Lampeter UMC was birthed from the Wesley United Methodist Church in Strasburg, pastored by Rev. Ochs, when a proposal for this missionary work was approved on March 12, 1962.
Bob Mussmon was called to be the pastor of this new church and went to work. The first service was held Sunday, September 23, 1962 in the Lampeter Community Building. (Located at the site of the present day Fire Station.)
On April 28, 1963, the new congregation was chartered with the West District of the Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Church.
June 6, 1967 marked a new beginning. Boehm’s Memorial Evangelical United Brethren Church of Refton, and Lampeter Methodist Church both voted to merge together and form one church. The first service for the newly formed Lampeter United Methodist Church was held the following Sunday, June 11, 1967.
Boehm’s Memorial E.U.B. of Refton was established in 1880. The first building was dedicated in 1888. The Church was served by circuit ministers until a full time minister came in 1901. The building was renovated in 1903 and space added on in 1934.
The last addition to the building that added the Sunday School rooms and Youth room wing was completed and dedicated in December 2010 to give the building its present shape and lay out.
Over its 53 years of Ministry the church has been served by:
Rev. Robert Mussmon, 1962 - 1967
Rev. John Bateman, 1967 - 1975
Rev. Charles Henry, 1975 - 1984
Rev. Paul Shumate, 1984 - 1990
Rev. David Nissley, 1990 - 2011
Rev. Blaine R. Wenger, 2011 – 2017
Rev. John G. Smith, 2017 - present
During all those years, Lampeter has sought to grow in the Lord, and to reach out to the community far and wide, serving them in the name of the Lord. Mission work, both in short term trips, and missionary support has been a value of the church. Working in, and being open to the community in many different ways is easily seen by our community.
When it was first proposed to build a church, the question was raised, “Can we do this?” An answer was given, “We need to, for all those who are not here yet.” As we look to the future, to what God would have us do, let us continue to serve faithfully in the present, while laying foundations, and building for all those who are yet to come.