In a message dated 4/2/2005 8:49:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, lrbrant@concentric.net writes: Let's put it simply - their doctrines were similar enough for them to share ministers and buildings. ---- Lauren- Do you actually know of instances where the two congregations shared the same *minister*? I ask because I'm not aware of that ever happening--sharing building and cemeteries, yes--but ministers I'm not aware of. I have always thought the minister was either an ordained Lutheran or Reformed minister and that was that. For example, I've seen many a reference to a Reformed pastor performing a funeral service for a Lutheran who had died--because he was the pastor who was available--but the records usually specified the religion of the pastor and the individuals involved. I've never actually known a pastor to represent both Lutheran and Reformed congregations. <<My own Reformed/Lutheran Pa German family went into the wilderness of PA and quite happily accepted the Methodist circuit rider who showed up in 1810.>> And some of my Lutheran ancestors readily accepted the Moravian Church because that was what was available to them at that time/place. I even have a Catholic ancestor whose first child born in America was baptized Lutheran because that was the only church in the area when the child was born. Joan

Joan: While I can't say if this happened in washington Co. I can tell you what actually happened Franklin Co., Pa. a stones throw away. Three Lutheran Churches shared not only a Pastor, but also a parsonage. THe Luth. chures of Grindstone, Fayetteville and Chambersburg did this for years in the early 1800's. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: <JYoung6180@aol.com> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 2:35 AM Subject: Re: [MDWASHIN] Re:Reformed Congregation = which religion? > In a message dated 4/2/2005 8:49:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, > lrbrant@concentric.net writes: > > Let's put it simply - their doctrines were similar enough for them to > share ministers and buildings. > ---- > Lauren- > > Do you actually know of instances where the two congregations shared the > same *minister*? I ask because I'm not aware of that ever > happening--sharing > building and cemeteries, yes--but ministers I'm not aware of. I have > always > thought the minister was either an ordained Lutheran or Reformed minister > and > that was that. > > For example, I've seen many a reference to a Reformed pastor performing a > funeral service for a Lutheran who had died--because he was the pastor > who was > available--but the records usually specified the religion of the pastor > and > the individuals involved. I've never actually known a pastor to > represent > both Lutheran and Reformed congregations. > > > <<My own Reformed/Lutheran Pa German family went into the wilderness of > PA > and quite happily accepted the Methodist circuit rider who showed up in > 1810.>> > And some of my Lutheran ancestors readily accepted the Moravian Church > because that was what was available to them at that time/place. I even > have a > Catholic ancestor whose first child born in America was baptized Lutheran > because that was the only church in the area when the child was born. > > Joan > > > > > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > >

I thought the text made clear that I do not mean permanently shared but rather shared as circumstances demanded; if it didn't I'll reiterate that now. I doubt that church hierarchy of any denomination would allow for that kind of sharing. I think people should also take into consideration that no one had to stay in a particular church - they could have joined other churches and moved back and forth. I have that in some of my German family lines. The whole Protestant movement is still happening today with new churches evolving. Churches have groups who get disgruntled and go off and start another church so it doesn't hurt to know church history. There is one German Congregational church here where I live that has spawned four different spin off churches in the last 30 years. In Shepherdstown, WV there is an old Reformed Church dating from the 1800's with an old graveyard dating from 1774 on one side of the road and on the other a Lutheran Graveyard dating from 1774 - I haven't investigated further, but I'd certainly investigate if was a union church at one time with two graveyards and I'll look at both records if they are available. In Boonsboro, the Trinity Reformed Church which is on site of the old Salem Reformed Church has a long history of being both a Lutheran and Reformed union church. Out here in the west on the sparsely populated great plains there was a Catholic and Protestant church - it had a revolving altar and they staggered their services so they could both use the building. Necessity is the mother of invention. Lauren Brantner JYoung6180@aol.com wrote: >In a message dated 4/2/2005 8:49:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, >lrbrant@concentric.net writes: > >Let's put it simply - their doctrines were similar enough for them to >share ministers and buildings. >---- >Lauren- > >Do you actually know of instances where the two congregations shared the >same *minister*? I ask because I'm not aware of that ever happening--sharing >building and cemeteries, yes--but ministers I'm not aware of. I have always >thought the minister was either an ordained Lutheran or Reformed minister and >that was that. > >For example, I've seen many a reference to a Reformed pastor performing a >funeral service for a Lutheran who had died--because he was the pastor who was >available--but the records usually specified the religion of the pastor and >the individuals involved. I've never actually known a pastor to represent >both Lutheran and Reformed congregations. > > ><<My own Reformed/Lutheran Pa German family went into the wilderness of PA >and quite happily accepted the Methodist circuit rider who showed up in >1810.>> >And some of my Lutheran ancestors readily accepted the Moravian Church >because that was what was available to them at that time/place. I even have a >Catholic ancestor whose first child born in America was baptized Lutheran >because that was the only church in the area when the child was born. > >Joan > > > > > > > >==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >The OFFICIAL website for this list is: >http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > >============================== >Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the >last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > >