Jim Mann, left, and Dustin Short, with Wilcott Construction Inc., Kansas City, MO., position a steel beam into the roof of St. Luke AME church, 9th and New York St, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. After more than five years of fundraising, work is underway to install a new steel cross-gable arch to stabilize the historic church.

Instead of the sounds of a choir, the buzzing noises of saws fill St. Luke’s AME Church in East Lawrence. After several weeks of construction, the church got new steel supports for its roof Friday.

“Today we’re installing the new superstructure, (which is) the new steel that will support the ridge beam,” said Mike Wilkins, the project’s contractor.

Major indoor renovations to the church building are under way, but plans to restore the church and its roof actually began five years ago.

“We’re finally able to get started on the roof and can actually see some work getting done,” said Stan Hernly, the architect. “And it’s a pretty exciting day.”

St. Luke’s Church, 900 N.Y., was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001, partly because of a renowned parishioner.

“Locally, we had a major celebrity that has attended here — Langston Hughes,” the Rev. Verdell Taylor said. “And we have our fellowship hall named for him.”

Hughes is a well-known literary figure of the 20th century and even wrote about attending services at St. Luke in his autobiography, “The Big Sea.” Taylor said the historic designation helped the Second Century Fund of the Lawrence Preservation Alliance acquire several grants, including support from a federal Save America’s Treasures grant — sponsored by U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., the Shelly Miller Charitable Trust, the Douglas County Community Foundation, the Rice Foundation and private contributions from local businesses and residents.

“We need it so much for the stabilization of this church and to preserve the church for another 100 years,” Taylor said.

Until crews finish their interior renovations, expected by the end of the year, St. Luke’s parishioners will continue to gather at nearby New York School.

St. Luke will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church’s construction in 2010.

“It’s what God wants it to be,” Taylor added, “so I’m happy about that.”