St. Luke’s in-the-Mountains Church, a landmark in the La Crescenta area, was built of rocks from the nearby Angeles National Forest and completed in 1924. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
[The Episcopal News] As St. Luke of-the-Mountains Episcopal Church begins a second century in La Crescenta, the landmark stone church, a community icon, is also becoming known throughout the valley as the “love” church, says the Rev. Guy Leemhuis, vicar.
The church began centennial celebrations in April and they have continued throughout the year, including a recent “Just Love” gala and fundraiser on the patio, attended by about 200 local and Episcopal Church community members, including Bishop John Harvey Taylor, who helped present “Love Your Neighbor” awards.
California State Senator Anthony Portantino and an aide present a resolution congratulating St. Luke’s on its centennial to Guy Leemhuis, vicar. Photo: St. Luke’s
Among the honorees was Vanessa Ynda, a long-time member who led the charge to protect trans teens, creating a “Cool Group” of special-needs young adults, as well as LGBTQ youth and those discerning their identity, at the church’s famous “Fire House,” a separate building on campus where students may gather before school for breakfast, study, and games.
Also honored was Senator Anthony Portantino, who represents California’s 25th District, which includes St. Luke’s, for “consistently being there for the community whenever help was needed, sleeves rolled up, ready to pitch in alongside the rest of us,” according to the event program.
Larry and Sera Stammer also were honored; Larry Stammer, a former Los Angeles Times reporter who died in 2015, was honored posthumously. He was senior warden when the church was returned to the diocese in 2009 after three years of extensive legal battles with a breakaway group that had disaffiliated from The Episcopal Church over the ordination of women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
A ‘love’ church
Lay leader Peggy Smith said “We consider ourselves a community center; we call ourselves the ‘love’ church, and the gala was an expression of that. It was a lot of fun.”
“The celebration was a busy, happy affair,” said Steve Mack, treasurer and director of community outreach. St. Luke’s is also known as a “village” church, he said; “one that strives to reflect the rich diversity of the Crescenta Valley,” and is a regular meeting place not only for youth, but for local business and civic groups, like the Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts and others.
Bishop John Harvey Taylor addresses the centennial gathering at St. Luke’s.
The church operates a community garden to support its food justice program, and has recently become a venue for the Sadler Sessions, a lively music and dance night featuring award-wining musicians and a $5 dinner.
The Sadler Sessions are named in memory of the Rev. Canon C. Boone Sadler, a former vicar who served at St. Luke’s from 1953 until 1983, said Steve Mack, treasurer and director of community outreach. Sadler was also a prime mover in establishing Camp Stevens in Julian, which serves the dioceses of Los Angeles and San Diego. Former clergy and family members also returned for the catered meal and musical entertainment, including the Rev. Bryan Jones, the Rev. Antonio Gallardo, and members of the Sadler family.
“We are of the community,” agreed Mary O’Keefe, a 31-year member and a founder of the Fire House, formerly known as Station House #19 and acquired by the church in the 1950s. It is a separate stone building – both the firehouse and church are made of stones mined from the nearby Angeles National Forest. Designed by distinguished artist and La Crescenta resident Seymour Thomas, and built in 1924, the church is considered an architectural centerpiece of the valley.
St. Luke’s congregation has set an ambitious $250,000 fundraising goal to replace a leaky roof and refurbish other campus areas as, including the chimes. A move is underway to name the chimes in honor of the late Bishop J. Jon Bruno, who oversaw the return of the church in 2009 and also was honored by St. Luke’s at its centennial gathering.
The Fire House at St. Luke’s is an old fire station used by the congregation for youth ministry. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
“We said there would be no St. Luke of the Mountains anymore if not for Bishop Bruno ensuring that we kept our church,” Leemhuis told The Episcopal News.
“Taking care of our historic churches comes at a much higher cost because things have to be replaced,” Leemhuis added. “Our heating and air went out in the church and it’s not revivable. We thought it would be a simple repair, but it had to be completely replaced.” Roof repairs are estimated at about $109,000. “We’re a mission church, and that’s a lot,” he said.
Interested parties may donate benches and stones and even name chimes as part of the ongoing fundraising efforts. The Deagan chimes were donated by the Watchorn family in 1926, and need repair and maintenance – an expensive effort because of their age and the need for specific care.
Leemhuis says the spunky congregation is moving forward, expanding its social media presence and “planning to have another event in the spring, and we will do an annual fundraiser, like this.”
“Our mission is simple,” he said. “Love our God. Love our planet. Love our church. Love our neighbor.”
“For me, St. Luke’s is more than a building. St. Luke’s is an experience,” Leemhuis told the Crescenta Valley Weekly newspaper. “It’s a place of belonging. We are all welcome! [This is a place] where you can find other people who understand Jesus’ basic and profound instruction to us all: just love. Love our neighbors, love our God, love our community, love our church, love our world … and take care of it.
“[The congregation’s] steadfast stewardship ensures that this wonderful gift that God has given us can be shared with generations to come.”