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History
The Lutheran Church of the Holy
Trinity was born on May 15, 1994. It came into being with the consolidation of
Trinity Lutheran Church of Leesport and St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church of
Mohrsville. Trinity had its start when some citizens of Leesport and the
surrounding area met on Feb. 15, 1867, in the Leesport School House and made
plans to build a church to be used by the Reformed and Lutheran denominations.
Over the years Trinity belonged to numerous multiple-church parishes. In 1968 it
initiated weekly services and called the Rev. David H. Pflieger as its first
full-time pastor.
On Dec. 1, 1984, Pastor Edgar
Reed began his ministry with Trinity. He also was appointed interim pastor at
St. Timothy’s in November 1991 by the Rev. John E. Houck, who then served as
Dean of the East Berks District.
St. Timothy’s Union Church was
founded in 1864 by some area residents who had been worshiping at the
Shoemakersville church and also were meeting for a short time at the Birch Hill
School. They banded together with members from other area churches and
constructed the church at a cost of $6,000. It was dedicated on May 7, 1865. St.
Timothy’s ceased to be a Union Church in 1929, when the Lutheran congregation
purchased full rights to the property for $25. St. Timothy’s also was a member
of numerous multi-church parishes over the years. When the Rev. Richard Boyer
resigned in 1991, it became a single congregation.
With Pastor Reed serving both
Trinity and St. Timothy’s, the goal soon became to consolidate the
congregations. A Future Dreams Committee was established with various
subcommittees to plan the process. The Synod Bishop appointed various people to
work with the congregations, including Pastor Glenn Simmons and Pastor Gilbert
Furst. After many meetings and hard work, a final joint service was held at St.
Timothy’s before the building was sold. The charter was signed by the members,
and the new congregation of the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity was formed.
A consolidation dinner was held on May 15, 1994, at the Leesport Market, where
Dean Houck, along with other dignitaries from the Church, brought greetings to
the new congregation.
The Future Dreams Committee moved
forward with the study committee process. With the assistance of the UCC
Congregation, equity for the building at 17 North Centre Ave. was established at
$382,500. A long search for a suitable building plot was completed on Dec. 9,
1996, when for the sum of $240,000 we purchased the existing tract of land along
with the Stone House. The Stone House, which was used for meetings and
fellowship, was later sold for $220,000.
Pastor Reed resigned in the
spring of 1997, and accepted a call to Dover, Pa. Pastor Richard Wolf became our
pastor as a Synod interim appointee. His goal was three-fold: Dissolve the
Union, increase stewardship and make plans for a new sanctuary.
Quoting Pastor Wolf: “I have seen
your promised land – it is beautiful! You have come to terms with your history.
You are discovering a new identity. You have renewed your denominational
linkages. You are committed to a new future. There is much to celebrate!"
A Call Committee was appointed
and Pastor Houck was called. He began his ministry on Sept. 1, 1998.
On a cold, windy April 18, 1999,
groundbreaking ceremonies took place on the spot where the Altar is now placed.
The soil was turned using an antique plow pulled by congregation members and by
children using toy shovels. Lunch was served in the Stone House.
Building plans were developed,
and approved by the congregation and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
A kickoff dinner for the “Fulfilling the Dreams” capital-funds campaign was
served at the Leesport Market on April 10, 1999. Pledges of $272,000 to be paid
over a three-year term were received. Triple H Construction Company of Ephrata
was engaged to construct our new sanctuary, with the total cost of the project
about $1,250,000. After some unavoidable delays, construction began on Oct. 4,
1999. Laying of the cornerstone took place June 4, 2000.
On Sunday, June 25, 2000, the new
building was dedicated during a special service attended by a standing-room-only
crowd of 329 members and friends. Since that day, Holy Trinity has added 147
members, and weekly worship-service attendance has reached an average of 158.
On March 11, 2001, after eight
months of volunteer work by church members, the congregation dedicated the
finished basement fellowship hall, which doubles as Sunday school classrooms
through the use of moveable walls. The Sunday school continues to grow and
provides special programs for Christmas and Easter.
The additional space has allowed
the growth of other programs, including the Women of the ELCA, Boy Scouts, Cub
Scouts, and the youth group.
Rocking Horse Preschool continues
to enjoy success, with full enrollment and a waiting list a year in advance. And
Bible school attendance has grown to an average of 62.
Special activities for the church
family are held throughout the year, thanks to a very busy Fellowship Committee.
Holy Trinity also has new
ministries, including a junior choir and a prayer ministry, Prayer Power, which
meets monthly with an average attendance of 20.
After many years of vision,
dreams and dedicated work, we continue to celebrate and give thanks – we have
reached: "OUR HIGHER GROUND!"
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Pastors who have served Holy Trinity
Rev. Edgar C. Reed 1994–1997
Rev. Richard Wolf (Interim) 1997–1998
Rev. John E. Houck 1998–
Pastors who served Trinity
Rev. Benjamin D. Zweitzig 1868–1903
Rev. George S. Seaman 1904–1914
Rev. Elbert Landis 1914–1926
Rev. Karl L. Reisner
1926-1949
Rev. Charles H. Ruloff 1950–1955
Rev. Paul Fisher 1957–1965
Rev. Horace S. Mann (Supply) 1966–1972
Rev. David H. Pflieger 1972–1982
Rev. Edgar C. Reed 1984–1994
Pastors who served St. Timothy’s
Rev. Benjamin E. Kramlich 1865–1867
Rev. Alfred D. Croll
1868–1876
Rev. Philip C Croll
1879–1882
Rev. Isaiah B. Crist 1883–1885
Rev. George W. Fritsch 1885–1890
Rev. Morris F. Good 1893–1897
Rev. Amos K. Zimmerman 1897–1900
Rev. Gottlieb H. Hasskarl 1900–1901
Rev. Jacob
Peter 1903–1905
Rev. Jefferson M. Dietzler 1905–1908
Rev. Adam B. Miller 1908–1910
Rev. Benjamin S. Dise 1910–1919
Rev. Mahlon S. Miller 1919–1922
Rev. John I. Hummer 1923–1925
Rev. Lewis F. Foltz 1925–1930
Rev. Raymond C. Miller 1931–1944
Rev. Ralph T. Baily 1944–1946
Rev. J. Russell Fink 1946–1948
Rev. Fred S. Blank 1948–1955
Rev. Peter P. Grimes 1957–1962
Rev. John G. Light 1963–1970
Rev. John A. Swavely 1971–1980
Rev. David W. Brant 1981–1984
Rev. Richard Boyer
1985–1991
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