The History St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Douglassville, PA

Timeline

Before 1700: Lutheran Swedes settle in Berks County at Douglassville

1701:  Rev. Andreas Rudman given permission to own and possess 10,000 acres of land by William Penn. The annual rent was 100 bushels of wheat. This tract of land is essentially the present Amity Township. 

1725 - 1752: Germans begin to settle the area. They were predominantly Lutheran and Reformed, with a few Moravians and Roman Catholics. They were too poor to build a church immediately. 

1753: First church (Reformed and Lutheran Union Church ) of log construction, located some distance east of the  present St Paul’s  UCC Church, near the Yellow House Turnpike.

1795: Old church demolished and new stone church 40’ x 50’ seating 500 was erected. The cost of construction was $3325.

1817: An organ was purchased for the church at a cost of $889.

1872-1873: Stone church demolished and brick edifice was built. The size was 52’ x 81’ with seating for 700. It had a balcony on three sides and a steeple 123 feet high. The total cost was $23,635 of which $2000 was used for the purchase of an organ.

1883: The steeple was struck by lightening and demolished.

1889: A brick Sunday School Chapel was erected at a cost of $2300.

1894: Dorcas Society was organized under the pastorate of Rev. Uriah P. Heilman.

1917: The Chapel was destroyed by fire and the present Chapel was erected at a cost of $4500.

June 11, 1922A cyclone destroyed the church building.

1953: The 200th Anniversary of St. Paul’s Congregation was celebrated.  

January 1, 1960: St. Paul’s became a separate parish, having been connected with Frieden’s, Oley and St. John’s Pricetown.

June 12, 1960: Parsonage completed, cost of construction $33,208.

October 26, 1960: Lutheran church Women were organized under the pastorate of Rev. Paul J. Dundore.

April 26, 1964: A Christian Education Building was dedicated. The cost of the edition was $101,972.

November 3, 1966: Self Study Committee formed between Lutheran and U.C.C. congregations to study needs for the future.

November 19, 1972: Lutheran Congregation voted to accept $100,000 for their share of the building. Union relationship dissolved.

May 5, 1974: Ground breaking ceremony at present church site.

August 1974: Work on church begun.

April 6, 1975: Cornerstone laying ceremony.

June 5, 1975: Dedication of church building.

1979: St. Paul’s Preschool began

1995: Daycare program added to preschool

1996: Planning committee formed to discuss expansion.

1997: Plans put on hold due to retirement of Pastor Shell

October 1999: Jeff Lipton of Augsburg Fortress begins work on building design.

January 2003: Feasibility Study for renovation/expansion completed.

October 2003: Congregation celebrated 250th anniversary.

September 28, 2003: First three year Capital Fund Campaign begun.

December 2003: Plan submitted to Amity Township for approval.

September 11, 2005: Congregation approved renovation/expansion plan the cost not to exceed $2.9 million.

March 2006: Township approval - construction began.

July 2007: Sanctuary/downstairs renovation complete, new organ installed.

October 28, 2007: Renovated and expanded building dedicated.