The parish of St. Luke's was organized in 1835, when parishioners met in the Union Meeting House (where Mt. Olivet Church is now, on High Street in Seaford). In 1838 Dr. John Gibbons gave land for the present building, which was named for St. Luke, the beloved physician, and perhaps in honor of Dr. Gibbons. Construction was started in 1838, and the first ordination of a Delaware bishop, the Reverend Albert Lee, was held in St. Luke's in 1841. The building was finished in 1843, thanks to the fundraising efforts of Bishop Lee, and it was consecrated that year.

That same year, the rector, Deacon John Long, requested a raise in his salary, which was $100 a year. The vestry responded, "A minister of the gospel should never go so far as to ask for more money when he derived so much spiritually from his calling".

St. Luke's Churchwomen organized in 1903, and they are still active, in spite of gloomy prophesies that they would "disintegrate". Financial problems abounded in the early days, and the women often came to the rescue, raffling a log cabin quilt, making rugs, contributing money for the furnace, buying coal, redecorating the rectory, painting, and cleaning. On one occasion the vestry raffled a turkey in order to raise funds for the rector's salary.

The original steeple was replaced by the Norman tower in 1902 (with many objections), and the buttresses were added in 1944 (also with many objections) when the church walls were in danger of collapsing inward. The parish house was built in 1932 and enlarged in 1957.

The rafters in the interior of the church are meant to resemble the interior of Noah's Ark. The beautiful stained glass windows were given in memory of parishioners. The magnificent "Christus Rex" (Christ the King), hanging over the organ, showing Christ robed in white and gold, was given by the Reverend William Truitt, former rector of St. Luke's. The smaller crucifix, showing Christ in his agony on the cross, was given by Marie Valliant, a long time parishioner and church secretary for many years.

The Rodgers organ, built circa 1990 and paid for by donations from parishioners, is a combination pipe and electronic organ with three keyboards.

The cemetery was originally called "God's Little Acre" because it was one acre in size. It has eighteen "coping stone memorials made in the shape of a bed, with a headboard, footboard, two "coping stones" as side pieces, and a mattress with either a large coffin shaped hole, two small round holes, or a large oval hole where flowers can be planted.

Governor William Henry Harrison Ross, governor of Delaware from 1841 to 1845 and owner of the Ross mansion and plantation, is buried there with many members of his family.

His oldest son, Caleb, enlisted in the 18th Virginia Cavalry Regiment in June 1861 and died of typhoid fever in September at Cool Springs, Virginia. After the war, his body was brought home and buried in St. Luke's Cemetery. A sprig of yew was thrown on the coffin as a symbol of everlasting life. The yew sprig was planted beside the grave, and the yew tree is now twenty feet high. The governor and his son James served as members of St. Luke's vestry for many years. In those days a vestry member was elected for life.

St. Luke's is a member of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, which is a member of the Anglican Communion, with churches all over the world. Services are based on the Book of Common Prayer written by Thomas Cranmer in 1549. Most services include a reading from the Old Testament, a psalm, a reading from the New Testament, and a reading from one of the four gospels. Services on Sundays, Christmas Day, Easter, and on several other occasions include music and hymns accompanied by organist Albert Pinkerton on the organ.

A service of Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) is held at 9 a.m. every Sunday and also on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Other services are held every day of Holy Week (the week preceeding Easter), a Grand Vigil on Easter Eve, and a special celebration on Christmas Eve. The rector of St. Luke's is the Reverend Jeanne Kirby-Coladonato.

Written by Mrs. Jane Watson - July 2006