St. Luke’s Breaks Ground on New Church Building Following Devastating Fire

Baton Rouge, LA – St Luke’s Episcopal Church invites parishioners and the Baton Rouge community to join in a historic celebration this All Saints’ Sunday, November 2. The event will honor All Saints’ Day, include the joyous occasion of baptisms and mark the groundbreaking for the new St. Luke’s Church building and Pope Hall.

This groundbreaking ceremony symbolizes a fresh start following the devastating loss of the original St. Luke’s Church building, which was destroyed by a fire in the early morning hours of February 17, 2024. The blaze engulfed the church, forcing services to be temporarily held in Witter Hall, a shared space with the church school, while plans for rebuilding have been underway. Hopes for completion of the project are set for Christmas 2026.

Reflecting on this challenging time, Joseph Kahler, Senior Warden at St. Luke’s, shared the community’s spirit of resilience and faith. “Church services continued uninterrupted, first in the school gym and later in Witter Hall, while plans for rebuilding took shape. Throughout this journey, the love of God has been at the center of our conversations, guiding us with openness, honesty, and respect as we work together to restore St. Luke’s to a new sacred space.”

The Sunday service will begin with a special All Saints’ Day worship to honor the saints and the community’s enduring faith. Additionally, the church will celebrate the sacrament of baptism, welcoming new members into the spiritual family of St. Luke’s.

Following the service, all attendees will process to the church slab, where the ground will be ceremonially broken, signifying hope, renewal and the beginning of a new chapter for St. Luke’s. The slab will be broken up shortly after, marking the physical start of construction.

The festivities will continue back at Witter Hall with a community potluck lunch, fostering fellowship and shared joy among parishioners and community members.

“This groundbreaking is more than just the start of construction, it’s the first visible sign of resurrection after the loss. Almost nothing inside the church survived the fire, but what did, the cremains of our loved ones in the columbarium, a few sacred vessels, and a cross warped by flame, will now become part of the new space. These remnants remind us not only of what we’ve endured, but of the faith that continues to carry us forward,” said Fr. Bryan Owen, rector of St. Luke’s.

Hoffpauir Studio was selected as the architect for the new church. Throughout the design process, the Building Committee emphasized a desire for the new space to look and feel like St. Luke’s, while also embracing the opportunity to create something spiritually renewed, refreshed and updated. The committee prioritized improvements to key functional areas, including the narthex, sanctuary and choir space, as well as the addition of a commercial-grade kitchen and enlarged, accessible restrooms in Pope Hall.

Steve Jackson, a long-time parishioner of St. Luke’s was chosen to head the Building Committee. “When I woke up and heard about the fire, I was devastated. I wondered how something like this could happen to a place that had been a part of my life for so long. The church wasn’t just damaged, it was gone. Many thanks to the Hoffpauir Team for hearing the needs of our Building Committee and parishioners, then turning those thoughts and ideas into a beautiful bricks-and-mortar reality.”

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, offered words of encouragement and blessing ahead of the groundbreaking.

“The community of St. Luke’s and the wider diocese celebrate together as you break ground not only for a new building, but for renewed hope, faith, and fellowship. As your bishop, I have such deep appreciation for the faithfulness and leadership that you have demonstrated in this time. We remember that, ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain’ (Psalm 127:1). May this new church rise as a beacon of grace, service and resurrection life for generations to come. I look forward to the day when these doors will open and we bless this building to God’s glory and service.”

The groundbreaking will take place at 8833 Goodwood Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 following the 10:00 a.m. service.