It was on June 10, 1905, that the initial work was begun with a canvas of the area by Mr. Ralph w. Livers, a student attending Western Theology Seminary. The first preaching services were held on the third floor of the YMCA building on lower “N” Street on August 6, 1905. A Sunday School was organized that day with 46 students in attendance. The congregation was officially organized on October 15, 1905 with 33 charter members. Ralph W. Livers, now ordained, was called as the first pastor. Articles of Incorporation were filed for First English Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Omaha on January 26, 1909. The struggling congregation purchased its first building on the corner of 25th and K Streets in 1909.
Pastor Livers resigned due to ill health at Easter, March 27, 1910. The Rev. S. H. Yerian came to serve on May 1, 1910. Under his guidance , the congregation added on to the little church building, securing money from the Board of Church Extension of the General Synod of the Lutheran Church. The completion and dedication took place on March 12, 1911. It was at this time that the leadership realized that South Omaha would become a part of Omaha, and that the congregation could not be called First English Lutheran Church because there was another congregation by that name in Omaha. Therefore, the name St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church was chosen. The appropriate name change papers were filed with the County Clerk. Pastor Yerian resigned October 1, 1919.
The Rev. A. Krauth Walborn came to serve on February 1, 1920. The next year the congregation purchased several lots and houses on the corner of 24th & I Streets. Pastor Walborn resigned on July 30, 1924.
The Rev. D. W. Ebright came to serve on September 1, 1924. The building fund for the new church was begun. The current building was sold, and because the new owners wanted possession before the new building was completed, services were held in the new Masonic Hall while Sunday School was held upstairs at Kunold’s Mortuary.
Pastor Ebright had seen a church in a suburb of Philadelphia that he admired. He told the congregation about it, and it was decided to pattern St. Luke’s building after this church. Pastor Ebright and council member, Howard T. Corbet, traveled to Pennsylvania to the church and came back with the blueprints. The blueprints were approved and St. Luke’s was ready to begin building. Businessmen in the city thought the congregation was foolish to undertake such an effort in the depression. The congregation believed God was with them and they forged ahead.
The original plans called for the church to face 24th Street and to be built east and west. However, this was the Great Depression and it was decided to sell the corner lot to an oil company for $15,000 and use that money to begin construction. Consequently, the building faces I Street and runs north and south. The building was dedicated on Mary 6, 1932. Pastor Ebright resigned December 31, 1935.
The Rev. A. H. Pinkall came to serve on May 10, 1935. During his tenure, the mortgage on the building was retired in 1948. In 1954, and educational building was built. The cost of this new portion of the building was $94,000. It was dedicated in 1961 and the mortgage retired in 1968. The unit was named in honor of Pastor Pinkall after his retirement. He retired in July 1, 1968.
The Rev. Robert E. Shirck came to serve in September 1968. Under his leadership, significant remodeling was done. The organ was renovated and another rank of pipes added. The Bethel Bible Study Series was begun. Handbells were purchased and used for worship. Pastor Shirck retired in April 7, 1985.
The Rev. David B. Matson came to serve from November 20, 1985 to February 28, 1995.
The Rev. Robert Johnson came to serve from December 1, 1995 to June 11, 2006. The congregation celebrated its 100th Anniversary of Organization in August of 2005.
The Rev. Patricia Webb came to serve from September 8, 2009 to March 15, 2014.