A Brief History of St. Luke's Episcopal Church

In 1837, eight years after Titus Bronson had arrived in the area and the community had grown to about 1000 persons, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church was founded.  Organized on March 22, the first Episcopal Church building was constructed on the southeast corner of Park and Michigan by the fall of 1837.

The original wooden structure was replaced by a brick church building on the same site in 1848.  This building remained in use until 1885. By 1866 the parish had selected a lot for construction of the first parish-owned rectory, at the corner of Academy and West (now Westnedge Avenue).

In 1859, a second Episcopal Church was organized in Kalamazoo.  This parish built its church, St. John’s, on the present site of St. Luke’s in 1861.  It remained in use until 1884 when both parishes joined to become the united St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

St. John’s was razed and the new church was built upon the site.  This new St. Luke’s, the fourth Episcopal church to be build in Kalamazoo, was designed by architect Gordon W. Lloyd of Detroit, and he described it:

The church is cruciform in plan with a total length of 105 feet, and a width across the transepts of 76 feet. The width of the nave is 44 feet. The chancel is of unusual dimension, being 34 feet wide and 30 feet deep with a semioctagonal and, and is divided from the church by a triplet of one wide and lofty central arch and narrow side arches supported on columns with carded capitals.

A chapel structure, 75 x 28 feet, adjoins the church on the east side, and opens into two arches forming the end of the transept. The organ chamber, 17 x 12 feet, is placed between the chapel and chancel, opening by arches into each, and also into the church. Immediately in the rear is a vestry room, 17 x 14 feet, with an outdoor entrance. The choir is provided for in the chancel, the width of which admits of three rows of stalls on either side. These are of oak, of handsome design, with poppy-head ends.

The exterior of the church is laid with Amherst stone; rock faced, set in random courses, and is pleasing in color ef-fect. The external wall has behind it a three-inch brick wall, no lath being used, thus securing great stability with complete protection against dampness.

The style of the building is English Gothic. The central point of the front is a tower of moderate height, flanked on either side by the gables of the church and chapel re-spectively, and surmounted by a high-pitched roof covered with slate. This tower, which can hardly be called a spire, is broken by high narrow-louvered windows on each face, and rises to a total height of 90 feet.

The whole is designed in entire keeping throughout, to present an appearance of solidity and permanence; the aim being to secure sobriety and simplicity of general-treatment with no more decorative effect than is absolutely demanded.

Many additions and changes have been made over the years. In 1894 a parish house was built through the generous   contribution of Dr. and Mrs. Edwin H. Van Deusen.

In 1956, a new parish house was built in front of the old one. This currently houses the church offices, church school classrooms, a guild room for use by church women's organizations, and a large dining room and kitchen.

The old Van Deusen parish house was demolished in 1977, and a new addition was constructed providing new quarters for the choir, a nursery, a library-vestry room, and a large activity room with kitchen facilities. Choice features of decor from the old building (stained glass and fireplace mantels) were preserved and used to beautify the new addition.

In 1989-90, the church and chapel were redecorated, and a much-needed elevator was constructed providing barrier-free access to all the additions. In 1993, a mechanical-action instrument was built and installed by Dobson Pipe Organ builders of Lake City, Iowa. It has 30 stops, 43 ranks and 206 pipes. New red carpeting was in-stalled in the church and chapel in 1996.

Compiled by Del Farnsworth  

In 2006 the most recent addition has made our physical space more welcoming to families with young children, has given
our young people space to spread their wings, and has provided adults with areas for socializing and learning.

We now have a new area for the care of infants and toddlers, expanded classrooms to accommodate our children, space to nurture the faith of young people during their transition from childhood to adulthood, spaces for adults to learn and pray together, and barrier-free facilities so all can participate in church activities.