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Our Members


WorshipWorship
WorshipWorship

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Our Staff


Deacon
and Pastoral Ministry Provide

 
Sr. Janet Stump

 

Director of Music

Nancy Fennell
Nancy Fennell

Nancy has been the Organist and Choir Director at St. Timothy since September, 1984. Raised in Lebanon, PA, she received her B.S. in Music Education at Lebanon Valley College, and her M.Ed. from Western Maryland College, with music courses at Temple University. She directs the Senior Choir, Bell Choir, and Children’s Choir, as well as leading opening worship for the Sunday School. Nancy also serves as Superintendent of the Sunday School. Nancy and her husband George have two married children.

Staff

Cheryl Christensen, Secretary
Cheryl Christensen
Secretary
Mark Maehrer
Mark Maehrer
Treasurer
Carol Keller, Financial Secretary
Carol Keller
Financial Secretary

Officers

Mary Sue Schnell
President
John Deisinger
John Deisinger
Vice President
Dick Cruse
Secretary

Congregation Council

Mary Simmons
Steton Benner
Mike Groff
Mark Maehrer
Mark Maehrer
Jonathan Mosebach
Jonathan Mosebach
Ann Ritter

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Our Story


Dr. R. L. Winters, Superintendent of Home Missions of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, United Lutheran Church in America, asked the Reverend Byron R. Stauffer to canvas the developing Hamilton Park section of west Allentown in the winter of 1952 with the intention of starting a mission church in the area. The Ministerium helped secure a residence for the pastor at 216 S. Leh Street and he went door to door inviting families to attend the first service on Sunday, July 13, 1952. The service was held in the basement of the Leh Street home with seventy worshipers in attendance and Mrs. Herman Nace, Jr., pianist.

The first Sunday Church School was held on August 3, 1952, with twenty-nine people present. The Leh Street residence was also used for the Sunday Church School utilizing all the rooms of the home (including the bathroom) as classrooms. As the Sunday Church School grew, the basements of several charter members were also used for classrooms.

The church was originally known as The Lutheran Church at Hamilton Park (prior to being officially chartered as a congregation). The name of St. Paul’s was considered, but was rejected because of the proximity of other congregations with that name. Since St. Paul’s traveling companion was St. Timothy, and because that name was not used as much (the nearest other St. Timothy congregation being in Philadelphia), it was adopted as the official name for the congregation.

St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church was officially organized and constituted on Sunday, January 11, 1953, by Dr. Winters. On February 9, 1953, under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the congregation was incorporated and granted its charter with one hundred and two chartered members.

The congregation moved to a larger building at 21st Street and Hamilton Blvd. (now the Phoebe Floral Shop), on October 1, 1955. The building (an unfinished restaurant) was purchased for $30,000. Congregation members finished the inside themselves (except for electrical and plumbing) for $8,000 under the supervision of Robert Mann.

Plans were then made to erect a permanent church building at the present site of 140 South Ott Street on property purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Stoneback, the sister of member Mary Smith, for $800. The Lutheran Church in America rejected the original building design, which specified a rectangular building. A new design with a floor plan of a pentagon was submitted and accepted. Construction began soon after and the building was dedicated and occupied by the fall of 1962.

The congregation continued to grow and more space was needed. A new wing with an office, lounge and classroom space was constructed. The wing was dedicated on June 11, 1978.

The church has been shared by other denominations over the years. The building was the home for many years of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Am Haskalah. They shared the use of our Fellowship Hall with us for over 10 years before being offered space at a local Jewish Community Center. Our congregation had joint programs with Am Haskalah several times a year during the time they worshiped in our building.

The Korean Church of the Lehigh Valley (Presbyterian) conducted their worship services on Sunday afternoons for several years while their own building was being built.

St. Timothy Lutheran formed a covenant relationship in 1983 with three other churches: First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, First Church of the Mediator (Episcopal) and St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church. The four congregations worked together on many things. There were retreats attended by all four congregations and clergy; lector and pulpit exchanges; a communion elements exchange; the group worked at Daybreak providing one meal a month for the poor of the area and worked in the food bank. The covenant group was also involved with the Council of Churches at Alliance Hall as well as many other projects. The Covenant Brass Ensemble was formed from musicians from all four congregations. They continue to play at services for the four churches on special occasions and for holidays.

Seven pastors and one deaconess have served St. Timothy Lutheran in its over sixty-five year history. They include:

The Rev. Bryon R. Stauffer (1952–1956)
The Rev. Elwood J. Culp (1957–1964)
The Rev. Richard D. Schlegel (1965–1974)
The Rev. Robert K. Bohm (1975¬–1984)
The Rev. David R. Strobel (1985–1994)
The Rev. Dr. Jay Cooper Rochelle (1994–2001)
The Rev. David P. Kidd (2002–2012)
Sister Janet Stump (2017–Present)

St. Timothy has served as an internship church for seminary students. Those serving at St. Timothy included:

Rev. David Evans
Rev. Harry Heffelfinger
Rev. Eileen Smith
Rev. Deborah Wagner
Rev. Phyllis Wolford

A Seminarian (Lutheran Theological Seminary) served St. Timothy during his senior year and immediately after his Ordination prior to receiving his first Congregational Call:

Rev. Brian Reidy (2016–2017)

Six members of our congregation have attended seminary and are now serving as pastors. They include:

Rev. Christian Eichorn
Rev. John Goldsworthy
Rev. Brian Holben
Rev. Eileen Smith
Rev. Michelle Smith
Rev. Rick Summey

The congregation at St. Timothy Lutheran has always been driven and guided by the spirit of God through its members, not the clergy. Our church family has grown and thrived on its community with each other. We are committed to providing service outreach to the community. As the community changes, so do the face of the congregation and the focus of our outreach.

We currently are exploring what new avenues of ministry will meet the needs of our neighbors and enable our church to continue to be the shining light of Christ in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley. As a result of this exploration we have adopted a vision statement: "Transforming Lives by Connecting Communities."

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  Revised 2-28-18  
© 2011 St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church
140 South Ott Street • Allentown, Pennsylvania 18104
610-435-6512 • Fax 610-435-4541
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