Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church |
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| 35°07′56.17″N 90°00′15.85″W / 35.1322694°N 90.0044028°W | |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Years built | 1912 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | West Tennessee |
| Province | IV (Southeast) |
Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church is a special old church in Midtown, Memphis, Tennessee. Its story began in the mid-1800s. The building you see today was built in 1912. It is located in Memphis' Central Gardens area at 1720 Peabody Avenue.
Today, the church is very active. It is known for helping people who are hungry. It also has beautiful worship services and music.
This church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee.
Contents
The History of Grace-St. Luke's Church
The story of Grace-St. Luke's began in the mid-1800s. Back then, Grace Church started in a rented room. This area was on the edge of the city, but it is now known as Midtown Memphis.
How Two Churches Became One
After the Civil War, some officers started St. Lazarus Church. This was in Downtown Memphis. They did this because they disagreed with the views of another church's leader. The daughter of Jefferson Davis was married at St. Lazarus in 1876. However, many people from St. Lazarus's church community became sick during a yellow fever outbreak in 1878. Because of this, St. Lazarus Church joined with Grace Church.
St. Luke's Church was started in 1894. It was built in what is now Midtown. An English architect named John Gainsford designed its building.
By the late 1930s, Grace Church had many members. But it did not have its own building. St. Luke's Church had built a new church in 1912. This is the building Grace-St. Luke's uses today. However, St. Luke's had fewer members at that time.
So, the two churches decided to join together. They held their first service as the Parish of Grace-St. Luke's on Thanksgiving Day in 1940. Later, in 1947, Grace-St Luke's Episcopal School was founded. It is a school for children from kindergarten to 8th grade.
The church continued to grow. By 1974, it had twice as many members. It became the largest Episcopal church in Tennessee. While it is no longer the biggest, it still has many active members. The church also has strong programs to help the community.
Important Moments for Grace-St. Luke's
Grace-St. Luke's has always believed in including everyone. This was shown in 1981. That year, the church welcomed the first woman to become an Episcopal deacon in Tennessee.
First Woman Deacon in Tennessee
The Reverend Ann Carriere became a deacon at Grace-St. Luke's on July 12, 1981. Bishop Fred Gates led the service. The church was full of people. Many church leaders from Memphis and community members were there. They had followed the news about this important event.
Ann Carriere worked in the supportive community at Grace-St. Luke's. Her role was sometimes talked about a lot in public. In 1982, she became a priest there. She served the church for eight more years.
Beautiful Tiffany Windows
Grace-St. Luke's has a wonderful Tiffany stained glass window. It was made in 1900. The church also has six other special windows from that time. In 1900, a supporter of Grace Church, Mrs. W. A. Gage, met someone from the Tiffany Glass Company. She paid for a special window herself. This window shows Christ going up to heaven. It was placed above the altar. Louis Comfort Tiffany himself watched over its installation.
The church leaders ordered six more windows in 1907. For a long time, people thought these were also made by Tiffany. But new information suggests these six windows were made by Gorham. Gorham was another company that made beautiful stained glass, similar to Tiffany.
When Grace Church and St. Luke's Church joined in 1940, all seven windows were moved to St. Luke's. They are amazing reminders of the two churches becoming one. Experts who study windows say the Ascension window is a great example of Tiffany's unique colors and style. It now hangs over the main doors of the church.
