Church Dedication 50th Anniversary

The Founding of Himmel’s Church

Himmel’s Church was organized in 1773 by the first German Lutheran and Reformed settlers along the Schwaben Creek in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania just four years after the Tulpehocken Road had been completed from Reading to the south side of the Mahanoy Mountain. In 1774 a land grant was issued by the state of Pennsylvania and a log church and log school house were built. The log school house is still standing about 200 yards north of the present church building and until recently served as the sexton’s house. Karl Henry Kauffman served as the first schoolmaster. The log school was used until 1870 when the public school system was adopted in Washington Township. The official church records were lost in the 1959 fire but a copy in the archives of the Northumberland County Historical Society in Sunbury indicate that it is the oldest church record in existence in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia. It was begun in 1776 by the Rev. John Michael Enterline and consists largely of baptismal and communicants’ records. The first Lutheran Church Council consisted of J. Nicholas Brosius and Peter Ferster, deacons and Daniel Kobel and George Heim, elders. In 1780 the names of Andrew Ketterli and Peter Schmidt appear as officers of the Reformed congregation. The first baptisms were those of Johan and Maria Kobel on June 7, 1774, children of Henry and Catherine Kobel. The first communion was administered on June 30, 1776 to 64 persons, four days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. From 1773-1847 Himmel’s Church was part of the extensive Lykens Valley Charge. In 1847 it became part of the Mahanoy Parish which was comprised of six congregations including Himmel’s, Rebuck; Emmanuel, Hunter Station; David’s, Hebe; St. Paul’s, Urban; Zion, Herndon; and St. John’s, located five miles east of Herndon. This Parish later included St. Peter’s, Red Cross and existed into the 1960s when it was dissolved. The name Himmel’s is unique in church nomenclature. Most early Lutheran and Reformed churches were named after a prominent family or biblical character. However, there is only one Himmel’s Church, which translated means Heaven’s Church.

The Stone Church

In 1817 a new stone building was erected about 20 rods from the old log church. At the time of this construction the church council consisted of Christian Thomas, George Miller, David Haas, Abram Hoch, Frederick Kahler, Gottfried Thomas, Peter Reitz and Jacob Falk. The communion record of April 12, 1818 names 79 communicants. This building was to serve as a union church, both Lutheran and Reformed. Seating four hundred, this church was built in the old Pennsylvania style, with a one story main room, gallery and pigeon-box pulpit. With money left in the building fund, a pipe organ was installed in 1828 by Conrad Dieffenbach. This instrument was entirely handmade and had wooden pipes. It had eight stops and a 51 note manual. The pipe shades over the flats were installed upside down. The organ was dedicated on August 31, 1828. Pastors Shindle and Weiser preached on the occasion. The church became known as the “Organ church” and also as the “Stone Church.” By 1897 the congregation had grown to 235 members. During the previous decade and the term of Rev. D. M. Stetler, 99 children were administered baptism and 100 were received into membership by confirmation.

The Frame Church

By the turn of the century the congregation had outgrown its building and decided to build a new one. The stone structure was so well built it had to be dynamited to be razed. The new structure was constructed almost entirely from lumber harvested from the church-owned timberland, which was part of the original land grant. The labor was furnished by the members. Monies collected by Andrew Kahler, Levi Ferster and Frank Rebuck ranged from ten cents to twenty-five dollars and totaled $617.71. The organ was transferred to the new frame structure built in 1903 and dedicated May 22, 1904. The organ continued to be in use until 1953. It was indeed an outstanding instrument when one realizes it was in use for 133 years. The frame structure with a 105 foot steeple and beautiful stained glass windows served the congregations until Sunday, January 18, 1959 when it was destroyed by fire discovered by neighbors around 4:30 a.m. It was a cold winter morning with the temperature dropping to eight degrees below zero. Even the altar brassware and much of the bell melted. Nothing but the original communion set and a Klingelsock, a metal ring which held a small cloth bag on the end of a long handle used to take the offering, were saved. These items had been stored at the sexton’s house. The original pewter communion and baptismal pieces were in the hands of the late John Carter of Trevorton and in 1997 were still in the possession of his family.

Temporary Locations, Fund Raising and Assistance

The auditorium of the Line Mountain High School (then Mahanoy Joint) was used for worship services until decisions and plans for a new building were made and a new building constructed. Almost immediately St. James Lutheran Church in Pitman and the two churches served by Himmel’s son, Rev. Henry Reed, provided copies of the Common Service Book for worship. Grace Lutheran Church and its choir in Shamokin, Stone Valley Church and Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Middleburg sent financial contributions. Catechetical classes met at the Greenbrier Grange Hall. The Odd Fellows Hall at Dornsife served as the site for a chicken dinner held April 18, 1959 and sponsored by the Women of the Church. The Young People held a skating party at the Tressler Rink in Herndon on May 15, 1959 to benefit the building fund. Later in 1965 the youth sold picture postcards of the interior of the church as a fundraiser. A community sale was held in the church grove on June 12, 1959 at 5 p.m. Large items were sold for a commission of 5%. Donations of soup and baked goods were requested for serving at public sales in October. A turkey supper was held February 2, 1960 in the Mahanoy Joint High School cafeteria with over 1000 people served. Tickets sold for $1.50 each and over $1400.00 profit was realized. On May 14, 1960 a ham supper was held at the high school cafeteria. In September the church women cleaned a building at the Gratz Fairgrounds and accepted donations for meat to be served at the fair. Profits at the week-long fair amounted to $1500.00. A community sale was held in the church grove in October and netted $90.90. Following the dedication of the church in October, chancel flags were presented to Himmel’s by the young people of Red Cross and Hunter Station churches. A flag for the Sunday school was presented by the Woodmen Lodge. Chicken barbeques continued to be held every year to help defray the building cost.

Making Decisions

Following the devastating fire on January 18, 1959, the Council began to meet at St. Peter’s Lutheran and United Church of Christ in Red Cross to make decisions to rebuild. Already on Thursday, February 5, all were invited to attend a council meeting to advise as to a building. February 10 with the 12^th as a rain date was established as the date to clear the debris from the fire. More than 40 men helped to clean up the debris with salvage of over ten tons of metal. On February 19 another meeting was held to form committees relative to building. The Reformed congregation voted on February 22 and the Lutheran congregation voted on March 1 whether to build a new church. With a positive vote to rebuild, a meeting was held on St. Patrick’s Day to select an architect and gather information for preliminary sketches. The Building Committee was led by President Mark Kieffer. Other members included Carl Kahler, C. I. Adams, Raymond Smeltz, Percy Troutman, Robert Kieffer, Harvey Kieffer, Earl Kauffman (Secretary) and Ray Klock. At the time of construction, the Lutheran Council members consisted of Harvey Kieffer, Oscar Kieffer, Daisy Snyder, Blair Dunkelberger, Forrest Snyder, Dale Rebuck, Treasurer, Mark Kieffer, President, Kenneth Latshaw, Mark Seiler, Guy J. Snyder, Jr. and Derl Kauffman, Secretary. The Reformed Consistory included Leon Heim, Clyde Adams, Lee Rothermel, Vice-President, Luke Troutman, Jay Smeltz, Mark Adams, Ernest Troutman, Charles Wolfe, Daniel Rebuck and Fred Latsha. The offices listed were those of Joint Council. In the spring electrical service was installed in the church grove. A topographical survey was donated by Howard Levan of Harrisburg through the efforts of Reuben Troutman. The building committee met to finalize recommendations for a new church. A vote to accept the sketch of the new church was held in June. Sketches called for a church sanctuary 58 x 86 with a seating capacity of 400, an overflow to be used as an adult Sunday school measuring 58 x 30 with a seating capacity of 150, a fellowship hall and Sunday school 80 x 35 with a seating capacity of 218 and room for 178 for dining at a cost of $150,000.00. By the end of September, drawings and specifications were almost ready and the building committee was almost ready to advertise for bids. On October 29 the building committee met at Red Cross for the final approval of drawings. By November 8, the specifications had been approved and Malcolm Clinger, the architect was contacting contractors for bids. The building committee met again on December 4 and January 7, 1960 was established as the date for all bids to be submitted. There would be a need to borrow money. Insurance coverage for the frame building amounted to $72,342.06. A mortgage was administered by the Dalmatia Bank, with Dalmatia Bank, the Herndon National Bank, Susquehanna Savings and Loan, Shamokin and West Ward Savings and Loan in Shamokin each providing $20,000.00 By Christmas, grading was almost completed at the building site and construction was scheduled to begin March 21, 1960 with completion expected on or before November 20, 1960,

Building the Current Building

Members helped in any way that they could just as members had done in constructing the stone and frame structures. William Brosius dug a 205 foot well. Henry Brosius provided his bulldozer to move earth where it was needed. Raymond Latsha used his equipment to dig for footers. Ground for a new brick structure was broken on March 20, 1960. A service was held at the Line Mountain High School Auditorium and a short service was then held at the site. The two oldest and able members of the two congregations, George Reitz and Clement Adams were at the shovel. Malcolm Clinger of Lewisburg was chosen as the architect and was also the speaker at the ground-breaking service. Stan Seiple of Sunbury was in charge of general construction at a cost of $145,410. Plumbing and heating was completed by Lee Kauffman and electrical work was completed by Ed Mullen. Job site conferences were held every Friday with the building committee, pastors, architect and contractors present. By March 27, the foundation and boiler room walls were constructed. A music committee was formed to recommend an organ. On April 24 progress was noted and the walls of the fellowship hall were nearly completed. The concrete joists were in place in the church sanctuary. On May 8 the church bulletin noted that the “walls and roof of the fellowship hall were completed and the pouring of the sanctuary floor was done.” The walls of the primary Sunday school were nearly done. Men were needed to help with back fill on May 10. (This request appeared almost weekly during this time period.) Tentative plans were made for a cornerstone laying service. By May 22, the congregations voted to authorize an $80,000.00 mortgage with interest not to exceed 5 %. Pledging of real and personal property as collateral was also requested. The placement of steel for the primary Sunday school was underway. The arrangement of folding curtains was discussed. On May 29, 1960 the cornerstone was laid. The cornerstone was laid by Mark Kieffer and Percy Troutman. A copper box donated by Morris Rebuck of Herndon and containing a new testament, a program of the cornerstone laying service, a copy of the Herndon News, a picture of the building destroyed by fire, a Sunday school book and a 1960 schedule of services was placed in the 1960 cornerstone. 1818 represents the date of the stone church and 1903 represents the date of the frame church. The cornerstones were donated by Leon Buffington of Pillow. Speaker at the cornerstone laying service at the high school was Rev. Ralph Robinson, Secretary of the Central Pennsylvania Synod. By June 5 all of the walls were near completion as well as all of the roof areas except the flat roof. Painting of the exterior had begun. A skylight was added to the coatroom and a decision was made on the type and placement of folding curtains. By the middle of June the Color and Paint Committee met to visit the architect’s office to select colors. Construction was estimated to be a little ahead of schedule. Plans for furnishings were being made. Bills began to arrive and contributions were being encouraged to avoid borrowing a larger sum of money. It was decided to lock the church until completion in order to prevent damage or marring as the finishing occurred. By the week of September 11, carpet was installed and a week later the pews and folding curtains were installed. By the end of September topsoil was placed around the church. Members were requested to help wash windows.

The Dedication

The structure was dedicated during the week of October 16, 1960 with special services held during the week involving neighbors, former pastors and sons of the congregation, youth and women of the church. On October 16, speakers for the 2:30 p.m. service were Rev. Wayne Lutz, President of the Susquehanna Synod, UCC and Rev. Marlin Bottiger, Assistant to the President of the Synod, UCLA. Pastors at Himmel’s, Rev. J. M. Singer and Rev. Paul W. Billow led the dedication. John D. Kehres was the organist. The evening vesper service at 7:30 p.m. was led by Rev. Wayne Lutz with Rev. Celo Leitzel, of Crossroads Lutheran Church preaching. Music was provided by the choir of Zion Church, Herndon under the direction of Professor Fred Billman. Naomi Drumheller was the organist. On Tuesday evening the women of the church led a service. Greetings were extended from both denominational groups. Harvey Kieffer was the organist. Edna Swinehart was President of the Lutheran Church Women and Pauline Kauffman was President of the Women’s Guild. On Wednesday, October 19, 1960 former pastors and sons of the congregation participated in a service. In attendance were congregational sons, Rev. Henry Reed, Rev. Derl Troutman and Rev. Ernest Noll. Greetings were extended by Rev. Charles Herman and Rev. Ralph Alderfer, former pastors as well as Rev. B. B. Latshaw and Rev. Lewis Foltz. Harvey Kieffer was the organist. On Thursday evening services were conducted by neighboring churches. The choir of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Leck Kill sang under the direction of Daniel W. Snyder. Mrs. W. C. Schoffstall was the organist. Greetings were extended by Rev. Donald Wert, Line Mountain Lutheran Parish and Rev. J. C. Glessner, Leck Kill Charge United Church of Christ, Rev. Harry Daniels, Pilgrim Holiness Church, Rebuck and Rev. Franz Lundahl, Herndon Lutheran Parish. On Friday, October 21, 1960 the Sunday school and Young People held a service. Clyde Adams was superintendent of the Sunday school and Hope (Clark) Rebuck was President of the Young People. Harvey Kieffer was organist. The speaker was John Carter of Trevorton. Pastors Singer and Billow participated. Youth and Sunday school members who participated included Raymond Bordner, Luke Rebuck, Richard Adams, Glenn Latsha, Steve Bordner, Sharon Kieffer, Vivian Starr, and Evelyn Snyder. On Sunday, October 23, 1960 Sunday school convened at 9:00 a.m. and the worship at 10:00 a.m. Harvey Kieffer was the organist. Rev. Martin Tozer, Superintendent of Home Missions and Rural Church work of the Central Pennsylvania Synod. ULCA was the speaker. During the afternoon service Harvey Kieffer was the organist.

Some Lasts and Firsts

In transitioning from one building to another, it is possible to extract some last events of the frame church as well as some of the firsts for the brick church. Records of the Lutheran congregation are readily available. Unfortunately records of the United Church of Christ congregation are not. What follows are those items which were easily found in official records or the bulletins from 1950 to the present. Additional details are welcomed and should be forwarded to the church office.

The last baptism in the frame church was that of Ruth Ann Elaine Moyer, daughter of John and Mae Snyder Moyer who was baptized on January 4, 1959. The first baptism in the brick church before the dedication was Lori Elaine Gemberling, daughter of George and Gloria (Kauffman) Gemberling who was baptized on September 25, 1960 before the pews were installed in the church. The first baptisms after the dedication of the current building were those of Robert Ray Rebuck and Scott David Hoch on November 6, 1960.

The last Lutheran confirmation class in 1959 included the following persons: Carol Dieter, Linda Hoch, Joan Kieffer, Lorraine Long, Carol Phillips, Brenda Rebuck, Norman Smith, Diane Snyder, Dorothy Snyder, Kenneth Boyer, Kerry Fetter, Donald Heim, Lester Hoch, Samuel Kieffer, James Lehman, Darryl Rebuck, Paul Rebuck, Larry Schreffler, Marvin Snyder and Terry Warfield.

The last wedding in the frame church was that of Robert F. Bonawitz and Rebecca J. Snyder on June 28, 1958. The first wedding in the current building was the doubled wedding of Ronald Erdman and Dorothy Smeltz and George Bobb and Joan Smeltz on September 10, 1960 before the pews were installed in the church. Folding chairs were set up for the service. The first wedding in the church after the dedication was that of Ernest Rebuck and Hope Clark on November 5, 1960.

The last funerals in the frame church were those of Laura Hilbush who died January 5, 1959 and whose funeral was held on January 8, 1959 and Daniel Francis Snyder who died January 10, 1959 and whose funeral was held January 13, 1959. The first funeral in the current building was that of Viola Drumheller who died November 26, 1960 and who funeral was held December 1, 1960.

Mortgage-burning in Ten Years.

The cost of building the new church required an $80,000.00 mortgage. Total cost of the structure and furnishings was $225,000.00. Insurance reimbursement on the frame structure amounted to $72,000.00.

A mortgage-burning service was held October 11, 1970 in observance of the 10th Anniversary of the dedication of the brick building and the $80,000 mortgage paid in full. Speakers at the 10:15 a.m. morning service which followed the Lutheran Hymnal and liturgy were Rev. Elden Ehrhart, President of the Central Association United Church of Christ and Dr. Arthur Yeagy, Secretary of the Central Pennsylvania Synod. The evening service at 7:30 p.m. included Pastors Charles Herman and Ralph Alderfer and Paul Freeman, who provided pastoral supply following the death of Rev. .Jacob M. Singer in 1966. This service also marked the 20^th anniversary of the ministry of Rev. Paul W. Billow at Himmel’s.

Upkeep and Maintenance

By 1971 the exterior of the church was painted at a cost $1951.00. In 1972 a $10,000.00 loan provided for the paving of the driveway and parking lot. In 1974 services were cancelled one Sunday in February. No heat was caused by a faulty blower motor. In 1976 a Schulmerich Bell system was installed in the bell tower using memorial fund monies. In 1978 the Building Fund was re-established in order to repair the flat roof and drains under the church. In 1980 the entrance to the social hall was expanded and a coatroom added. In September 1981 ceilings were insulated at a cost of $2750.00. In 1982 several areas were repaired and included the floor joists, insulation of heating pipes under the church and sealing of the parking lot. In 1984 the exterior and interior of the church were painted. A new roof was placed on the church and social hall at a cost of $11, 699.00. Cabinets were added to the church office in 1985. By 1988 the carpet was replaced and the pews were cleaned and waxed. Old windows in the Sunday school wing and social hall were replaced with vinyl double hung windows in 1990 as well as asbestos removal from the furnace and replacement of the furnace grate for the church furnace. In anticipation of 225 years of existence, the congregations installed a new pipe organ built by Patrick Murphy Associates of Stowe, Pa in 1997. A dedication service was held November 9, 1997 to celebrate the payment of the new instrument in full. In 2000 the drainage system around the church and the pews were restored at a cost of $6500.00. In 2007 a new sound system was purchased and in 2008 a new suspended ceiling was installed in the adult Sunday school room. In 2010 the church roof, social hall roof and flat roof were repaired. The lights in the church sanctuary and wiring in the ceiling were also replaced. These repairs were not without incident, however. Despite the relatively dry weather of June, the church was damaged by water from a downpour on June 9, the day after the contractor had removed the old shingles. The contractor had not adequately covered the exposed area at the end of the day and the rainstorm resulted in water leaking through the roof and into the sanctuary. The pews, carpeting, ceiling tiles in the vestibule areas and the organ were damaged by the water. As a result the wooden floors needed to be dried, carpeting needed to be replaced, the blemishes on the pews needed to be removed, the ceiling tiles replaced and the organ repaired. After 50 years of use and service the brick church building is almost new again!

Worship

Built to last in its elegant simplicity, this brick edifice continues to serve the Lutheran and United Church of Christ congregations in a joint ministry setting. Until 1969 the two congregations were served by Lutheran and Reformed ministers using alternate Sundays for services. These pastors were shared with other nearby congregations in a parish or charge arrangement. Starting in 1969, Rev. Paul W. Billow was called to serve Himmel’s in a joint ministry setting. Today one pastor continues to be called by both congregations to serve the church. There is one service each Lord’s Day, following a service that is uniquely Himmel’s rather than that of one denomination or the other. A chime choir and a two-octave bell choir were begun in 1986 with the bells dedicated on May 10, 1987. The Methodist Hymnal was purchased in June 1991 for use in worship. In 1992 a prayer chain was organized. 2003 marked the beginning of Bereavement Ministry. In 2004 the altar guild was established. In 2008 the Worship and Music Committee was formed.

Special Events

The year 1964 marked the 25^th Anniversary of the ordination of Rev. Jacob M. Singer. A special service was held at Himmel’s. A combined choir sang and Rev. Walter Pugh was the speaker for the service. Rev. Singer died on March 11, 1966 at the age of 54 years. Services were held Tuesday March 15, 1966 at Himmel’s with burial in Himmel’s Cemetery. In 1969 a copy of the early records of Himmel’s Church were presented to Himmel’s by Dr. Glenn Schwalm of Valley View. The original records had been lost in the fire but a transcription was on file in the county historical society. 1973 marked the Bicentennial of Himmel’s Church. A float was built and exhibited in parades in Klingerstown, Herndon and Dalmatia. Wooden nickels, coins of alloy and silver, all depicting the log church were made and cast. Men wore suspenders, special ties and black hats and women wore long dresses and bonnets to church for much of the bicentennial year. The dress continued for many years on Heritage Sunday in September. In 1975, Rev. Paul W. Billow observed the 25^th anniversary of his ordination and in 1985 his 35^th anniversary was observed. In 1989, he was named Pastor Emeritus of Himmel’s Church. 1980 observed the 200^th anniversary of the Sunday school in America. 1982 celebrated the 25^th anniversary of scouting at Himmel’s. In 1993 Rev. Dr. John G. Conz was killed in a traffic accident near Bernville, PA. A memorial service was held September 11, 1993 with burial in Himmel’s Cemetery. 1998 marked the 225^th anniversary of Himmel’s Church with special events throughout the year. Events included worship with Holy Communion on May 3, 1998 with Bishop A. Donald Main of the Upper Susquehanna Synod as guest speaker followed by a pot pie dinner in the social hall. On May 16, 1998, the spring chicken barbeque was held with a cemetery walk at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. during which famous persons buried in Himmel’s Cemetery shared their story through re-enactors, often direct descendants of the person portrayed. During the June 7^th worship service, Rev. William Swisher of the United Church of Christ was the speaker. The service was followed by a pork and sauerkraut dinner. The July holy communion service included Rev. Harry Colver as guest preacher. This service was followed by a chicken and waffles dinner. The August 1 Sunday School Picnic revived the day long festival with entertainment all day including a parade in the morning from Rebuck to the picnic grove. The August communion service included the Rev. Glenn Heasley, Assistant to the Bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod and followed by a sausage and parsleyed potato dinner. September 16, 1998 marked a mid-week service with former pastors and a slide show. The celebration ended with the Heritage Sunday service with Dr. Lyle Weible preaching and a pot luck covered dish luncheon. In 2002 the revived float of the log church won second prize in the Herndon Bicentennial Parade. 2005 marked the 230th anniversary of Himmel’s with Dr. Lyle Weible of the Penn Central Conference and Bishop A. Donald Main of the Upper Susquehanna Synod as speakers. In 2007 Pastor Frederick Faust was name Pastor Emeritus of Himmel’s Church.

Facilities

In addition to the current church building with all of its facilities, the congregation has a large picnic grove which was modernized with restrooms in 2001, three baseball fields, two tennis courts repaired in 1995, a boy scout building constructed in 1971 and a small farm on which is located the former sextant’s house actually part of which is thought to be the original log church and an outdoor storage building repaired in 2002. The barn on the property was removed in 1993.

Community Outreach

Himmel’s congregation has met for worship, study, and ministries for over two hundred and thirty-seven years and it is prepared to continue to minister for many years into the future. The congregation continues to sponsor Girl and Boy Scout troops, minister to the needs of shut-ins, the aged and the needy. An Arthritis Support Group was begun in 1982. It hosts meetings, rallies and conferences and offers opportunities for Bible study and self-help study. In 2002 Himmel’s established a website and its current address is www.himmelschurch.org. The current email address is Himmels@ptd.net. The congregation enjoys informal fellowship at outdoor services, retreats and fellowship dinners. The hardy spirit of the early German charter members still prevails after two centuries and should you attend a service on a Sunday you would probably sit next to a descendent of one of the early families who founded Himmel’s Church.

Pastors of Himmel’s Church

Lutheran Pastors

Log Church

Rev. John Michael Enterline 1773-1784

Rev. Carl Christopher Getz 1790-1794

Rev. Christian Epsich 1795-1797

Rev. Harry Moeller 1799-1802

Rev. John P. F. Kramer 1803-1805

Rev. J. Conrad Walter 1805-1808

Rev. Daniel Ulrich 1809-1811

Stone Church (1818)

Rev. John H, Hemping 1812-1846

Rev. Augustus Bergner* 1848-1860

Rev. J. W. Early 1860-1861

Rev. J. F, Schindel 1861

Rev. John S. Hasscarl 1861-1863

Rev. John C. Schmidt 1864-1869

Rev. John F. Boyer 1869-1870

Rev. John C. Schmidt 1870-1881

Rev. John F. Boyer 1881-1886

Rev. D. M. Stetler 1887-1908

Frame Church (1903)

Rev. H. M. Shaffer 1909-1915

Rev. W. H. Kline 1915-1930

Rev. A. J. Henning 1931-1938

Rev. Charles T. Herman 1938-1946

Rev. Ralph T. Alderfer 1947-1950

Rev. Paul W. Billow* 1950-1987

Brick Church (1960)

Joint Ministry (1969)

Rev. Harry Colver (interim)* 1987-1989

Rev. Dr. John G. Conz* April 1, 1989- August 29, 1993

Rev. Dr, Thomas Musser (interim) September-December 1993

Rev. Alfred Bashore (interim) January –April 1994

Rev. Frederick Faust April 1994-2006

Rev. Peter Bergstresser (intentional interim) 2006-2008

Rev. Jane Compton (interim) 2008-2010

Rev. Jane Compton 2010-

Reformed/ United Church of Christ Pastors

Log Church

Rev. … Cocto 1766-1784

Rev. William Zoeta Wechselweise 1774

Rev. Samuel Dubendorf 1784-1789

Rev. Jonathan Rahauser 1790

Rev. William Hendel, Jr. 1805

Rev. J. D. Adams 1805-1808

Stone Church (1818)

Rev. John Felix 1812-1819

Rev. Henry H. Knobel 1820-1827

Rev. John Houtz 1827-1830

Rev. Benjamin Boyer 1830-1836

Rev. Ralph Dunger 1836-1852

Rev. A. Berger 1852-

Rev. John Steele Supply

Rev. Henry Bassler Supply

Rev. Jared Fritzinger 1855-1871

Rev. John Wolbach 1871-1876

Rev. A. R. Hottenstein 1877-1904

Frame Church (1903)

Rev. James Blatt 1904-1908

Rev. George E. Koppenhaver 1908-1915

Rev. Simon Shummon 1915-4 months

Rev. Charles H. Brown 1915-1920

Rev. E. S. Noll 1920-1938

Rev. Jacob M. Singer* 1938- March 11, 1966

Brick Church (1960)

Joint Ministry (1969)

Rev. Paul W. Billow* 1969-1987

Rev. Harry Colver (interim)* 1987-1989

Rev. Dr, John G. Conz* 1989-1993

Rev. Frederick Faust 1994-2006

Rev. Hartmut Schuessler, Associate 2001

Rev. Peter Bergstresser (intentional interim) 2006-2008

Rev. Jane Compton (interim) 2008-2010

Rev. Jane Compton 2010-

*Indicates burial in Himmel’s Cemetery. In addition to the pastors who served Himmel’s, Rev. Henry Reed a son of the congregation and Rev. B. B. Latshaw and their wives are buried in Himmel’s Cemetery.

Peter Montelius (1791-1859) chorister, teacher, surveyor, printer and whose broadsides included the line “Gedruckt an der Himmel’s Kirche” (Printed at Himmel’s Church) is also buried in Himmel’s Cemetery.