1861-1870
This decade at Christ Lutheran Church, Petersburg, saw five pastors and one supply pastor, Reverend N. H. (William) Diven; Reverend Kinsel; Reverend S. Aughe; Reverend M. L. Culler; Reverend J. E. Honeycut; and Reverend M. L. Heisler who was the supply pastor.
As of June 1, 1862, 65 members were listed in church records, led by Rev. Diven, who had been the church pastor since 1858. An energetic young pastor, Rev. Diven grew a congregation that had started to become somewhat stagnant and discouraged.
After the Civil War and with the growth of Duncannon, Christ’s Church grew as well. The Charter of Incorporation, which incorporated Christ Lutheran Church, Duncannon, PA was signed by the courts on April 6, 1865. By 1870 the congregation was large enough to be self-supporting. At the 1870 Convention of the Central Pennsylvania Synod of the Lutheran Church, leaders petitioned to be separated from the smaller congregations with whom Duncannon had traditionally shared a pastor. This was not without concern for the smaller congregations. How to pay for a pastor was at the top of the list. The Duncannon Charge sketches the problem, reports discussion and recommendations. Just before adjourning, the Convention voted to approve the establishment of Christ Lutheran in Duncannon as an independent pastorate.
Record keeping was scarce during this time and what can be found is somewhat sketchy. No minutes or details can be found between July 2, 1859 and December 24, 1869.