Church | St. Peter's Christ DeLong United Churches of Christ

ST. PETER'S & CHRIST DELONG UNITED CHURCHES OF CHRIST

Sharing a joint ministry and a common mission since 1991

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St. Peter's UCC, Topton, PA
Worship Service begins at 9:00am

Christ DeLong, UCC, Bowers, PA
Worship Service begins at 10:30am

Our churches are located in beautiful, rural Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Situated comfortably between Allentown and Reading, the area boasts many advantages.

Our proximity to larger metropolitan cities allows access to major business opportunities, quality medical care, and the treasures of the fine art world. Colleges and universities abound, as well as regional cultural and heritage events.

We are two separate congregations enjoying the benefits of a joint ministry since 1991.

Our congregations have a long history of sharing God's word together, and with the larger community around us.

We hope to share God's word with you!

Missed a service? Click on the link to view our services on YouTube.

Video

ABOUT

Our mission, as a combined ministry, includes the common purpose to live as God's people by sharing the faith with our community and beyond. Through service, spiritual growth, fellowship, preaching, teaching, caring and love, we strive to honor our traditions while looking to the future.

St. Peter's History

The institutional religious life in Topton began sometime between 1865 and 1869 when a Sunday School was formed. Excelsior Subscription School housed the Sunday School for a period of time. On October 29, 1871, St. Peter's Union Church was established. Rev. A.J. Herman was the Reformed Pastor and Rev. B.E. Kramlich was the Lutheran Pastor. The cornerstone of the first church building was laid on the same site as the Subscription School building. In 1881 the church was rebuilt and enlarged. Beginning January 1913, the two congregations severed their relationship. On May 11, 1924, blueprints were prepared for a new church building. On Sunday, September 24, 1925, the cornerstone for the new building was laid at its current location. The first service occurred on Palm Sunday, 1926 and the building was dedicated on June 5, 1927. In 1934, the Reformed Church in the United States and the Evangelical Synod of North America merged, forming a "Plan of Union". In 1957, St. Peter's elected to join the Evangelical and Reformed Church with the Congregational Christian Churches. St. Peter's separated from the charge in 1964. In 1991, it was approved by both St. Peter's and Christ DeLong to share a joint ministry that

continues to this day.

Christ DeLong's History

The German Reformed congregation was started in 1759. Peter Delong (Delangh) donated two acres of land and a log cabin was erected to serve as the first sanctuary. The first regular pastor to serve was

Rev. John Henry Helffrich who served from

1772 until 1810. Rev. Charles G. Herman, served the longest pastorate from 1810 to 1861. During his pastorate, Zion's Church at Maxatawny was organized and became a part of his charge.

In 1859, the church became a "union" church. His son, Rev. Alfred J. Herman, served the two congregations for thirty-one years. During his pastorate, St. Peter's Church in Topton was organized. In that same year, St. Peter's and St. Paul's Reformed Church in Kutztown were united in a separate charge. In 1892, The Maxatawny Charge was formed by combining the four churches, served by Rev. George B. Smith, D.D. for almost forty-five years. After his death, St. Paul's separated from the charge. In 1937, Rev. Franklin D. Slifer, D.D. became pastor of the Maxatawny Charge. During the years, the name of the church changed from Christ DeLong's Reformed Church to The Christ (DeLong's) Evangelical & Reformed Church and to the present name, Christ DeLong United Church of Christ.

ABOUT

EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

All dates and times are subject to change.

If you have any questions about an event, please contact the church office at (610) 682-7633.

St. Peter's UCC Drive-Thru Sausage Sandwich Sale

April 5, 2025 ~ 10:00 am - ? ~ St. Peter's, UCC, 122 W. Franklin St., Topton, PA 19562

~ St. Peter's UCC, Topton will be having our first DRIVE-THRU Sausage Sandwich Sale of the year on April 5th. Sandwiches are $6 each (cash only) and are available with or without sauce, onions & peppers. Please enter at our parking lot at Broad Alley and exit at Franklin Street. The sale begins at 10am and goes until we sell out!

Contemporary Palm Sunday Joint Worship Service & Brunch

April 13, 2025 ~ 10:30 am ~ Christ DeLong, UCC, 63 Old Bowers Rd., Bowers, PA 19511

~ We invite you to join us for our Joint Palm Sunday Worship Service on April 13, 2025 at 10:30am at Christ DeLong UCC. There will be a brunch immediately following the service in the downstairs fellowship hall. Sign-up sheets are in the Narthex of each church if you plan to attend the brunch.

Maundy Thursday Service

April 17, 2025 ~ 7:00 pm ~ Longswamp, UCC, 200 Clay Rd, Mertztown, PA 19539

~ Longswamp UCC has invited St. Peter's UCC and Christ DeLong UCC in observing Maundy Thursday with a Tenebrae service and Communion.

Community Egg Hunt

April 19, 2025 ~ 3:00 pm ~ Christ DeLong, UCC, 63 Old Bowers Rd., Bowers, PA 19511

~ Open to the public, ages 0-100! Goodie bags will be handed out to all hunters. If you would like to donate candy, individual snack bags, juice boxes or money, please see Pastor Chris. Donations are due by April 6.

Easter Sunday Service

April 20, 2025 ~ 9:00 am ~ St. Peter's, UCC, 122 W. Franklin St., Topton, PA 19562

~ 10:30 am ~ Christ DeLong, UCC, 63 Old Bowers Rd., Bowers, PA 19511

~ We invite you all to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. St. Peter's UCC worship begins at 7:00 am with fellowship immediately after, in the Adult Sunday School Room. Christ DeLong UCC worship begins at 9:00 am.

RECURRING EVENTS:

Lent & Easter Sermon Series

~ Whether tightening a bolt, crocheting, or typing on a computer, there is so much that we do with our hands. The Greek physician, Galen, called them the instrument of instruments. Indeed, hands are instruments that can do a great deal of things. Hands can be used to heal or hurt, work or wreck, build or break, seize or surrender, and on and on. Hands are so often central to the ways we interact with the world that they have also become figurative symbols of power, control, craftsmanship, and possession. We daily speak of hands in many phrases, such as “Lend a hand,” “Things are out of hand,” “Working together hand in glove,” and “Close at hand.” Moreover, in our modern era of robotic, machine, and computer processing, adding “hand” as a prefix to many words can often communicate something that is personal and intentional. Labeling something as handpicked, handwritten, or handmade adds a personal touch and significance. Our Creator has bestowed on us these amazing instruments.

Lent 1 – The Hand of the Lord Who Creates & Saves

Lent 2 – The Hand of the Lord Who Casts Out Demons

Lent 3 – The Hand of the Lord Who Heals the Sick

Lent 4 – The Hand of the Lord Who Raises the Dead

Lent 5 – The Hand of the Lord Who Holds All Things

Palm Sunday –

Easter – The Hand of the Lord Who is Risen

Midweek Community Lenten Services

All services begin at 7:00 pm. Fellowship and refreshments to follow.

~ March 12 – Christ Mertz Lutheran, Dryville – Pastor Angstadt

~ March 19 – St. Peter’s UCC, Topton – Rev. Milne

~ March 26 – St. Paul’s Lutheran, Mertztown – Rev. Doty

~ April 2 – Hope Lutheran, Bowers – Rev. Sassaman

~ April 9 – Grace Lutheran, Topton Home – TBD

~ April 16 – Christian Congregation Church, Mertztown - TBD

Bible Study

1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month ~ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm ~ Christ DeLong, UCC, 63 Old Bowers Rd., Bowers, PA 19511

Joint Sunday School

3rd Sunday of each month ~ 10:30 am ~ Christ DeLong, UCC, 63 Old Bowers Rd., Bowers, PA 19511

~ All children are welcome to attend Sunday School during the church service.

Mat-Weaving Ministry

3rd Saturday of each month ~ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm ~ St. Peter's, UCC, 122 W. Franklin St., Topton, PA 19562

~ Join us to weave mats for our local homeless population, distributed through the Opportunity House. They are used as waterproof sleeping mats to lay on and each mat requires 500-700 plastic grocery bags! All ages are welcome to help - no experience or tools necessary. We need folders, cutters and weavers. The more, the merrier! Please use the back entrance to St. Peter's UCC and go down the steps.
**At this time we do not need for any more bag donations. Thank you to everyone who brought some in for this project!**

GALLERY