[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24968]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNION UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHARLES W. DENT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 4, 2005

  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 250th anniversary of 
the Union United Church of Christ of Neffs, Pennsylvania and to pay 
tribute to the many contributions its congregation has made to the 
cultural fabric of the Lehigh Valley.
  Established in 1755 by immigrant farmers and craftsmen, the first 
Union United Church of Christ was constructed on a 100-acre plot of 
land donated by the Schlosser family of Neffs. As the predominant 
language in the area, all services at Union Church were conducted in 
German until 1920 when English began to be incorporated.
  Shortly after the church's formation in 1755, America went to war 
with Britain to gain its independence. Reflecting its role as an 
important element of the Lehigh Valley's cultural history, several 
Revolutionary War soldiers from the area are buried in Union Church's 
old cemetery, including Colonel Stephen Balliet, who commanded American 
battalions at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.
  In 1797, a new church was built to replace the original log structure 
that the congregation had been using since 1755. This building, known 
fondly as ``Scrub Oak Church'' due to the large number of oak trees in 
the surrounding hills, later housed the church's Sunday School, which 
was organized in 1846.
  The construction of the congregation's current home, a striking red 
brick church built in the colonial style of 18th Century England, was 
completed in 1871 at a price of just over $35,000.00. A tribute to its 
wonderful design and preservation, the Union Church is one of the most 
recognizable and beautiful structures in Lehigh County.
  To commemorate their 250th Anniversary, members of Union Church have 
conducted a year-long celebration that has included a musical program 
entitled ``250 Christmases at Neffs'', a series of German heritage 
events, and an organ concert. While the congregation spent much of the 
last year honoring their past and celebrating their present, it was 
their involvement in building a family's future that exemplifies the 
positive impact this church has always had on life in the Lehigh 
Valley.
  In September 2004, members of Union Church began working with Habitat 
for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley to renovate the home of a mother and 
her four sons living in nearby Allentown, Pennsylvania. During a 
dedication ceremony on October 16, 2005, the amazing volunteers from 
Union Church welcomed this family to their newly renovated home and 
presented them with a check for the first month's mortgage, a new 
lawnmower, and numerous other housewarming gifts provided by the 
congregation.
  Tomorrow, November 5, 2005, members of the Union Church and the local 
community will gather for a banquet at the Emerald Fire Company to mark 
the conclusion of their year-long Anniversary celebration.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing 
the anniversary of the Union United Church of Christ of Neffs, 
Pennsylvania.

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