St. Paul’s “Big Creek” Union Church in Lehighton celebrated its 175th anniversary on Sunday.

The church, which stands on 414 Old Mill Drive near Beltzville Lake, joined its United Church of Christ and Lutheran congregations together on Sunday morning to celebrate.The service was led by the Lutheran pastor, the Rev. Brenda Boyer, and

U.C.C. pastor, the Rev. Margie Good.Boyer and Good were joined by the Rev. Alan Miller, conference minster of The Penn North East Conference of The United Church of Christ.Together, the three led a combined service in which the congregation of 83 people joined in joyous praise and sung in jubilation for St. Paul’s 175th Anniversary.The congregation was reminded by Miller to “remember what the early settlers did in the face of uncertainty” by founding a church in which they could worship together.St. Paul’s was founded on May 2, 1841, by Reformed and Lutheran congregations who emigrated from Germany.In 1883, after realizing that the main road faced away from the front of building, the church was turned “Umgebaut” or turned one-quarter using horses and logs. The cornerstone of the church bears the date of its founding and repositioning.In honor of the 175th year, both Miller and Boyer presented awards to the Lutheran Council and

U.C.C Consistory to commemorate this special milestone in the church’s history.To much of the congregation, St. Paul’s is about more than faith, it’s about family.“My dad’s family, eight generations, has been a part of this church since the formation. My parents, my four siblings and their families all still attend this church and it is important to me that I can worship and spend time with my family every week” says member Susan Eckhart.The 175-year-old building still stands strong as a beacon of light for many. On the foundation sits a quaint white church with tall stained glass windows and a long history.Within the doors stands a congregation filled with pride for their heritage, and love in their hearts.The church is made up of two congregations, but together the members are “part of a whole” says Boyer.