Dryland
United Church of Christ
ABOUT US
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
CONSISTORY
President – Dan Cruttenden (E)
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Vice President - Alison Rothrock (E)
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Treasurer – Dewayne Heller (E)
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Ron Weidner
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CHURCH STAFF
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Office Admin - Brooke Schaller
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Music Director - Dr. Susan Bostian
OUR PASTOR
The Reverend Edward Livingston is an ordained minister who has had a wide variety of experiences. His past experiences have given him the insight and skills we believe make him the perfect spiritual leader to help move Dryland forward in our mission and purpose.
He attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA from 2004 – 2007 and obtained his Master's in Divinity. He was ordained on November 14, 2010. His most recent congregation prior to accepting the call at Dryland UCC was serving the Armenian Martyrs Congregational Church in Havertown, PA as an interim minister, 2017 – 2019. He has helped this congregation improve their administrative accountability, update financial standards, helped them move forward with community outreach, and organized multiple discovery forums to prepare for a settled pastor. During his time there, membership grew for the first time in seven years.
To email the Pastor, click here:
OUR HISTORY
The year 2013 marked the 250th Anniversary of the formation of the Dryland Union Church, formed from the Union of the congregations of the Lutheran Reformed (now United Church of Christ) Churches of Hecktown, Pennsylvania. The two congregations existed separately prior to that year, though it is not clear exactly when they were established. Records show that the Union Church was formed in 1763, with Casper Dietrich Weyberg serving as the first reformed congregation pastor and John Andreas Frederici serving as the first Lutheran Congregation Pastor. Thus the year 1763 is considered the documented beginning of the Dryland Union Church's Reformed Congregation, which eventually became Dryland United Church of Christ.
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The first Union church building was constructed on the land of Casper Wister in 1763, in the area of the current intersection of Steuben Road and 191. The second church building was a rectangular stone structure that was dedicated on August 15, 1790, although the church was not given the deed to the property until 1794. The church structure that now houses Trinity Lutheran Church was built and dedicated in 1849. The building was renovated and expanded over the years while the Reformed and Lutheran Congregations continued to operate as the Dryland Union Church.
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Due to the challenges of having two sizeable congregations sharing a single church building, in 1962 a committee of representatives from both the Reformed and Lutheran congregations was formed to study the Union Church situation. The outcome was a decision to dissolve the Union Church, with the Lutheran congregation to retain the present Trinity Lutheran Church building and the Reformed congregation to obtain ground for a new church building.
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In March of 1965, the Articles of Dissolution were prepared to formally document the process to dissolve the Union Church, including the division of various assets. Land for the new Dryland UCC church was purchased in May of 1966 and a cornerstone for the new church was laid in October 1966. The final joint service of the Union Church was held on February 26, 1967, and the first service in the new Dryland UCC church was a Lenten Service held on March 1, 1967.
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Over the years the Dryland congregation has continued to grow and expansion of the church became necessary. The Christian Ed Center expansion and the renovation of the Narthex and Sanctuary were completed in 1993 and the most recent renovation of the sanctuary was completed in 2009.