When Henry William Stiegel and his wife, Elizabeth, conveyed a plot of ground to their fellow Lutherans to build a new church 254 years ago, they included a unique stipulation in the deed.

The church, located at the corner of Wolf and East High streets in Manheim, was tasked with paying "five shillings and in the month of June yearly forever hereafter the Rent of One Red Rose if the same shall be lawfully demanded."

Members of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2 S. Hazel St., Manheim, invite the public to the 134th Festival of the Red Rose to mark this tradition. The event will be held on Sunday, June 14, with a worship service at 10:30 a.m.

The church's deed dates to Dec. 4, 1772, said Linda Keiffer, chair of the festival committee.

"It is believed Stiegel himself collected the rent payment in June of 1773 and 1774, and then the stipulation was lost in the tangled affairs that followed," she said.

Stiegel, who had been given the title "Baron" by the townspeople due to his lavish and ambitious lifestyle, played a significant role in Manheim's history.

"He was a Christian churchman, accomplished musician, Colonial ironmaster, glass manufacturer and founder of the town of Manheim," Keiffer said. "Unfortunately, bit by bit his vast fortune declined, and his friends overlooked his appeals for help. In December 1774, Stiegel was sent to debtor's prison in Philadelphia. A special act by the Pennsylvania House of Assembly released him on Christmas Eve 1774." Stiegel briefly returned to the town of Manheim, and in the spring of 1775, he and his family moved to Elizabeth Furnace in Brickerville.

For many years after Stiegel's downfall, the red rose payment stopped. When the present church building was under construction in 1891, a local physician and member of the congregation, Dr. J.H. Sieling, discovered the original deed in old church records.

"Dr. Sieling proposed an all-day festival to pay homage to the first Stiegel heir since 1774," Keiffer said. "Traveling from Harrisonburg, Va., on June 4, 1892, to receive the red rose payment were John Calvin Stiegel - great-great-grandson of Henry William and Elizabeth Holz Stiegel - and his wife, Maggie."

The celebration and rose payment became a tradition, and each year on the second Sunday of June, Zion Church pays the "Rent of One Red Rose" to a selected Stiegel heir.

This year, Julye Johnson of Williamsburg, Va., will represent the Stiegel family at the festival. She is a ninth-generation descendant of Henry William and Elizabeth Holz Stiegel.

Julye is an elementary math specialist and coach, supporting students and teachers to build math confidence and curiosity. Outside of work, she's known for her love of pickleball; jigsaw puzzles; corny jokes; and cooking, especially with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Whether it's bread-and-butter pickles, homemade ice cream or a classic pound cake, she enjoys sharing food with friends, neighbors and colleagues. She also actively participates in her community, playing handbells at King of Glory Lutheran Church and engaging in local events. Julye is married to Reed Johnson and is the mother of twins, Abigail and Jacob. Julye said she is grateful and proud to receive this year's red rose payment, a tradition her mother, Margaret Davis, was part of in the 1990s.

Attorney J.D. Young from the law firm of Young and Young, Manheim, will serve as Zion's legal representative and oversee the signing of the rent book by this year's Stiegel heir. He is a graduate of Manheim Central High School, Gettysburg College and Delaware Law School of Widener University. Young is a member of the Pennsylvania and Lancaster bar associations and participates on various boards within the community.

The Festival of the Red Rose will feature pastor Karen Larson as guest speaker. She is a graduate of United Lutheran Seminary and is six months retired from full-time ministry at Zion Lutheran Church in Leola. Prior to the worship service, refreshments, courtesy of the Manheim Historical Society, will be served in the church's Rose Parlor.

For more information about the Festival of the Red Rose, visit http://www.zionmanheim.com or contact the church office at 717-665-5880.