On June 23, 1921, at a Special meeting, the Council discussed buying the property of Mr. Jacob Diehl for a parsonage. They called for a Joint Council Meeting with Henry S. Kunkle and Charles T. Kinports represerting St. John’s. In July, Charles Kinports and Charles Ebaugh proposed that Messrs. Kunkle and Lichty approach A.H. Diehl to acquire an option on the adjacent 50 foot lot to the church. They reported at the next meeting that “Mr. Diehl will see that the Council can have the lot as soon as they are ready to build”. On March 22, 1922, the congregation ratified the following purchases: The Ladies Aid Society bought 15 feet of ground from Charles Decker for $215 and the additional 30 feet next to the church, owned by Mr. Diehl, was purchased for $215.
The dedication and pastoral persistence of Seminarian Paul Livingston is noteworthy. The seeds which he planted with the Mt. Wolf families grew through prayer, Bible Study and the power of the holy Spirit. These average families were to become the nucleus for the new Lutheran church in Mt. Wolf. Against all of the doubting Thomases, Paul Livingston continued to generate interest with these families, assembling for their first service on June 22, 1913. The service was held in the Knights of the Golden Eagle Hall on Main Street.
By action of the Western Pennsylvania Synod, the Starview parish was dissolved June 1, 1929. Grace in Roundtown and Christ in Starview were then to be assigned pastoral assistance by the Synod. St. John’s in Mount Wolf and St. Mark’s in Emigsville now formed the new parish. The congregations ratified a new joint constitution June 16, 1929. Pastor Hassler was to serve the new parish. Services were still arranged on Sundays between morning and evening to accommodate both churches.
To quote St. John’s first Constitution and By-Laws of the Church, “It is the duty of the parents to have their children baptized in infancy, to carefully look after their religious training & to see to it that they attend regularly the catechetical class and Sunday School. To strive to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” As we review the history of St. John Church, it is noted Sunday School was organized within 2 weeks following the establishment of our church in 1914. Our Sunday School Department – both youth and adult – has played a key role in the continuing faith life of our church and Christian roots within each young person. The Luther League program was active prior to 1927 and for 70 years influenced every teenager involved. Our Church also sponsored Cub Scouts and Brownies for many years. The average attendance in the primary department in 1954 was 58. Our Sunday School program today continues to nurture every young person as their roots are firmly planted in prayer, bible study & an everlasting faith in God they are eager to share..
On June 6, 1950 the Ladies Aid Society disbanded; thus the Church Council now had to fund cleaning the church and gas bills. It must be noted that the Ladies Aid Society, as it was called, played a very active and sometimes decisive role in the history of the church from 1914 to 1950. Through soup and bake sales, they raised funds to support the work of the church in numerous ways. Many members would recall for years to follow the wonderful aroma as well as the taste of those sugar and spice cookies. The group of retiring women embodied a true sense of community in their contribution to the life and well-being of St. John’s Church and hence the community of saints.
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AuthorEach week we are putting a fun fact about the history of St. John in the bulletin. Archives
December 2014
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