First Reformed UCC Church of Lancaster
The Stone Church. Built 1752 - 1756.
It replaced the log church on the site of today’s church.

Image source above left: *The Reformed Church..*, Dubbs, 1936. Above right: Watercolor by David McNeely Stauffer. LancasterHistory.org

Above: *200 Years and More of the First Reformed Church*, C. Nevin Heller, 1936.

Constructing the Stone Church:
Shutters, Shingles, and Three Barrels of Beer:

By the 1750s the Reformed congregation’s log church building was bursting at the seams. It was time to upgrade. A local resident purchased the old log church and moved it across Orange Street for use as a dwelling. Unfortunately in 1836 that building was destroyed by fire.
Stone masons completed the new church building in 1756 or early 1757. Carpenters included church elder Jacob Kuntz, plus Johannes Grosch and John Feltman. Itemized bills from the carpenters included shutters, wood shingles, wine, rum, and three barrels of beer. The shingles were probably side-lap, wood shingles. The beer probably was not root beer.

Floorplan of the Stone Church
Drawn ca. 1852:

Above: Painting of the stone church by Ralph L. Lindsay, 2002

The stone-church’s main entrance was to the west, on Christian Street, so the congregation could face East, in the ancient tradition of facing the rising sun.
The walnut communion table in the stone church previously was used in the log church. A circular balustrade surrounded the table.
The windows had no stained glass. An ornate glass chandelier lit the interior. In 1850 the chandelier was replaced by gas light. The pews were boxed and high-back. A settee for the preacher and Windsor chairs provided additional seating.
The interior received a partial gallery in 1769. During an 1822 renovation a chancel replaced the wine-glass pulpit and communion circle. During that renovation, the interior received a balcony along the sides. A wood floor replaced the original brick pavement.

Pulpit, Pews, and Praying into a Hat
As remembered by Rev. Harbaugh:

Above: Singing at church and praying into a hat in *Harbaugh’s Harfe* (Harbaugh’s Harp), 1870. …*Im Schtuhl sich leis in Hut gebet, - Sell wert nau net gedhu!* (…and in the hat a prayer did go, but that we no more choose.) Dialect poetry by Rev. Henry Harbaugh.
Rev. Harbaugh was pastor of Lancaster’s First Reformed Church from 1850 to 1860. He led the congregation during the construction of today’s brick church which replaced the stone building.
Praying into a hat was also a British tradition. “The country buck (on a Sunday) draws on a pair of corderoys, with topboots, and white cotton stockings; he adds to these a yellow kerseymere waistcoat [wool vest] and a blue coat…walks into church, says a prayer into a hat but newly purchased.” (*Beatrice, A Novel*, by Mary White, London, 1824.)

Wineglass Pulpits of Pennsylvania’s Reformed Churches:

The stone church’s first pulpit was a wineglass pulpit. This form was also used in other historic churches in Pennsylvania, among various denominations. The design dates back to medieval Europe. This pulpit tradition continues. Today’s ca. 1905 pulpit at First Reformed Church has a wineglass design.

Old Zion Church at Brickerville, PA:

Above: Wineglass pulpit in Zion Reformed Church, Brickerville. Church built in 1813. Image: BubbDeisgn, Facebook.

Above: The Zion Reformed Church (Old Zion), Brickerville. Built in 1813 by Emanuel Deyer. Image: OldZionChurch.org

The Peace Church at Camp Hill, PA:

Above: Wineglass pulpit in the Peace Church, Camp Hill
Church was built in 1798 by a Reformed congregation. Image source: PHMC.

Above: The Peace Church at Camp Hill. Image source: PennLive.com

Return to this website’s index page about First Reformed UCC Church: Index page / Home .