Friedens United Church of Christ is at 1011 Church Road in the Sumneytown area of Pennsylvania, two blocks off Route 63 between Green Lane and Harleysville. “Rooted in Tradition, Growing in Love” is its motto, and its identity combines a German Lutheran and Reformed heritage, worship in a historic sanctuary, and mission work in the community and abroad.
Two Congregations, One Union Church
The church's roots reach into the 1750s, when German immigrants established a German Reformed congregation. The name Friedens means peace in German. German-speaking Lutheran and Reformed neighbors united to build a shared sanctuary, and on Pentecost, May 23, 1858, they laid the foundation stone for Union Church, the building Friedens still uses. For almost 100 years, St. John's Lutheran and Friedens German Reformed congregations shared that building, alternating Sunday worship and joining in mission and education.
In 1957, the Lutheran congregation built its own church on Main Street in Sumneytown, and Friedens became a member of the newly formed United Church of Christ. The UCC was formed on June 25, 1957, when the Evangelical and Reformed Church, the Congregational Christian Churches and the Afro-Christian Convention united. Its earlier strands included a 1934 merger that created the Evangelical and Reformed Church and a 1931 merger that created the Congregational Church. UCC churches encompass varied traditions while primarily identifying as “one in Christ.”
A Beacon for Welcome, Justice and Healing
Friedens calls itself “God's beacon on the hill” and envisions that light radiating the love of Christ through the community and beyond. Its UCC identity emphasizes that all are welcome and united by God's love, that justice and Jesus are inseparable, and that God is still speaking. The congregation's stated mission includes praising God, confessing sin and receiving forgiveness; proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ; embodying God's love for all people; and hearing creation's cry for justice and peace.
That commitment extends to preaching and teaching with the living Word, working for justice, healing and wholeness, embracing the unity of Christ's church, and joining oppressed and troubled people in the struggle for liberation. Friedens also names confronting evil, repenting its silence and complicity, and discerning and celebrating God's present and coming reign. The church says no matter who a person is or where they are on life's journey, all are invited to share in worship, service and fellowship.
Sunday Worship at 10 AM
Sunday worship begins at 10:00 AM. The church's physical address is 1011 Church Road, Green Lane, PA 18054. The sanctuary is two blocks off Route 63 between Green Lane and Harleysville. The 10:00 AM service is also streamed live on the Friedens YouTube channel, allowing participation from beyond the sanctuary.
Worship is the foundation of church life. It gathers the congregation before God for praise and thanksgiving, sharing in the sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism, and receiving God's grace in Christ. The service is the regular gathering point for a congregation described as warm, friendly and intergenerational.
Pastor, Choirs and Faith Formation
Pastor Rev. Stephanie Anne Thompson leads the congregation with compassion and wisdom, guiding its spiritual life. Music has a prominent place in worship. The Adult Choir and intergenerational Bell Choir regularly enhance services, and Gia Padfield serves as organist and choir director, guiding the musical expressions of faith. The intergenerational Bell Choir reflects the church's intergenerational character.
Faith formation includes a Vacation Bible School Book Group, a Study Group with St. John's, worship series and PSEC Conference offerings. Missions R Us also serves as a shared vehicle for service, combining fundraising with the practical work of organizing mission trips and activities.
Missions R Us at Home and Abroad
The Missions R Us team has sponsored and participated in mission travel for more than 20 years. Its work has included visits to Haiti and New Orleans, service with Back Bay Mission in Mississippi, Heifer Project International, and Re-Member on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The team raises funds and organizes trips and activities both close to home and around the world, pairing the congregation's worship life with service that is meant to make a difference beyond its own walls.
Locally, Friedens has assisted with preparing and serving meals for people in need at Trinity UCC in Pottstown and at First Monday Community Meal in Pennsburg. That work has involved hands-on preparation and service alongside a congregation and a community meal program.
Preserving the Sanctuary for Generations
A capital campaign is devoted to restoring and renewing the church building so it can remain a center of worship and community. Its preservation priorities include sealing and repainting stone walls, removing peeling paint, replacing rotted wood around stained-glass windows and doors, and protecting the stability of the stained glass. Interior work includes repairing moisture-damaged plaster and repainting the sanctuary. The campaign treats care for the building as an extension of the mission carried by the two congregations that founded it.
The building is more than an historic shell for Friedens. It is where the church worships, gathers, celebrates, grieves and grows. Financial gifts for the campaign may be brought as Sunday offerings, mailed to the church or given electronically. These forms of support preserve a sanctuary that earlier generations built and maintained and that people arriving in future years will continue to share.
Friedens continues the pattern established by its shared history: Reformed and Lutheran neighbors became one congregation, the sanctuary has carried generations of worship and education, and mission work reaches from local meals to trips in other states and countries. Sunday worship remains at 10:00 AM, with the service streamed live on YouTube.