CHURCH: Zion Lutheran Church, Glen Rock, 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 468-472 ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH, GLEN ROCK, PA. (Glen Rock Charge) REV. L. F. M. MYERS, PASTOR The Glen Rock Charge consists of two churches namely: Zion, in the village of Glen Rock, thirteen miles south of York, and Saint Paul's, at Hametown on the Susquehanna Trail, three miles farther south. Neither of these congregations can claim the reverance due to old age but both enjoy the distinction of a fair degree of achievenment. Zion is the older of the two and dates its origin in the year of 1860. Reverend A. Berg, who was pastor of the Shrewsbury charge including the Glen Rock territory, had supervision of the movement which resulted in the organization of this congregation. "The first meeting of the brethren interested was in Sheffer's room, No. 7 of the Railroad building on August 29, 1860." A lot 70 x 80 feet, which was later changed to 100 x 94 1/2 feet, was offeren to the new organization by Mr. Wm. Heathcote on conditiod that a church be built within one year. This condition could not be met however. But the lot was secured later at a very small price and is now the site of a most substantial and beautiful house of worship. "Only about one dozen male members were associated with this new movement yet an effort was made to secure funds for a church building." John S. Foust, Wm. Boeckel, Dr. Levi Frey, Emanuel Sheffer and Philip Sheffer were appointed a committee for that purpose. About $1200 was secured. At a subsequent meeting in the same room in the Railroad building it was "Resolved that the church should be built, beginning in the spring of 1861." The first election of officers occured on October 24, 1860; and Messrs. E. K. Bollinger, J. G. Bortner, Philip Sheffer, Charles Gladfelter and John Foust (or Lentz) constituted the first church council. At the same meeting a committee of five men was appointed, evidently to secure a building lot for the church. The building committee however consisted of Philip Sheffer, O. R. Wentz and John Foust. The following January a committee was instructed to secure a "draft of the church," which was presented to the congregation on April 11, 1862, and "agreed upon." The original building, consisting of a basement and auditorium, was erected during the summer. A marble slab from the front gable of the building, engraved with the date 1862, attests this fact. The cost of the church was approximately $4000.00 besides liberal donation in gratuitous labor. "Quite an achievement for such a handful of people." Reverends A. Berg and Dr. Lochman, of York, Pa., conducted the services at the cornerstone laying; and at the dedication, the exact date of which is unknown, though it must have been the latter part of 1862 or early in 1863, Reverends A. Berg, Dr. Kurtz, of Baltimore, Md., and Dr. A. W. Lilly, of York, officiated. In the building of the church a considerable debt was incurred. The incumbrance was removed by some of the interested men buying several acres of ground, selling it off as building lots, and turning the profits over to the church to pay the debt. One lot was retained, however, on which a parsonage was erected. This was a good example for some of our modern business men. (The foregoing facts were gathered from surviving Charter Members by Rev. J. B. Wolf, D. D., in 1897.) The first enrollment of members occured on June 13, 1863, when forty-five members, mostly from Fissel's and other churches, transferred to the new organization. Mrs. Maria Wambaugh is the only surviving charter member. After the completion of the church the congregation decided to become a separate parish, and elected Rev. Jacob Kaempfer as the first pastor. Rev. Kaempfer took charge October 1, 1863, and served the young charge until October 1, 1867. He was succeeded by the Rev. J. C. Koller. Application for a charter was made to the court on April 26, 1864, and granted on August 26, of the same year. A Sunday School was organized in December of this same year, the pastor acting as superintendent. The classes were first arranged as "spelling" and "testament" classes, fitness for promotion being determined by examination. Afterwards there were added "male and female Bible classes." The records evidence a healthy growth in the Sunday School from the beginning. It has always been, and still is a great help and credit to the church. The preaching from the beginning seems to have been in both German and English. In 1868 new hymn books were secured, an equal number in each of these languages. A spirit of brotherly love seems to have characterized this young church for in 1869 the Reformed brethren, desiring to start work in Glen Rock, were "granted the use of the church for worship" at a price sufficient to cover the extra expenses. From this beginning has grown a prosperous sister church. The life of Zion church is closely associated with Saint Paul's (Hametown) which came into being in 1874 and made overtures to Zion church to be united with it as a charge. This arrangement was consummated and has worked harmoniously as the Glen Rock Charge up to the present time. Rev. Mr. Koller relinquished the pastorate on February 7, 1877, to accept a call to Saint Matthew's church at Hanover, Pa. After several months of anxiety an election for a pastor was held and Rev. J. B. Wolf, a recent graduate of Gettysburg Seminary, was selected by a practically unanimous vote of the members present. Thus began a pastorate on July 20, 1877, which claimed the entire ministerial life of Rev. Wolf and terminated on account of failing health on January 1, 1918, a pastorate of 40 years, 5 months and 11 days. The original parsonage, after serving its purpose for some years, was sold to a private party and a new house was built on a lot adjoining the church for the pastor's residence. This has been recently remodeled and is now a first class modern parsonage, built of brick, representing an actual investment of not less than $6000. About 1895 pastor Wolf's health became very much impaired and a report from his physician was brought to the congregation by Mr. Joseph Dise that "The pastor's sickness was due to the unhealthy location of the parsonage." This resulted in the erection of a fine new house, beautifully located on the side of a sunny hill, which later was purchased by Dr. Wolf and became his private residence. On February 19, 1905, at a congregational meeting, "Joseph Dise, architect, presented plans for a new church, which were adopted." A building committee, consisting of S. K. Diehl, Joseph Dise, Paul Beck, Wm. Foust, George W. Geiple, W. W. Seitz and Henry Bollinger, was appointed and authorized to proceed with the erection of the building. The corner-stone of the new church was laid on July 7, 1905, and Rev. A. R. Steck, D.D., pastor of the Union Lutheran Church, York, Pa., preached the sermon. The first service was held in the church on December 23, 1905; but the dedicatory service did not occur until May 12, 1907. Rev. A. Stewart Hartman, D.D., General Secretary of the Board of Home Missions, preached at the morning service and "conducted the financial effort." Rev. Dr. Steck of York, Pa., spoke in the afternoon and again in the evening. The pastors of the other churches in Glen Rock and neighboring Lutheran pastors closed their churches and joined in the dedicatory service. The architecture of the new church is Roman throughout. It is built of Port Deposit granite and is 126 x 62 feet in size. It consists of an auditorium, finished and furnished in a rich mahogany color and seating 400 people, a Sunday School room seating 300, which may be opened into the auditorium by folding doors, and a primary room for 100. It is lighted throughout with electricity and is graced by a sweet-toned Esty Pipe Organ, costing over $2000. Dr. Hartman says: "It is one of the most beautiful well-appointed and churchly houses of worship it has been our privilege to see." Exclusive of the architects’ fees, which were donated, much of the hauling and large donations of gratuitous labor, the cost of the building and furnishings was over $30,000, all of which was provided for on the day of dedication. This building was the climax of pastor Wolf's commendable work in this charge; and he gives credit to the architect, Mr. Joseph Dise, a member of the church, whose beautiful vision found expression in material form in this most worshipful house of God. Dr. Wolf retired from the pastorate January 1, 1918, and was succeeded by the present pastor on June 1, 1918. A bronze tablet bearing the inscription: "A tribute of love to Rev. Joseph Bittinger Wolf, D. D., pastor of this church, July 20, 1877, to January 1, 1918," was dedicated on the 26th of June, 1921, Dr. Wolf himself taking part in the service and his entire family being present. On February 21, 1923, it was decided to purchase the property adjoining the church, a lot of about 80 x 125 feet, containing a double brick house and a barn, for a consideration of $8000, the title for which was taken on April 2, 1923. Zion church now has enrollment of 434 communicant members, a Sunday School enrollment of 457, a Luterh League numbering 35, a Woman's Missionary Society of 80, a Light Brigade and regular weekly classes in Religious Education. The last synodical report shows $6892 passed through the treasury, of which $3395 was for benevolence. The pastorates were: Rev. A. Berg, August 29, 1860-October 1, 1863; Rev. Joseph Kaempfer, October 1, 1863-October 1, 1867; Rev. J. C. Koller, November, 1867- February 7, 1877; Rev. J. B. Wolf, D.D., July 20, 1877-January 1, 1918; Rev. L. F. M. Myers, June 1, 1918-- .