St. Luke’s is an Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Bethlehem. It is a downtown church, and its members come from all walks of life, all areas of the community, and with a variety of needs and commitments. St. Luke’s welcomes all on the basis of their need and offers a relationship appropriate to their commitment.
The Episcopal Church in the United States is a part of the world-wide Anglican Communion which has, through the centuries, maintained a creative balance between Catholic traditions, Protestant reforms, and liberal understandings of the mission of the Church.
The people of St. Luke’s come together in a common quest: We are an Episcopal parish in the Anglican tradition and acknowledge our responsibilities to the parish members, the church, and the greater community. We understand this to mean faithful public worship according to the Book of Common Prayer and reaching out through personal and corporate evangelism to include all who seek God or a deeper knowledge of God.
The form of our coming together is in the Holy Eucharist, the sacrament instituted by Jesus as a special sign of His living presence among His people.
All are invited to worship with us, and all baptized persons are welcome to receive Holy Communion.
Priest-in-Charge
The Reverend Doctor Tyler J. Parry
(Photo and Biography coming soon!)
Organist and Choirmaster
Maria Zengion
Maria Zengion has served as organist at numerous churches including St. Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton and Grace Episcopal Church, Honesdale. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ, specializing in Organ Performance. Upon admission to Westminster Choir College she received the Alexander McCurdy Award for excellence. She also holds a Master of Music Degree in Organ Performance from The New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA. Both of her degrees focus on historical performance practice.
Additionally, while at Westminster Choir College, Maria studied organ building. Since 2000, she has served as the Organ Curator for The Bethlehem Bach Choir.
Our Vestry
Mickey Baccoli, Senior Warden
Rick Ammenhauser, Junior Warden
Thomas Hoppel, Treasurer
Amanda Wrazien, Clerk
Kim Desanto
Anne Cianfichi
Diane Kraus
Our History
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church was founded in 1851 in Scranton, Pennsylvania by the Reverend John Long, an Episcopal priest and missionary serving the Montrose and the Scranton areas. The first church on Penn Avenue was consecrated in 1853, but soon became too small for the growing parish. A larger church, designed from the plans of Richard Upjohn, architect of churches such as Trinity Church Wall Street, was completed on Wyoming Avenue in July of 1871. In July of 2021, St. Luke’s celebrated 200 years on Wyoming Avenue.
Improvements were made at the turn of the century when the chancel was redesigned. A marble altar, carved stone reredos, and Ascension window by Louis Comfort Tiffany were installed in an apse of gilded archways. Located beside the church, the Troop Memorial Parish House was constructed to benefit both the parish and the surrounding community, and over the years has hosted a shelter for women, a boy’s club, various kindergartens, and a senior craftsman’s shop. Today, the Parish House continues to be put to use for the wider community, whether a gathering place for various support groups or the future home of Cypress House Bakery.
After the adoption of the 1971 Book of Common Prayer, further adaptations were made to the interior of the church. The altar rail and choir were removed from the sanctuary, the rail relocated to in front of the pews. A free-standing altar, at which the priest would face the congregation to celebrate the Eucharist, was placed in the chancel. These changes aligned with the movement surrounding the Roman Catholic Second Vatican Council while retaining the Eucharist as central to worship in the Episcopal Church in accordance with the new Prayer Book.
Christened “the church in the heart of things” by 1912 rector Robert P. Kreitler, St. Luke’s elegant and spacious buildings continue to enthrall visitors and parishioners alike with beautiful windows, peaked ceilings painted with stars, and acoustics which carry the choir to all ears. The preservation of the historic structure remains a priority of the Wardens and Vestry, and donations for the upkeep of the buildings are always welcome.
For a more in-depth history of St. Luke’s, click here to read more.
Coming Soon: Take a tour of our windows and chancel
Help us maintain our historic buildings by making a one-time or recurring donation via Tithely.