CHURCH: St. James’ Lutheran Church, Chanceford Twp., York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ ________________________________________________ History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of West Pennsylvania of the United Lutheran Church in America, 1825-1925 Edited by Adam Stump, D.D. and Henry Anstadt, D.D. Published by the Action of the Synod in Celebration of Its Centennial, Printed For The Synod By J. R. Kerr & Bro., Chambersburg, Penna.,1925 _______________________________________________ Pg 443-447 ST. JAMES' LUTHERAN CHURCH, YORK CO., PA. (Chanceford Charge) Rev. Glenn T. Hafer, Pastor The long felt need of a house of worship in this community was never satisfied until the meeting in Sanney's schoolhouse, No. 10, of Chanceford Twp., York Co., Pa. Rev. Peter Warner, pastor of the Dallastown Lutheran Charge as chairman, and Peter Wambaugh as secretary, presided at the meeting. After an opening service of song and prayer, the meeting was opened for discussion which was directed by the following three questions: Shall we build a church? Shall it be a Lutheran church? Where shall it be built? A motion that a church be built carried. It was likewise moved that it be of Lutheran denomination with the privilege to other denominations of holding services in the church on funeral occasions. This motion carried. By a third motion, it was decided that a committee of three men be appointed to select a site for the edifice. At this time it was decided that it should be a frame structure of dimensions, 30 by 40 ft. The committee on site consisted of Daniel Warner, Israel Reichard and John Snyder. At the next meeting the committee reported that two locations had been offered them, and the one deemed preferable was on the land of Henry Noss. The men appointed as the building committee, authorized to begin work on the building at once, were Daniel Warner, John Heffner, Peter Wambach, John Snyder, Benjamin Tyson, Israel Reichard. These acquitted themselves like men in all their work, so that the work of building went on in all peace and harmony. The corner stone was laid, August 27, 1878, with appropriate services by Revs. A. W. Lilly, L. A. Gotwald, and L. H. Sechrist, assisted by Revs. J. A. Conoway, P. Lane, and Pastor Peter Warner. The work was rapidly pushed to completion, and on January 5, 1879, the building was consecrated by dedicatory services to the Triune God. This house of worship was now the home of the St. James' congregation of the Dallastown Charge, Rev. Peter Warner, Pastor. Pastor Warner served this charge until March 31, 1882, when his resignation became effective. Two weeks later he was called to his eternal home, and was buried at Manchester, Md. October 1, 1882, Rev. Edwin Lenhart became pastor of the charge of which this church was a part until 1885 when the Dallastown Charge was divided and this congregation was made a part of the newly formed Lebanon Charge. Pastor Lenhart continued to serve the Dallastown Charge. The Lebanon Charge was then supplied for several months by Rev. Peter Livingston, a Senior in the Gettysburg Theological Seminary. Upon his graduation from Seminary, Mr. Livingston accepted a call to become pastor of this charge and took up his duties July, 1886, and served until June 30, 1890, the date of his resignation. Rev. Daniel Stoner Kurtz was called to succeed Pastor Livingston, and on December 1, 1890, he assumed the responsibilities of the Lebanon Charge. September 18, 1892, a regularly called congregational meeting was held to decide about the enlargement of the church. Plans were laid to enlarge the room of the church by adding a wing, 30 by 40 ft., and a tower, 8 by 8 ft. A building committee composed of Daniel Warner, Henry Shaull, John Snyder, Samuel Shenberger, and John Fertner, Jr., was appointed to work under the direction of the council and to receive subscriptions toward paying for the annex. Appropriate ground breaking services were held November 13, 1892, after Luther Day services. The corner stone was laid May 28, 1893, with the sermon by Rev. Peter Livingston, and the laying of the stone by Pastor Kurtz. The dimensions of the annex were changed by the committee to be 30 by 30 ft. For the sake of harmony, the change was later sanctioned by vote of the congregation. Before the work of building was completed, Rev. Kurtz ended his labors in the charge, and resigned December 31, 1893. One month later, Rev. Edmund Manges took up the work succeeding Pastor Kurtz, February 1, 1894. The enlarged church was completed and rededicated, May 27, 1894. During the fall of 1898, the Lebanon Charge was divided by action of Synod, and subsequently by action of the York County Conference. When this action went into effect April 1, 1899, St. James' congregation was combined with St. Luke's congregation to become a newly formed charge. Rev. Manges, therefore, resigned as pastor of these two congregations, continuing as pastor of the Lebanon Charge. Eighty-two persons were received into membership, eighty-nine children were baptized, and twenty-three funeral services were held while Rev. Manges was pastor of St. James' congregation. The newly formed charge, composed of St. James' and St. Luke's congregations, became the Chanceford Charge. The first pastor to be called was Rev. H. C. Salem, who took up the labors of his pastorate, December 9, 1899, serving until December 19, 1903. From that date, the charge was vacant until April 1, 1904, when Rev. C. W. Sechrist became pastor. Rev. Sechrist served until March 27, 1912, and was succeeded by Rev. C. H. Shull, December 1, 1912. Rev. Shull did a very constructive work while pastor, particularly in the Sunday School. Under his leadership, the enrollment of the Sunday School increased, and the organization was brought into conformity with the County Front Line standards. After a successful pastorate of seven years, Rev. Shull was called to become pastor of the Lebanon Charge, and resigned the work of the Chanceford Charge, August 1, 1918. Rev. William H. Peters, a graduate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, was called to succeed Pastor Shull, beginning his pastorate, May 28, 1920. After laboring for nearly three and one-half years, Rev. Peters concluded his work by resignation, taking effect October 14, 1923. The present pastor, Rev. Glenn T. Hafer, accepted a call to the Chanceford Charge which became effective June 1, 1924. St. James' Congregation may take great pride in the unusual distinction of having a family from which three sons have gone forth in response to the call to the gospel ministry. These are sons of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Curran, - Rev. J. D. Curran, missionary to Liberia, Africa; Rev. A. C. Curran, pastor at Osterburg, Pa.; and George J. Curran, in preparation for the responsibilities of the ministry in the college at Gettysburg, Pa. These sons were reared by consecrated Christian parents in southern York Co., Pa. Their elementary education was received in the public schools of Chanceford Township. The oldest of these, Joseph Daniel, continued his training in the York Co. Academy and at the Millersville State Normal School. After teaching several years, he entered the college of Susquehanna University, and continued through the seminary of the same institution until his graduation, May, 1911. He was appointed to the Muhlenburg Mission, Monrovia, Liberia, Africa, June 10, 1911, in which field he is serving at the present time. Andrew C. Curran prepared for college in the preparatory school of Susquehanna University, and continued his training through the college and seminary departments, being graduated from the latter in 1912. Since that time, he has served pastorates at Glassport, Jennerstown, and his present field at Osterburg, all of Pennsylvania. The youngest of this worthy trio, George J. Curran, entered Gettysburg Academy in 1919, and will be graduated from the college this coming year. He will enter Seminary to complete his preparation for his Master's work. It would be a record worthy of note should every congregation of our church give three sons to the ministry in one generation. This has not been the fact but it should be a worthy ideal. In this family referred to above, we have an example of how such an ideal might be realized.