CHURCH NOTES

New Providence Church of God located two miles west of New Providence, Providence Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is affiliated with the General Eldership of Churches of God of North America. This Bethel in earlier years was known as Fairview Church of God which has since been changed by The East Pennsylvania Eldership.

Under the pastorate of Elder D. H. Mumma, a wood's meeting was held on the property of Witmer Barge in the year 1878. This wood's was in view of the original Bethel site about one mile south west of the present Bethel. Five converts resulted from this meeting. From this small beginning a church was organized and began the erection of a Bethel in the fall of 1878 and completed in the spring of 1878. A protracted meeting was held February 3, 1879, during which seventeen persons professed conversion.

The foIlowing church officers were elected at the organization meeting February 25, 1879. Elders: John F. Wiggins, Louis Aukamp, Deacons: Benjamin Kunkle, Samuel Groff, H. H. Wiggins, Treasurer, Samuel Groff.

John F. Wiggins and H. H. Wiggins are buried in the ceme adjoining present Bethel site.

March 30, 1896, dated the first organization of a Sunday School

On September 28, 1896, a committee was appointed to see Brother John Witmer Senior, relative to purchasing a small portion of land adjoining the bethel. On December 28, 1896, the committee reports that brother Witmer, Sr. would not agree to sell land. Unable to buy this land, the committee investigated other possibilities. On June 28, 1897 Fritz, Collins and Lefever offered ground at $ 100 an acre; the council agreed to purchase one and one-half acres of land, site of present Bethel.

During the pastorate of Reverend S. E. Kline, in August, 1897, the corner stone was layed for present Bethel, but was not dedicated until the following year when Elder Jesse Bergstresser was the pastor.

The church was a part of a circuit with Smithville Church of God. As the years passed along the growth under the various pastors seemed phenomenal and at last it was decided to petition the East Pennsylvania Eldership to make the Fairview Church of God a charge which was granted 1927.

As the membership increased, several additions were made to the Bethel. 1963 additional ground was purchased for future expansion.

1966 plans are being drawn up for a new Bethel to be erected on ground adjoining present site.

The above history was procured from History of the Churches of God in The United States of North America by C. H. Forney D.D, 1909, and minute books at the New Providence Church of God parsonage located in Refton, Pennsylvania.

The pastor is the Reverend Robert Detweiler, Refton, Pennsylvania.
Prominent Persons:
Myrtle Wiggins Lefever, ordained minister, daughter of H. H. Wiggins, one of first elders of Church.
Dr. Ivan Frick (son of Mrs. Lillian Frick) ordained minister of the Churches of God, elected twelfth president, April 1964, of Findlay College, Findlay, Ohio.

Present Church membership is 314, Sunday school enrollment 326, average attendance 285/year.

Services-Sunday school 9 A.M. Worship services 10 A.M. & 7:30 P.M.

Prayer meeting Wednesday evening 7:30

The first mention of a Sunday School is made in the minutes in 1896, when E. C. Aston served as Superintendent. At that time, Sunday School Sessions were held only from April through September. With the aid of private contributions, pulpit furniture was bought in 1895. From the records, it seems at that time that money for the Lord's work was very scarce. At one Council Meeting the Treasurer reported a balance of 150 and a motion was passed to pay the bills and the Pastor's salary when the money was available.

On October 23, 1899, Elder O. E. Martin donated ground for a Parsonage. This Parsonage was completed March 27, 1901, at a cost of $973.50, which was paid by both Smithville and Fairview, since the same pastor served both Churches at that time. On September 29, 1908 land across the road was bought from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for a parking lot.

In 1912, a Christian Endeavor Society was organized, a retaining wall along the cemetery and a steps from the roadway to the Bethel was built. In 1913, the basement was excavated and rooms for the Junior Department of the Sunday School were built. In 1956, a vestibule was built and the entire Bethel was brick veneered; a driveway was made above the cemetery and a new tool shed was built at a cost of over $8,000. In 1959, the parsonage was renovated at a cost of $1800, and a brick bulletin board was built at the Bethel for $158. In 1960 the parsonage was covered with aluminum siding at a cost of $2,211.

1961 seems to have been a Banner Year for the Smithville Church. Mr. nd Mrs. Martin Fellenbaum gave the Church $2,475. Out of this gift a new piano was bought and new pulpit furniture was made. 26 believers were baptized and 37 new members were received into the Church. Several men of the Church spent many hours of hard labor clearing the brush from the bank back of the Bethel. The fill was used on the parking lot. Then the parking lot was paved and the driveway at the parsonage was paved at a total cost of $3,176. A mimeograph was purchased, the Ladies Aid donated scarves for the new chancel furniture, and they had a new capping put on the wall along the cemetery. Pastor Lucas donated a new Pulpit Bible. In 1962, a new Hammond Organ was purchased and a Constitution was adopted and printed for all members.

In 1963, the Parsonage was again improved by building a semi-bath on the First floor and installing stormwindows. In 1964, the Ladies Aid had an automatic water system installed in the Bethel at a cost $1,130. A water conditioner was installed at the Parsonage as a Christmas Gift from a friend of the Church and Pastor. The Class in the Corner put an awning on the kitchen window. In 1965, Mrs. Mabel Eshleman donated a parcel of ground adjacent to the Parsonage, which adds ten feet to both the north and south sides of the parsonage lot.

When speaking of the founding date of the congregation which is now United Church of Christ, but formerly Zion Reformed Church, New Providence, we are forced to say, "about 1730" although the church has records that show dates only as early as 1744.

The history of this Zion is the history of the Reformed Church in Strasburg Township. When established it was the first Reformed Church that a traveler met as he proceeded westward from Philadelphia, and, until 1852, was the only Reformed Church in Southern Lancaster County.

The first Reformed families to settle in this parish were the Ferrees, and the Lefevres. Their arrival, settlement, and the documents they brought with them are invaluable to us. They also applied for, received, and brought with them a certificate of standing and dismissal from the French Reformed Church at Pelican:

"We, the Pastors, Elders and Deacons of the Reformed Walloon Church of Pelican, in the lower Palatinate, having been requested by the Honorable Daniel Firre, his wife, Anne Maria Leininger, and their children, Andrew and John Firre, to grant a testimonial of their life and religion, do certify and attest that they have always made profession of the pure Reformed religion, frequented our sacred assemblies, and have partaken of the supper of the Lord with other members of the faith, in addition to which they have always conducted themselves uprightly without having given cause for scandal cthat has ome to our Knowledge. Being now on their departure to settle elsewhere, we commend them to the protection of God and to the kindness of all our brethren in the Lord Jesus. In witness whereof we have signed this present testimonial with our signature.and usual marks.

Done at Pelican in our Consistory, the 10th day of May, 1708. Michael Messakop
J. Roman, Pastor
Peter Scharjet
James Gailleaux, Deacon
John Baptiste Laplace, Deacon

With these documents in hand, the party set out for England in to make further arrangements regarding their settlement in the World. The party remained in London about six months, then obtained a patent of naturalization and permission to colonize in America. The instrument, which is dated August 27, 1708, contains the names of fifty-four persons. The party arrived safely in New York, from whence they proceeded to Esopus, nearly a hundred miles up the Hudson River, where they remained several years.

In the summer of 1712, they arrived in the Pequea Valley in Lancaster County. The first of the four houses of worship built by the congregation was a log structure, about 20 feet square, located on the Southeast corner of the crossroad, two miles Southeast of Strasburg, between Pequea and Mine Hill. This house of worship was a joint venture with the Lutheran congregation of this area, which was a agreement between Lutheran and Reformed people. In a paper by Doctor Abdel Ross Wentz, titled, "Relations between the Lutheran and Reformed Churches in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries," he refers to this congregation as "The earliest union church in the county ... the Old Dutch Church of Strasburg." The land for this church building was deeded to the trustees of the church by John Eckman in the following words:
"To and for the behoof of the Religious Society of Protestants called the German Reformed Congregation in and near the Township of Strasburg in the county of Lancaster."

The first member of the church of whom we have any account was Eckman who purchased a tract of land from John Taylor of Chester County containing 245 acres. During this period, the log church was known far and wide as the "Old Dutch Church." Until 1854, when the congregation received a charter, it was known as the "Pequea Reformed Church," the area of location being the Pequea Valley, a fact which seems to have caused much historical confusion, due to the latter location of the church buildings and the changing of the name of the Post Office in its present community from Black Horse to New Providence in 1837.

From 1752 until 1795, when a second building was constructed, the congregation worshipped in the homes of its members. The first pastor, of whom there is record, was Philip Williarn Otterbein, who conducted services every fourth Sunday. The first contribution toward a new church building was 8 pounds, 4 shillings, 6 pence, made by Peter Eckman in 1762, and was placed in trust with the First Reformed Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There is only one baptism on record during his pastorate, and in the next ten year, there were 60. In 1771, the first records of confirmation classes appear. A few of the surnames appearing frequently are- Gunkel, Eckman, Weitz, Wagner, Kunckel, Greiss and Pfautz.

The erection of a new church building was begun in 1794. There have been three cemeteries connected with the congregation. The first of these was located next to the log church near Iva. The second was near the Peter Eckman property, later known as Neff's Mill, and Trout's Mill. The present cemetery is located on and around the Site of the second church building which was completed in 1795. It was a stone structure, with an earthen floor, wine glass pulpit, and plank seats. Thus ended the 18th century for the Pequea Reformed Church. Here was a congregation which was older than the nation in which God had given it the mission to bear witness to the power of His love. It looked forward now to the 19th century.

Of interest during the period of from 1806 until 1818 are the subscription lists which were used to raise the pastor's salary. The following are just a few of those listed: Bostian Nare $ 1.00; Daniel Eckman $2.00; Henry Gunkel $2.00; Henry Kean $2.00. Many of the persons included are ancestors of residents of the community today.

In 1840 a Sunday School was organized to meet each Sunday afternoon until October. It must be remembered that the Sunday School movement did not originate as a church organization, but as a layman's organization. For many years it was opposed on the grounds that only regular ordained ministers should teach the Bible, and it was not permitted to meet on Sunday morning but in the afternoon. One member of Zion congregation (1955) Miss Angie Peoples, had the commendable record of having served as a teacher in our school for over sixty years.

In 1851 the parsonage was built. It was remodeled and enlarged in 1917-1918.

On the second day of June, 1851, a group of Christian people met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Hensel, Senior, located in the community of Quarryville. On this day a form of subscription was drawn up and books issued for persons to register their contributions toward the erection of a house of worship which was named Saint Paul's German Reformed Church and it was dedicated in March 1952. This congregation became a part of Zion, New Providence, and remained so for fifty years and during this time the two congregations shared the services of pastors and parsonages, and services were conducted alternating between morning and afternoon in the two churches. In 1854 during the pastorate of Reverend William Goodrich, the congregation received its first charter, under the name "Zion German Reformed Church" of New Providence, Lancaster County, vania.

Those active in effecting the incorporation were as follows:
Elders
Elijah Keen
Martin Brubaker
Joseph Keen

Deacons
Daniel Helm
Daniel Eckman
Adam Mower
Benjamin Winter

Trustees
Joseph Eckman
Harry Keen

The Brick Church was erected in 1868, (Dutch Colonial Building), at the cost of $8000 in cash. Labor and material were donated by members and friends. It was a two story structure with plain glass windows on both the east and west sides of the building. There were three smaller windows below, in the walls of the first floor, being backed with the stones taken from the stone church. The auditorium contained a gallery on the north end which was used principally for the choir and organ. The pulpit was on the south end on a raised platform with chancel. In 1896 the south wall was opened to make a chancel. Oak pews were installed and the plain glass in the auditorium was replaced with art glass. The Missionary Society was organized in 1855, the Ladies' Aid in 1892, and the Christian Endeavor Society in 1897.

In 1918, the Reverend Harry E. Shepardson became pastor of the congregation, commencing the longest pastorate in the history of the church(1918-1943). In 1926 the consistory estimated the costs and repairs and renovating the Dutch Colonial Building which was showing wear. The plans to enlarge the old building were completed in November of 1927, and the ground-breaking services were held in May 1928, with persons who had been members more than fifty years removing the first shovelsful of dirt. The cornerstone of the new building was laid in June, 1928, and is of Barre Vermont Granite. The outside of the new building was completed, and dedicated with services held on November 11, 1928, for the tower, bell, spire, and five memorial windows.

The pulpit window, an interpretation of Matthew 11:28 (Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest) was presented in memory of Daniel Helm who served as Elder and Sunday School Superintendent for fifty-nine years, by Licentiate T. D. Helm.

The front window, center, portrays the Ascension of Christ, and was presented by Sue E. Andrews in memory of the J. F. Andrews Family.

The front window, west, was presented in memory of the Reverend John W. Ault, by his widow Esta M. Ault.

The front window, east, was presented by James Dyson in memory of the Nelson Dyson Family and portrays "The Holy Family."

The side window on the east portrays, "The Baptism of Jesus" and was presented in memory of the John Reamer Family, by Mrs. Anna Work.

The bell, tower, and spire were a gift of Jeannie A. and Charles F. Hess in appreciation of the services of the pastor Harry E. Shepardson.

During the colonial period, the log church was also used as a school house. A school building was also erected and maintained near the stone church, now a part of the cemetery for many years. Among the highly prized possessions is an arithmetical manuscript (Rechel buchlein) written in 1727 by Johann Ludwig Erb, a teacher in the Reformed School at Weisloch in the Pfaltz, for his pupil Johann, Eckman, who brought it with him to this community in 1730, and which is now in the hands of a descendant, Mrs. Gertrude Eckman Stehman.

As it now stands, the American Colonial Building: stones from the stone church were used in the construction of the Dutch Building and when the present building was constructed, additions were put to both the back and front of the Dutch Colonial Building.

In May 1836 the congregation acted as host to the Lebanon Classis and on three occasions, June 1863, May 1874, and April 1913, they entertained the Lancaster Classis.

1934 marked the merger of two denominations: The Evangelical Synod of North America, and the Reformed Church in the United States although the charter still reads "Zion Reformed Church" we are aware of the oneness as a denomination in the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

In the latter part of 1949, the Wicks Pipe Organ was installed. Later the public address system was installed as a memorial to the Reverend Mr. Shepardson who served the church and community 26 years and who passed to his eternal rest in 1943. In November 1951 the Women's Guild was organized. In 1957, the denomination planned the union with the Congregational Christian Church, and we are now known as the United Church of Christ. In 1958, the church sanctuary was redecorated and new light fixtures installed and in 1959 the cemetery was expanded.

There are three cemeteries connected with the congregation: the oldest near Iva; the second near Neff's (also known as Trout's Mill); and the third, which has been enlarged four times, adjoining the present church site. All are within the bounds of Strasburg Township, Lancaster County.

The steeple and entire front of the church are illuminated each night automatically. In 1962, the total land property holdings were professionally surveyed for the erection of the proposed educational unit.

On February 6, 1966, Reverend William J. Llewelyn-Phillips, who was serving a mission church in Homestead, Florida, accepted a call to Zion Church, and preached his first sermon as pastor. He is the 28th pastor to serve this congregation since 1752.

The facts presented are not the whole story of the life of a church. Throughout its long history, however, God has seen fit to perpetuate. His work and His will above that of men, and His work and word have continued as the undergirding support of the community.

This information given for the history of Zion Church was gleaned from the "Classis of Lancaster 1852-1940" and from our own church record book in which a history is recorded.

A Reformed Mennonite church was located in what is now Providence Township, quoting Wilmer J. Eshleman. It was built near Refton in 1832 by Bishop Henry Bowman, who is buried in the graveyard nearby, and was known as Bowman's Meeting-house. It was located on the road which goes from Refton to Smithville, on the south-west corner where the hard road turns to the left as the dirt road leads off straight ahead. This meeting-house had a seating capacity of two hundred fifty persons and was torn down around the turn of the century, because many members moved away and the remainder of the congregation attended services elsewhere.

Mr. Eshleman said that his grandmother, Mrs. Jacob C. Weaver, who lived nearby when a child, told him that Union soldiers on their way to Gettysburg stopped to get a drink of water from her home and to rest. They scattered in her yard and filled the little churchyard, many of the soldiers sitting on the porch. After several hours they shouldered their arms and started on toward Gettysburg. The Reformed Mennonites also had regular services at Georgetown and Mt. Nebo.

This article is an attempt to briefly relate the history of Metzlers Mennonite Church from its beginning in 1327 to the present date. Metzlers is located in West Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is situated close to the road leading from Akron to Farmersville, approximately halfway between these two points. Originally Metzlers was a part of the Weaverland-Groffdale District of Lancaster Conference, but when the District was divided in 1939 it became a part of the Groffdale section. The mernbership at present consists of slightly more than two hundred persons.

The Founding of the Congregation

To understand the earliest history of the congregation one has to note the ancestry and biographies of those who were instrumental in founding it. Valentine Metzler, the European ancestor of the Mennonite Metzlers, was born February 24, 1726 in Switzerland, and died July 24, 1783, in. Pennsylvania. His parental home was a Christian one which had undergone much persecution. He came to America in 1738, at the age of twelve years, with his father Yost Metzler. The father apparently died soon afterwards, leaving the son an orphan. They arrived at Philadelphia with a group of 348 Palatine Mennonites and settled in Hans Herr's haven in "Penn's Woods."

Valentine married Anna Nisli (Nissley), third and youngest daughter of Jacob Nissley, from near Lancaster City, on December 19, 1749. They began life together in the Landis Valley District, the area due east of Lancaster City. Valentine was a staunch and pious Mennonite and was chosen minister and bishop. He served the church faithfully, reared a large family, which married in the Mennonite Church, before he died July 24, 1783.

Their son Jacob, 1755-1814, married Maria Hess of the Hess congregation. They settled in West Earl Township in 1786 on a seventy-acre farm. They buried a small daughter in a plot on their farm which eventually became the burial ground of Metzlers congregation. Their son, Jacob II, sold the plot to the trustees of the congregation on May 26, 1827, for burial ground and church purposes. The church built on this plot has since become known as Metzlers Mennonite Meeting House.