The church that pays its rent in roses: Tulpehocken Trinity Church

For some, a rose is just a flower. But for the members of Tulpehocken Trinity Church, at 961 Tulpehocken Road in Richland, a rose represents 300 years of history.

The church hosts its annual Rose Feast each spring. The event’s highlight is the presentation of a red rose and a white rose to a descendant of Caspar Wistar, the man who deeded the church its land. The 2026 ceremony marks the 281^st red rose and 124^th white rose, but the church’s history dates back even further.

Long before Lebanon County had paved roads, a small band of German immigrants paddled upstream on the Susquehanna River searching for a place to begin again.

They arrived with almost nothing.

Driven from the Palatinate region of Germany in the early 1700s, the settlers first traveled to New York under the sponsorship of Queen Anne. Life there proved brutal. The land in the Schoharie Valley was difficult, money was scarce and many families struggled simply to survive.

Then came word from Pennsylvania: There was land available on the frontier.

So, in 1723, they relocated to what is now Lebanon County. At first, there were only 13 families, but soon, more followed.

Within two years, those weary immigrants decided there was one thing they could not live without.

“In 1725, all the people got together and said, ‘We need a church,’” said church historian Janette Showalter. A community church was built on a piece of land as people from various faiths worked together.

“They had their first communion in 1727, so we claim that year as our starting date,” Showalter said.

Although people were most likely worshipping in a church-like structure on Tulpehocken Trinity Church’s current property, the location did not become an official church until 1745, when Wistar, a wealthy merchant who also hailed from the Palatinate, made a deal.

“The people wanted to buy 50 acres of land for 40 pounds,” Showalter said. “Wistar offered us 100 acres for that same amount of money, and in the deed, he put in a stipulation of a red rose payment, which was apparently very common at the time.”

The payment, known as a “quitrent,” is a symbol representing loyalty, she said.

The church presented the red rose payment annually, but the practice ended after Wistar’s death in 1752.

“In 1902, a reporter from the Reading Eagle stumbled upon the deed and contacted our minister at the time,” Showalter said.

That same year, the congregation held a massive service in which 157 back roses were ceremonially presented to descendants of the Wistar family. The crowd was so large that church windows had to be opened so people standing outside could hear the service.

Among the roses sent in 1903 was a bouquet from Edith Roosevelt, wife of President Theodore Roosevelt, said history committee member Gary Heuer.

Over time, the relationship between the church and the Wistar family deepened. Members of the Wistar Rose Association have contributed to church projects, including funding a rose-themed stained-glass window and supporting improvements to the church over the years. Some descendants travel considerable distances to attend the annual service.

The church added a white rose to the ceremony as a symbol of gratitude for the family’s generosity.

This year, the history committee at the church will present a play as part of the Feast of Roses service.

Heuer will portray Caspar Wistar in the show, which Showalter has written based on a previous play script she found while doing research on the church’s history.

“Back in the 1930s, we had a minister who was huge into all this history, and he wrote plays,” Showalter said, noting that the plays were performed in the sanctuary until 1963. “I found a script from one, and although the writing is a little stilted, I kind of rewrote it but used the basic idea and basic cast of characters.” It will tell the story of Wistar’s transfer of the land and the red rose payment.

The rose service will also include an opportunity for the Wistar family members to speak after the presentation of the flowers.

Heuer said putting together information for the Rose Feast and the upcoming 300^th anniversary celebration that’s planned for 2027 has been fun and rewarding, as he and other members of the committee are always discovering new things.

“The people of this church kept really good records,” he said. “Sometimes, it’s hard for us to understand the context of an article or an artifact, so we have to make an educated guess about the details.”

He emphasized that one thing is certain: Although the church members love to reflect on the past, they also look to the future.

“With our pastor and leadership, we are an old church, but we have modern ideas,” he said, adding that Pastor Mario Madden and his family are from Jamaica. “We’re a Bible-based, scripture-based church, and the pastor speaks from the Word.”

The church has been a Reformed Church, became an Evangelical and Reformed Church, then joined the United Church of Christ before separating from that denomination four year ago to become an independent church.

When other churches might witness declining attendance or membership, Tulpehocken is thriving, Heuer said.

“We have a lot of young families who come on a regular basis,” he said. “We have about 100 people here on Sundays for the service and about 300 people who stream our services on YouTube or Facebook.”

Regular services are held at 10:15 a.m. on Sundays, with adult Sunday school at 9 a.m. and children’s church taking place during the service.

For the 300^th anniversary next year, the history committee is already planning an extensive celebration. They are collecting items to showcase in a display case, are rewriting a book they published for the 250^th anniversary and hope to hold special services throughout the year. A videography project is in the works, featuring interviews with close to 40 current and former members who share their memories of the church.

The weekend of Oct. 15-17, 2027, will feature a celebration. Details are still being finalized.

“It will tentatively include an encampment with a local reenactment group and maybe an old-fashioned hymn sing around a campfire on Friday night,” Showalter said. “Saturday will be a community celebration with food and activities for families, and then Sunday will focus on our church family, maybe with a homecoming service.”

The church members prioritize connecting with the wider community, and the church hosts an annual car show every October, along with potpie dinners twice a year, in April and November.

Iglesia de Dios El Buen Pastor – a Spanish-speaking Church of God the Good Shepherd – meets in the sanctuary on Saturdays at 11 a.m.

Heuer said when he looks back at the past three centuries of history, he often ponders the reason for the church’s longevity.

“Why have other churches closed, and we’re still here?” he said. “We’d love to say it’s because we’re great people on a committee, but no. We’re here because God has blessed this church.”