St Luke’s is part of the Episcopal Church. The word “Episcopal” comes from the Greek episcope, which means bishop. That name was chosen in the 18th century to differentiate our church from the Presbyterian and Congregational churches, which were the most prominent at that time, and which did not have bishops. The Episcopal Church derives from the colonial Church of England in America and formally established itself in the wake of the American Revolution to continue the Anglican faith tradition, freed from the connection with England.
The Episcopal Church is a member of the Anglican Communion, a worldwide organization of churches throughout the world whose historic origins, like the Episcopal Church, are rooted in the missionary efforts of the Church of England. The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian body in the world with over 80 million members. We find connection through our shared communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Church of England) and worship derived from the Book of Common Prayer (originally printed in 1549 during the English Reformation).
The Episcopal Church is divided into 111 dioceses, each led by a Bishop. Most of the dioceses are in the United States and its territories, but there are dioceses in fourteen other nations as well. Every three years, representatives from each diocese gather for General Convention, which is the ultimate authority for the church.
St Luke’s is a parish in the diocese of Central New York. Our Bishop is the Rev DeDe Duncan Probe. The diocesan offices are in Liverpool, NY. The diocese consists of 78 congregations between the Pennsylvania state line and Lake Ontario and from Auburn to Utica. St Luke’s was founded in 1954, and the current church building was erected in 1957.
