1842-1860

    The beginnings of Christ Lutheran Church saw our first pastor, Reverand Andrew Perg, who answered an invitation from the Western Pennsylvania Synod held in New Bloomfield, PA, to preach in this new congregation. He began his pastoral endeavor in November of 1942. Pastor Perg not only preached in what was then called “Petersburg” but also served congregations in New Buffalo, Liverpool , Buck’s Schoohouse and other locales. He actually was in Petersburg only about once a month. With no formal church building, the congregation began to meet in the Methodist Episcopal church where the services were held in both English and German.
    The church was officially formed in December of that year and held it’s first communion service on January 1, 1843. It became known as “The Church Between The Mountains”.
    Rev. Perg stayed on until June of 1843 when a new pastor was secured by the name of Reverand Levi T. Williams. He rode the “preaching circuit” as it was called and served also Mt. Zion’s church in Fishing Creek, Mt. Pisgah in Carroll Twp., St. David’s (Billow’s) Church in Wheatfield Twp., along with New Buffalo.
    Shortly after Rev. Williams was called, the congregation undertook to build their church building. Dr. Philip Ebert, a local physician and one of the founding charter members, sold the church an acre of land on May 7, 1844 for $100 for the building of a church and cemetery. This plot of land is the current site of Christ Lutheran Church.
    On May 19, the cornerstone was laid and on November 10, 1844 the new church was dedicated (Declaration at the laying of the cornerstone). Pastor Williams resigned one year later in November of 1845 and Rev. Lloyd Knight took over the pastoral duties. At that time, Christ Lutheran had 29 members. Until 1850, Christ Lutheran was part of the New Bloomfield syndicate, but with the growth of the area, the synod made it it’s own syndicate with the churches in Fishing Creek, Carroll Twp, and Wheatfield Twp. This gave the Petersburg region more than 160 parishioners. During this time, Christ Lutheran’s pastors preached at a minimum of two of those parishes on any given Sunday, which likely led to several pastoral changes during this time.

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.

1871-1880

Christ Lutheran’s independent status did not last long, however. In 1872, the congregation of St. David’s Lutheran Church, Dellville, petitioned to become associated once again with Christ Lutheran, Duncannon. With a two-thirds vote in favor, the two congregations once again began sharing a pastor.

Sometime in the mid-to-late 1870’s the Duncannon pastor began serving the Marysville congregation as well. The 1879 Christ Lutheran centennial booklet revealed Council minutes which showed that the pastor’s salary was $500. Marysville contributed $75 toward the salary, Dellville contributed $175, and Duncannon contributed $250.

1881-1890

By 1885, the congregation was confident enough of its own future to undertake a building program. In June, the old stone church which had stood on the acre of ground deeded by Dr. Philip Ebert since 1844 was torn down, and on August 2, the cornerstone of a new church building was laid. It was laid at 10:00 a.m. that Sunday. The current Reverend H. F. Long was assisted at the cornerstone laying by the Reverend A. H. F. Fischer.

It is reported that under the cornerstone the following items were deposited: a Bible, a sketch of the Churches between the Mountains, the Book of Worship of the Lutheran Church, a copy of the Duncannon Record and six county papers, a Grand Army paper with a copy of the Philadelphia Press and Philadelphia Times, dated July 23 and 24, which gave full accounts of the death of General Ulysses S. Grant. The names of the contributors of the erection of the church were also deposited in the stone. The articles were all enclosed carefully in a tin box which was, in turn, encased in the stone. The cornerstone was prepared by A.T. Shupe, proprietor of the Keystone Marble Works, and was donated by him to the congregation for this purpose.

The new church was to be 34’ x 55’ and was to cost about $2,500. Work continued on the building through the summer and fall. The result of the work was the nucleus of the present church building.

On November 29, 1885, the dedication of the new church building was held.  The end result was a building that was 34’ x 62’, including a vestibule, built in Gothic style at a cost of $3,000.  On Sunday, December 27, 1885, the congregation held its first communion service in the new church building.

1891-1900

As the new decade began, the new church building was seen and celebrated by Lutherans from
across central Pennsylvania when it hosted the convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of
Central Pennsylvania in September 1891.

Just before this convention, Christ Lutheran lost its founder, Dr. Philip Ebert at the age of 79
due to death. He is buried along with many of the founding members behind the church in the
Union Cemetery.

Until 1899 Christ Lutheran shared a pastor with Zion Lutheran in Marysville and St. David’s
Lutheran in Dellville. His name was Reverend Jerome W. Guss. Later in 1899 Zion Lutheran was
given it’s own charter and hired their own pastor.