The first Episcopal worship services held in Waldport took place in December of 1942. Priests and the faithful moved around with a portable altar and cross for several years, meeting first in peoples' homes, next at the Presbyterian Church, then at the Community Hall.


The congregation was officially organized as St. Andrew's Mission on August 12, 1949, around the time they purchased a 3-room cottage which had previously served as an upholstery shop, at 756 Bay Street. Local carpenters, electricians and well-wishers from the community contributed much material help toward converting the building into a church, but church members themselves financed most of the remodeling – Mrs. William T. Johnson donated the large sum of $500 towards it.

When the work was completed and the church was dedicated in 1951, St. Andrew's congregation agreed to change its name to "St. Luke's by-the-Sea" in honor of her deceased husband who, like St. Luke, had been a physician.


Because of consistent growth, preliminary plans were made in September of 1964 for a new, bigger church on Highway 101. The Diocese and St. Luke's each put in $5,000 and, in May of 1965, a contract was made in the amount of $26,978.72 with Johnson Construction. The last service at the old church was held at 9:00 a.m. on September 19, 1965; that same afternoon at 4:00 p.m. the new church was dedicated. The loan was paid off in seven years, and the church was consecrated on June 18, 1972.

In 1982, St. Luke's gained a new member who was to have a profound impact on the church. Senitila McKinley quickly became Superintendent of the Sunday School, started a very active children's group called "St. Luke's Kids," became deeply involved in community literacy and helping immigrants learn English as well as working to relieve peoples' more pressing needs for food and shelter. She characterized her ministry as "children, the homeless, the lonely." When Rev. Robert Hardman suggested she might have a calling, Senitila decided to pursue becoming a deacon. She started her diaconal coursework on September 8, 1990, and was ordained on December 18, 1993.

As the church continued to flourish, it seemed necessary to expand again. The small congregation took a leap of faith that they would be able to find ways to fund and support an even larger church, and plans were drawn up for two phases of construction. Phase 1 was to enlarge and remodel the kitchen, remodel the sacristy, widen the fellowship hall and create a storage room, which temporarily served as the priest's office. This phase was completed in November of 1987.

Then Father Trueman suddenly died on August 29, 1988. Phase 2 of the expansion was put on hold until a new priest could be called. A decision was made that when the new priest arrived St. Luke's should have no financial debt, so the Diocesan loan was paid in full.

In 1960, the small coastal towns in the area had begun to experiment with sharing clergy. That year, the Rev. M. Clifford Moynihan was called to serve both St. Luke's in Waldport and St. John's in Toledo. When he retired in 1969, his successor, Rev. Thomas Park, was called upon to serve three separate churches: St. Luke's and St. John's as well as St. Stephen's in Newport. This arrangement continued until 1981, when it became apparent that three churches were too much for one person. The priest then serving the tri-missions became the full-time priest at St. Stephen, and Father Ken Trueman was called to serve the other two churches, St. Luke's & St. John's. After Rev. Trueman's death in 1988, the arrangement changed and the new priest served St. Luke's and St. Stephen's, a cooperation which has continued to the present.

In August of 1989, the Rev. Susan Campbell Church was called to serve as vicar of both St. Luke's in Waldport and St. Stephen's in Newport. She was the first female priest on the Oregon Coast. St. Luke's progressive stance for equality cost the congregation a few members, but those who remained committed themselves to this course of action, and a few years later St. Luke's also officially became a "Welcoming Church," openly inviting and accepting LGBTQ visitors and members.

Phase 2 of St. Luke's expansion was begun in September of 1993: a narthex was added to the front entry of the church, a gift of historian William Appleman Williams and his wife Wendy, and the "Ken Trueman Education Wing" was dedicated on May 10, 1994. A new roof had to be put on in 2008.

In 2011, long-time member Peg Fulkerson passed away, leaving a bequest to St. Luke's, the funds from which were earmarked to be used both for the congregation's internal ministries and to support local and international outreach. As a result, St. Luke's has been able to increase its ministry in the world, as well as to complete some cherished projects for the church itself, including the building of a beautiful Columbarium. Financing for construction and installation of the Columbarium was provided by a loan from the bequest, with the plan that as members purchase each niche, funds would be returned to the bequest for future uses, thereby sustaining our ministries fund.

Priests who've served St. Luke by the Sea:

1942-1943   –   The Rev. Charles Neville
1943-1948   –   The Rev. Vincent Livingston
1948-1952   –   The Rev. John Goodyear
1952-1954   –   The Rev. Don Walster
1954-1957   –   The Rev. Albert Render
1957-1959   –   The Rev. Peter Dally
1959-1960   –   The Rev. Frank Cross
1960-1969   –   The Rev. M. Clifford Moynihan
1969-1973   –   The Rev. Thomas Park
1973-1980   –   The Rev. David Olson
1980-1988   –   The Rev. Kenneth Trueman
1988-1989   –   The Rev. Robert Hardman
1989-2015   –   The Rev. Susan Campbell Church
2015-2017   –   The Rev. Peter Fones
2017-present   –   The Rev. Judith Jones