St. Paul's Church History

St. Paul's was built in 1851 by Moses Specht on a portion of land gift-deeded by Henry Kern to the Beavertown community. The corner stone was laid April 27, 1851, and on October 11th of the same year the building was dedicated. Reverend J. P. Shindle was the founder of this church. The first minister was Reverend William G. Hackman. The church initially had 6 congregations and 552 communicants.

The log building, weather boarded and painted white with a square bell tower, was a union church which served both the Lutheran and Reformed congregations. Each congregation held its services every second week. The Lutherans erected Lutheran Church nearby in 1880, and St. Paul's then became solely a Reformed congregation.

For many years the church was part of the Beaver Springs Charge, and it's pastors served six area churches. In 1958 the charge was split, and three churches remained. On April 1, 1966, St Paul's became a single point congregation.

Over the years many improvements were made to the old building, including a hand dug basement and a small addition for the entry and nursery. In the 1980s a major remodeling was done, mainly to the front of the church, giving St. Paul's a modern look. The old bell tower was removed and a steeple and carillon replaced it. However, the old 1851 building with its beautiful stained glass windows remains as the main sanctuary. The old bell is on display at the front of the church.

In 1957 the Congregational Churches and the Reformed and Evangelical Synods voted to combine and create the United Church of Christ. St. Paul's was part of this union. On June 25, 2006, the congregation voted to disassociate from the UCC and return to the beliefs of the Reformed Church. On the same day the vote was also cast to join the Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches. On August 6, 2006, the church ordained Pastor Nancy Moyer, with the officials present from the Evangelical Association. During the same year the congregation voted to return to its former name, and incorporated the church as St. Paul's Reformed Church of Beavertown.

When you visit St. Paul's you will notice the church is surrounded on three sides by the Union Cemetery. This is due to the original gift-deed which stipulated the land was to be used for a school and adjoining playground, a cemetery, and a church. Many of the early families in Beavertown are buried in this cemetery. As one of our now deceased members said: "We may be the church that sets in the cemetery, but we most certainly are not dead! Why? BECAUSE HE LIVES!"

Pastors

• William G. Hackman 1852-1858
• G. W. M. Schultze 1858-1863
• L. C. Edmunds 1864-1876
• Abraham Romig 1876-1880
• L. C. Edmunds 1880-1883
• William M. Landis 1883-1898
• H. H. Spahn 1899-1904
• Franklin W. Brown 1905-1913
• Herman G. Snyder 1913-1916
• Thomas H. Matterness 1917-1920
• Edward H. Zechman 1921-1937
• Herbert B. Zechman 1937-1958
• Mrs. Geraldine E. Shawda 1959-1966
• Herman C. Snyder 1967-1974
• Alan Foor 1974-1988
• James Reed and Charlene Stone Maue 1988-1990 (Interim Pastors)
• Thomas M. Arner 1990-1996
• Edward Henry 1997-2001
• Jocelyn D. Richard-Livingstone 2001-2002
• Nancy Moyer 2003-2010
• Carl H. Bergerson 2010-Present