Sacred Places Winter 2013 | Page 6

UPDATE on Partners: New Dollars/New Partners Success Story St. Luke’s Episcopal Church has borne witness to the rise, decline, and revival of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1851, this congregation grew along with the city as the emergence of coal, iron, and railroads led to dramatic growth in the late 19th century. By 1865, the congregation outgrew its original building, which was torn down and replaced. The current building is a Victorian Gothic design complete with pointed windows, arches, and buttresses. Completed in 1871, it has served the parish ever since. Scranton’s economic fortunes declined when the post-World War II rise of oil and natural gas decimated the city’s coal-related industries. But in recent years, the city’s economy has rebounded with reinvestments in historic buildings and landmarks. Though St. Luke’s is just one example of this wider trend, its story mirrors the experience of the city at large. Instead of mourning the past, the congregation is drawing on its heritage as an opportunity for community development and a springboard for future growth. St. Luke’s has done so on both the institutional and individual levels, partnering with local institutions and building strong relationships with donors. New Dollars/New Partners graduate St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in In 2007, the vestry (lay governing board) of Scranton, PA, learned valuable fundraising lessons and how to think creatively in forming new partnerships to better serve its community. St. Luke’s gave its rector, the Reverend Peter D’Angio, a clear charge: open the church up important part of the local government’s efforts to to the community. He notes that this was a complete revitalize Scranton. change in the congregation’s orientation. “We were located in the heart of downtown, but hadn’t been very St. Luke’s contacted the event organizers and offered its open for the previous decade and a half. The church space for the next First Friday. When that time came, had become very inwardly-focused.” So he quickly set the congregation opened its doors to the general public, to work looking for potential partners, reaching out providing space for musicians to play and artists to to local businesses and institutions. One of the first display their work. Working with First Friday gave the partnerships St. Luke’s pursued was with Scranton’s congregation a valuable experience in outreach. The “First Friday,” a monthly event in which restaurants church leadership would later channel this energy into and art galleries stay open late to attract large crowds securing partnerships with community institutions, and create street traffic. The program has been an local government, and nearby congregations. 5 • Sacred Places • www.sacredplaces.org • Winter 2013