About St. Luke's

St. Luke's was formed by the 1946 when three Georgetown churches came together: Aldersgate, Mount Tabor and Congress Street, each with a history that dates back before 1900. St. Luke's merged in May of 2009 with Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, which is located a little over a mile away, next to American University. St. Luke's, now a campus of Metropolitan and a part of the larger Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish, which also includes Wesley UMC (5312 Connecticut Ave NW), continues to hold worship on Sunday mornings at 11:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 5:00 p.m., and remains a vital player in mission to our city.

The church's location, at the corner of Calvert St. and Wisconsin Ave. N.W., places it in the heart of Washington's Glover Park community; nearby are two major traffic corridors, a large playground, shops and the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory. In 2003 the church reached an agreement to sell a neighboring lot bordering Wisconsin Ave.

The present church was built in the early 50's, which was a time of church growth across the country. The church was built to house a large congregation. Instead, it experienced a steady diminishing of congregational size. Several factors have contributed to the decline in size, including the population changes of the neighborhood and the general cultural shift away from church involvement. In recent years, however, the congregation's membership, though small, has held steady and has been enlivened by an influx of younger residents from the community. We are looking forward to the future and seeking ways to redefine how we live as a church in the 21st century.

St. Luke's benefits from being a part of a three-campus ministry, which includes adult, youth, and children's study and service opportunities, mission and service trips, English as a Second Language courses, worship in a variety of settings and styles, and fellowship opportunities for all ages. On-site, St. Luke's houses a shelter for homeless men in its basement, and coordinates a monthly meal for the residents. During the cold winter months, St. Luke's hosts the only hypothermia center for homeless men west of Rock Creek Park.

St. Luke's prides itself on its diverse congregation, which includes long-time D.C. area residents, students and young adults from around the world and families. Through music, worship and outreach, St. Luke's is rebuilding a vibrant community.