SHENKEL

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.