About Schwarzwald UCC

Our Congregation

This church acknowledges as it sole Head, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Savior of humankind. It acknowledges as brothers and sisters in Christ all who share in the confession. It looks to the Word of God in the Scriptures, and to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to prosper its creative and redemptive work in the world. It claims as its own the faith of the historic Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the Protestant Reformers. It affirms the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own. In accordance with the teaching of our Lord, and the practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, it recognizes two Sacraments: Baptism, and the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion.

Our History

The history of Schwarzwald UCC begins in 1737 with the construction of a log church by a group of German Lutherans on the site of our present church. The history of Schwarzwald is entwined with our community and nation. Exeter Township was incorporated in 1741 by the efforts of many of our early church members. With the outbreak of the American Revolution, companies of German-American infantry were raised in the Reading area. U.S. Government records indicate the following residents, buried at Schwarzwald, served with George Washington: Frederick Goodhart, William Goodhart, Daniel Guldin, Johannes Huett, Nicholas Hunter, Abraham Levan, Jacob Maurer, Johannes Niekerch, Franz Ritter and Elias Wagner.

Our present Nave was built in 1870 with modern renovations occurring at the turn of the century. With modernization came a gradual transition from a German Church to a more ecumenical one. By World War I, English replaced German as the language of Worship.

As the Lutheran and Reformed congregations grew during the first part of the 20th century, both groups came to realize that separate plans of development were needed. In 1954, the union was dissolved when the Reformed congregation bought out the Lutheran interest in the joint property.

From the German Reformed Church, we became the Reformed Church in the United States. Later we merged to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church. In 1957, after a further merger, we became part of the United Church of Christ. In 2001, Schwarzwald UCC celebrated its 275th Anniversary.

Today, Schwarzwald United Church of Christ is dedicated to carving out a future from the roots of the past. We strive to be a faith community in the service of God and the Community, the Commonwealth, the Nation and the World.

You are invited to join us in the continuing heritage of nearly three centuries of service to Our Lord, Jesus Christ.