A pioneer faith community

The landmark stone church at 45 Cemetery Road in rural New Ringgold is home to two of the region's earliest congregations, now merged into one.

Situated 7 miles south of Tamaqua, Zion's Stone Church traces its heritage to John Michael Hoppes (Habbes) Sr., born in Neudorf Germany in 1722.

He and wife Catherine Barbara Machler arrived in Philadelphia in 1751.

In 1762, the family moved to Lynn Township, worshipping at Weisenberberg Church.

Concerned about a lack of churches north of the Blue Mountain, Hoppes deeded 100 acres of land in 1768 for use by two congregations.

Early records indicate the Lutherans would gather for Sunday worship one Sunday while a Reformed congregation would gather the next Sunday.

In the late 1700s the Lutheran congregation would have been a part of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania while the Reformed congregation was originally under the jurisdiction of the Reformed Church of Holland, finally becoming part of a newly formed Synod of the German Reformed Church.

In 1784, a log building, 30 by 40 feet, was constructed featuring a large stone chimney. It had no floors except for hard dirt and was used as a school and church.

In 1790, the first church building used solely for worship was built from logs.

According to records, the congregation was so poor it took six years to complete the building.

The Rev. Herman Jacob Schellhart served until 1807, followed by the Rev. Daniel Schaeffer until 1835.

John Hoppes Jr. and son Christian hauled all of the stones to build the 1846 church. They'd awake at 2 a.m. and drive 4 miles with six horses to retrieve stone at the Blue Mountain.

A proclamation was adopted listing the name as "Zion's High German Reformed and German Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Penn."

The first organ arrived in 1866. The steeple and bell were added in 1884 and 1885.

In 1911, the church property was timbered and proceeds used to remodel the church in 1919. Electricity was added in 1920, powered by a 32-volt generator.

In 1927, a fire damaged the church nave, requiring additional remodeling, at which point an Ascension mural was added.

The park pavilion was built in 1937 for church picnics and band concerts.

In 1941, a new Moeller pipe organ was installed. A Christian education building was completed in 1960, and the narthex was added in 1973.

In fall 2003, Zion's long-range planning committee recommended to the church board the possibility of creating one new congregation that would be affiliated with both the UCC and the ELCA.

In December 2003, the congregations were asked for their input. Overwhelming support from the members encouraged the board, and in early 2004 the board gave the long-range planning committee the task of drawing up a draft constitution for the new congregation.

Feedback from all sides was considered, and a final draft was approved in October 2004.

A charter document was designed containing the preamble to the new constitution, and it was made available for members' signatures beginning on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004. Well over 200 signatures had been collected on the charter by Christmas Eve.

The legal process of getting state approval culminated with an announcement on Palm Sunday, March 20, 2005, that Zion's Stone Church of West Penn Township Inc. was a corporate reality.