History of the St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church; from 1921-1955. Which was our grand opening of the auditorium at 7201 Quincy Ave., Cleveland, Ohio, Feb. 20 to 27th. Rev Wm. Wiggins, Pastor, Herbert Weatherly, Clerk.

Five years later we had the Mortgage Burning Sunday, June 26, 1960 at 3:30 p.m. Our Theme: Fruits of the Holy Spirit--Gal. 5, 22-23. Our Motto: We have climbed the hills, the mountains now lie before us.

The Lord has done great things through our many, many friends he has brought us through those periods. Which we thought were impossible. The past years have been full of challenge, with a small group of people and a leader who was a man of God. And believed that God could do any thing but fail! St. Luke's membership wishes to thank all of Ohio! And elsewhere who have helped us to be able to look ahead to Oct. 7th, 1973 to celebrate our 50th years being established in the state of Ohio. Pastor Wiggins reached the veteran age in this work that God called him to. He departed this life at the age of 84 - 1971, March 13th.

(Our Theme now, "In Times like These.")

The St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized the year of 1921, at East 22nd Street and Woodland Avenue, under the pastorate of Rev. B. McWilliams, and the following Elders: James Thompason, Lacy Ayers, Henry Thatch and Robert Townsend; and the following Deacons: Wade Walton, Smith Woodruff, and A. Garth. The secretary was Mrs. Ida Samon.

The year of 1923 this church was reorganized by Bro. William Wiggins, a probationer from the Huntsville Presbytery of Alabama. The church then moved to E. 79th Street, near Central Avenue, with the following Elders and Deacons: Henry Thatch, Fuller, Lacy Ayers, Dodd, Deacon Wade Walton, Smith Woodruff, Ollie Boone. The Presbytery gave Bro Wm. Wiggins permission to reorganize, but he could not pastor at that time, as he was not ordained; so therefore Rev. M. S. McCauley was called to pastor the year of 1923. In the early part of 1925 the church moved from E. 38th Street to E. 57th Street. Then Rev. McCauley pastored. Bro Wm. Wiggins was ordained in the Bowling Green Presbytery by the Rev. R. B. Wilson, April 16, 1926. He was called to pastor the St. Luke Cumberland Presbytery Church. In 1927 the church moved to 6518 Quincy Avenue. In 1936 Rev. D. Mays was called as the supply pastor -- he served five months. Through the help of God and Rev. Wiggins' faith, the church began to grow. Auxiliaries were organized. First. The Women's Missionary Society was reorganized by Mrs. Nancy Wiggins (the pastor's wife) the fifth Sunday in January, 1937, with the help of two Christian women from Youngstown, Ohio, Mrs. O. Campbell and Mrs. Walker, and two members of this church, Mrs. Classie Allen and Mother Francis Thatch, who died the year of 1939.

The Senior Choir was organized September, 1937, Mrs. Sarah Brown Day, as Director; Mrs. Nancy Wiggins, President, and Miss Francis Jones as Pianist, who served a short time. Then Miss Katherine Bell was elected as the Pianist and Director; and has served sixteen years and still giving faithful service.

A Building Fund was started by the membership to enable them to purchase their own church home. Through their untiring efforts, they were able to buy a vacant lot at 7201 Quincy Avenue, the year of 1944. The Pastor encouraged his membership to work hard so they would all be able to enjoy the "Fruits of the Holy Spirit" in the very near future with the help of God. The year of 1948, they had their foundation built upon the lot, and decided to make the basement their place of worship until the church could be completed. So with their pastor, Rev. Wm. Wiggins, leading the officers and members in a triumphant march, they entered their permanent church home, Sunday, August 1, 1948.

The congregation continued to bank their money derived from rallies and other financial programs rendered for the church, and eventually were able to see all their hopes and dreams materialize into reality. The year of 1950, August 1st, the cornerstone was laid by Masonic and Eastern Star Lodges. In addition to the organized groups aforementioned, three more were organized: Number One, Number Two, and Number Three. These groups combined their forces to raise enough finances to start on the auditorium Four years later, the pastor and members could see on the 23rd of December, 1954, the "Fruits of the Holy Spirit."

Sunday, February 20th, will see the grand finale to all of their struggles, hardships, sacrifices and tears. Sunday, February 20, 1955, Rev. Wm. Wiggins and Officers, members and well-wishers will reap the joys of sacrifices and heart aches.

[Source: Booklet - "Fiftieth Anniversary of St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church." October 7, 1973]