History of St. James United Church of Christ

Since 1817 St. James United Church of Christ has been providing for the spiritual needs of the Limerick area.  First known as Limerick Union Church, a log schoolhouse at the corner of Ridge Pike and Limerick Center Road is considered the original site of what became St. James UCC.

This building was razed due to poor condition, and a cornerstone of the “new” church was laid on April 17, 1817, as a union church for Lutheran and German Reformed congregations.  A Union Sunday School was organized in 1840, and it continued until the early twenty-first century.

When its parent denominations merged with the Evangelical Church in 1934, and then when the E&R Church merged with the Congregational Christian denomination in 1957, St. James United Church of Christ assumed its current name.

 In the early 1960’s the Lutheran and Reformed congregations realized that they each needed their own sanctuary due to overcrowding, and a 1963 combined meeting resulted in the decision to dissolve the union.

In July 1963 the congregation purchased 14 acres of land on South Limerick Road, and an enthusiastic fund-raising campaign resulted in commitments of more than $69,000.00 to be paid over a three-year period.  When completed, this building was dedicated on April 17, 1966.

This small congregation enjoys a large reputation for support of missions on international, national, and local levels including Church World Service, Moranga Community (Africa), missionaries to Nepal, Appalachian Service Project, Ponca Creek Church, construction of Manderach Playground at Limerick Community Park, Relay for Life fundraising for cancer services, and support of Project Outreach food pantry for Limerick, Royersford, and Spring City.

Today, members of the St. James United Church of Christ continue to serve and benefit from a variety of spiritual growth programs and monthly social activities.