SHENKEL
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
1837
November 6 – Met at home of Edward Posey to organize a German Reformed Congregation
December 11 – Elected officers; elders and deacons ordained to their offices by John C. Guldin; Resolved that the name of this church shall be “The Second German Reformed Church” of Coventry Township, Chester County, and that a house of worship be built.
1838
June 4 – (White Monday) – Cornerstone laid
1839
“Free Love Valley” happenings
1843
August 7 – Church incorporated; split occurs, only 12 members left
1844 – 1845
Church buildings renovated and made larger
1894
Name change to “Shenkel Reformed Church”
1920 – 1930
Hazel L. Rutter was church organist
1927
90th Anniversary; Moller 2 Manual Electric Action Pipe Organ with Chimes installed
1930 – 1944
Mrs. William Boyer, Sr., (Mary) church organist; William H. Shenton was hired as choir director
1937
Fenton I. Laucks installed as pastor
October 24 thru October 31 – 100th Anniversary celebrated THEME: “The Church by the Side of the Road”
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1938
June 7 – Church building struck by lightning; all fuses were blown, perhaps saving the church from being destroyed by fire; no injuries
1952
Rev. Edward L. Schlingman becomes supply pastor
November – Thelma Renninger accepted the position of full-time church organist and choir director
1955
Church basement divided into Sunday School rooms
1957
April 28 – Lightning bolt hit church; no serious damage
1958
Church School Attendance: 140
1959
July – United Church of Christ formed by merger of Evangelical Reformed Church and Congregational Christian Church: Shenkel becomes Shenkel United Church of Christ
1960
September – Rev. Lawrence Foard, Jr. becomes the first full-time pastor
1963
September 8 – The new parsonage is dedicated
October 20 – Rev. Robert E. Reiff installed as pastor
1964
September 27 – Service of re-dedication for the renovation of the Narthex and Sanctuary
1968
Six acres of land adjacent to the church purchased for $10,241.71, later to be called Shenkel Grove
1970
Burning of the mortgage, ending renovation debts; Marie Bade becomes choir director
1972
First outdoor wedding in Shenkel Grove; Hurricane Agnes floods area – Shenkel Church members help with clean-up. Church membership: 240
1978
Daniel T. Moser installed as pastor
1984 thru 1987
Disciples and Women of the Bible programs were started
1987
Wanda D. Craner ordained and installed at Shenkel Church as minister of Wholeness; prayer groups established; 150th Anniversary celebrated with the pageant: “The Little Country Church”
1994
Feb 20 – Dedication of Murphy tracker pipe organ, chimes and chancel and nave renovation
1996
Brian C. Hardee installed as the 25th Pastor
2000
Installation of heating and air-conditioning system, expanded educational addition with new classrooms, accessible restrooms, church office and pastor’s study
October 29 – Dedication of new building expansion
2002
November – Celebration of the 165th anniversary of Shenkel United Church of Christ with the theme “The Great Parade”
February – Shenkel participated in “One Night at a Time” program and housed 30 homeless persons on cold nights
2003
February – Shenkel’s second year as a host of “One Night at a Time”; program housed only 12 guests since the extreme cold weather forced other agencies to open their doors to those in need
2005
February – We again served those in need of shelter in the “One Night at a Time” program
2006
Narthex renovated and new carpeting installed in the sanctuary; parsonage was renovated; Pastor Brian Hardee resigned, and search commit formed
2007
Pastor Bonnie Moore was called to be our 26th pastor, beginning her ministry with Shenkel Church April 23rd; Service of Installation – July 29th
September – A Community Lunch Bunch was established inviting members and community people to share in this program, held monthly, and including lunch and guest speakers; attendance has grown from 24 to 52 persons
November – Shenkel United Church of Christ, with approximately 300 members, celebrated its 170th anniversary. The theme, “My hands work for God at Shenkel United Church of Christ” reflects Shenkel’s spirit as we continue to grow and change
2008
North Coventry Township banned our ability to sponsor the Homeless Ministry, One Night at a Time; Shenkel retained and attorney (Brian Nagel of MacElree Harvey in West Chester) who helped negotiate with the Township regarding our desire to provide temporary emergency housing of homeless people through the One Night at a Time program.
2009
We entered the third winter of being unable to participate in the rotating emergency shelter for homeless people, coordinated by Ministries on Main Street; after multiple meetings with township officers we decided to allow the ACLU to file a complaint in Federal Court on our behalf
2010
New flooring was installed in the chancel; continued our guests to receive permission from North Coventry Township to resume our ministry to those in need of a temporary, warm, safe place to sleep during the cold winter months
2011
Church Art Glass was awarded the contract for replacing the stained-glass windows in the Sanctuary; the project was finished in December
2012
175th Anniversary celebrated all year, the theme: “Rooted and Grounded in Love”; The time capsule created 25 years ago under the leadership of Pastor Dan Moser was unearthed and opened. Its contents included items from our 150th anniversary: a t-shirt, mug, bookmark, notecards, photos and essays of Sunday School children, newspaper articles including the installation of Rev. Homer Royer, Jr., and the history of Shenkel Church.