HISTORY OF ST. LUKE’S LUTHERAN CHURCH
“Glorifying the Triune God Since 1980”
Laymen Get Organized
On July 27, 1980, an agreement was signed by a group of laymen from Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lakewood, Colorado to formulate a new Lutheran congregation, which would apply for membership in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS). After ten signatures were obtained, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church came into existence and held its first worship service on September 14, 1980 at The Little Theater at 1980 Youngfield Street.
Reverend Dwight Hellmers served the new and growing congregation on a temporary basis while he was a full time pastor at Eternal Savior Lutheran Church in Lafayette. On September 29, 1980, the Board of Directors of the Colorado District granted St. Luke’s the status of a preaching station. St. Luke’s was officially received into membership of the LCMS at the 1981 synodical convention. The pastors of Peace Lutheran Church in Arvada conducted services until we got our first regular pastor, Wayne Riddering.
Building the Church
A site was purchased for our worship facility near west 20th Avenue and Youngfield Street, and ground breaking took place on April 1, 1984. The present church building was dedicated on November 18, 1984.
St. Luke’s served as God’s instrument in establishing two other Colorado congregations: Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bennett in 1985, and New Hope Lutheran Church in Golden in 1986.
Building the Body of Christ
Rev. Wayne Riddering was installed as the first called pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church on January 25, 1981, and served us for over six years. On September 20, 1987, Pastor Riddering preached his farewell sermon after accepting a divine call to a congregation in Illinois.
Rev. Dwight Hellmers again began service to St. Luke’s on February 14, 1988 as its second called pastor, serving St. Luke’s faithfully for over 27 years. He preached his final sermon at St. Luke’s on June 21, 2015 after retiring from full-time ministry.
Rev. Paul Edwin Rockrohr was ordained into Holy Ministry and installed at St. Luke’s on June 28, 2015. He served our congregation for four years. Pastor Rockrohr made his farewell sermon and we bid him our blessings in April, 2019 when he accepted a call to serve our military as LCMS Navy Chaplain.
Rev. Edward H. Schmidt has been a minister in the LCMS since 1989. He served as Vacancy Pastor for several months during 2019. He was installed at St. Luke’s on October 6, 2019.