"Tradition has it that William Weber preached occassionally at New Centerville, as early as 1786. Spangenberg, the first resident pastor in Berlin, is reputed to have ministered to the Reformed people of the New Centerville community. The old Berlin Church Book contains the record that John Miller, "school master from the Ridge", was married January 13th, 1789, to Dorthea Fisher, daughter of Jacob Fisher, one of the founders of Berlin. The ceremony was performed by Spangenberg, presumably at Berlin. Both John Fisher and his wife, Dorthea, are buried in New Centerville Cemetery. In 1795, Henry Giese, began his ministry among these people, baptismal records extending back to that year. In 1796, land for church and cemetery purposes was acquired. It was not until May, 1811, that the corner stone was laid and the building was not completed until 1819. The church, erected jointly by the Lutherans and Reformed, was a log structure, arranged on three sides with galleries, and provided with convential high pulpit for the preacher. At a later date the building was lined and weatherboarded. For more than fifty years the congregations continued the use of this building as a church".
"With a large number of accessions to the church during the early 80's, the membership reached it's peak with more than 100 Souls. By the end of the century the decline had set in. In 1913, the membership was reduced to 34; in 1930 to 19; in 1935, when the Reformed congregation was disbanded, only 8 remained of a once flourishing congregation. During the last 40 years the leading spirit of the congregation was elder John C. Weller. Even when the congregation had dwindled hopelessly, remained loyal to the church he loved so well."
New Centerville gave 3 of its sons to the ministry; Rev. J. Grant Walter, Pittsburgh, Pa; Rev. J.C. Knable, Kutstown, Pa: and Rev. E.E. Weller, San Pedro, California.
In 1958, the Lutheran Church is in a flourishing condition in New Centerville,"
Messiah was established in 1793. It is the largest of our 3 congregations. At Messiah people of any age will find space to be welcomed into the community of faith. Sunday School classes are held before the worship for both children (1st Sunday of the month) and adults (weekly).
Though our ancestors were called and gathered in to seperate congregations: St. Paul’s, Samuel’s and Messiah, there was also a sense in our history that we might more effectively take the good news of the Gospel to all nations by aligning ourselves with one another.
Because of this, we formed what used to be known as the Glade Parish, (officially established in 1879) and became the New Centerville Lutheran Parish in 1958.
All three of our congregations, Messiah, Samuel’s, and St. Paul’s, are rural country congregations, nestled within the mountains of the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. We are comprised of many different families who have their roots in farming, mining, and living off of the land. From its inception until around 1834, our congregation conducted worship in the German language, which is the language of our heritage. In 1834, English became the language of choice for members of the Congregation.
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