St. John's Harrold church marks 250 years in Hempfield

When Susan Miller moved back to Hempfield in 1983, she knew without a doubt that she would be joining St. John’s Harrold Reformed United Church of Christ.

Miller, 66, who lives outside the township’s Fort Allen neighborhood, has ties in the church dating back to 1900s when her grandfather was baptized there. She is now one of the members volunteering in support of the church’s 250th anniversary.

“My church is very important to me. … It’s a good church,” Miller said. “It’s a big part of my life.”

St. John’s Harrold Reformed Church of Christ, located on St. John’s Church Road, began in 1772 alongside Harrold Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Both congregations began after German Lutheran and German Reformed immigrants were granted a warrant for 158 acres of land in 1765, named Good Purpose, to be used for schools, churches and cemeteries. Four years later, immigrants came to the area from eastern Pennsylvania and started the Herold, later Harrold, settlement.

Lutheran and German Reformed religious services were first held in a schoolhouse constructed on the property. By 1772, some of the first written records were produced and Balthasar Meyer, a schoolmaster who also performed minister duties, held some of the original baptisms.

A stone church was built in 1829 in the area of St. John’s current building. That location was used by both congregations into the late 1800s. The Lutheran congregation eventually moved into its own church, at what is now the Baltzer Meyer Historical Society, before constructing their current building, dedicated in 1965.

Members of the German Reformed congregation remained in the stone church until their current church was built in 1892. The first service at that location was held a year later.

“That’s always a milestone when you can reach that,” Paul Westcoat, a former St. John’s pastor and current church member, said of the anniversary. “That’s older than the country.”

Congregants have remained in that location since.

The church’s roof, stained glass windows and bell tower were damaged by a 2011 tornado. Repairs cost nearly $400,000.

Today, between 40 and 45 members attend services weekly.

Those members have been celebrating the 250th anniversary for most of the year, kicking off the event on Jan. 1 by ringing the church bell 250 times. They have also created a bulletin insert detailing the church’s history, which is distributed every week. Congregants will ring the bell 251 times on Dec. 31, adding one ring for the new year.

They are now planning a celebratory weekend, scheduled for Aug. 13-14. The homecoming weekend will consist of a picnic at Idlewild Park that Saturday followed by a special service on Sunday featuring former minister Edmund Fromm. Two slide shows showing historical photos and church life will also play throughout the event.

“I think it’s been a rough two years for everyone and it’s very important to get back to church and to get back to people who are your family,” said Jeff Croushore, who spearheaded the celebration. “Covid affected everyone and I thought that if we make a yearlong celebration of it, it gives people an opportunity to see that the church is still here, we’re still active, we’re still fulfilling our promise to God and to each other.”

He noted that the congregation banded together when it came to planning the anniversary. “There’s been great participation and excitement from everybody.”

Westcoat, who served as pastor at the church for 20 years, now hopes the sense of community will remain at St. John’s for years to come.

“I think the important thing is that we continue to take care of each other … (and) help each other,” Westcoat said. “In this day when there’s churches that are closing their doors almost all the time, I have no idea how long St. John’s has but I’m sure it has a future as long as people continue to take care of each other.”