Reformation                   
Lutheran
             Church

A Brief History of Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church

Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church has roots going back into the 1700’s and a history studded with the names of several well-known and key figures in the history of the Lutheran Church in the United States.  The original Lutheran church in New Market was built on a rough-hewn log foundation in 1793 and was called the Davidsburg Church.  It was located close to where Reformation stands today. 

The illustrious Paul Henkel was the first pastor of this congregation.  His ministry was interrupted by numerous missionary trips into North Carolina and Tennessee , and in his absence, the congregation was served by members of the Schmucker family. 

A crisis in the community erupted when the brilliant Samuel Simon Schmucker (who later went on to help found Gettysburg Seminary and Gettysburg College) began preaching and teaching in New Market.  He was more liberal in his interpretation of the Augsburg Confession t han Paul Henkel and wanted to create a uniquely American form of Lutheranism.  As a consequence of this theological dispute, the congregation split, and in 1848 Henkel supporters built Emmanuel Lutheran Church (behind the New Market town post office).  The Davidsburg congregation built a new building and took the name St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church.  Both congregations grew and thrived in the decades following the split.

In 1932 the two congregations were able to overcome their long standing theological differences and came together as Emmanuel-St. Matthew’s served by a single pastor.  Leaders immediately began to plan for a new building to serve the needs of the newly combined congregation in the future.  Fund-raising was slow but steady.  Finally a symbolic ground-breaking for a new building located on the spot where St. Matthew’s stood was held on May 17, 1953; the cornerstone was laid on October 9, 1955; and the first service was held on Christmas Eve 1955.  The people of Emmanunel-St. Matthew’s chose the new name, Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church.  I

n recent years a number of significant improvements have been made to the building.  An addition that included an office suite and Sunday School classrooms was completed in 1993, Willett stained glass windows that beautifully and seamlessly blend Biblical stories with local history and scenery were added between 1995-1999, and a Shantz Organ was dedicated on September 19, 2004.  Today Reformation is one of the pillar Lutheran congregations in the Shenandoah Valley.

Pastors of Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church

Lester A. Wertz  1950 ~ 1956

Lewis O. Dasher  1957 ~ 1970

C. B. Troutman  1970 ~ 1987

George L. Sims  1988 ~ 2001

Paul St. Clair  2002 ~ 2005

Jeffrey R. Sonafelt  2006