Spruce Run Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church

Spruce Run Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church, better known as Spruce Run Lutheran Church, is located in Lebanon Township, New Jersey. The congregation is a member of the New Jersey Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The congregation was organized in 1774 by thirteen members who worshiped in the barn of Frederick Fritts in the summer, and in his home during the winter. Initially, services were conducted every four weeks, and were exclusively in German.[1]

In 1861, Spruce Run Lutheran Church was the site of the first convention of the New Jersey Synod of churches. The new Synod met there again in 1868.[2]

Clergy

The church’s first pastor was Reverend William Graf, who began serving the congregation in 1774. His formal call as pastor began in July 1775; he served until 1800, as part of a circuit of six other area Lutheran churches.[2]

On September 2, 1834, the church called its own pastor, Rev. Robert Collyer.[3] From that time on the church maintained complete independence from the other circuit churches.[2]

List of clergy

As of 2019, the church has had 21 pastors, comprising 22 pastoral tenures (Rev. Steven Traver served twice, from 1900-1905 and 1927-1947).[4]

Pastor NameTenure StartTenure End
William Graf17751808
Ernest Lewis Hazelius18081815
David Hendricks18161822
Henry Pohlman18221833
Richard Collier18331860
Philip A. Strobel18601864
David Kline18641877
Chester H. Traver18771885
Valentine F. Bolton18851895
Charles Bickle18951900
Stephen Traver19001905
John I. Hummer19061909
Stanley Haverly19091921
Eugene F. Sherman19211927
Stephen Traver19271947
George R. Koehler19501959
Folkers V. Freimanis19601965
Richard R. Shenton19661973
Elmer Eiche19731980
Galen Tinder19811990
Gary L. Salmon19901997
Gary V. Ettlemyer19982019

The building

The first church building was built in 1800. Of frame construction from yellow poplar, the church was known as the “red church.” This was a Union church, combining Reformed and Lutheran congregations.[1]

In 1835 a new stone church was built to the left of the old frame church.

The cornerstone for the present church building was laid on July 30, 1870, and the church was dedicated on March 9, 1871.

References
  1. http://www.njchurchscape.com/SpruceRun-Lutheran.html
  2. http://zionoldwick.com/643067.ihtml
  3. Chambers, Theodore Frelinghuysen (1895). The Early Germans of New Jersey: Their History, Churches, and Genealogies. Dover Printing Company. p. 221.
  4. An Historical Retrospect of Lebanon Township, New Jersey. Lebanon Township Historical Society. 1999. p. 75.
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