Sassaman's Charge (Montgomery Co., PA)

The charge consisted of Christ Church in Niantic, PA. and Sassaman's Reformed Church in Sassamansville, PA. and lasted from 1954-1960. Christ Church was organized in the spring of 1836 as a union church. Even though Mennonites and Schwenkfelders were invited to use the church, they never did, and the church building was shared by Lutheran and Reformed congregations. Known as "Huber's Church," the cornerstone for the first church building was laid on July 30, 1836. On May 19, 1872, the cornerstone for the second church building was laid. While English services were introduced in 1898, all services were not held in English until 1930. In 1936, the church purchased the clothing factory across the street, which would serve as a social hall. Renovations and the addition of pipe organ took place during 1942. A parsonage was built in 1961. The union church dissolved in 1964, and a new church building was dedicated in December of 1965. Christ Church changed its name to Calvary United Church of Christ in 1964 and moved to Barto, Berks County. In 1836, Henry Sassaman, at the age of 86, decided to build a church and establish a cemetery at his own expense, on land he owned in Douglass (Montgomery) Township. The union church was built along Hoffmansville Road near Sassamansville Road and used by Reformed, Lutherans, and Mennonites. For 59 years, the congregations of both St. Paul's Lutheran Church and Sassamans's Reformed Church shared the building. The original building known as Sassaman's Church stood in what is now Sassamansville until the mid 1960s. In 1962, Sassaman's Reformed Church changed its name and location to Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ in Bechtelsville, R.D., PA.