Locustdale congregation members share memories in church's 140th year

Oct. 18—Grace Evangelical Church in Locustdale is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year.

Members of the congregation shared memories while their spirits were lifted by special music during a service on Oct. 2.

The service began with the singing of the national anthem by Sydney Stokes, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and the pledge to the Christian flag, after which the building was re-consecrated.

Stokes and Brad Orativz provided special music for the occasion. The Rev. Nelson Ruppert, twice pastor of the church, 1962-68 and 1970-75, read the scriptures.

A special message by John Kessler, whose father was a member, recalled seeing members who have since passed away and where they sat in church.

Kessler said the Sunday school once had 200 members and described how important it was to consider yourself a "Daler" and the pride residents had in living in the village.

Locustdale is divided among three townships and two counties.

The church sits on the Schuylkill-Columbia County line which, starting with the second window on the east side, goes across to the third window on the west side of building.

Other members of the congregation, as well as former members in attendance, shared their memories, among whom were the Freeds, who traveled from New York to celebrate the occasion and recalled that they were married in the church 50 years ago by Ruppert.

A corsage was presented to Shirley Wehry, 91, the oldest living member of the church, by Elwood Maurer, treasurer of the church board.

C.J. Steinhilber, assisted by Briella Kunkel, rang the church bell to call all to the service.

Church history

The Rev. Rose M. Marquardt, pastor at Grace Evangelical, Zion United Methodist Church in Aristes and Wilburton United Methodist Church in Wilburton, provided a history of the church in Locustdale:

In 1882, the cornerstone was laid for the building of Grace Evangelical Church. The village of Locust Dale had a population of around 1,000 people. The main industry was mining. There were two thriving collieries in the Dale at this time: the Potts Colliery and the Keystone Colliery.

The church quickly began to grow and formed the nucleus of three churches, the Barry Church; Christ United, Lavelle; and Grace, Locust Dale. This circuit became known as the Locust Dale Circuit.

According to information printed in the Journal of The East Pennsylvania Conference of The Evangelical Association, 50th Annual Session, 1889, in Pottsville, under boundaries section: "That Locust Dale, Huntersville and Mahanoy be taken from Ashland and constitute the Locust Dale Circuit.

In 1904, under the spiritual direction of Rev. C.M. Rothermel, the original church was enlarged and the belfry was added.

In 1929, the church building was raised and a separate area for the primary department was made possible. In 1996, the original bell was restored.

The church was built between two counties. The sanctuary is in Columbia County and the body of the church is in Schuylkill County.

The church was also built on leased land from the Reading Coal Co. The first lease was for 100 years, and the church is on its second 100 year lease.

During its 140 year history, the bell on the church continues to ring.

Coal was king in 1882. It was a time when scores of families flocked to the tiny hamlet from all over Europe and carried with them the hopes and dreams of a better life for them and their families.

When the new Americans arrived, the men who were able quickly found themselves in the cool, damp belly of a mountain, where they worked what seemed like endless hours in the pitch black of the coal mines.

As miners, they put their lives on the line for a few meager weekly wages from the coal barons.

While the men and many of the small boys worked, the wives and mothers stayed home and prayed for their safe return, wondering if they had seen their loved ones alive for the last time. And so it went, day after day, year after year.

With catastrophe just an ignited fuse away, and the fear of the unknown the people had to endure, they looked for something that gave them a sense of peace, a sense of hope, a sense of commonality.

The families found their solace in the church and their peace in prayer. For well over 140 years, the tiny Grace Evangelical Independent Church on Main Street in Locustdale has been the marrow of this community.

The doors of the church opened when coal was king. The church has seen the decline of anthracite coal, the Great Depression and more wars than anyone believed possible.

And yet, through good times and bad, the bell in the steeple pealed, every Sunday calling the faithful to worship.

The bell has rang over countless weddings, where those same immigrants and their descendants came to celebrate the beginning of a couple's new journey together, and tolled the times when the congregation bid farewell to the passing of yet another of its sons or daughters whose light was, at last, extinguished.

Now with the majority of the coal mines closed, many of the company houses empty and the jobs all but gone, the one pillar of the community that still stands tall is the church.

Sunday after Sunday, people continue to gather within the church's hallowed walls to continue the traditions of the community that were set in motion so long ago.

So it is only fitting that the celebration began with the ringing of the bell telling all in the community, we are here, come and worship, come and share our joy.

The church continues to stand tall and is a beacon of light for the people of Locustdale and the surrounding communities.

Sunday morning worship continues as well as many of the traditions started by our ancestors 140 years ago.