St. Luke's Anglican Church is a historic Anglicanism, Anglican church in Georgetown, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1814 and completed in 1833, the church is the oldest building in the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh.

History

Georgetown was first served by priests who traveled through Southwestern Pennsylvania on horseback or by Riverboat, river boat; early services were held on an Ohio River Flatboat, flat boat. St. Luke's was founded in 1814 by Episcopal priest John Taylor, who had also organized Trinity Cathedral (Pittsburgh), Trinity Church in Pittsburgh. Episcopal priest Francis Reno was the first Episcopal missionary to work in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Beaver County, starting around 1799. After Taylor, Reno served St. Luke's as priest from 1819 to 1825. That year, Pennsylvania Bishop William White (bishop of Pennsylvania), William White visited St. Luke's on an episcopal visit to the region. The first St. Luke's building was a log cabin, log church; the present-day brick church was built and completed in 1833 on land donated by John and Lydia Beaver, and consecrated by Bishop Alonzo Potter in 1852. A parish hall was completed in 1972. In 2008, as part of the Anglican realignment, St. Luke's joined the majority of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in disassociating from the Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Church and forming the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh under Bishop Robert Duncan (bishop), Robert Duncan.

Architecture

St. Luke's was built of homemade red brick. The church is three bays long, each bay originally containing a rectangular window. A steeple stands at the liturgical east end of the church. In 1905, the church was extensively renovated. A sacristy was added, and the altar was enlarged. During the renovation, outside shutters were removed and the casements were altered to allow for stained glass Lancet window, lancet windows. A further renovation in 1951 saw the interior re-plastered. The exterior bricks were weatherized and painted white.

Notable clergy

* William S. Thomas (priest in charge, 1927–1936), future bishop suffragan of Pittsburgh * Walter C. Righter (priest in charge, 1951–1954), future bishop of Iowa

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Luke's Anglican Church (Georgetown, Pennsylvania) Anglican Church in North America church buildings in the United States Religious organizations established in 1814 Churches completed in 1833 Churches in Pennsylvania Anglican realignment congregations 19th-century Anglican church buildings in the United States