St. Paul's Church History
St. Paul's restored Chapel.
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The ground where this church is located was part of a tract granted by William Penn in 1704 to a Peter Bonn. In 1716 a gentleman by the name of David Hary became owner of this ground. Then in 1753 he sold 99 acres to a John Boyer and one acre at the intersection of three roads was set aside, presumably, for a burial ground.
Although the Swedes were the first white settlers of Amity, they never seemed to leave the banks of the river in Douglassville. The Germans, who came in greater numbers after 1725 were largely of the Reformed and Lutheran faith. These people were without the services of a regular pastor for a long time. In Morlatton (now Douglassville) services were held in either Swedish or English, neither of which could be understood by them. The Germans were very poor and could not employ a pastor or build a church in these early years.
There is evidence to believe that there was preaching in Amityville homes as early as 1745 by a Pastor Brunholz and others. No doubt these gatherings for worship hastened the setting aside of a parcel of ground for the burying of the dead. Two date inscriptions of tombstones, one of 1742 and the other of 1740, indicate a burial ground before a church was erected.
The first church, of log construction, was built in 1753 and used both as a church and as a school. Reverend Henry M. Muhlenburg, in a report stated that in 1754 he visited Amityville and found a union meeting house erected by the two congregations.
On September 18,1795 the cornerstone was laid for a new stone church measuring 40 x 50 feet with a seating capacity of 500. The building cost approximately $2,325. In 1797 the new stone church was dedicated and the log meeting house was torn down. The debt was fully paid by 1816. In 1817 an organ was purchased at a cost of $889.
In 1840 the young people of St. Paul's became dissatisfied with the use of the German language in the church services. A petition to change the services to English was denied by the elders. This led to a division and in 1844 when a group of young Lutherans broke away and built a small church just north of the present building on newly acquired ground. They were joined shortly by the young Reformers. Soon the mother church began to realize that all of the young people were joining the new English Service church. Four years later in 1848 the mother church, in an effort to appease, began conducting alternate services in English and German. The young people soon returned to the old church. It was not until 1890 that German services were discontinued. It is of interest to note that this small church stood for over 100 years. At one time it was used by the Church of the Brethren. From about 1928 it was used as the Amity Historical Society Museum. The roof was severely damaged by a thunderstorm in the early 1950's. For lack of interested people, it was torn down when the church ground and the graveyard walls were renovated for the 200th Anniversary celebration of St. Paul's Church in 1953.
On August 12, 1872 the cornerstone was laid for a new brick church. The stone church was torn down and services were held in the small church built by the young people in 1845. The new building was dedicated August 16th and 17th, 1873. It was 52 x 81 feet, seated 700, and cost $21,635. This church had a steeple 123 feet high, but, had a small basement, room enough to accommodate the heater. In 1892 the gift of a clock was placed in the steeple. Each hour was tolled on the bell which was head at a distance of approximately three miles or more.
On June 11, 1922 an unfortunate event occurred. A tornado struck and leveled this fine brick church. A community spirit seldom seen was soon at the work of building a new church. Men, women, and even children donated one day's work each week until the wreckage was cleared.
The present yellow brick church was dedicated in May 1925 and cost $121,000. A union building fund remained in effect until this church was paid in full. During 1952 and 1953 extensive improvements were made to the outside church grounds, largely through the generosity of Mr. John Z. Harner, a Reformed layman.
Throughout their long history both congregations of the Union Church belonged to parishes which meant their pastors served one or more congregations. However, on November 3, 1958 St. Paul's Reformed Congregations called the Rev. William H. Solly as their fulltime pastor and on June 30, 1959, Rev. Solly left his former Amityville Bechtelsville-Falkner Swamp Parish. At this time the Lutheran Congregation made a similar move. Also at this time each congregation began holding weekly services by alternating between the hours of 8:00 AM and 10:15 AM.
January 9, 1963 a report was given at the annual joint congregational meeting that conditions for teaching Sunday School had become intolerable because of overcrowding. July 28th ground breaking services were held, and on April 26, 1964 a Service of Dedication was held for the new Christian Education Building. The two story building is 50 x 82. It was built at a cost of $92,337.00. The cost of the building was shared equally by both congregations. In February 1969 the Union Sunday School was discontinued. Each congregation became responsible for its own educational program. Also, beginning in February 1969 each congregation had a regular hour for worship. The Lutheran worshiped at 10:30 AM. Each Sunday School was held while the other congregation conducted church worship.
A Union Study Committee was organized in 1967. The Lutheran Church soon indicated the desire to terminate the Union Church relationship that had existed since 1753. After many discussions and a lengthy period of negotiation a dissolution agreement was signed on March 21, 1973 to become effective July 1, 1973. Under the terms of the dissolution agreement the United Church of Christ Congregation purchased the Lutheran Congregation's equity for the sum of $100,000. The Lutheran Congregations paid rent to the UCC while their new church was under construction.
May 25, 1975 a Joint Service of Thanksgiving was conducted. June 1, 1975 the Lutheran Congregation moved into its new church and the United Church of Christ congregation became the sole occupant of the church in Amtiyville. The final payment of $20,000 was made to the Lutheran Congregation on July 1,1975.
The present communicant membership is 700 +/-. The congregation holds two services of worship each Lord's Day at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. The church's Sunday School meets each Sunday at 9:00 AM.
We celebrate together a rich history of faith, and extend a warm welcome to join with us on our journey with Christ.
