History

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1863 by a small group of German Lutherans under the leadership of the Rev. A. T. Geissenhainer. The congregation worshipped in a private home until the first church building was erected in 1864. German remained the language of worship until well into the twentieth century, although some worship services were held in English as early as 1873.

Also in 1873, the congregation recognized the need to replace the original church building with a larger facility. Because of that, the 42 graves in the cemetery located behind the building (at what is today the corner of Packer Avenue and Martell Street) were moved to the new Fountain Hill Cemetery. In 1879 the second church building was dedicated, although the cornerstone is dated 1873. In 1895 the second building was remodeled, but as St. Peter's continued to grow, the congregation again recognized the need for a larger building. In 1916, the congregation erected the building that now stands on the corner of Packer Avenue and Vine Street. In 1963, one hundred years after its founding, the congregation expanded its property with the addition of a Christian Education Building. The congregation shares a parking lot with Broughal Middle School.

In the 1980"s the congregation began to face the fact that none of its building programs had included plans for accessibility. The two buildings included three levels, and the gym had been dug below the bottom level of the older building. In 1992, the congregation began a building and renovations program. This program included the addition of an elevator tower to allow handicapped accessibility to the three main floors and ramping on the second level in areas in which a small number of steps had prevented wheelchair access. The Nave, Sunday Church School classrooms, and offices also underwent major repairs and remodeling.

The 1992 building and renovations program, called "Keys to the 21^st Century," was a visible statement of St. Peter's commitment to remain "In the City for Good; In the City for God." The congregation has made a conscious commitment to remain a witness to Jesus Christ on the Southside of Bethlehem. This commitment includes participation in the ecumenical Southside Ministries, the Meal Center and Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, the Mayor's Southside Taskforce, and Campus Ministry with students from Lehigh University. St. Peter's provides space for two Headstart classes and welcomes Lehigh University and other community organizations into its buildings for programs and meetings. The congregation has a commitment to support the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, the Lutheran World Hunger Appeal, and Lutheran Disaster Response. St. Peter's moves into the year 2000 as a part of the Horizon Internship Program, having been chosen by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as a learning site for seminarians who feel called to serve in urban ministry.

The following Senior Pastors have provided leadership for St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church since its founding in 1863:

The Rev. A. T. Geissenhainer (1863-1867)
The Rev. Jacob Zentner (1867-1868)
The Rev. J. B. Rath (1868-1869)
The Rev. C. J. Cooper (1879-1886)
The Rev. W. F. Schoener (1886-1901)
The Rev. J. O. Leibensperger (1901-1937)
The Rev. Corson C. Snyder (1937-1953)
The Rev. John R. Taylor (1954-1956)
The Rev. Peter J. Dexnis (1957-1960)
The Rev. John V. Peters (1961-1970)
The Rev. Ralph A. Boyer III (1970-1980)
The Rev. Edward R. Dufresne (1981-1991)
The Rev. Edith B. Roberts (1992-present)