “Keeping with that spirit, the work done reflects the generosity and commitment of St. Luke’s parishioners in making our church and facilities more accessible to the community for all sorts of events, while preserving the priceless art and architecture of the building.”

Robert (Bob) Hoffman, principal emeritus at Beers Hoffman Architecture, will deliver the presentation at 6:30 p.m. exploring the unique High Victorian Gothic architecture of St. Luke’s as well as showcasing the history and completed renovations. Bob led the team of architects in designing a new accessible bell tower entrance as well as the complete renovations to the kitchens, restrooms and other meeting facilities in the administrative wing of the church. Arthur Funk & Sons served as the general contractor of the project.

Completed in October of 1880, the current St. Luke’s Episcopal Church building was a gift of Robert H. Coleman in memory of his recently deceased wife Lilly, who was interred in the church’s crypt before construction was completed. It was designed by New York architect Henry Martyn Congdon (1834–1922) in the High Victorian Gothic style. The building is in the form of a Latin Cross and constructed of native bluestone and sandstone. It measures 116 feet (35 m) long and 75 feet (23 m) wide, and features a square, 85-foot (26 m) tower with an octagonal turret. The roof is covered in rows of blue and red slate. Features of the building include prominent stained glass windows, exposed wooden rafters, stone mosaics, and carved stone columns.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is located at 22 S. 6th Street, Lebanon, across the corner from Harding Elementary School. For details and parking information, readers may visit https://stlukeslebanon.org/open-house/.