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St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Fourth and Church Streets, Quarryville, was founded in 1851 and was originally known as St. Paul's German Reformed Church. The first building was begun in the summer of 1851, the cornerstone laid in August, and the church was completed and dedicated in February, 1852, at a cost of $2000.00. The first building served the congregation's needs until 1893. In that year a new church was begun and completed by June, 1894. This was a fine stone church, like the first, only larger, including a bell tower, a vestibule, and a balcony for the choir. This church was built at a cost of $5000.00.
The present building is the third in the life of the congregation, and was erected 1929-1930, at a cost of approximately $50,000.00. Present at the cornerstone laying in 1929 were Leander T. Hensel and D. W. Mowrer, who had also attended the cornerstone laying of the first church in 1851. In late 1960, a devastating fire destroyed the organ, much of the, chancel area, and caused smoke damage in the whole interior of the building. The chancel area, the organ chamber and choir loft wert' rebuilt, a new organ installed, the whole interior including all Sunday School rooms repainted, and all furnishings ruined by smoke, and water replaced. The restoration cost was $52,000.00, including a few repairs which could not be attributed to fire damage. Rededication services were held in September 1961, and dedication of the new organ in October.
The congregation voted in January, 1965, to build a nine-room addition at the west end of the Sunday School area for Sunday School needs, and to provide for future growth. This is the fourth among the changes and improvements made to physical facilities. This addition providing 5300 square feet of floor space, and additional room for social activities as well as class rooms was completed and dedicated May 6, 1966. Total cost including fur- nishings, landscaping and contingencies was $83,000.
Outstanding in the architecture is a fine Tiffany stained glass win- dow in the chancel. The unusual type drapery glass, no longer manu- factured, was made in England. Among the church's furnishings is a Teller's pipe organ, the product of skilled craftsmanship; and a Schulmerich Americana Carillon Tower Bell system, one of two in Lancaster County. The first pipe organ, a Gundling Organ, was in- stalled in 1937.
The congregation at its organization in 1851-1852 became a part of the Zion, New Providence Charge, and continued as part of that Charge for fifty years. The two churches shared pastoral service and parsonage until each was able to call and support their own pastor. The first communicants on March 7, 1852, numbered twenty-six. Among the names in the church records listed as founders of the con- gregation are names still familiar in the community and on present membership rolls: Hensel, Bush, Aument, Lefever, Mowrer. The original membership was twenty seven.-Daniel Lefever, Peter Bush, John Mowrer, Daniel Swinehart, Jacob Aument, Henry Penny- packer, John Rintz, Isaiah Bush, Rudolph Bush, Benjamin LeFever, Mrs. Elizabeth LeFever, Mrs. Mary Bush, Mrs. Catharine Penny- packer, Mrs. Elizabeth Barr, Mrs. Elizabeth Mowrer, Mrs. Jacob Aument, Mrs. George Aument, Elizabeth Swinehart, Catharine Le- Fever, Lydia LeFever, Sarah Aument, Catharine Pennypacker, Mrs Daniel Swinehart, Mrs. Christian Kunkle, Mrs. Rebecka Magallion.
The ministry of the congregation to the community branched out in a number of ways, through Sunday School begun in 1854; a Ladies Aid Society organized in 1892; a Missionary Society started in 1903, now the Women's Guild in the work termed Lay Life and Work; and during most of the history of the Sunday School and church there have been active men's and women's Bible Classes. Out of the leadership of the Reverend J. V. Eckert of this congregation came Mt. Eden Church, now Mt. Eden Lutheran Church. One son of the congregation, Mr. Maurice LeFever, has entered the Christian ministry and is at the present time pastor in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The congregation from the beginning was enrolled in Lancaster Classis and Eastern Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States. Following the merger of the Reformed Church in the United States and the Evangelical Synod of North America 1934-1938, the congregation was enrolled in Lancaster Synod. When the United Church of Christ was formed through merger, the congregation was enrolled in the Lancaster Association, and the Penn Central Con- ference of the United Church of Christ, which is the present denominational affiliation.
The records of the congregation's denominational loyalty, its giv-ing to world wide work, and local activity show that there has always been faithful support both in material giving and personal consecra-tion to the work of the community and the denomination. It also has a fine record of cooperation with neighboring congregations and united efforts in Christian witness.
During the one hundred sixteen years of its history fifteen pastors have shepherded the congregation.
The Reverend Emanuel H. Hoffheins 1851-1853
The Reverend William Goodrich 1853-1854
The Reverend John V. Eckert 1854-1870
The Reverend Joseph Hannaberry 1870-1875
The Reverend Dennis B. Shuey 1876-1882
The Reverend John M. Souder 1883-1900
The Reverend A. N. Stubblebine 1900-1904
The Reverend Dallas Krebs 1905-1906
The Reverend James A. Boehm 1907-1911
The Reverend A. W. Stonebraker 1912-1915
The Reverend Howard Obold 1916-1923
The Reverend Addison H. Groff 1924-1931
The Reverend C. H. Kichline 1932-1946
The Reverend Herman C. Snyder 1946-1956
The Reverend George E. Herbert February 1, 1957-