Zion United Church celebrates 250th year
POTTSTOWN >> The first of a series of special worship services to celebrate a milestone anniversary took place recently at Zion’s United Church of Christ.
The Sunday worship service remembered some historic events held within the walls of “The Old Brick Church”— built in 1796. A “mock” funeral procession was held at the death of Washington in 1799. Additionally, a memorial service was held for Lincoln in 1865, at about the time the “Lincoln Special” funeral train passed through Pottstown on the way from Harrisburg to Philadelphia where his body would lie in state in Independence Hall.
The church lifted up those services with a funeral procession and read moving eulogies written for Washington and Lincoln. Washington’s was by a former slave, Bishop Richard Allen, a pastor from Philadelphia. Lincoln’s was done by Dr. Phineas Gurley, a Presbyterian minister from New York City.
“We were fortunate to have Rev. Elliott Liverman, a colleague pastor from Pottstown, to be a pall bearer portraying an African American soldier/ preacher, and deliver a powerful interpretation on the meaning of the Emancipation Proclamation. Ms. Shawn Morris was also in attendance, Vice President of Pottstown’s NAACP,” the church said.
The 69th Pennsylvania Irish Volunteers Band played during the service along with musician and interpreter, Tom Jolin from Orrtanna, Pennsylvania. Jolin played the period correct dulcimer hammer which he crafted.
The event was meant to remember the first report of the church’s first pastor about the Reformed Church in Pottstown. Rev. John Philip Leydich reported to the Coetus in Germantown about 50 families in the Pottstown congregation on September 20-21, 1769. The event will also be remembered on September 29, 2019 when Trinity and Zion’s will be worshiping together, with Rev. Worley preaching (Pennsylvania Southeast Conference Minister).