About Us

Our History

History Highlights

  • August 1830: wooden St. Luke’s Church built in Mechanicville and consecrated for ecumenical use 

  • April 1897-1898:  stone St. Luke’s Church (Episcopal) built and consecrated 

  • 2002-2008:  congregation meets in various local places due to stone church’s deterioration 

  • June 2005:  8.8 acres bought along McBride Rd. of Halfmoon Township 

  • October-November 2008:  official opening as “St. Luke’s on the Hill” and chapel consecrated 

  • 2016-2018:  rectory and parish hall built on campus site 

 

          

 

1827-1835: The Wooden Church 

  • On August 5,1827, a missionary of the Episcopal Church, The Rev. Nathanial F. Bruce, led the first recorded worship service associated in the Halfmoon area.  He wrote that the service was “in a convenient room occupied as an office by a gentleman who, though not Episcopalian, with liberality creditable to him, allowed us the use of it.”  Fr. Nathanial also reported, "I have continued to officiate at the following places alternately: One Sunday at Mechanicville, One Sunday at Stillwater, One Sunday at Schaghticoke" (The Rev. Nathanial F. Bruce 1827-1829). 

  • In December 1829, a subscription was circulated to erect a house of worship to be consecrated a Protestant Episcopal Church but to be free for all sects and denominations of Christianity, except when occupied by an Episcopal clergyman.  The money was raised by August 1830, and a church (40 x 32 feet with 22-foot sidewalls) was completed at a cost of $1,200. That same month, Articles of Incorporation for "St. Luke’s Church in Halfmoon" were duly executed, and Bishop John Henry Hobart consecrated the building on August 24, 1830. It was a beloved structure, as this first wooden church was erected on the same site as a previously used stone church in Mechanicville. 

  • However, all was not well in this tiny hamlet in Halfmoon. The spirit of brotherly love and Christian unity had worn thin and was strained. In less than a year several complaints were heard, such as, the "Methodists were too noisy", and "the Universalists had not contributed their fair share". There were some personal encounters and confrontations, resulting in the church doors being locked and bolted. Not to be deterred, someone wrenched off the fastenings with an iron bar. 

  • Finally, the Episcopal church vestry decided to obtain the release from all other denominations holding an interest in the house of worship. From 1833 to 1835, through “quit claim” deed agreements, they returned the money previously collected by subscription to everyone requesting a refund, and thereafter, the property remained under the sole ownership of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.  

  • Missionaries: The Rev. Nathanial F. Bruce (1827-1829), The Rev. Orange Clark (1830-1832), The Rev. Cyrus Stebbins (1832-1836).  

 

1835 - 1897: A Period of Growth 

  • As the population of the surrounding community increased, so did the church. Sixteen missionaries under the control of the Board of Missionaries of the Diocese of Albany served the parish during this period. However, for some unrecorded reason, from December 1882 to May 1885, except for occasional services, the church was closed.  But the church reopened, and to 1895, it was served by “Missionaries in Charge.”  

  • In November of 1895, The Reverend Benjamin Hall was elected as “Rector,” and from that time until 1995, St. Luke’s had been served by duly elected Rectors.  

  • In 1855, a rectory (housing for clergy) – costing about $1,700 – was built. It was situated on the southwest corner of the church lot where the stone church tower still stands, but the rectory was removed when the stone church was built.  

  • It was evident that the grounds around the church were used as a cemetery, although there is no record of the sale of burial plots or who was interred there. However, a resolution enacted in 1855 ordered the disinterment of the dead laid to rest on church grounds and the remains moved to River View Cemetery. “In 1888 extensive renovations were undertaken to the first church including the construction of a recessed chancel, which was planned to be part of an entirely new church to be built at a later date. It is reported that during the excavation, workmen unearthed a quantity of human bones.”  

  • By now, some families had strong ties to St. Luke’s.  For example, it was recorded, “On Sunday morning, July 19, 1874, during the Declaration of Absolution at Morning Prayer, Dr. William Tibbits, a most devoted layman of the parish who had served faithfully as vestryman and warden during the 44 years that the parish had been organized, passed from this life to the life eternal.” Dr. Tibbits and his descendants, who in direct line, were connected with St. Luke’s for over 100 years. 

  • In 1895, strong rumors – supported by powerful editorials in the local press – proposed that the old wood church be removed to make way for a State National Guard Armory. In alarm, Mrs. Callamer rushed to Dr. Newton H. Ballou and laid out the situation squarely before him. As a result, in 1895 (or thereabouts) the parish received a bequest of $40,000 from a former warden, Dr. Newton H. Ballou, to build a new church – provided that it be made of stone, with a seating capacity of 600, on the lot belonging to the parish, and that all debts on the property be paid. 

  • Missionaries: The Rev. William Allenson (1836-1838), The Rev. William Hubbard (1838-1843), The Rev. William A. Curtis (1844-1849), The Rev. Robert Fairbairn (1849-1852), The Rev. J. A. Downing (1852-1853), The Rev. William B. Musgrave (1853-1854), The Rev. Robert C. Rogers (1855-1855), The Rev. M. Widdeman (1855-1866), The Rev. Albert Danker Jr. (1866-1868), The Rev. William Bogart Walker (1869-1871), The Rev. Alfred H. Stubbs (1871-1880), The Rev. Wilfred H. Dean (1880-1882), The Rev. Richmond Shreve (1885-1888), The Rev. W.G.W. Lewis (1888-1891), The Rev. E.C. Hoskins (1891-1993), The Rev. F.N. Borick (1893-1895); Rector: The Rev. Benjamin T. Hall (1895-1897). 

 

1897 to 1898:  The Stone Church  

  • The population of Mechanicville in 1897 was about 2000 people.  Streets and roads were dirt, and Park Avenue was known as “pudding street” because of the mud. There were no streetlights, sewers, or water supply. Kerosene lamps lit a few streets, and a few had brick sidewalks.  Into this setting, St. Luke’s stone church was built. 

  • The design of the new stone church was by Mr. Gibson, the architect of All Saints Cathedral in Albany. A Stillwater mason, John Fidler, was the stonemason, and August Waite, master carpenter of Round Lake, was hired as the builder.  In March 1897, trees were cut down in the rear of the old wood church, and it was moved back on land leased for this purpose. The record indicates that regular church services continued in the old wood church until the new stone church was completed. Actual construction started on April 10, 1897 when a steam derrick was installed to lift and place the stonework. In June of that year, the foundation and basement were nearly completed. Schenectady blue stone and brick were used below the water table.  

  • The cornerstone had been laid with impressive (but very wet) ceremonies on July 6, 1897, during a torrid heat spell and a heavy thunderstorm. Episcopal clergy from Saratoga Springs, Cohoes, Ballston Spa and Lansingburgh were in attendance. The formal exercises were held in the old church followed by the cornerstone ceremonies. The vested boys’ choir sang, and the copper box containing church archives was slid into a pocket, which had been chiseled into the cornerstone on the southwest corner of the bell tower.  

  • A great 3000-pound bell (cast in the Menealy foundry, Troy) was inscribed “Rev. Benjamin F. Hall D.D.”, and swung into the tower in November.  However, three days later, after being rung, an accident caused it to be sent back for recasting. The pews arrived from Michigan. 

  • The church was an impressive sight when the stonework was completed on September 18, 1897. On December 4 of that year, regular church services were held in the basement, and then on March 13, 1898, they moved upstairs to the church proper. Bishop William Doane of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany consecrated the beautiful stone church of St. Luke’s on April 23, 1898. This must have been a most impressive ceremony, as the organ played, and singing was led by a vested boys’ choir of 18 voices under the direction of a choirmaster. The listeners were said to be entranced as the choir slowly passed down the stairs to the basement and the music died away soft and low in the distance. A plot of land at the rear of the new church was purchased for the new rectory from Miss Ocie Howland, a descendant of John Howland who arrived on the Mayflower.  

  • Rector: The Rev. H. H. Johnston (1898-1900) 

(Early Years are based on articles in the St. Luke's Newsletter “The Trumpet") 

 

1897 to 1999: Continued Growth & Decline  

  • Mechanicville, named after the tradespeople that inhabited the area, was now a city. In 1920, the population was nearly 10,000 people, swelled by the largest paper mill in the world (at that time) and a major railroad transfer yard. The once prosperous brick making industry began its decline during the Depression, followed in later decades by the paper mill and railroad yards. By the year 2000, the population had dropped to 5,000.  

  • In 1900, St. Luke’s was made a Missionary Center from which the outlying parishes of Stillwater, Schaghticoke and Round Lake were regularly served. In 1921, The Rev. D. C. Huntington was called to the parish. His was the longest tenure in the history of the church (23 years). It was reported, “the parish has steadily grown in membership and in its influence for good in the community”. Evidence of The Rev. Huntington’s concern for the community is illustrated in an incident when, while out walking in near freezing weather, he saw an individual approaching in his shirt sleeves. He removed his coat and wrapped it around the man, saying, “Here you need this more than I do.”  

  • In the mid-1930’s, a woman of the parish advanced the idea of a boys’ choir patterned after one in England where she lived prior to coming to the States. She also agreed to pay for a director. The choir members were paid fifty cents a month, which attracted many boys, who used these funds to assist their families during the Depression. 

  • Six stained glass windows, given by Mrs. Herbert O. Bailey, were installed over a period of years from 1936 to 1940 detailing the life of Christ, the seven corporal acts of mercy, the three virtues, the four evangelists, and spiritual leaders of the early church. 

  • Like many churches, St. Luke’s attendance peaked in the 1950s and early 60s, but then began a slow decline.  Two neighboring missionary churches closed, Stillwater (1957) and Schaghticoke (1990), and the parishes merged with St. Luke’s.  

  • Rectors: The Rev. Oliver Shaw Neweall (1900-1909), The Rev. H.C. Plum (1909-1912), The Rev. John Wilkins (1912-1915), The Rev. Frank Damrosch Jr. (1915-1918), The Rev. J. A. G. Tappe (1918-1920), The Rev. David C. Huntington (1921-1944), The Rev. Walter Lawrence Fielding Haylor (1944-1947), The Rev. Hubert Doody (1947-1950), The Rev. Ivan Horton Ball (1950-1953), The Rev. Robert G. Field (1953-1966), The Rev. Curtis S. Denny (1966-1969), The Rev. George W. Kaulfuss (1969-1987), The Rev. Jonathan MacKenzie (1987-1994), The Rev. Mary Margarite Kohn (1996-1999) 

 

2000 to present: St. Luke’s on the Hill  

  • Entering the first decade of the second millennium, little did the parish know the extent of the changes that would occur. St. Luke’s continued its decline in attendance until it reached a core of about 15 families.  

  • In December 2000, The Rev. Roger Bower came to St. Luke’s. The stone church structure had been in decline for many years due to a lack of funding.  In 2001, Fr. Bower and the Vestry hired an engineer to assess the stability of the structure, and according to the report, many costly improvements were necessary to stabilize the building. So, in May 2002, the Vestry decided services be moved from the “unstable” church to another site, and they initiated discussions on the stone church’s demolition. Parishioners met first at a firehouse, then at the area community center and the rectory, and finally at the local Catholic Church until October 2008.  

  • Also, in 2001 (August), the Vestry voted to begin searching for land to build a new church based on the need for handicap accessibility, parking, energy efficiency, and reduced maintenance. In February 2003, after Fr. Bower left St. Luke’s, some church members suggested the parish be dissolved, but the Vestry decided that was not an option – believing God had a purpose for St. Luke’s and that there was an obligation to the work and faith of prior generations. 

  • The Diocese of Albany agreed, and The Rev. Fredric Leach, a recently retired priest of the diocese, came to the parish in October 2003.  A second engineer, specializing in gothic structures, was contacted and confirmed the church needed repair but that the structure was sound and need not be demolished. Limited repairs to the exterior and portions of the roof were completed to prevent further deterioration.  An effort began to sell the structure to help fund a new smaller church building. The stone church was finally sold to the owner of the adjacent former school building and was used as an arts center (until 2021). An agreement was made with the new owner that the reredos (the painting of the Transfiguration surrounded by a wood carving and placed above the altar), the altar stone, and the communion rail would be moved to the new church. In a somber service, the stone church was deconsecrated and secularized by Bishop William Love with Fr. Leach, the two wardens, and a parishioner on August 7, 2007.  

  • An 8.8-acre parcel was purchased in June 2005 on McBride Road in Halfmoon. A plan was developed that would include a church, parish hall, and rectory; excavation began in 2006. The design of the parish hall included a large multi-purpose room that would serve as a chapel until the church could be built. Construction began in June 2007, after the sale of the stone church and of some property left to St. Luke’s many years ago. 

  • The first service on the new property was officiated on July 25, 2008, before the building was complete.  It was a funeral for Charles D’Avignon, a life-long parishioner, treasurer, and active member of the Vestry. The official opening of St. Luke’s on the Hill was on October 19, 2008, celebrating the feast of St. Luke (October 18). Bishop Love consecrated the chapel on November 30, 2008. Then, in December 2009, The Rev. John Hopkins was called to assist Fr. Leach and then to become Rector upon Fr. Leach’s retirement in September 2011. When Fr. Hopkins moved to North Carolina in 2014, The Rev. David Haig was called to be an interim priest, and then, he was selected to be St. Luke’s rector. 

  • Fr. Haig’s strong interest in recovery for people suffering from addiction led to the Vestry’s approval of an outreach ministry which became the St. Luke’s Recovery Resource Center. The parish facilities were opened to various recovery meetings, and relationships with recovery support networks were established.  

  • A rectory was added to the parish campus in 2016, with space upstairs for recovery meetings. However, with the growing parish membership and increased use of facilities, more space was needed, so in 2018, construction began on an addition to the parish hall building. 

  • The Rev. Lynne Curtis (deacon) was appointed to serve St. Luke’s in 2012 with pastoral care, and with her missionary heart, a ministry relationship with a “sister” parish (also named St. Luke’s) in Madagascar (Diocese of Toliara) was established that continues. 

  • In 2020, St. Luke’s suffered a split when Fr. Haig left The Episcopal Church to form a new church.  Deacon Lynne and interim priest, The Rev. Marshall Vang, steered the church through a pandemic (COVID-19) and nursed hope and vitality until a new rector was called, The Rev. Michael Todd.  Today, we seek God’s grace and guidance to continue the legacy of St. Luke’s – thanking God for His faithfulness.  As was reported in the 1930’s, may it be said of us, “the parish has steadily grown in membership and in its influence for good in the community.”  

  • Rectors: The Rev. William Grey (1999-2000, interim), The Rev. Roger Bower (2000-2003), The Rev. Fredrick Leach (2003-2011), The Rev. John Hopkins (2009-2014), The Rev. David W. Haig (2014-2021), The Rev. Michael P. Todd (2022-present)