Brief History of Reading First

On January 1, 1898, members of the Maidencreek congregation (now called Mohrsville Church of the Brethren), with the approving sponsorship of the district, organized a new church in Reading. Historical accounts indicate that a preaching mission had been started by the Maidencreek congregation as early as 1895. A meeting house was built on 621-623 Church Street.

The first parsonage was secured beside the church in 1938, the same year discussions became recorded for moving the church to a new location in the future. In 1947, First Church became a charter member of the Greater Reading Council of Churches.

By 1950, discussions matured for building a new church home. After several locations were explored, the church finally voted in 1958 to relocate to the Steffy Farm plot in Wyomissing Hills. The new church building was dedicated in 1960 and the old building sold to New Hope Baptist Church. In 1965, the educational wing was built. 

Throughout its history, the members of Reading First have enjoyed a "satisfying spiritual fellowship. The gospel was preached, [and] we continually tried to improve our teaching of children."

   -        gleaned from "History of the Church of the Brethren in Reading, Pennsylvania,

1898 to 1965" by Jerome Crowther.

 The Ministers of the Reading Church:

Henry Kline                                                                       Stewart B. Kauffman         1939   

*John Herr                   1898                                             Vernon S. Powell              1943

J. G. Francis                 1900                                             David Markey, Jr.             1946

*I. W. Taylor                1901                                             Clyde Shallenberger          1948-1950

*Jessie Ziegler               1901                                             Ralph Ebersole                 1950-1957

Peter Smith                    1903                                             James Daughtry               1951

*E. M. Wenger              1905                                             Robert Knappenberger   1952

*David W. Weaver        1906                                             Ray Kurtz                      1957, 1960-1961

Henry H. Moyer             1912                                             Harold Bowser              1957-1960

H. S. Kline                     1914                                             Howard Kaucher, Jr.      1958

*John Zug                      1914                                             Carl Longenecker           1959

*Adam M. Hollinger       1921                                             Donald Robinson            1961-1992 (retired)

L. F. Haas                      1927                                             Dale Hylton                    1969

J. B. Shaffer                    1929                                             Don Wiest                      1972   

Blair Meyers                   1933                                             Will Gehen                      1985 (licensed)

*M. J. Weaver                1934                                             Timothy D. Speicher       1991-present

*David H. Markey          1934-1948                                    Felix Acevedo, Jr.           1993

Harrison S. Gipe             1937                                              Bertha Hironimus            1993

A. J. Whitacre                 1938                                              Jill Keyser Speicher        2002

Jesse A. Whitacre            1938-1939                                    Donna Forbes Steiner     2003

Click here for a complete history from 1898 - 1965

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