Coopersburg was one of the first villages to be settled in the Lehigh Valley. It soon became a center of cooperation among Mennonites, Moravians, Lutheran and Reformed traditions for worship. Coopersburg is surrounded by low lying hills to the west, south and east. Both valley and hills were covered with fertile limestone soil which attracted settlers as early as 1730. The people of Coopersburg worshiped at St. Paul’s Blue Church, the Saucon Mennonite church and at three churches located outside of Coopersburg.

Although there is historical evidence indicating that Lutheran Christians had moved into the Saucon Valley and began worship together as early as 1732, the first recorded meeting of the Blue Church congregation occurred on November 18, 1739. Originally known simply as the “Saucon Church” (referring to the nearby Saucon Creek), the congregation was comprised of farmers and tradespeople who moved into the area recently traversed by Native Americans. The original Blue Church was made of logs and stood near the current location.

The congregation took possession of and began occupying its present site in the early 1740’s. In the 1750’s a new building was constructed. This second building (1763) was a wooden clapboard structure not far from the present building. The location along a water source (several springs are on the church property) was a major factor in building on the site. The first parishioners were often poor and were served by itinerant clergy and lay leaders with an inclination to preach.

The first regular Lutheran pastor was Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, who arrived in 1745 and helped organize and solidify the congregation in the Lutheran fold. Subsequently, the Saucon Church sent representatives to the first meeting of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, held in Germantown (now part of Philadelphia) in 1748. Blue Church is one of 8 congregations still in existence from the 10 original congregations that chartered the Ministerium.

The first cemetery was opened in 1750 and serves as the burial ground for American military veterans of all but the most recent wars.

The second building stood until the present stone structure was built in 1833.The name of the congregation was officially changed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church when the current building was dedicated in 1833. For many years the stone structure was covered with stucco which contained blue pigmentation leading to the label “Blue Church.” The bell tower and steeple were dedicated on November 29, 1891. The steeple was removed in 1926 due to multiple lightning strikes. In 1926 stained glass windows were installed.

EXPANDING OUR MINISTRY (1894-1950)

The Rev. William Kistler and his son The Rev. Daniel Kistler served the Coopersburg area from 1894 to 1950. The parish included Blue Church as well as a United Church of Christ and another Lutheran church. Pastor William used his horse drawn buggy to visit parishioners and potential members. His pay was in food and goods collected from the parish members as he made his rounds. From 1877 until 1940 the barns on Apple Butter Hill Road were sold to parishioners to park their horses during services. The Rev William Kistler died in 1940.

The Rev. Daniel Kistler served in Coopersburg from 1933 to 1950. Until the 1920’s all Sunday School students met together. In the 1930’s Blue Church began holding an annual summer picnic fundraiser to support the Sunday School ministry. In 1939 the congregation celebrated its 200th anniversary with both Pastor William (emeritus) and Pastor Daniel present.