CHURCH: Zion Lutheran Church, Jefferson Charge, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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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 
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Pg 488

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH, YORK CO., PA.

(Jefferson Charge)

REV. W. H. EHRHART, PASTOR

On April 24, 1859, a Sunday School was organized in an old log school house.  
This stood on ground that is now used for burial purposes.  The organization was 
effected two years before the building of the little church on the site of the 
present church building.

The planting of a Sunday School in this community took the form of a missionary 
enterprise.  For, two years later, in the fall of 1861, the Lutherans and 
Reformed jointly erected a church building not large, but spacious enough for 
the needs of the time.  The Church was named Zion's Lutheran and Reformed and 
each had about fifteen members to begin with.  The congregation increased in 
membership very rapidly and as the church soon overcrowded, it was decided to 
build a new and larger church.  This was done in 1882 and was built on the same 
site on which the first church stood.  This gave them a more commodious building 
and the church prospered and grew to a membership of over 200.  She has at the 
present time two of her sons in the ministry, Rev. Paul Glatfelter and Rev. 
Harry D. Newcomer.  There is a flourishing Sunday School and a very promising 
Women's Missionary Society.

The church had only three ministers in the 63 years of her existence:  Rev. 
Peter Scheurer from 1861 to 1872; Rev. William H. Ketterman from 1872 to 1903; 
and Rev. William H. Ehrhart from 1903 to present.

The church was incorporated in November 8, 1870.