Building Restoration Project

Our story, the story of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland, Tennessee, starts in 1867. It was a time when America was war-weary, during the presidency of Andrew Johnson, who as Vice President under Abraham Lincoln, assumed the President’s responsibilities after the death of Mr. Lincoln. Despite, or perhaps because of the tumult of the times, there was a need for people to come together to worship. Some, happily, found a church home at St. Luke's, and St. Luke's is still here, a safe and welcoming place in which to worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

As anyone who has a car or a house knows, maintenance and repairs are a part of ownership. All things made by man require maintenance and restoration at times to allow them to continue to fulfill their respective purposes. Our church building is no exception. This year we propose to start on maintenance and repairs that will allow St. Luke’s to continue in its church building for another 150 years, and more. 

 

St. Luke’s has applied to several entities to receive some funds to assist us with repairs and maintenance already needed. No entity yet encountered gives 100% funding – all offer “matching” (50% to 60%, usually) or partial funding - of which the church must supply the remainder. There are many, many other historic buildings in need of these same funds, and with whom St. Luke’s must vie for funding. We have been and will continue to seek assistance from external sources, but, until this date our efforts have not been successful in securing the funding for our needed church preservation projects.

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We will come to our parishioners to ask for help to start and complete these projects to repair,

maintain, and restore our wonderful church building. Help may come as financial donations, and/or, may come as actual labor in assisting specific tasks within the maintenance and repair projects.

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Our church is the 2nd oldest church in use in Cleveland. The history of St. Luke’s has seen the people of Cleveland experience many challenges, and rise up from those challenges. The church building of St. Luke’s is on the National Registry of Historic Places – it is recognized for its place in our local history.

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Our church building has given worshippers a place to come together; sheltered from wind, rain, and excessive heat and cold. A calm place in storms – both external, and internal.

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Our Junior Warden, Dan Traczek, is working with professional engineering and construction firms to define, prioritize, and contract the needed work. This is a very critical and challenging task, and one where through Dan’s efforts we will learn of all the tasks needed to be accomplished to maintain, repair, and preserve our parish’s worship center.

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- Fred Mueller, Vestry Liaison