About Us
A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, St. Luke sits in the northern corner of Bucks County in Nockamixon Township. Ferndale is a small community along Route 611. The church building sits one mile east from the campus of the Palisades High School, Middle School and elementary school campus on Church Hill Road half way between Route 412 and Route 611. The current church building was built in 1871 and houses a congregation that dates back to 1753.
As members of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod we join together with congregations throughout the southeastern corner of the state of Pennsylvania to support mission and outreach in many forms both foreign and domestic. We are now partners with Seafarers International House of New York and the Seaman's Church Institute of Philadelphia to provide chaplaincy support for the Port of Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey working with seafarers from all over the world. Additionally, St. Luke is very active in local efforts to help the unemployed, the elderly, the infirm and the community at large through participation in the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team, Nockamixon Township Emergency Management team and the Lord's Pantry Food Bank. Through efforts locally and nationally we have coordinated flood relief efforts along the Delaware River and in the gulf region of the country. We participate with the national church body by being members of the Lutheran Disaster Response Network. In worldwide mission work we participate in the partnership congregation program through the Diocese of Northeastern Tanzania with the Maramba Parish. We participate on the coordinating committee for the formation of SEKUCo a new university to train teachers in special education in Tanzania. These are but a few of the missional activities of the parish
ADA Compliant
St. Luke in recent years has spent time and money remodeling the building and preparing it to be accessable to all persons. We have had a chair lift to access the 2nd floor sanctuary but we have added a full size elevator and bathroom modifications to allow persons with disabilities comfortable facilities. There is on grade access to the building and sanctuary. The welcome of all persons to the worship of our God and to the fellowship of those who gather is primary in the heart and mind of the congregation. We are to be Christ centered servants as we work to provide for people with all needs. We are open to suggestions to areas that still need work so come and join us and share with us your ideas and suggestions.
Maramba Parish, NE Diocese, Tanzania
The Southeastern Pa Synod is in partnership with the Diocese of Northeastern Tanzania and St. Luke became involved with Maramba Parish throught the parish partnership program started several years ago. Pastor Rex, on the initial visit for 2 weeks in the summer of 2005, lived with the families of Maramba preaching at over 18 communion services, baptizing over 40 children and adults, assisting the parish pastor, Pastor Chedi during 4 weddings and met with leadership of this very large parish covering a large portion of Tanga Provance and meeting in 32 subparish sites.
Work with Seafarers in the Port of Philadelphia
The Seamen's Church Institute has been a fixture on the Philadelphia waterfront for 166 years, providing friendly help to 40,000 seafarers a year whose ships dock in ports along the Delaware River. Because of stringent post-9/11 immigration regulations, many crews cannot leave ship because they do not have U.S. visas. Those who do, often head for the institute headquarters at 475 N. Fifth St. to watch TV, call home, reflect in the chapel, or surf the Web. On the Camden waterfront, the congregation and Pastor Rex board the tanker TOS Integrity to pay a hospitality call on its crew. Heightened post-9/11 maritime security means that transient seamen rarely are allowed ashore. Institute volunteers and staffers help them in many ways.
SEBASTIAN KOLOWA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE (SEKUCO)
SEBASTIAN KOLOWA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE (SEKUCO) an undertaking of the Diocese of Northeastern Tanzania and the Southeastern Pa Synod was an idea born from a desparate need. A great many children in Tanzania are children marked not only by poverty but also by disability. Unable to afford education and unable to find schools with trained staff these special needs people were lost and many times left to die without help. The school is dedicated to training teachers to staff schools for the education of children and adults suffering from mental and physical disabilities and was a miracle in the making. From conception as an idea till the class graduating this year only a few years have passed. Sitting on the organizing board of the Synod Pastor Rex and the congregation have been a part of the project from the beginnng a mere 4 years ago.