Trinity United Church of Christ, Bethlehem, PA

January 2, 1971, three Bethlehem, PA churches celebrated their consolidation into one congregation. St. Paul's, Calvary and Zion culminated a two year cooperative venture by officially becoming Trinity United Church of Christ. The new congregation of nearly 900 members, were housed in the St. Paul's structure at Center and North streets in Bethlehem, PA. Two former pastors, the Rev. William C. Fenstermacher, formerly of St. Paul's and the Rev. Merrill Sywenki, formerly of Zion serve as co-pastors. The plan for merging the three congregations grew out of a retreat of lay leaders at Pottstown, PA who were concerned about the decreasing population of their area of Bethlehem, the rising cost of operating the three churches and the need for new forms of ministry.