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St. Gabriel's History:St. Gabriel's Church, Douglassville (first known as Morlatton), Pennsylvania, is the oldest church in Berks County and was incorporated in the year 1720. Services were first held here in 1708 by the Reverend Andrew Sandel. It was one of eight parishes which formed the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania after the Revolution. It had deputies at the convention which elected The Rt. Rev. William White to be the first Bishop of Pennsylvania. It helped to form the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Thus this early church established by the Swedes did not formally come into the Lutheran organization, instead uniting with the Anglican Church. The principal reason is that the Church of Sweden in its form of Government has been governed since the Reformation by the Apostolic Bishops, as is the Anglican Communion. Also, the relations between the Church of England and the Swedish Lutheran Churches in this country had been most cordial and intimate. The ministers preached interchangeably in many of the churches and the same liturgy eventually came to be used in both. For some years there was no other English service held within a circuit of eight miles except the meetings of Friends in Exeter and Pottstown. Hence, English-speaking people from all neighboring places and the surrounding country attended divine service at Morlatton. Worshippers and attendants then came from the townships of Amity, Exeter, Robeson, and Union. During the rectorship of the Reverend John Long, a new church edifice was erected upon ground donated for the purpose by Mr. M.H. Meschert. A large part of the means to build the church was contributed by Mr. John H. Krause of Philadelphia whose family were members of the Parish. The 1801 building was then "remodeled" about 1890. Balconies were closed in by a floor making it a two story building, the pulpit and pews were removed, and the second floor became a small theatre. It also served as the home of the Douglassville Library and Reading Room, and the first floor became a meeting room for Sunday School, and church and community activities. The building was restored to its original state from 1960-1975, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites in 1978. The addition to the 1884 church building of a new Parish House was completed in September, 1959. This facility was provided to meet the revitalize growth of the Church and the expanding development in the area. As the growth continues, it represents a great opportunity for Saint Gabriel's ministry of Learning and Doing the Work of Jesus. For a more current description of life and work at St. Gabriel's click on the links at the top.
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The Swedes could never secure regular sustained ministry from
their own clergy. At times, German Lutheran clergy, especially the
renowned pastor Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, served the congregation.
Eventually, the congregation entered into full communion and fellowship
with the Church of England and were provided with Anglican
ministers. 
The first Swedish church was
built in 1735 of logs hewn from the neighboring woods, and continued in use
until 1801 when a new stone edifice was erected. The log church continued
to serve as a school until the winter of 1831-1832 when it was destroyed
by fire. The 1801 stone building served as a church until 1884, when
the current church building was completed. 
The cornerstone of this building was laid October 19, 1881.
It was first occupied for worship in January, 1884, and on December
8, 1887, was consecrated to the service of God by the First Bishop of the
Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, the late Right Reverend M.A. DeWolfe,
D.D. 
