The members of Christ United Church of Christ in East Jim Thorpe celebrated Homecoming Sunday with Pastor Dr. Wayne Benack leading the congregation in worship in the morning, and a luncheon being served in the social hall afterward

Part of the celebration included the dedication of a handmade replica of Christ UCC, built by the late Charles E. Dehart, who attended the church in the 1930s, when it was called the First Reformed Church was in East Mauch Chunk.

“He said he built it in about one year,” his daughter, Shirley Clever, said. “He used about 32,000 matchsticks to create it.”

“I built it when I was boy, looking for a hobby,” said Dehart, 68 then, in a 1980s newspaper article in the Harrisburg Patriot-News. “I attended that church 14 years without missing a Sunday when I was a boy.”

Dehart, who was born in 1917, was an active member of the church in his youth.

He later joined the Army and eventually made his home in Carlisle. Dehart passed way in 2010. His family donated the model church to the congregation of Christ UCC, and members of the family attended the service on Sunday for the dedication.

Dr. Benack thanked all the volunteers who helped in preparing the lunch.

“We welcome all our guests here with us today celebrating our Homecoming Sunday,” Benack said. “We give a special thank you to Charles Dehart’s family for donating the church matchbox replica. Charles had a firm foundation in our church, and it was a match made in heaven as it found its way to this church. We are honored to have it here. It is a symbol of God’s many gifts.”

Christ United Church of Christ was originally called First Reformed Church, and was established in 1893 when St. John’s Reformed Church, North Street, was divided.

The Lutheran Church took over St. John’s, and First Reformed Church relocated to its current location at 4th and Center Streets.