Relocation FAQs

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How did the Evangelical and Reformed Church deal with the issue of immigration in the United States?

The Evangelical and Reformed Church was the product of several mergers that included the (German) Reformed Church in the United States, the Hungarian Reformed Church, and the (German) Evangelical Synod of North America. Each of these three separate denominational units had a rich historical backgrounds and were founded by immigrants from Europe.

The (German) Reformed Church in the United States was primarily formed in the early 1700s by immigrants from the Palatinate region of Germany whereas the (German) Evangelical Synod of North America was organized almost a century later and consisted of immigrants represented by Lutheran and Reformed traditions. These immigrants were primarily sent by the mission societies at Basel, Switzerland and Barmen, Germany.

A lesser known bit of our history is the work in the church among the Hungarians in America. This work was started by the (German) Reformed Church in the United States in the early 1890s and in 1921, the Hungarian churches officially became part of the (German) Reformed Church in the United States through what is known as the "Tiffin Agreement."

The photographs here show the "Public Reception of Immigrants" into the (German) Reformed Church in the United States. This standardized service was published in the "Order of Worship for the Reformed Church," published in Philadelphia, PA, by S.R. Fisher & Co. in 1867. Several copies of this order of worship can be found in the library collection at the E&R Library & Archives. #erlibraryandarchives #immigrants #immigration
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