FacebookLoading...
Like many other Lancaster churches founded in the 19th century, this congregation began (in 1855) as a Mission Sunday School sponsored by one of Lancaster's long-established churches. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church believed that it was important to offer an opportunity to study and develop a faith in Christ to an unserved part of the Lancaster.
Continually growing numbers of worshipers made it necessary to move to larger quarters 3 times until 1872 when Trinity Church Council voted to build a church on the corner of N. Queen and E. James Sts., which they named Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church. Grace Church was chartered on April 22, 1874.
The new congregation continued to expand and in 1907 a larger and more beautiful church was built on the same land. On December 6, 1908, the dedication service for "New" Grace church was held at 10:30 AM, with baptisms and confirmation at later services that day. Special services were held throughout the week. The Rev. Dr. C. Elvin Haupt was pastor of Grace as the congregation worshipped in "Old" Grace, during design and construction of the new building, and for the first twelve years of his call.
For more than one year during construction, Grace's congregation worshiped in nearby Shaarai Shomayim synagogue. When the basement of the new church building could be occupied, worship services, Sunday School classes, and the parochial school were held there.
From the Intelligencer Journal of Saturday, December 5, 1908: The basement (of the new church) contains a large Sunday School room, classrooms, infant rooms, a church school (parochial school operated until 1923), kitchen, scullery, heating department, library, and toilets. The entire basement is finished in selected yellow pine.
After the 816 working days needed to erect the edifice, the newly dedicated church building was ready to serve its congregation, its neighborhood, and the world from Queen and James Streets. Our mission continues from here today.
Pastors
Since its inception Grace Church has had 7 pastors, the first being The Rev. David Geissinger (1874-1879), the organizing pastor of the new congregation.
Grace's second pastor, The Rev. C. Elvin Haupt (1880-1920), was well-known throughout the city. He served both religious and civic needs in the community. His ministry was frequently one-to-one as he walked the streets of Lancaster and both church members and non-members would come to Dr. Haupt for baptisms, weddings, and burials.
Dr. Haupt was one of the organizers of Lancaster General Hospital and served on its Board of Directors until his death in 1920. Several other men from Grace also served on the Board. In fact, Grace's congregation contributed medical supplies and food on a monthly basis until the hospital became self-sufficient. Education was another of Dr. Haupt's special interests. In 1881 he established a parochial school for elementary students in the neighborhood. The school continued to function until 1926. Another accomplishment was founding Madame Cotta School for Girls which evolved into Shippen School for Girls and ultimately became the basis for what has become Lancaster
Country Day School.
In 1920 when Dr. Haupt died from heart illness, more than 6000 Lancastrians filed past his casket as it lay in Grace Church. Among the many memorials to Dr. Haupt from the citizens of Lancaster was the renaming of Lemon Street Elementary School to Haupt Elementary School in 1939.
The third pastor called to Grace Church was The Rev. Allen L. Benner (1921-1947). One of the goals during his pastorate was to reach outward in service, particularly to neighborhood children. Grace organized a month-long Daily Vacation Bible School in 1923, which that year served 45 children and by 1926 served 293 children. To enable others to join in worship, Grace began broadcasting the worship service over radio station WKJC. Unfortunately, in 1933 during the Depression, broadcasts were discontinued because of cost. Council also considered cancelling Vacation Bible School for the same reason but decided the children needed that activity, particularly at such a difficult time. Dr. Benner retired because of ill health in 1947.
In 1948 Grace called The Rev. Warren Heinly (1948-1966). A great deal of new construction occured during his pastorate. A fund begun in 1929 culminated in the construction of the Education Building in 1956. In addition, the church interior received needed renovations and redecoration.
Social awareness and concerns were evidenced by several activities during this period. In 1949 an inter-racial sponsored by the Lancaster County Council of Churches was held at Grace Church. Also in 1949 two significant social services were supported by this congregation: the Lutheran Children's Bureau and the Lutheran Service for Older People. Outreach activities to both children and senior citizens had long been an important ministry at Grace. As an aftermath of war in Europe, Grace welcomed 26 Latvian refugees into the congregation. This form of outreach has continued as circumstances warranted it through the years.
After Pastor Heinly's retirement in 1966, The Rev. Paul A. Trump (1966-1986) was called to be our Pastor. These were turbulent times in Lancaster and Pr. Trump called upon the congregation not only to talk like Christians but to act like Christians. The congregation continued to expand neighborhood ministry, continuing Vacation Bible School in July and converting the parking lot into a neighborhood playground in August. Grace sponsored two seminars on race relations during particularly discordant times in the city and in 1968 sponsored an Inter-Racial Choir. Focus on youth was an essential part of Grace's ministry at this time and young people became more involved in the congregation's organization and decision-making. Because this was the time of "suburban flight," the size of the congregation diminished. The conflict between religious and secular life also took its toll. Many changes took place in the city and in Grace Church by the time Pr. Trump retired in 1986.
When The Rev. Walter Carlson (1985-1996) was called, he reorganized the staff ministry to include an Associate Pastor Evangelist, who would deal with evangelism, social ministry and outreach into the neighborhood. The Rev. Jonathan Jenkins was called to fill this position. As one of his first activities, Pr. Jenkins oversaw distribution of various flyers throughout a sixteen-block area around the church, inviting everyone to worship with us, to discuss their thoughts about religion with him and to bring or send their children to specific programs. He established an After-School Club for elementary students. Vacation Bible School continued. Families were not required to join the church in order to let their children attend these activities. Pastor Carlson resigned because of illness.
In 1996 and our present minister, The Rev. Stephen Verkouw, was called. A clear focus on neighborhood and other outreach continues along with the children's activities mentioned above. A weekly event attended by both members of Grace and neighbors of the church is our Wednesday night suppers. Meals are prepared by church members and everyone is welcome. In addition, after years of study and planning, the congregation renovated the Education Building to satisfy federal regulations for a child care facility and Grace Place Children's Center opened in August of 2000. Another neighborhood centered activity undertaken in the past few years is Lancaster Housing and Neighborhood Services (LHANDS), begun with "seed money" from Grace Church and originally organized by members of the congregation.Several properties have been purchased. The intention is to have LHANDS function as an autonomous organization which will include others interested in restoring the area to a vibrant neighborhood.
Throughout the 137-year history of Grace Church, our abiding faith in Christ and our desire to continually grow in faith has sustained this congregation and guided us in outreach to others. We worship together. We socialize. We study, pray and play together. We believe Christ will continue to sustain us and we welcome others to join our church family.
Memorial Gifts and Renovation Projects
1908 Church windows (the von Gerichten Art Glass Co., Columbus, Ohio);
organ (Hope Jones Organ Co., Elmira, New York);
memorial bell from "Old"Grace installed in tower of "New" Grace building
1916 Altar
1918 Lectern
1920 Tower chimes (a set of ten bronze bells)
Memorial tablet for Grace members who served in the World War
1923 pulpit (from the entire congregation in memory of Pastor C. Elvin Haupt)
1925 Candlesticks
1927 Brass offering plates
1931 Sanctuary renovations
Lighted cross atop tower
1950 Marble communion rail and bronze gates;
altar vases; bibles for pulpit and lectern;
new bronze cross, covered in gold leaf, atop spire in church tower;
cap for baptismal font (font itself was brought to "New" Grace from "Old" Grace Church)
1960 Sacristy dedicated to memory of Pastor Benner
1962 Addition of a twelfth tower bell
1967 Total sanctuary renovation,
including new Schlicker organ and its relocation to balcony, and new pews
1987 chancel kneelers, needlepoint by Grace members
1991 Saint Peter's Chapel added in basement of church building
1996 Total restoration of tower bell console and addition of three new bronze bells, for a total of fifteen
2005 Narthex renovation
Dates and Costs Associated with the Grace Building Project
1871 Lot purchased, corner of Queen and James $4,000
1874 "Old" Grace building completed
1886 "Old" Grace first church in Lancaster City to install electricity
1906 Original bid to build "New" Grace $65,000
1907 Donation from Andrew Carnegie for organ $2,000
1907 Hope Jones organ contract $4,500
1909 Contracts to date for church $91,600
1909 Total indebtedness to this time $45,750
1909 Cost of windows $4136
1910 $40,000 in bonds sold
1910 Pew rents $6 to $10 annually
1924 Entire debt paid off during Pastor Benner's ministry