The centennial anniversary of the dedication of Solomon's Lutheran and Reformed Church at Grindstone Hill, Chambersburg, Pa, Part 1

Author: Solomon's Lutheran and Reformed Church (Chambersburg, Pa.)
Publication date: 1933
Publisher: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified]
Number of Pages: 22


USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Chambersburg > The centennial anniversary of the dedication of Solomon's Lutheran and Reformed Church at Grindstone Hill, Chambersburg, Pa > Part 1


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Part 1


The Centennial Anniversary of the Deniratim


of


Solomon's Lutheran and Reformed Church at


Grindstone Hill, Chambersburg, Ha. R. R. 5


Reus. Haruey Bickel and John C. Sanders, Pastors


November Nineteenth - Twenty-sixth Nineteen Hundred Thirty-Three


The Centennial Anniversary of the Dedication


of


Solomon's Lutheran and Reformed Church at


Grindstone Hill, Chambersburg, Pa. R. R. 5


REVS. HARVEY BICKEL and JOHN C. SANDERS, Pastors


November Nineteenth - Twenty-sixth Nineteen Hundred Thirty-Three


EXTERIOR-BEFORE REMODELING


INTERIOR-BEFORE REMODELING


THE REMODELED CHURCH, EXTERIOR


THE REMODELED CHURCH, INTERIOR


Top Row, reading left to right: S. M. Garvin, C. Reed Wertz, J. R. Wildeson, G. Ralph Reichard. Middle Row: O. J. Cramer, M. D. Ryder, Howard Spangler, R. F. Daugherty, Harry Dessem. Lower Row: W. P. Clugston, Rev. Harvey Bickel, C. L. Biesecker, C. F. Sheets.


Top Row, reading left to right : Ralph K. Small, F. S. Upperman, Luther D. Hovis, Roy Seilhamer, C. W. Kiser. Middle Row: Joe D. Wingert, S. C. Rotz, C. F. Heck- man, G. W. Hassler, H. B. Shetler. Lower Row: Charles I. Small, Rev. John C. Sanders, John A. Hafer, Geo. M. Branthaver.


:


REV. HARVEY BICKEL, Lutheran Pastor


REV. JOHN C. SANDERS, Reformed Pastor


Order of Service Sunday November Nineteenth


Morning Service - 10:30 A. A.


Opening Service Page 9


Scripture Lesson


Hymn (Lutheran No. 68, Reformed No. 8)


Prayer


Anthem Choir


Announcements and Offering


Hymn (Lutheran No. 314, Reformed No. 240)


Sermon-The Theme "GRATITUDE" By the REV. JOHN ABERLY, D.D. President of Gettysburg Theological Seminary


Hymn (Lutheran No. 292, Reformed No. 419)


Benediction


Euening Service - 7:00 0. A.


Invocation


Hymn (Reformed No. 31, Lutheran No. 21)


Scripture Lesson


Gloria Patri and Prayer


Hymn (Reformed No. 641, Lutheran 529)


Offering and Announcements


Anthem Choir


Sermon "THE CHURCH-WHY I OUGHT TO GO" By the REV. I. M. BEAVER Editor "Reformed Church Record," Reading, Pa.


Prayer


Hymn (Reformed No. 420, Lutheran No. 284) Benediction


Page Six


Week Night Seruires


+ +


Tuesday, November 21


Sermon .. "NEVERTHELESS, HE WENT TO CHURCH" By the REV. PIERCE E. SWOPE Pastor St. Stephen's Reformed Church, Lebanon, Pa.


Wednesday, November 22


Sermon-The Theme. . "AN ANNIVERSARY OUTLOOK" By the REV. WM. A. KUMP, D.D. Chambersburg, Pa.


Thursday, November 23


Sermon


By the REV. F. F. BAHNER, D.D. Pastor Emeritus, Trinity Reformed Church, Waynesboro, Pa.


Friday, November 24


Sermon-the Theme "THE FOUNDATION AND THE SUPERSTRUCTURE" By the REV. H. B. STOCK, D.D. Pastor St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Carlisle, Pa.


Special Music Has Been Arranged for Each of These Services


Page Seven


Sunday, November 26, 1933


Morning Service - 10:30 A. A.


Invocation Hymn (Reformed No. 234, Lutheran No. 177)


Scripture Lesson and Gloria Patri


Apostles' Creed and Prayer


Hymn (Reformed No. 417, Lutheran No. 294)


Offering and Announcements


Anthem Choir


Sermon "OUR HERITAGE AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY" By the REV. GEORGE W. RICHARDS, D.D., LL.D. Professor of Church History and President Reformed Theological Seminary, Lancaster, Pa.


Prayer Hymn (Reformed No. 512, Lutheran No. 344)


Benediction


Eurning Service


- 7:00 0. 4H.


Opening Service Scripture Lesson


Page 14


Hymn (Lutheran No. 198, Reformed No. 642)


Prayer


Anthem Choir


Announcements and Offering


Hymn (Lutheran No. 202, Reformed No. 295)


Sermon, The Theme "BEFORE THIS CENTURY OF PROGRESS" By the REV. H. D. HOOVER, D.D. Gettysburg Theological Seminary Hymn (Lutheran No. 62, Reformed No. 42) Benediction


Page Eight


Lutheran Organizations


Church Council REV. HARVEY BICKEL, Ex-officio Chairman


Elders


Trustees


S. N. GARVIN


M. D. RYDER


C. L. BIESECKER


HOWARD SPANGLER J. R. WILDESON


WV. P. CLUGSTON


Dearons


G. RALPH REICHARD HARRY DESSEM


C. F. SHEETS


C. REED WERTZ O. J. CRAMER


R. F. DAUGHERTY


HOWARD SPANGLER President


C. REED WERTZ Treasurer


O. J. CRAMER Secretary


G. RALPH REICHARD Financial Secretary


MRS. ARTHUR MEISTER Organist


MRS. J. MILTON METZ Assistant Organist


Sunday School Officers


J. MILTON METZ


Superintendent


C. FRANK SHEETS Assistant Superintendent


JAYE A. METZ Secretary


EDGAR WILDESON Assistant Secretary


JOHN C. CLUGSTON Treasurer


RUTH E. METZ Pianist


LOUISE BURKHOLDER Assistant Pianist


Librarians


TRESSIE M. REICHARD HELEN CLUGSTON GEO. F. DEARDORFF


GEO. W. MEISTER GLENN METZ LEROY SEILHAMMER


Ladies' Ain Sortety


MRS. DR. A. B. GROVE President


MRS. S. N. GARVIN


Vice-President


MARY DESSEM .


Treasurer


MRS. C. REED WERTZ


Secretary


Women's Missionary Society


MRS. H. J. WERTZ President


MRS. S. N. GARVIN Vice-President


MRS. MARGARETTA REICHARD Treasurer


MRS. J. MILTON METZ Secretary


Page Nine


Reformed Organizations


The Consistory


REV. JOHN C. SANDERS JOHN A. HAFER


Pastor and President Vice-President


CHARLES I. SMALL


Treasurer


GEO. M. BRANTHAVER Financial and Recording Secretary


Elders


LUTHER D. HOVIS


SAMUEL C. ROTZ


CHARLES I. SMALL


C. F. HECKMAN JOHN A. HAFER JOE D. WINGERT


Dearons


G. W. HASSLER


C. W. KISER


HARRY B. SHETLER RALPH K. SMALL ROY SEILHAMER F. S. UPPERMAN


Trustees


LUTHER D. HOVIS CHARLES I. SMALL


The Sunday School


S. C. ROTZ Superintendent


H. B. SHETLER


Assistant Superintendent


WARREN ROTZ Secretary


MARTHA HECKMAN Assistant Secretary


JOE D. WINGERT


Treasurer


HELEN L. HOVIS,


CATHARINE ROTZ,


Librarians


MARY ELLEN SHETLER,


JUNE UPPERMAN,


MRS. C. F. HECKMAN Superintendent Home Department


MRS. MARY HOVIS Superintendent Cradle Roll


MRS. G. W. HASSLER


Superintendent Temperance


MRS. C. F. HECKMAN Superintendent Missions


MRS. MARGARET SEILHAMER Pianist


GLADYS SNIDER Assistant Pianist


The Ladies' Ain Society


MRS. L. D. HOVIS President


MRS. H. B. SHETLER Vice-President


MRS. CHAS. I. SMALL


Secretary


THELMA E. SMALL


Treasurer


Page Ten


1833 -


1933


+ +


One hundred years ago this Church building which has afforded a place of worship to multitudes was dedicated to the service of the Triune God. It displaced a far more modest log structure, situated on the opposite side of the road which had been built in 1766 although not completed until 1778. The corner stone of this present church was laid in May 1833. The dedication service was held on Sunday, November 24, of the same year. Religious ser- vices were held from Friday evening the 22d to Monday evening the 25th. Rev. R. Weiser preached the first sermon in the new church. On Monday morning the Lord's Supper was administered in which the ministers and people of both congregations united. The attending and officiating ministers were: Revs. Rahauser, Sr., Ra- hauser, Jr., Rabaugh, Meyer, Glessner, Reily, Aurandt and the pastor, Scholl, German Reformed and Revs. Ruthrauff, Sr., Weiser, Reck and the pastor, Hoffman, Evangelical Lutheran. This building costing about $3000 was con- sidered very fine in its day. During the 1928 improve- ment program abundant proofs of the strength and dur- ability of the materials used were brought to light. As we compare dollar values that project doubtless required more courage and sacrifice to carry it to completion than the outlay of more than twice that amount involved in the improvements of 1928.


THE IMPROVED CHURCH OF 1928


Following the action of both congregations authorizing it the task of improvement was started on August 20, 1928. As is usually the case in building operations there were unforseen delays and the church was not ready for use until December 23. There were large attendances at both services on that day. The people were happy because the enforced and prolonged vacation had finally come to an end. The rededication service was held on March 17, 1929. It was a joyous occasion. More than 700 people crowded into the church. The pastors, Revs. Harvey Bickel and John C. Sanders were assisted by Dr. Henry Anstadt of Chambersburg, President of the West Penn-


Page Eleven


sylvania Synod of the Lutheran Church and Rev. Pierce E. Swope of Lebanon, former pastor of the Reformed Church, both of whom preached sermons. Dr. Wm. A. Kump of Chambersburg offered prayer and Rev. R. R. Ziegler of the Fetterhoff's Chapel brought the greetings of his people.


THE IMPROVEMENTS


The main items entering into the 1928 program and supplemented later on, by far the most extensive improve- ments made since the brick church was built were: An addition to the front, 10x38 feet was built, to be used for rest or class room purposes; the brick wall partition at the front of the church was torn out; the two side doors gave place to a wide central entrance; new oak pews were placed in the main body of the church with a three aisle arrangement instead of two; a hard wood floor was laid; the pulpit was lowered one step; the church was painted both inside and outside; the furnace was extensively re- paired and moved from the north side to the centre of the church; the church was wired for electricity and the fixtures placed; (later on the light line was built and the lights were used for the first time on September 1, 1929) a painting of Hoffman's Christ in Gethsemane was put back to the pulpit; two open stairways to the gallery dis- placed the former closed ones; concrete was laid con- necting the two walks leading to the former entrances; the gallery pews were repaired, grained and varnished and all the interior wood work painted; cork was laid in the aisles and carpet at the pulpit end of the church and other minor improvements made. In the summer of 1930 a Winters Bulletin Board was placed in the front of the church. In 1932 two electric light standards were placed thus assuring plenty of illumination to all parts of the church grounds. As a climax, in the same year a con- crete block retaining wall, necessitated by the cut made here in the construction of the new Chambersburg- Waynesboro road, was built and considerable shrubbery was planted. In the late sumer of 1933 screens were pro- vided for the windows and double screen doors for the vestibule, convertible into storm doors for the winter season. The cost of these changes was met by the Ladies' Aid Societies of the two congregations. The total cost of all these changes and improvements was more than $7000.


Page Twelve


SPECIAL MENTION


Credit for the pews, the floor covering and the window shades belongs to the Ladies' Aid Societies of the two con- gregations each organization meeting one half of the cost. These ladies deserve special mention because of their foresight, interest and untiring efforts in gathering funds over a period of years. The hard wood floor costing about $500 was paid by the Lutheran congregation, this being additional to the plans adopted by both groups. The Always Ready Class of young ladies furnished the paint- ing back of the pulpit. They also paid for the Winters Bulletin Board and the two electric light standards. The Young Men's Bible Class was responsible for moving the furnace. The lighting fixtures were paid by the following Sunday School classes and one individual: The two large lights by the Sunbeam Class; the seven lights under the galleries, the two in the small rooms, and the two in the closets by the Golden Link Class; the five gallery lights upstairs by the Loyal Workers' Class; the outside lights at the front and rear doors and all the bulbs by the Willing Workers' Class; the pulpit light by Helen L. Hovis. The building committee were responsible for many of the de- tails which could not be taken before the larger groups and they deserve no little credit for their efforts to make Solomon's church a more beautiful place. Theirs was no easy task. They acted in good faith and the result of their efforts will be increasingly appreciated in the years to come.


FINALLY


In connection with this Centennial Anniversary we look back with deep gratitude to the labors of the pioneers- those in pulpit and pew who were here 100 years ago; also to those who carried on the work through the inter- vening years. We have entered into their labors. We have many advantages they lacked. On this account our responsibility is not less but far greater. As we start the use of this church for a second century may souls con- tinue to find their Saviour and be built up in Him in this sacred place! May Solomon's Church be indeed a light that shall shine more and more brightly in this com- munity in the years to come!


Page Thirteen


Lutheran Pastors


+ +


Rev. John Bager 1765-1770


Rev. John George Young 1772-1783


Rev. John Michael Steck 1784-1788


Rev. Anthony U. Ludgen 1789-1794


Rev. John Ruthrauff 1795-1815


Rev. John Fred Moeller 1816-1829


Rev. Benj. Kurtz, D.D. 1831-1833


Rev. John N. Hoffman


1833-1835


Rev. Jeremiah Harpel 1835-1837


Rev. Jacob Martin 1839-1840


Rev. Peter Sahm 1840-1845


Rev. Michael Eyster


1846-1847


Rev. Levi T. Williams


1847-1849


Rev. A. C. Wedekind


1849-1850


Rev. David H. Focht


1850-1854


Rev. George Sill


1855-1859


Rev. S. McHenry


1859-1865


Rev. J. R. Miller


1866-1869


Rev. A. C. Felker


1869-1871


Rev. A. H. Shertz


1872-1886


Rev. D. S. Lentz


1887-1894


Rev. M. S. Roming 1894-1898


Rev. D. R. Becker


1898-1906


Rev. A. B. Miller


1906-1908


Rev. J. J. Minemier 1909-1910


Rev. A. D. Potts


1911-1919


Rev. William Hesse


1920-1922


Rev. Harvey Bickel


1922-


Page Fourteen


Reformen Pastors


+ +


Rev. Jacob Weymer 1785-1790


Rev. J. Philip Stock 1791-1802 or 1803


Rev. James Hoffman 1807-1823


Rev. Frederick A. Scholl 1823-1834


Rev. Benj. S. Schneck 1836-1841


Rev. John C. Guldin 1841-1842


Rev. Emanuel V. Gerhart 1842-1843


Rev. John R. Kooken


1843-1845


Rev. Franklin W. Kremer


1845-1851


Rev. John C. Bucher


1851-1852


Rev. John S. Ermentrout


1852-


Rev. Samuel Miller


1854-1856


Rev. W. D. C. Rodrock


1856-1859


Rev. Aaron Wanner


1859-


Rev. David Hefelfinger


1859-1860


Rev. Wm. R. H. Deatrick


1860-1864


Rev. Elijah B. Wilson 1865-1866


Rev. Chas. G. Fisher 1866-1868


Rev. Moses Kieffer, D.D. 1870-1871


Rev. Samuel Z. Beam


1871-1872


Rev. Henry I. Comfort 1872-1880


Rev. Wm. H. Herbert 1880-1885


Rev. P. A. Long 1885-1891


Rev. I. M. Beaver


1891-1901


Rev. G. P. Fisher


1901-1910


Rev. Pierce E. Swope


1910-1913


Rev. John S. Heffner


1913-1916


Rev. John W. Keener


1917-1918


Rev. Henry N. Smith


1918-1925


Rev. John C. Sanders 1926-


Page Fifteen


PRE86 OF THE KERR PRINTING CO. CHAMBERSBURG PA.




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