BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge church destroyed by fire two years ago is now taking a major step toward rebuilding, turning loss into a message of hope.

For members at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, the effort is about more than reconstructing a building. It’s about restoring a place that has long been at the heart of their community.

Today, a steel frame stands where their church once stood before it was destroyed in a 2024 fire.

“It’s been an incredible journey of loss and grief, but also resilience and hope and renewed faith,” Fr. Bryan Owen said.

Since the fire, the congregation has continued to worship while preparing for what comes next. Now, church leaders are launching a capital campaign aimed at raising between $3 million and $3.5 million to rebuild and reimagine the campus.

So far, more than $2.3 million has been raised for the campaign, with an additional $3 million coming from the church’s fire fund.

“It’s a wonderful testimony to the presence of God with us to help see us through,” Owen said.

Plans for the new church include a sanctuary that can seat about 350 worshipers, expanded gathering areas and a newly designed Pope Hall for events and fellowship.

Over the weekend, parishioners gathered at the construction site, marking the moment directly on the framework as rebuilding moves forward.

“I’m very thankful for all the people who are doing what we all need to do to make this happen,” one parishioner said.

For many, the journey has been deeply personal, filled with reflection and gratitude.

“It forces you to really reconsider what’s the most important things in your life, what you really value,” Owen said.

Fourth-generation parishioner Regan Danos said seeing the progress firsthand has been meaningful.

“Seeing the amount of progress that’s been made, and just being with people who have supported me and been around me my whole life, it feels so good,” Danos said.

And while the old building may be gone, members say their foundation is stronger than ever.

“At the end of the day, the old church is gone, but we’re building a new one, and that’s really why we’re all gathered here, to celebrate the new beginnings,” her sister, Morgan Danos said.

Church leaders say they are hoping to reopen the new church by December, marking a new chapter for the congregation and the community it serves.