Shenk's Community Fellowship    

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HISTORY

Shenk's Community Fellowship meets in the church building known as Shenk's Community Church, located on Schoolhouse Road, in Conewago Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

In 1814, a plot of ground was set aside by the Shenk family to be used as a cemetery for their family.  The Shenks lived nearby and owned the farm from which this burial ground was taken.  Soon, local community members were also buried in this cemetery; it is still in use today.

To better facilitate funerals during inclement weather, a church building was built next to the cemetery in 1868 & 1869 as a community project.  It is still owned by the people of the local community.  Records indicate John M. Shenk was instrumental in building the church.  195 different individuals contributed financially to the building of the church, and total cost of the original church house was $1213.12.  Soon after the building was completed, in August 1869, the first governing Board was selected, and a constitution was adopted to detail the purpose and maintenance requirements for the building.

By 1897, three different congregations were using the building, with different ministers coming to preach throughout the year:  United Christian (every four weeks), United Zion (every six weeks), and Brethren in Christ (every twelve weeks).  The building became known as Shenk's Union Church.

These three congregations continued to hold services in the same church house through the 1970's.  In 1975, upon the death of Reverend Abram Witmer, the United Zion congregation stopped having services at Shenk's.  In 1995, the Brethren In Christ congregation departed and ultimately became Bright Hope Fellowship.  In 2003, the United Christian congregation reorganized independently as Shenk's Community Fellowship.