1956
NEW CHURCH PROJECT. In accordance with plans authorized by Presbytery, the Board has, in connection with the Board of Trustees, purchased six acres of land on Old Hickory Blvd., one-fourth mile east of Dickerson Road, at a cost of $11,000.00, as the site for the new church. There is an indebtedness of $5,000.00 on the property. Lay workers from the churches of the Presbytery have canvassed the area. The first service was held Oct. 7. The Board recommends that a missionary pastor be employed by Jan. 1, 1957, or as soon thereafter as possible; and that architectural plans be secured for the permanent building, with the hope the first unit can be erected in 1957.

To carry out these projected plans, we feel that a budget of at least $7,500.00 from the Presbytery is needed. We believe the Presbytery should take definite action on the matter, and that quotas should be established for each congregation. We feel that the next two years will be critical in the life of the church, and that sufficient funds should be made available for proper development.
[Source: Report of Board of Missions and Evangelism, Minutes of Lebanon Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, October 9, 1956, page 10]

1957
The following request was read:
"April 14, 1957.
To the Lebanon Presbytery:
The undersigned respectfully represent that on the 14th day of April, A.D. 1957 there was organized by the Commission of Lebanon Presbytery, at Madison, Tennessee, a new church, adopting the principles of the Government of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, with membershipof 41, and electing the undersigned as Ruling Elders.

Under and by authority of said Church, we do hereby apply to be received under your care, and we promise a cheerful compliance on its part, as well as our own, with all the duties and obligations enjoined upon particular churches and their officers by the Governement of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Malcolm Stephens, James F. Baggett, Dean F. Bishop, Robert R. Powers, William E. Malone."

On motion this request was accepted and this church enrolled as a congregation in the Lebanon Presbytery.
[Source: Minutes of Lebanon Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, June 12, 1957, pages 23-24]

St. Luke Mission Project. The St. Luke Church is making satisfactory progress under the leadership of Rev. Fred Schott, Jr. In accordance with plans authorized by Presbytery the Board employed Rev. Schott Jan. 1, 1957 for an indefinite time at a salary of $3450.00 per year with a rental allowance of $50.00 per month. At the present time there are 45 persons who wish to become Charter Members of the Church. St. Luke has 4 Sunday School Classes, Mid-week service, a Men's Fellowship, and a Missionary Auxiliary. The congregation has been engaged in a study on the meaning of church membership including the history and government of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. They have invited Rev. Carl Ramsey, Executive Secretary of the Assembly's Board of Missions and Evangelism, along with one of the Assembly's men in the Board of Finance to hold further classes prior to the official organization of the church.

We recommend that Presbytery appoint a Commission to constitute this group into a church on Sunday afternoon, April 14th, 1957.

St. Luke congregation at present is paying $90.00 per month rental for church space. The Presbytery is paying $50.00 per month rental allowance to Rev. Schott. We have no lease on the present meeting space. We recommend Presbytery approve plans for the present congregation to build a manse on our property with sufficient space in the basement for temporary church space.

In accordance with plans authorized by Presbytery, our Board of Trustees purchased property on the Old Hickory Boulevard, just off Dickerson Road, at a cost of $11,000.00. Five thousand dollars has been paid. The balance is $6,000.00 with interest having been paid through Dec. 31, 1956.

The Board feels some, if not all, the indebtedness on the property should be taken care of as soon as possible. As yet, we have not been in position to make a single payment. Your Board must carry its program on entirely dependent upon funds available from the Missions and Sunday School offerings and the special St. Luke Missions Project; therefore, we recommend Presbytery raise $1,000.00 from the Board of Finance and the Presbyterial Treasury for immediate payment--that their individual proportions be worked out between the aforementioned parties.
[Source: Report of Board of Missions and Evangelism, Minutes of Lebanon Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, April 9, 1957, pages 10-11]

By motion the Board of Missions and Evangelism was name as a Commission to constitute the St. Luke Church.

By motion the secretary-treasurer of the Board of Finance was authorized to pay $700.00 and the presbyterial treasurer to pay $300.00 to the St. Luke Church for payment on the property.
[Source: Report of Board of Missions and Evangelism, Minutes of Lebanon Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, April 9, 1957, page 7]

1958
ST. LUKES CHURCH:
St. Lukes Church now has 58 active members with average Sunday School attendance of 55 and morning worship of 65. The average Sunday School offering is $12.00 & the average Sunday worship offering is $60.00. The Presbytery now owes $5,000.00 on the lot. The church manse has been completed. The pastor is now living thereand they are having worship services in the manse basement.
Application has been made for a loan from the Denominational Board of Finance for the erection of a sanctuary. Information is that this loan will be available shortly after January 1.
Therefore we recommend that all churches which are not contributing regularly to this project to so at once and that any funds now held or to be received by the Board of Finance be transferred to the Board of Missions for payment on this lot. Presbytery assumed the obligation for paying for the lot and it is the policy of the Denominational Board of Finance not to make a loan for a church until the property is clear of debt. Hence this urgency for your contributions now.
We prayerfully urge that every church put this project in the budget for the year 1957-58 and send these offerings regularly to Fred N. Ramsey, 306 McCall Street, Nashville 11, Tennessee.
[Source: Report of Board of Missions and Evangelism, Minutes of Lebanon Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, October 8, 1957, page 18]

ST. LUKE. We highly commend the St. Luke congregation on their progress and well planned program. Their future program as outlined by their session includes the following: (a) All operating expense. (b) Assume full payment on $12,500.00 loan on manse. (c) Responsibility for $25,000.00 loan on new church. (d) The church assume one-fifth of pastor's salary during the year of '58 and progress at the same per cent until the entire salary will be accepted by the church.

We recommend that each church within the Presbytery accept the workable plan which will enhance the payment previously committed on lot. Each church will pay the equivalent of $2.00 per active member which will eliminate this indebtedness and assume their part of the St. Luke program.

It is questionable that any newly organized church has equalled the phenomenal growth of St. Luke.
[Source: Report of the Committee on Missons and Evangelism. Minutes of Lebanon Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, October 8, 1957, pages 12-13]

1987
Rev. Mace Jett presented a resolution to merge the Parkway and St. Luke Churches and asked that it be acted on as first business following lunch. On motion the docket was changed and the resolution accepted.

Appendix Q--RESOLUTION CONCERNING MERGER OF PARKWAY AND ST. LUKE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES
Whereas, the Parkway Cumberland Presbyterian Church has been in a state of declining membership for the past eleven years and realizes its limited opportunity for outreach and growth in its present location due to the social and geographical changes that have taken place over the past several years,
AND
Whereas, the Parkway Church lacks the necessary resources to relocate to a location more favorable to growth, AND
Whereas, the session and a majority of the active members of the Parkway Church feel that they can render a more effective ministry and witness by merging with another church and have discussed the possibility of such a merger with the St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church, AND
Whereas, the St. Luke Church has expressed a strong desire to enter into such a merger and that such a merger would greatly enhance their ministry and witness at a time when they are experiencing substantial growth.
THEREFORE, be it resolved that Nashville Presbytery approve the following plan for the merger of the Parkway Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church:
(1) Effective Date of Merger
     (1.1) That the effective date of merger be January 1, 1988.
     (1.20 That on the effective date of merger all members of the Parkway Church be placed on the roll of the St. Luke Church. Active and inactive members will be given the opportunity to have their church letters transferred to the church of their choice.
     (1.3) That on the Sunday following the effective date of merger there will be a ceremony of merger which will be presided over by the Presbyterial Board of Missions. This would be during the morning worship hour and will include symbolic acts of becoming one church, of transfer of members and of transfer of pastoral responsibilities.
(2) Property
     (2.1) That all property and assets of the Parkway Church be transferred to the St. Luke Church at the effective date of merger.
     (2.2) That the St. Luke Church be the trustees of the Parkway Church property with the responsibility of securing the property.
     (2.3) That the St. Luke Session be given Presbyterial approval to have the property appraised and be given Presbyterial approval to sell the property.
     (2.4) That the proceeds from the sale of the Parkway property be used to build a Family Life Center at St. Luke. This building will be named the Parkway Center or the Parkway Building.
(3) Pastoral relationships
     (3.1) That at the effective date of merger the Rev. Don Winn be the pastor of the merged St. Luke/Parkway congregation.
     (3.2) That at the effective date of merger the Rev. Mace Jet be given the option to serve as a staff member with St. Luke with only such duties as assigned by the St. Luke Session. His pay is to continue as per his current pay plan with the Parkway Church until March 31, 1988. His office is to be maintained at Parkway until March 31, 1988, or until the Parkway property is sold, whichever date occurs first.
(4) Session relationships
     (4.1) That the four active members of the Parkway Session serve out their present elected term as members of the St. Luke Session along with the nine members of St. Luke Session. This would increase the St. Luke Session to 13.
     (4.2) That the four active Parkway elders' terms of office be extended to April 30 following the original date of their rotation. This will allow them to follow the St. Luke date of rotation.
     (4.3) That the schedule of rotation remain the same but with only three elders being elected each year. The St. Luke Session would end up with nine elders at the end of the 13 elders' term.
[Source: Minutes of Nashville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, October 27, 1987, pages 32 & 45]

1991
APPENDIX "L"--REPORT ON SALE OF PARKWAY PROPERTY
After 3 1/2 years of having the property on the market and after considering over a dozen proposals for purchase of the property, St. Luke session sold the Parkway property to Victory Baptist Church of Nashville for a sale price of $242,500 on August 5, 1991. The terms of the sale were $10,000 down, 1/2 the Realtor commission waived ($7,500), $1,500 a month for 36 months and a final payment of $180,000 on August 5, 1994.

The Victory Baptist Church is a vibrant and growing black congregation led by the Rev. Kenneth Dupree. We believe that they will have a successful ministry in that area.

St. Luke's commitment to the Presbytery was to give $50,000 for Presbyterial NCD upon sale of the property. We advanced Presbytery $20,000 in 1990 for the Franklin NCD project. We request that we pay the additional $30,000 when the final balloon payment is made on or before August 5, 1994.

Thank you for your prayers and concerns about the sale of this property.

Respectfully submitted: Don Winn, moderator of St. Luke Session.
[Source: Minutes of Nashville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, October 29, 1991, page 46]