Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church

It’s a beautiful building, isn’t it? Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church, in Park Ridge. It’s a historic structure with ties to the growth of the suburbs that surround Chicago. The church was built in 1928, designed by Elisabeth A. Martini, a pioneer woman architect. Not only did she face resistance in the field dominated by men, but her application for employment was rejected by ninety architecture firms. So, she applied as a stenographer to gain entry into a firm, where she excelled and was finally able to show off her talents. After 1914, she maintained her own office and founded the Chicago Drafting Club for women architects. The architecture of Saint Luke’s is in the English Gothic style of the perpendicular period, which dates back to the time just before the Reformation in Germany and the formation of the Lutheran Church. The building’s interior stone walls are reminiscent of those used in King Solomon’s Temple. The trusses of the building are made from solid wood. In almost every decade since the original edifice was erected, the congregation added something new or remodeled to adjust for aging facilities, code changes, and the growth of the congregation. The beautiful oak paneling behind the altar was salvaged from the library of the Potter Palmer residence in 1938. Inside, you’ll see stunning murals, painted in the 1950s, and a new main altar plus a new pipe organ, all from a 1995 chancel renovation. Saint Luke’s has always been a growing church, and in 2010, a three-story addition, blending seamlessly with the original Gothic theme, was erected. The church stands as a testament to the faith and commitment of its members, who have consistently built for the future. The church is a landmark in Park Ridge, and it seems to watch over the street, its steeple towering over the neighborhood. You can see the care with which the church has been maintained, and you can almost feel the history and prayers that have echoed within its walls.