After hosting six decades of worship, weddings, baptisms, funerals, lectures, classes – and countless hours of fellowship – St. Luke’s Sanctuary looks like it has discovered the “Fountain of Youth.”
The chairs, windows, flooring, and doors have been replaced or are being renovated right now. It’s all the result of overwhelming generosity and gratitude from our family of faith – those who are donating to the capital campaign: “Heading For Home.”
“The Sanctuary was opened 60 years ago, this year,” Dr. Bob Long told the congregation Sunday, “and our goal is to have this renovation done so that it looks just as great, and functions just as well, as it did when we opened it back in 1957.
“There are all kinds of exciting things yet to come, but we finally are on a roll.”
New Sanctuary Chairs
Installation of the new Sanctuary chairs may have caused some members to find another “favorite seat” the last couple of weeks, but the comfort and aesthetic value of the 1,153 chairs will be well worth the wait.
“Next week, (the available seating) will all be different. We will have different sections open,” Dr. Long explained. “The goal is to have it done before Palm Sunday. We’re going to be ready for Easter.”
The new tile floors will be ready by Palm Sunday as well. The capital campaign will also provide a new sound system and projection screens. Work has been done on the sanctuary roof and additional organ repairs are being explored.
Stained Glass Windows
“Our four stained glass windows (facing south) are, right now, being redone,” Dr. Long pointed out. “You can even tell the difference in the brightness of them. They have been working on them, and they will be moving their way around here in the Sanctuary as well.”
Carillon Bells
St. Luke’s magnificent 42 Carillon bells are being restored right now in Cincinnati, Ohio, at The Verdin Company.
The bells, which were shipped from Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 1956, were a gift to St. Luke’s from the family of the late Vernon V. Harris, a 42-year church member. The Harris Family Foundation initiated a major gift two years ago to spur the renovation of the Carillon. Their matching grant of $250,000 is making this work possible.
60 years of Oklahoma weather took its toll on the 185-foot Carillon, hindering its recent operation – but this restoration project will bring the bells into the 21st century. When they return later this year, they will be played manually or automatically with a new electronic device.
“We have received an incredible gift from those who have gone before us,” Dr. Long said of the Sanctuary. “What an incredible place it has been. What an incredible place it will be for generations to come.”
Other “Heading For Home” projects for 2017:
Christian Life Center (CLC) carpet
South CLC entry canopy
Kitchen renovation
Asbury maintenance and upgrades
If you would like to learn more about making a donation to this campaign, please contact Rev. Phil Greenwald at (405) 232-1371 or email. There are still opportunities for designated gifts, naming gifts, and helping us to complete these wonderful projects. Thanks for your generosity and continued support!
