Church to celebrate Homecoming Sunday with tree dedication

An old oak tree once stood at the site of the first log church that was built in 1724 when Pequea Presbyterian Church was organized.

Now, as part of the church's 300th anniversary celebration, a new tree will be planted at the location during Homecoming Sunday on Oct. 6. The tree, which is of historical significance, will be a 3-year-old sapling from a Salem oak tree. The sapling is one of 750 that were started from acorns from the William Penn Salem oak tree at the Salem Quaker Meetinghouse in Salem, N.J. The oak gets its name because it was still alive when William Penn landed in Pennsylvania in 1682.

Homecoming Sunday will begin with a worship service at 10:30 a.m. when the Rev. Beth Engel, retired pastor, will offer the message. The service will also include special music and a celebration of World Communion Sunday.

The tree will be dedicated at noon followed by a luncheon and a time of fellowship.

According to pastor Alfred Wanner, the church learned about the tree from Leona Baker, president of the Historical Society of Salisbury Township.

"During Community Day (in May), Leona Baker introduced me to Erik Burro of Pennjerdel House," explained Wanner. "They had 1,000 acorns that they gathered from the Salem oak tree in New Jersey. Of the 1,000, 750 sprouted. They have been planted all around Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. They are down to two (saplings). (Burro) will deliver the tree when we are ready to plant."

According to http://www.pym.org, the website of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, a centuries-old oak tree was located at the Salem Quaker Meetinghouse. John Fenwick, who is credited as the founder of Salem, N.J., reportedly signed a peace treaty with the Lenni Lenape people living on the land in the late 1600s under the tree. The Salem Quaker Meetinghouse held a traditional Quaker memorial service to commemorate the life and legacy of the historic Treaty Tree.

When the tree fell in 2019, the Salem Quaker community gathered more than 700 of the oak's acorns to distribute them. "They called them Penn oak trees because there were a lot of them when William Penn came here and had the original land grant," noted Wanner. "Often, he would have treaties with the (Native Americans), and they would be (signed) at an oak tree. Penn Oak trees are dying. They are 300 years old or more. Pennjerdel wanted to get some saplings started so there would still be Penn oak trees (in the future)."

Wanner said special care will be taken to ensure that the sapling thrives. "When you plant a tree like that, you have to dig a hole bigger than the root mass," he said. "You have to keep mulch around it and keep critters from chewing on it. Leona (suggested) a fence, but a local arborist said to add hardware cloth around it until it gets taller (to protect it) from deer. You also have to keep it watered."

The tree sapling will replace the one that the church had to take down because it was in bad condition. "We had an oak tree in the cemetery, and it was supposedly at the site of the original log church," Wanner said. "When we took it down, the center was hollow. Because of where it was located, it would have taken out a hundred tombstones or more (if it fell down)."

Homecoming Sunday will also include the opening of a time capsule that was placed in the cornerstone of the present sanctuary sometime between 1901 and 1902. The time capsule includes a Bible, a newspaper and coins from the time period. "We have a fellow who is coming to take the stone out and chip away the mortar," Wanner said. "We will replace the capsule with some of the original materials and also put in new items."

Wanner encourages past congregation members to spread the word about Homecoming Sunday, particularly to those who may have moved out of the area.

"We are hoping to get a good turnout for our homecoming," said Wanner. "Maybe there are people who have grown up in this church (who want to return). We have a lot of people scattered around the country, and we hope they can make it back that day."

Pequea Presbyterian Church is located at 273 Cambridge Road, Gap. For more information, search for "Pequeaeco1724" on Facebook. Those with questions may call 717-768-3324 or email pequeapres1724@gmail.com.