St. Luke Lutheran Church - Gales Ferry, CT history

They joined in the formation of St Paul's Evangelical Church in 1839.

Those who lived in the Bear Poplar community had been worshiping at Salem Lutheran Church since 1850.

Saint Luke’s joined the New York Ministerium in 1853 and under its constitution became a Lutheran congregation.

They worshipped with this congregation until the year 1857, when they withdrew.

In 1858 they organized the St Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and purchased the vacated first edifice of St Luke's Episcopal Church at Fourth and Scammel.

In the spring of 1863, a vacant Baptist church on West 43rd Street was purchased and in June of that year, thirteen years after their formation, Saint Luke’s realized its dream of worshiping in its own building.

As soon as the congregation was organized in 1869, one of the first items for consideration was the matter of education.

Pastor Drees took exception to a segment which provided for a layperson to chair the congregation and tendered his resignation in June of 1870.

In 1871 a call was extended to and accepted by Pastor William Buettner of Utica, New York.

In 1874, a call was extended to and accepted by Pastor William Busse of Poughkeepsie, New York.

The newly acquired church was dedicated in August of 1875.

In 1880, Saint Luke’s resigned from the New York Ministerium and became an independent congregation without any synodical affiliation.

The Women’s Missionary Society of St Luke’s now known as Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA) was the first to be organized in the North Carolina Synod on April 14, 1885.

St Luke’s was the first church in the NC to organize the Children’s Missionary society in 1886.

There, on Sunday, August 31, 1890, the members of St Paul’s took it upon themselves to extend their work for the Lord by establishing a mission at the corner of Brandon Avenue and Elmira Street in the newly developing area of Vallamont in what was then the northern edge of the city.

On May 17, 1891, a Sunday School was organized at St Luke’s Chapel with Mr.

In 1893 it united with other Lutheran congregations in the state of Ohio as members of the Miami North America Synod.

Welcome to St Luke, a community of Lutheran Christians worshipping and living together in Florence since 1895.

Reverend Trauger visited Florence and St Luke had its first service on March 12, 1896 at the home of Robert Cronenberg.

W.A. Trostle became the full-time pastor in August 1897.

Pastor Busse was laid to rest on November 17, 1899.

In January of 1900, a call was extended to and accepted by Pastor William Koepchen of Meriden, Connecticut.

A new stone church building was constructed on the lot at the turn of the century, and was dedicated on December 15, 1901, during the pastorate of the Reverend W.E. Brinkman.

In May 1905, St Luke’s became a self-supporting congregation, ending its status as a mission of St Paul’s, and the deed to the property was turned over to the members of St Luke’s.

St Luke Lutheran Church lacked a permanent location and on March 10,1908 the first building was dedicated near the railroad tracks.

I. Hess Wagner began his pastorate, which lasted until February 1909.

An increase in attendance soon made the size of the original chapel inadequate and in February 1910 the congregation decided to build a new chapel on the lot adjacent to the existing structure.

Work has begun on April 27 and the new chapel was dedicated early in 1911.

1912: St Luke the Evangelizer Church is founded and their first sanctuary is built.

The first was in 1917, during the pastorate of the Reverend Robert Vorberg.

St Luke’s shared pastorates with Salem, Grace, Concordia or St Mark’s, Mooresville until 1920 when the congregation was financially able to call a full time pastor.

The Times Square area was becoming the theatrical center of the city and wholesale and retail business were invading the area. It was apparent from its declining membership, that the church had to change its location and in July of 1921, the sale of the 42nd street property was authorized.

November 28, 1922 ~ purchased property at the corner of Grand Avenue & Carroll Street for future building plans

Since the mortgage for the new church was paid off in May 1924, the church was able to build a parish house to accommodate the rapidly growing Sunday school.

At a congregational meeting on March 21, 1926, the construction was approved at a cost of $25,000 and the new structure was dedicated on November 14 of that year.

In May, 1934, for example, Cub Scout Pack 12 was established as one of the first packs in Lycoming County.

A year later, Pastor Koepchen passed away on September 8, 1936.

In 1937, Children’s and Senior Choirs were introduced.

1939: Dedication of the new red-brick structure built as St Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, at a cost of $7,421.

Ulrich F. Groth became the full-time pastor at St Luke to have his tenure cut short by World War II, when in 1942 he enlisted as a Chaplain in the Army.

Albert Hock was installed upon his graduation and ordination from Wartburg Seminary on February 4, 1945.

1947: St Luke’s Christian Day School opens.

1948: Dedication of the Lutheran Haven, built to care for orphaned children and the elderly.

By September, 1949, membership had grown and more space was needed for classrooms.

In 1950, a new organ was purchased for $2,700.

The growth of the congregation and the desire for a larger church building was a hope which began in 1953.

By 1956, architects were engaged to work closely with the Building Committee and Pastor Hock to design a larger church at the corner of Edgcumbe Road and Field Avenue.

1958 ~ first women elected to the Council of Elders

The second major remodeling was done in 1962, and included the refurbishment of the social room and Sunday School area.

In 1963 a capital funds campaign resulted in $82,500 in pledges and gifts over the next three years.

In June 1964, the congregation approved preliminary plans for the new structure and authorized the church council to proceed to have working drawings, specifications, and estimates drawn up.

Ground was broken on Sunday, July 17, 1966 and the cornerstone laid the following October 30.

On June 18, 1967, Pastor Bell and the Church Council turned over the keys of the church on Elmiria Street to the congregation of Trinity Gospel Church and then led the members of St Luke on a march to the new church for their first worship service there.

On January 21, 1968 in accordance with the recommendation of the Central Pennsylvania Synod, the possessive “s” was dropped from the name and the congregation was henceforth known as St Luke Lutheran Church.

In 1972 a part-time director of Youth Ministy, John M. Good was added.

In 1973, a new nine rank Schlickler pipe organ was dedicated and sings with that same beauty in our worship today.

Pastor Neibacher continued his pastorate until retiring in 1974.

Pastor Dale Hansen, our sixth pastor, arrived from Wisconsin in the winter of 1975.

Saint Luke’s Soup Kitchen opened in 1977 to meet the ever increasing needs of the street people and others lacking funds to purchase food.

In November 1983, the Congregation took another major step forward in enhancing its worship when it voted to purchase a new pipe organ from the L.A. Carlson Company.

John L. Drier was accepted and installed as pastor on June 10, 1984.

The congregation remained independent until 1987 when it joined the newly established Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Steven E. Caler became pastor, serving until January 31, 1988.

1989 ~ major renovation & addition started including elevator

His retirement proved to be short-lived, however, and in 1990 he assumed the duties of Assistant Pastor on a part-time basis.

By 1991 it was apparent that the activities of the members of St Luke had once again outgrown the physical capacity of the church building.

Missouri Flood Relief (1993) – sent money, food, building supplies and manpower to help with clean –up and rebuilding projects.

Christmas in the Mountains ministry, which has become an annual project since 1994, sharing grace and gifts to members and neighbors of sister congregations in the NC mountains

On October 1, 1995 a service of dedication for the expanded and renovated facilities was held.

As of the end of 1996, the fund had distributed over $130,000 to various church and community activities and $75,000 to help with the new construction costs at the church.

Also, in the spring of 1997, the church council approved the establishment of the Pre-School at St Luke as a community service open to all families in the area.

In the fall of 2000, Pastor Paul Schmiege, who at the time was pastor of Saint Anne’s Lutheran Church in London, England, was called and returned to the United States to become Saint Luke’s seventh pastor.

Pastor Schmiege was at Saint Luke’s on September 11, 2001 when word came of the attack on the World Trade Center.

July 2006 ~ Pastor Kathy Boadwine and Pastor Gary Liedtke began as pastors

He is formally installed January 27, 2008 with a joyous celebration.

March 2013 ~ Pastor Karen Pahl began as pastor

March 2016 ~ Building Renewal Project started to update sanctuary, chapel, Hospitality Area, gathering spaces, and restrooms.

Pastor Dave retired in June of 2018 after ten years of faithful, dedicated service to our church home and community.

Pastor Jacqueline Belzer is secured to serve as interim pastor December 2020.