St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Vancouver, Washington) facts for kids

St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Vancouver, Washington is a church that belongs to the Episcopal Church. It is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. The church's story began in the 1830s when Anglican (a type of Christian) worshipers arrived at Fort Vancouver in the Oregon Country. The first building especially for the church was officially dedicated in 1860.

History of St. Luke's Church

Early Days Before the Church Building

In the 1830s, Anglican officers at Fort Vancouver held church services regularly. Fort Vancouver was a big trading center for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). It was located north of the Columbia River.

John McLoughlin, who was in charge of Fort Vancouver and a Catholic, asked the HBC for a full-time minister. So, the HBC sent Reverend Beaver, an Anglican priest, in 1836. Reverend Beaver had different ideas than McLoughlin and others at the Fort. He did not like that services were held in a schoolhouse. He also complained about his living space and the marriages of the Fort's officers. Reverend Beaver went back to England in 1838.

Starting the Church Community

In 1849, after the Treaty of Oregon made Fort Vancouver part of the United States, U.S. troops arrived. In 1853, Reverend John D. McCarty, who used to be a chaplain for the troops, was asked to start the first Episcopal Church in the Oregon Territory. This church was Trinity Church in Portland (now Trinity Cathedral).

Reverend McCarty soon began serving both Trinity Church and Fort Vancouver. He would work part of the week in Portland. Then he would cross the Columbia River, which was often hard, to serve the rest of the week at Fort Vancouver.

The first building for St. Luke's was a schoolhouse that was changed into a church. It was near the fort. Reverend McCarty had been holding services in the village since he came to Fort Vancouver. He started regular services in this schoolhouse in 1857.

On May 27, 1860, the church was officially dedicated by Bishop Thomas Fielding Scott. It became the first Episcopal Church in the Washington Territory. Many people helped start the church. These included John D. McCarty, John Eddings, Colonel Henry C. Hodges Jr., Louis Sohns, James Crawford, H. G. Struve, James Davison, Joseph K. Barnes, and Benjamin Alvord (mathematician). St. Luke's became an official organization in Washington Territory on February 21, 1868.

On March 2, 1873, a new church building was used for the first time. It had a tall steeple, 119 feet high, that could be seen all over Vancouver. People said the church was "one of the landmarks of the city." It was one of the first things visitors saw when they came across the river. The church also had other buildings and a house for the minister.

St. Luke's, led by its second minister, Reverend Albert S. Nicholson, started a church school. The St. Luke's Parish School taught reading, arts, and music to both girls and boys. Miss A. Loomis was the principal, and Mrs. M. Nicholson taught music.

On August 24, 1881, the first big meeting of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Missionary Jurisdiction of Washington was held at St. Luke's Church in Vancouver, Washington Territory. This yearly meeting was also held there in 1882 and 1883. In the early 1890s, St. Luke's also helped create the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia in 1910. Reverend Mardon D. Wilson, who was the church's minister and secretary for the territory, played a big part in this.

St. Luke's in the 1900s

On Sunday, December 6, 1931, a fire broke out at the church. It happened only half an hour after the morning service ended. The minister, Dr. Coleman Byram, his wife, and James O'Banion were eating in the minister's house nearby. Dr. Byram smelled smoke, and they saw the church was on fire.

Mrs. Byram called the Fire Department. Dr. Byram and James quickly ran into the church to save what they could. Others from the neighborhood and firefighters helped them. They managed to save the special clothes (vestments), brass items, some songbooks (hymnals), and the special bishop's chair. The fire was so big that it sent burning pieces throughout the neighborhood. It could be seen all over the city. The church building was completely destroyed, but the minister's house was saved.

St. Luke's took on the job of starting other Episcopal churches in Clark County, Washington. On March 18, 1951, St. Anne's Mission in Camas-Washougal had its first service. St. Luke's leaders helped a lot with organizing and providing for this new church. The Diocese of Olympia and St. Luke's agreed to share the cost of the minister. Land was bought for a new church building.

In late 1957, the church bought land east of St. Luke's. This land was meant for The Church of the Good Shepherd Mission. It was bought because Vancouver was expected to grow to the east. This new church community was officially dedicated in January 1968. The Church of the Good Shepherd became a diocesan mission on July 1, 1976. It shared a minister half-time with St. Anne's Mission. On June 19, 1978, St. Luke's gave the land to Good Shepherd.

In 1960, St. Hubert's of the Hills Mission was started by St. Luke's in Yacolt, Washington. This was the first Episcopal service in the northeast part of Clark County. A piece of land was given, and a small building was put up. However, the mission could not continue. In November 1969, the land was sold. The money went to help another mission, All Saints Episcopal Mission in Hazel Dell.

The idea for a mission in Hazel Dell, an area north of St. Luke's, began in 1959. In 1966, the land was bought by the diocese and St. Luke's. On September 17, 1978, the first service of this new church group was held in a local school. The building site was blessed by Bishop Cochrane in 1981.

In 1999, the diocese chose St. Luke's to be one of its churches that welcomes many different cultures. This was because of the new people moving to Vancouver. Because of this, St. Luke's also became known as St. Luke's ~ San Lucas.

Two other important things happened at St. Luke's in the 1900s. First was the music program. Music had always been a popular part of services at St. Luke's. It became even better when Stella Baird arrived in 1925. Mrs. Baird was a talented musician and teacher. She became the organist and choir director in 1925 and stayed in those roles for 28 years. She built an adult choir and two youth choirs. These choirs were popular in the community. Even officers and families from Vancouver Barracks, including General George Marshall, joined in. In 1942, a combined choir during a service had over 72 members.

Another yearly event, started in 1948, was the St. Luke's Antique Show and Sale. On November 9, Mayor Vern Anderson opened the show. He used a historical Hudson's Bay Company key, decorated with ribbons. The Ladies Guild dressed in old costumes. Special exhibits were set up. Over 1,000 people attended, most from outside the area. The Antique Show became a tradition in Vancouver. It continued for many years and raised money for a camp at Spirit Lake, Mt. St. Helens, church improvements, local charities, and many other good causes.

Important People from St. Luke's Early Days

• John D. McCarty – a missionary priest, chaplain, and the first minister of St. Luke's.
• Albert S. Nicholson – an educator, the second minister of St. Luke's, and Superintendent of Schools.
• Joseph M. Fletcher – a lawyer, land agent, the first senior warden at St. Luke's, a community leader, and Mayor of Vancouver.
• John McNeil Eddings – a businessman and an early postmaster in Clark County, Washington.
• Henry G. Struve – a lawyer, judge, newspaper editor, Mayor of Seattle, and a university leader.
• Louis Sohns – Mayor of Vancouver, a businessman, lawmaker, banker, and railroad owner.
• W. Byron Daniels - Mayor of Vancouver, a lawyer, city attorney, and Superintendent of Schools.
• Lloyd W. DuBois – a businessman and an early settler in Clark County, Washington.
• Jacob Proebstel – a businessman, farmer, and an early settler in Clark County, Washington.
• Henry Weinhard - a businessman and brewer in Vancouver, Washington, and later in Portland, Oregon.
• Charles W. Slocum – a businessman and an early settler in Clark County, Washington.
• George Marshall – a general in the U.S. Army, Secretary of Defense, a diplomat, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
• Henry C. Hodges – a brigadier general in the U.S. Army and a Civil War quartermaster (in charge of supplies).
• Oliver O. Howard – a major general in the U.S. Army, a university founder, author, and a Medal of Honor recipient.
• Joseph K. Barnes – a surgeon and the Surgeon General of the United States Army (top doctor for the army).
• G. B. Dandy – a brigadier general in the U.S. Army.
• W. H. Johnston – a brigadier general in the U.S. Army.
• Benjamin Alvord (mathematician) – a brigadier general in the U.S. Army, a mathematician, and a botanist.
• Charles G. Sawtelle – a brigadier general in the U.S. Army and Quartermaster General.
• Owen Summers Jr. – a brigadier general in the U.S. Army.
• William Dorsey Pender – a major general in the C.S.A. Army.

Church Buildings, Art, and Music

Church Buildings

St. Luke's has a long history, and the people who attended the church have made that history more than the buildings themselves. However, the buildings have been important to the local area.

The church building used today is actually the fourth one for St. Luke's. The first church was a schoolhouse that was changed in 1857. It was located just outside Fort Vancouver. Even though it was small, the building was made to welcome military leaders, their families, and local community leaders.

A new church was built in 1873. It was located more in the center of Vancouver. This church was made of cedar wood and had a high, arched ceiling. The steeple, which was over 119 feet tall, was one of the most noticeable parts of the city. People arriving from the Columbia River could see it. A large 1,125-pound bell was added to the bell tower in 1882. Stained glass windows were added in 1876 in memory of Robert F. Kidwell, who was the stepson of Joseph M. Fletcher. Other memorial windows were also added. This is the building that was destroyed by fire in 1931. The fire also destroyed its altar, bell, stained glass windows, and other memorials.

A new church building was constructed in 1932. It was made more of brick than wood and moved north of downtown. The new design had a strong tower and a style called carpenter gothic. It faced north-south. A parish house was added in 1942, and an educational wing was added in 1956.

The fourth church building for St. Luke's was a change to the earlier church. Parts of that church's structure, like the bell tower and a small chapel, were kept. The main worship area (Sanctuary) was made larger and faced east-west. This church was dedicated in 1959. This current building has very high, arched ceilings in the Sanctuary. It has a choir loft at the west end and a simple altar and cross at the east end. Part of the previous church building was kept and turned into a memorial chapel.

Church Art

The current church has 27 stained glass windows that are considered very artistic. Eight windows were added in the early 1940s to the third church building. Later, they were moved into what is now a side chapel of the main Sanctuary. We don't know who the artist or artists were. However, these traditional-style stained glass windows are very high quality. They show scenes from the Life of Jesus Christ. They use a detailed painting style on the glass and include many religious symbols for each window.

The main Sanctuary has a large stained glass window of St. Luke. It was made by Gabriel Loire and put in place in 1967. Gabriel Loire was a famous glass artist. His art is in over 800 places around the world. Some of his first pieces in the Northwest, made in a style called dalle de verre, were put in St. Luke's in 1957. St. Luke's has 16 windows by Gabriel Loire. It also has 7 windows by his son, Jacques Loire. The windows often use rich shades of blue, which the artist felt showed peace. The way the glass is cut makes a wonderful experience for people inside the church. This is especially true because the windows surround them.

Church Music

Music has always been an enjoyable and active part of St. Luke's, from early choir groups to community musical events. The good sound quality (acoustics) of the current Sanctuary helps with this, as do its musical instruments. In the choir loft, below a round window by Gabriel Loire, is a pipe organ built in 1890 by W. K. Adams. The organ is very flexible and musical. It is one of the best examples of old American organ building in the Northwest. It is a special and rare instrument because of its long history. It also uses a mechanical ("tracker") action to control the pipes. This type of action is the most sensitive and reliable way to build an organ.

The church also has a Sohmer & Co. grand piano. It was built in 1924 and bought in 1989 to remember Dr. James O'Banion. The O'Banion family was part of St. Luke's for many years. On December 6, 1931, Jim, who was then a 13-year-old helper (acolyte) at St. Luke's, was there when the fire started in the second church building.

The Mason and Hamlin Melodeon (a type of reed organ) was probably built in 1868. Kate Fauble Hardin played it in St. Luke's first building. When a new building was built in 1871, a new organ was bought. The Melodeon was given to Miss Fauble. It then went to her nephew, Mr. Richard Fauble, who gave it back to the church in 1992.

A set of 37 Petit & Fritsen handbells was made in the Netherlands. Dutch bells have a richer, more complex sound than American handbells common in this country. They sound more like a tower carillon (a set of bells played together). Generous donations made it possible for St. Luke's to buy them. They were blessed on Pentecost Sunday, 2006. The Handbell Choir plays them often during worship services.