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     Our Church History

 

     The history of the congregation of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church can be traced back to Revolutionary War times.  When war broke out in 1776, the minister of the Episcopal Church, then located on White Church Road, was a Loyalist while his congregation were Sons of Liberty.  He was driven from his position leaving the church without clergy to conduct its services.  The now empty “Old White Church” was “loaned to the German Lutherans until they found the means to build one for themselves”.1  

     The town of Petersburg, now known as York Springs, was laid out in 1800.  “A building was erected in 1826, on a lot donated by Jacob Gardner, Sr. and Thomas Stephens, called the Petersburg Academy, to be occupied as a place of religious worship, and to be used for school purposes, and for a public hall.”1  The Academy was located on the lot now occupied by our Parish House.  A few years later, the German Lutherans moved to the Academy for their worship services, and in 1831, called the Rev. Daniel Gottwald, newly ordained by the new seminary in Gettysburg, to be their pastor.

     The Rev. Gottwald preached his first sermon on May 31, and organized the congregation on June 26, 1831.  In 1836, the congregation purchased the lot adjacent to the Academy;  the lot included a burying ground.  The cornerstone for a new building was laid on August 21, 1836.  The church was dedicated on June 4, 1837, with the Rev. Dr. Samuel S. Schmucker participating in the service;  the church was named Huntington Lutheran Church of York Springs. Our name changed in 1962 to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

     The building was reconstructed in 1886-87 to add a second floor sanctuary, with an educational wing added in 1969.  The congregation purchased additional property to provide for parking and to erect an elevator for better access to the sanctuary.  Years later, the neighboring Parish House was purchased to provide staff offices, as well as meeting rooms for youth and other activities.  A 24-hour food cupboard is located on its porch.

     Our most recent purchase was the former Episcopal Christ Church Chapel, built in 1836;  it sits on the lot immediately adjacent to our Parish House.  Renamed The Community Corner, the exterior has retained its historic appearance while the interior was remodeled to accommodate our expanded Clothing Pantry offering good clothing to the community at no cost.

     While Holy Trinity now “owns the block”, it does so to be of service to the community of York Springs and its surrounding areas.  Worship and the ease of access to it, educational programs including regular Bible Study, an annual Book Fair, facilities for activities such as a 12 Step Program and ESL classes, hosting the New Hope Ministries' Food Truck, a Prayer Garden for meditation, and the site of a Little Free Library all speak to a desire to carry out Christ’s command to “feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless”.  

     Holy Trinity’s location in the center of York Springs allows us to celebrate not only service to the community but also to celebrate the gift of music.  A carillon has sounded the hours and seasonal hymns for the community since 1974.  A Taylor & Boody tracker action organ was installed in 1986 to support Lutheran worship, periodic concerts, and practice opportunities for budding organists.  Recent gifts of Yamaha grand and upright pianos also support worship and concert performances.  Hand chimes and an active choir enrich our worship as well. 

     Holy Trinity stands together with other organizations whose mission is to meet the needs of our community.  The church partners with other Lutheran and Protestant churches in the area, as well as with organizations such as Community Aid, New Hope Ministries, Dress for Success, and United Way.  We count among our supporters the Adams County Community Foundation, the Robert C. Hoffman Charitable Endowment Trust, the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Thrivent Financial, as well as the many members and friends of Holy Trinity.

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1 https://archive.org/details/historydirectory00reil/page/88/mode/2up

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