History of the Congregation

David Zeisberger and John Heckewelder established an Indian Mission at Gnadenhutten on October 9, 1772, six months after the Mission at Schoenbrunn was established. Because of the threat of war, the mission thrived for only a few years. On March 8, 1782, ninety Christian Indians were brutally massacred by Colonel David Williamson and his Militia from Fort Pitt. Sixteen years passed before anyone returned to the area. The government set aside three tracts of land for the Indians. A group of Indians settled in Goshen in the Schoenbrunn tract, but most of the Indians did not wish to return to the area. When the Gnadenhutten and Salem tracts were opened for white settlers, Moravians from Lititz, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Schoenick and other communities of Pennsylvania began to arrive in the vicinity.

In 1798, John Heckewelder and William Edwards returned to re-establish the village. On July 6, 1800, the church was organized with Rev. Lewis Huebner as the first pastor. Preaching services were held under a tree near the river or in John Heckewelder's home. Rev. Huebner wrote that the Indians were often present for the preaching services. In Janyary of 1802,Rev. Huebner started holding school in his home three days a week for the children. On the first day of school, there were seventeen pupils.

The first meeting house was a log structure that was consecrated on July 10, 1803. Rev. Huebner writes: "Our meeting house, twenty feet square, was so completed that we could consecrate it today. For this purpose Brother and Sister Zeisberger and Brother haven from Goshen came to us yesterday. Toward ten o'clock today all our brethern and sisters with their children assembled in the new meeting house so that it was crowded full. Brother David conducted the first meeting amid an especially delightful atmosphere. Rev. Huebner preached in English, followed by the German service where Rev. Haven preached."

In 1819 it was decided to build a new church in front of the first church with a covered walkway connecting the two buildings. The second church measured 28X36 feet. The old log church was now used as a school. At sunrise on Sunday, August 13, 1820, music by the trombone choir ushered in the celebration of the opening of the new church with daylong meetings. They first assembled in the old log church with singing and remarks by Rev. Rauschenberger. Then accompanied by the trombones and choir, they sang as the processed from the old church and solemnly entered the new building where they assembled for the German preaching service. On Monday a large crowd gathered again to observe the Thirteenth of August with a Lovefeast followed by the Lord's Supper.

Thirty-two years later the congregation dedicated the third church, a frame structure, built on South Walnut Street. On November 21, 1852 at half-past ten, the trumpets played a joyful tune from the steeple of the new church; the church bell rang; the choir sang and Rev. Bachman dedicated the church and offered prayer in the name of God. A visiting minister preached an English sermon. At two o'clock and again at candlelight, visiting ministers preached in both the German and English languages. On Monday there was a capacity crowd again to celebrate the Lovefeast followed by the Lord's Supper.

From the beginning, the minister at Gnadenhutten held preaching services in surrounding communities. Beersheba was organized in 1805 and exsisted until 1825 when the people combined with the Gnadenhutten congregation. Services were held in the sharon area for several years before they organized in 1814. The Dover congregation organized in 1843, Fry's Valley in 1857, Uhrichsville in 1873, and Port Washington in 1882.

The Gnadenhutten made the decision in 1898 to build a new church rather than make extensive repairs to the old one. The third church was demolished and the new church built on the same site. Services were held in the town hall for the duration. The building committee for the fourth church were the Elders and Trustees. The new brick colonial-style building was dedicated on may 10, 1903 and given the name of the John heckewelder memorial Moravian Church. John Heckewelder was the great-grandfather of the pastor, Rev. Rice. This building was one-storied, with a two-story annex containing a lecture room, Sunday School rooms and a basement for social entertainment.

(This history was taken from "Celebrating Two Hundred Years, 1800-2000" by the Anniversary Committee of the John Heckewelder Memorial Moravian Church.)