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92-766: In 1872, the Norwegian Synod had been a co-founder of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America , along with the Missouri , Wisconsin , and Ohio synods. The Norwegian Synod soon experienced internal division over questions concerning predestination and conversion, a conflict known as the Predestination Controversy ( naadevalgsstriden ). During the 1880s about a third of its congregations left. The dispute led to hard feelings and

184-751: A Japanese-style pagoda was built on Mount Penn, where it overlooks the city and is visible from almost everywhere in town. The Pagoda remains a popular tourist attraction. Reading's City Park is home to several monuments and works of public art, including the Frederick Lauer Monument . Another fixture in Reading's skyline is the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower , one mile from the Pagoda on Skyline Drive. Built in 1939 for fire department and forestry observation,

276-536: A few miles south of Harrisburg , the state capital. Railroads forced the abandonment of the canals by the 1880s. The naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in Reading in 1823. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad (P&R) was incorporated in 1833. During the Long Depression following the Panic of 1873 , a statewide railroad strike in 1877 over delayed wages led to a violent protest and clash with

368-608: A matter of contention between the CLC and the WELS and ELS. The Synodical Conference held a series of discussions on the issues, but the divisions were not resolved, leading the ELS and WELS to finally leave the conference in 1963. With the LCMS and the much smaller SELC being the only remaining members, the conference became inactive in 1966 and was officially dissolved in 1967. The SELC merged into

460-584: A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame , was born in Reading. The open-wheel racing portion of Penske Racing had been based in Reading, Pennsylvania since 1973 with the cars, during the F1 and CART era, being constructed in Poole , Dorset, England as well as being the base for the F1 team. On October 31, 2005, Penske Racing announced after the 2006 IRL season, they would consolidate IRL and NASCAR operations at

552-654: A new seminary due to overcrowding at its campus in St. Louis. Despite considerable planning to build a new joint Synodical Conference seminary near Chicago, the project failed because of hesitance of the part of the Wisconsin Synod and the inability of any of the other members besides the Missouri Synod to contribute financially. The 1878 convention voted in favor of establishing state synods. These state synods were to organize into two or three larger synods, one for

644-748: A number of new synods had emerged, the result of immigration from the Lutheran regions of Europe. The General Synod had, under Samuel Simon Schmucker , espoused an "American Lutheranism" which downplayed the role and authority of the Lutheran Confessions . In 1864, the General Synod admitted the Frankean Synod , a synod that was notably indifferent to the Lutheran Confessions or to any Lutheran identity. In protest,

736-406: A polarized church body. There were depositions of pastors by their congregations, squabbles over ordinations and the editorial policies of periodicals, and disputed elections of district officers. The Anti-Missourian Brotherhood began to function as an entity within the synod and established its own seminary at St. Olaf College in 1886. The Anti-Missourians were so named because they disagreed with

828-641: A population of 95,112 at the 2020 census and is the fourth-most populous city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia , Pittsburgh , and Allentown . Reading is located in the southeastern part of the state and is the principal city of the Greater Reading area , which had 420,152 residents in 2020. Reading gives its name to the now-defunct Reading Company , also known as the Reading Railroad and since acquired by Conrail , that played

920-445: A population of 95,112. Of which, 68.9% were Hispanic/Latino, 18.9% were non-Hispanic White, 8.5% were non-Hispanic Black, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native American or Pacific Islander, and 2.9% mixed or other. As of the 2010 census, the city was 48.4% White, 13.2% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, and 6.1% were two or more races. 58.2% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. As of

1012-889: A project of Penn State Berks , are programs intended to provide office space and support to entrepreneurs in the area. According to the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the largest employers in the Berks county area as of 2017 were: The city's cultural institutions include the Reading Symphony Orchestra and its education project the Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra , the Reading Choral Society, Opus One: Berks Chamber Choir , Berks Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra, Vox Philia Chamber Choir,

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1104-587: A resolution at the 1960 convention to close Immanuel as of June 30, 1961. The campus was sold to the state of North Carolina, and the library was transferred to the Alabama Lutheran Academy in Selma. Also in 1903, the conference opened Luther College in New Orleans, Louisiana , in a new two-story building costing $ 4,007. Originally it had the same three departments as Immanuel, but in 1910

1196-646: A similar number of congregations to leave that body in the mid- to late-1950s and, along with former congregations of the ELS and the LCMS, to form the Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC) in 1961. The CLC maintained that both the WELS and ELS had misapplied the principles of Christian fellowship themselves by not breaking away from the Synodical Conference and the LCMS when doctrinal differences had first been perceived. This issue remains

1288-517: A subsequent financial endowment upon his death in 1847, which provided for future improvements to the grounds, the cemetery became a primary gathering point for annual Memorial Day activities from the late 19th through the late 20th centuries due to the presence of the Grand Army of the Republic monument, which was dedicated there in 1887. In the early 20th century, the city participated in

1380-590: A vital role in transporting anthracite coal from Pennsylvania's Coal Region to major East Coast markets through the Port of Philadelphia for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Reading Railroad is one of the four railroad properties in the classic U.S. version of the Monopoly board game. Reading was one of the first localities where outlet shopping became a tourist industry. It has been known as "The Pretzel City" because numerous local pretzel bakeries are based in

1472-462: Is 23.0 °F (−5.0 °C), but it is quite common for winter temperatures to undergo much variance from the averages. The all-time record low air temperature (not including wind chill) was −20 °F (−29 °C) during a widespread cold wave in January 1994 . Annual snowfall is variable, but averages around 25 inches (64 cm). Spring temperatures vary widely between freezing temperatures and

1564-508: Is a Northrop P-61 Black Widow under active restoration since its recovery from Mount Cyclops, New Guinea in 1989. Beginning in 1990, the museum has hosted "World War II Weekend Air Show", scheduled to coincide with D-Day . On display are period wartime aircraft (many of which fly throughout the show) vehicles, and weapons. The mechanical ice cream scoop was invented in Reading by William Clewell in 1876. The 5th Avenue candy bar and York Peppermint Pattie were invented in Reading. In 1908,

1656-531: Is located at 40°20′30″N 75°55′35″W  /  40.34167°N 75.92639°W  / 40.34167; -75.92639 (40.341692, −75.926301) in southeastern Pennsylvania , roughly 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Philadelphia . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26 km ). 9.8 square miles (25 km ) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km ) of it (2.39%)

1748-448: Is variable, but relatively mild compared to areas further north. The Reading area falls under the southern periphery of the hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ), with areas just to the south designated as a humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa ). Summers are warm and humid with average July highs around 86.5 °F (30.3 °C). Extended periods of heat and high humidity occur. On average, there are 27 days per year where

1840-518: Is water. The city is largely bounded on the west by the Schuylkill River , on the east by Mount Penn, and on the south by Neversink Mountain. The Reading Prong , the mountain formation stretching northeast into New Jersey , has come to be associated with naturally occurring radon gas; however, homes in Reading are not particularly affected . The surrounding county is home to a number of family-owned farms. The climate in and around Reading

1932-922: The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States (Missouri Synod) had been in doctrinal discussions with various Midwestern synods and had reached fellowship agreements with several of them: the Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (Norwegian Synod) in 1857, the Wisconsin Synod in 1869, the Ohio Synod in 1868–1872, and the Illinois Synod and the Minnesota Synod in 1872. In October 1870

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2024-677: The GoggleWorks Art Gallery, the Reading Public Museum and the Historical Society of Berks County . Reading is the birthplace of graphic artist Jim Steranko , guitar virtuoso Richie Kotzen , novelist and poet John Updike , and poet Wallace Stevens . Marching band composer and writer John Philip Sousa , the March King, died in Reading's Abraham Lincoln Hotel in 1932. Artist Keith Haring

2116-625: The Great Depression and the remaining high school was renamed the Alabama Lutheran Academy. Eventually the college was reopened, resulting in the name Alabama Lutheran Academy and College. The institution was renamed Concordia College Alabama in 1981 and was part of the Concordia University System of the LCMS. However, due to financial difficulties and declining enrollment, it closed in 2018. The WELS and ELS remained in fellowship with each other after leaving

2208-741: The Pennsylvania Ministerium and four other synods left the General Synod and issued a call to the various independent synods to form a new and confessionally-based federation. Meetings in Reading, Pennsylvania , in 1866 and Fort Wayne, Indiana , in 1867 led to the formation of the General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America . Despite its professed confessional stance,

2300-520: The Schuylkill River . A similar, though not as devastating, flood occurred during June 2006. In December 2007, NBC 's Today show featured Reading as one of the top four "Up and Coming Neighborhoods" in the U.S. as showing potential for a real estate boom. The interviewee, Barbara Corcoran , chose the city by looking for areas of big change, renovations, cleanups of parks, waterfronts, and warehouses. Corcoran also noted Reading's proximity to Philadelphia , New York City, and other cities . Reading

2392-744: The Synodical Conference , was an association of Lutheran synods that professed a complete adherence to the Lutheran Confessions and doctrinal unity with each other. Founded in 1872, its membership fluctuated as various synods joined and left it. Due to doctrinal disagreements with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) left

2484-916: The United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America and the Hauge Synod to form the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America . A group of pastors and congregations in the Norwegian Synod declined to join the merger due to doctrinal disagreements; instead, they formed the Norwegian Synod of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church (known as the Little Norwegian Synod) in 1918 and joined the Synodical Conference in 1920. After 1920 there were no changes in

2576-670: The predestination position which was associated with the Missouri Synod. The Anti-Missourians opposed the views of C. F. W. Walther of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri , on these questions. They left the Norwegian Synod at its annual meeting in Stoughton, Wisconsin , during 1887. Among the leading advocates of the anti-Missourian position were Bernt Julius Muus (founding pastor of St. Olaf College), John N. Kildahl and Thorbjorn N. Mohn (both St. Olaf College presidents), and Luther Seminary Professor Marcus Olaus Bockman . In 1890,

2668-639: The 1950s. Two other Lutheran denominations in the U.S. have joined the ILC since 2000: the American Association of Lutheran Churches and the Lutheran Ministerium and Synod – USA . The Synodical Conference had 12 presidents: Reading, Pennsylvania Reading ( / ˈ r ɛ d ɪ ŋ / RED -ing ; ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Reddin) is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania , United States. The city had

2760-584: The 3,000 inhabitants. According to census data, Reading was among the nation's most-populous 100 cities in the nation from 1810 to 1950. The Schuylkill Canal , a north–south canal completed in 1825, paralleled the Schuylkill River and connected Reading with Philadelphia and the Delaware River . The Union Canal , an east–west canal completed in 1828, connected the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Rivers , and ran from Reading to Middletown, Pennsylvania,

2852-414: The 80s or even 90s (around 30 °C) later in spring. The last killing frost usually is in early to mid April. Total precipitation for the entire year is 45.21 inches (114.8 cm). January is the only month averaging below freezing while two to three months average above 22 °C (71.6 °F) and seven-months average above 50 °F (10 °C). As of the 2020 United States census , Reading had

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2944-669: The African-American communities in Alabama and neighboring states, with requests being made to the Synodical Conference to start additional schools and churches. By 1927 there were 27 congregations with their associated schools. The number of congregations peaked in the 1930s, and the Great Migration led to the decline of rural communities generally and Lutheran churches in particular. The exodus of African-American Lutherans from Alabama seeded Lutheran congregations across

3036-819: The Anti-Missourian Brotherhood congregations joined with the Norwegian Augustana Synod and the Norwegian-Danish Conference to form the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America , which was a forerunner of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America ( German : Die Evangelisch-lutherischen Synodal-Conferenz von Nord-Amerika ), often known simply as

3128-525: The Arts features eight teaching studios in ceramics, hot and warm glass, metalsmithing, photography, printmaking, woodworking and virtual reality; 35 juried artist studios; and headquarters of over 40 cultural organizations. GoggleWorks also includes several exhibition galleries, a 130-seat film theatre, a bar/restaurant, and store featuring handcrafted works by over 200 artists working within the building and beyond. Admission and parking are always free. The building

3220-623: The Augsburg Confession in the United States of America (Slovak Synod) both joined in 1906, but with final acceptance of their membership delayed until 1910. The Nebraska Synod merged into the Joint Synod of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan as that body's Nebraska District in 1917. Meanwhile, the various Norwegian-language synods were undergoing a series of mergers which led, in 1917, to the Norwegian Synod joining with

3312-802: The Conference in 1892. That same year it joined with the Wisconsin and Minnesota synods to form the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Other States, which eventually became the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the present time. The German Evangelical Lutheran District Synod of Nebraska and Other States (Nebraska Synod) and the Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church of

3404-466: The ELS severed its fellowship relations with the LCMS in June 1955. Two years later, the WELS publicly recognized the same doctrinal disagreements with the LCMS, but did not officially break fellowship with the LCMS until August 1961. During that time period, the WELS officially admonished the LCMS to return to its former doctrine and practice. Dissatisfaction over the WELS decision led about 70 pastors and

3496-623: The Evangelical Lutheran Concordia Synod of Virginia, which had joined the Synodical Conference that same year, merged in 1877 into the Ohio Synod. Likewise, the Illinois Synod merged into the Illinois District of the Missouri Synod in 1880. In 1878, the Wisconsin Synod withdrew its demand that the state synods had to be independent of the Missouri or Ohio Synods. The Missouri Synod needed to build

3588-480: The General Council allowed divergent teaching regarding millennialism , altar fellowship , sharing of pulpits with non-Lutheran pastors, and lodge membership in an attempt to include the largest number of synods as possible. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa and Other States (Iowa Synod) and the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Adjacent States (Ohio Synod) requested satisfactory responses to those Four Points ; failing to receive acceptable answers,

3680-544: The Immanuel Conference, now called The Eastern Field, began to shrink. The population in the rural areas in which the Eastern Field was focused shrank as more people moved to cities. The quality of public education for African-American students also rose, so Lutheran day schools became less popular. In 1944, a report to the Synodical Conference stated that the Eastern Field had declined to 23 churches and preaching stations ranging from New York to South Carolina. Meanwhile, in Rosebud, Alabama , Rosa Young , an African-American and

3772-470: The LCMS began exploratory talks with leaders of the American Lutheran Church (ALC). The ALC, which had been formed in 1930 by the merger of the Ohio, Iowa, and Buffalo synods, differed with the Synodical Conference on the doctrine of predestination . Since there had been no recent change on the ALC's doctrinal position, the LCMS was charged by some within the Synodical Conference of changing its position on church fellowship. After years of continued talks,

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3864-487: The LCMS in 1971 as the non-geographic SELC District. In 1877, the Synodical Conference had just severed ties with the two German mission societies it had previously supported, the Leipzig Society and the Hermannsburg Society. Its 1877 convention appointed a committee of three pastors to decide whether the Synodical Conference should devote attention to "heathen mission among the Negroes or Indians". The committee recommended launching this mission this way, "If we make no use of

3956-441: The Lutheran school, St. Paul Lutheran Academy, but the work drained him. After two years of frustration, Berg left for a white congregation in Indiana in 1881. Several missionaries joined the work and left after only a few years until Nils J. Bakke came, who served from 1880 to 1920. In North Carolina , a group of five African-American Lutheran congregations had been associated with the Synod of North Carolina. On May 8, 1889, with

4048-441: The Methodist Church, but to no avail. She wrote to Booker T. Washington at the Tuskegee Institute , and he suggested she contact the Synodical Conference. Upon receiving her letter dated October 27, 1915, the Mission Board sent missionary Bakke to Rosebud in January 1916 to investigate. They agreed to support the school and pay Young $ 20 per month to teach. Word of the school and resulting Lutheran church in Rosebud spread among

4140-501: The Minnesota or Wisconsin synods would be forced to join one of them. This new organization did not apply to congregations speaking Norwegian, and English speaking congregations were to organize as separate district synods within one of the larger synods. Shortly thereafter a dispute known as the Predestinarian Controversy or Election Controversy arose among member synods regarding the cause of election to eternal life. The Ohio and Norwegian synods contended that God elects people in view of

4232-412: The Mission Board under controversy over his willingness to preach in non-Lutheran churches, and Friederick Berg was called as his replacement. The Mission Board sent him to Little Rock to build on Doescher's work there. Berg was frustrated in his effort when he found that three-fifths of the African Americans to whom he was sent already belonged to Protestant churches. Berg spent most of his time teaching at

4324-455: The National Guard in which six Reading men were killed. The Reading Brewing Company was also established around this same time, and was officially chartered in 1886. The Charles Evans Cemetery is the non-sectarian cemetery where many of the city's prominent business and community leaders have been buried since the cemetery's opening in the 1840s. Established through the donation of land by Reading attorney and philanthropist Charles Evans and

4416-463: The Ohio Synod contacted the Illinois, Missouri, Norwegian, and Wisconsin synods to see if they would be interested in a union of Midwestern confessional synods. The synods (except for the Illinois Synod, whose president attended unofficially because that synod was still a member of the General Council) met on January 11–13, 1871, in Chicago to explore the formation of a federation that would be confessional in both profession and practice. A second meeting

4508-527: The Ohio Synod declined to join and the Iowa Synod joined as only a non-voting associate member. The failure of the General Council to adequately address those issues also caused the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin and Other (Adjacent) States (Wisconsin Synod), the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Minnesota and Other States (Minnesota Synod), and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Illinois and Other (Adjacent) States (Illinois Synod), all charter members, to withdraw from membership by 1872. Meanwhile,

4600-455: The Reading area prior to European settlement of the region in the 17th century. The Colony of Pennsylvania was a 1680 land grant from King Charles II of England to William Penn . Comprising more than 45,000 square miles (120,000 km2), it was named for his father, Sir William Penn . In 1743, Richard and Thomas Penn, both sons of William Penn, mapped out the town of Reading with Conrad Weiser . Taking its name from Reading, Berkshire , England,

4692-413: The Slovak Synod became the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (SELC), also in 1959. In 1934, the conference began to look into starting mission work in Africa, and later established a mission in Nigeria . Doctrinal differences among the synods of the Synodical Conference, especially concerning the doctrine and practice of fellowship , surfaced during the 1940s and 1950s. Disagreements began when

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4784-403: The Synodical Conference for funds to open a high school and college to train church workers. The school opened in 1922 in a rented cottage, and the Mission Board soon purchased 13 acres (5.3 ha) in northeast Selma, Alabama , as the site of the Alabama Luther College. A recitation hall and a dormitory were erected at a cost of $ 36,000 and opened in 1925. The college was forced to close during

4876-498: The Synodical Conference in 1882 and merged with the Missouri Synod in 1886. The chief opponent to C.F.W. Walther during the Predestinarian Controversy was Frederick William Stellhorn . In 1890, the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri and Other States (English Synod) joined the Synodical Conference. About 20 years later, in 1911, it merged into the Missouri Synod as its non-geographical English District . The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Michigan and Other States joined

4968-408: The Synodical Conference. Those two church bodies formed the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) in 1993 with 13 Lutheran church bodies in other countries. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (SELC) joined with the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) and the American Lutheran Church (ALC) in 1967 to form the Lutheran Council in

5060-403: The United States of America (LCUSA). In 1971 the SELC merged into the LCMS as the SELC District . LCUSA itself ceased operations in 1988 upon the merger of the LCA and ALC that created the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The LCMS and its partner churches worldwide formed the International Lutheran Conference (ILC) in 1993 after holding informal conferences periodically since

5152-645: The United States. The team most recently played in the first PDL Championship in team history in 2018. Notable alumni include multiple players with United States men's national soccer team experience, including Matt Hedges , Alex Bono , CJ Sapong , Ben Sweat , and Keegan Rosenberry . Over 110 alumni from the team have gone on to play soccer professionally. The city has been the residence of numerous professional athletes. Among these native to Reading are Brooklyn Dodgers outfielder Carl Furillo , Baltimore Colts running back Lenny Moore , and Philadelphia 76ers forward Donyell Marshall . Pro golfer Betsy King ,

5244-405: The average family size was 3.33. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males. The median income for a household in the city

5336-399: The burgeoning automobile and motorcycle industry as home to the pioneer "Brass Era" companies, Daniels Motor Company , Duryea Motor Wagon Company , and Reading-Standard Company. Reading experienced continuous growth until the 1930s, when its population reached nearly 120,000. From the 1940s to the 1970s, however, the city saw a sharp downturn in prosperity, largely owing to the decline of

5428-410: The census of 2000, there were 30,113 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and

5520-435: The city and its suburbs; currently, Bachman, Dieffenbach, Tom Sturgis, and Unique Pretzel bakeries call the Reading area home. In recent years, the Reading area has become a destination for cyclists with more than 125 miles of trails in five major preserves; the region is an International Mountain Bicycling Association ride center. According to 2010 census data, Reading had the highest share of citizens living in poverty in

5612-417: The conference in 1963. It was dissolved in 1967 and the other remaining member, the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches , merged into the LCMS in 1971. The 1860s and early 1870s was a period of realignment within American Lutheranism. In 1860, the Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of North America was the only federation of Lutheran synods in the country. During the previous 20 years

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5704-410: The consent and promised support of that synod, the congregations organized the Alpha Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Freedmen in America. However, the financial support from the North Carolina Synod did not materialize, so the Alpha Synod appealed to the Synodical Conference for help. After an investigation, the Mission Board agreed to work with the Alpha Synod and sent Bakke to help. While he

5796-603: The country. In 1977, 35 African-American pastors in the LCMS could trace their roots to the Alabama Field. In the 1960s, as the Synodical Conference was breaking up, the African-American congregations and schools were absorbed by the respective geographical districts of the LCMS. In 1961, there were 54 congregations with 33 pastors and 8,600 members, the numbers having declined from 108 congregations with 72 pastors and 16,579 members in 1950. The Synodical Conference opened Immanuel Lutheran College in Concord, North Carolina , in 1903 to train African-American teachers and pastors for

5888-435: The daughter of a Methodist minister, had started a school in 1912 to give African-American children in the area a good Christian education. The Rosebud Literary and Industrial School soon had over 200 students, but in 1914 the cotton boll weevil infested Wilcox County , and the resulting economic hardship meant that students' families were unable to afford the tuition. Desperate to keep the school open, she requested aid from

5980-486: The desire of our Lutheran Christians to do something for heathen missions, they will surely apply their money where we would not like to see it go." The Synodical Conference created a mission board to oversee its "Colored Missions" called "The Mission Board of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America, for Mission Work Among the Heathen and the Negro," which was often referred to simply as "The Mission Board". The conference elected three members to oversee

6072-453: The early 1970s, the original factories were developed to create the VF Outlet Village , the first outlet mall in the United States. The VF Outlet closed in 2020. GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is a community art and cultural resource center located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The mission of the GoggleWorks is "to transform lives through unique interactions with art." Located in the former Willson Goggle Factory building, GoggleWorks Center for

6164-438: The east (corresponding to the Ohio Synod), one for the southwest (corresponding to the Missouri Synod), and one for the northwest (which would include all congregations in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas and all parts west). This plan would solve the longstanding concern that if either the Missouri or Ohio synods were allowed to keep their identity, they would dominate the rest of the Synodical Conference, or, even worse,

6256-467: The faith ( intuitu fidei ) he foresaw they would have, while the Missouri and Wisconsin synods held that the cause is wholly due to God's grace. As a result of the controversy, the Ohio Synod withdrew from membership in 1881, and the Norwegian Synod in 1883. Some of the pastors and congregations in the Ohio Synod disagreed with the stance of that synod and broke away to form the Evangelical Lutheran Concordia Synod of Pennsylvania and Other States. It joined

6348-417: The heavy industry and railroads, on which Reading had been built, and a national trend of urban decline. Following more than a century of prosperity, the Reading Company was forced to file for bankruptcy protection in 1971. The bankruptcy was a result of dwindling coal shipping revenues and strict government regulations that denied railroads the ability to set competitive prices, required high taxes, and forced

6440-411: The membership of the Synodical Conference until its breakup and dissolution in the 1950s and 1960s. Each of the four synods did, however, take on new names. The Missouri Synod became the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) in 1947, the Little Norwegian Synod became the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) in 1958, the Wisconsin Synod became the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) in 1959, and

6532-447: The mission work, and on October 16 of that same year, John Frederick Doescher was commissioned as a missionary to African-Americans. From October to April, Doescher toured the states of Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida to organize local mission committees to serve those who became interested in his work until a missionary pastor or teacher could be sent. The first congregation resulting from these efforts

6624-563: The nation among cities with populations exceeding 65,000. Reading's poverty rate fell over the next decade. Reading's poverty rate in the five-year American Community Survey , published in 2018, showed that 35.4% of the city's residents were below the poverty line, or less "than the infamous 41.3% from 2011, when Reading was declared the poorest small city in the nation." Reading is located 38.8 miles (62.4 km) southwest of Allentown and 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Philadelphia. Lenape people, also known as Delaware Indians, inhabited

6716-453: The poverty level, including 45.7% of those under 18. Reading's unemployment rate in May 2010 was 14.7%, while Berks County's unemployment rate was 9.9%. Large employers based in Reading and surrounding communities include Boscov's , EnerSys , Carpenter , Penske Truck Leasing , and Redner's Markets . Jump Start Incubator, a program of Berks County Community Foundation , and Berks LaunchBox,

6808-543: The railroads to continue to operate money-losing passenger service lines. On April 1, 1976, the Reading Company sold its current railroad interests to the newly formed Consolidated Railroad Corporation ( Conrail ). That same month, the Reading Brewing Company closed. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes caused extensive flooding in the city, not the last time the lower precincts of Reading were inundated by

6900-509: The schools and churches that had been established. In 1905 the college was relocated to a 14.5-acre (5.9 ha) campus in Greensboro that cost $ 28,394 to construct. Initially the college consisted of three departments, namely, a four-year high school, a one-year normal school for teachers, and a three-year theological seminary for pastors. By 1951 it had a faculty of ten and a student body of about 100, with about 30 graduates each year from

6992-438: The seminary department was closed, having graduated only one pastor. The entire college was closed in 1925, in part because the lack of the seminary department prevented the school from meeting its primary purpose, but also because the conference decided the funds needed to erect new buildings would be better spent supporting Immanuel and the new college in Alabama. In 1919, the African-American congregations in Alabama petitioned

7084-405: The temperature exceeds 90 °F (32 °C). Reading becomes milder in the autumn, as the heat and humidity of summer relent to lower humidity and temperatures. The first killing frost generally occurs in late October. Winters bring freezing temperatures, but usually move above freezing during the day's warmest point. The average January high is 38.6 °F (3.7 °C); the average January low

7176-499: The theatre and arena were rebranded as the Santander Performing Arts Center and Santander Arena respectively after Santander Bank purchased Sovereign. The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum is a membership-supported museum and restoration facility located at Carl A. Spaatz Field. The museum actively displays and restores historic and rare war aircraft and civilian airliners. Most notable to their collection

7268-401: The three departments. Nevertheless, Immanuel struggled to maintain its enrollment, and multiple resolutions to close it were made at Synodical Conference conventions in the 1940s and 1950s. Those resolutions failed to pass, and attempts to increase enrollment were made. Eventually the integration of the colleges and seminaries of the member synods of the Synodical Conference led to the passage of

7360-461: The tower is 120 feet tall, and rises 950 feet above the intersection of fifth and Penn streets. From the top of the tower, it offers a 60-mile panoramic view. The Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company founded in 1899, just outside Reading city limits, in West Reading and Wyomissing boroughs changed its name to Vanity Fair in 1911 and is now the major clothing manufacturer VF Corp. In

7452-657: The town was established in 1748. Upon the creation of Berks County in 1752, Reading became the county seat. The region was settled by emigrants from southern and western Germany, who bought land from the Penns. The first Amish community in the New World was established in Greater Reading, Berks County. The Pennsylvanian German dialect was spoken in the area well into the 1950s. During the French and Indian War , Reading

7544-424: Was $ 26,698, and the median income for a family was $ 31,067. Males had a median income of $ 28,114 versus $ 21,993 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 13,086. 26.1% of the population and 22.3% of families were below the poverty line. 36.5% of those under the age of 18 and 15.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 32.9% of all residents live below

7636-604: Was a military base for a chain of forts along the Blue Mountain . By the time of the American Revolution , the area's iron industry had a total production exceeding England's. There were several prominent Ironmasters like Samuel Van Leer who helped supply George Washington 's troops with cannons, rifles, and ammunition in the Revolutionary War. During the early period of the conflict, Reading

7728-473: Was a sharing of clergy, sharing of educational facilities, and co-operation on evangelism and mission work. Conventions were held every two years, with each synod having at two clergy and two lay representatives with an additional clergy and lay representative for each district in a synod. In 1876, the Synodical Conference recommended that all congregations using a particular language (e.g., German or Norwegian) be organized into state-specific synods. Therefore,

7820-675: Was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. The Reading Fightin Phils , minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies , play at FirstEnergy Stadium . Notable alumni are Larry Bowa , Ryne Sandberg , Mike Schmidt , Ryan Howard , and Jimmy Rollins . Reading United AC , USL League Two affiliate of the Philadelphia Union , are considered one of the top amateur soccer teams in

7912-576: Was again a depot for military supply. Hessian prisoners from the Battle of Trenton were also detained here. Philadelphia was the nation's capital at the time of the 1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic . President George Washington traveled to Reading, and considered making it the emergency national capital, but chose Germantown instead. In 1809, Susanna Cox was tried and convicted for infanticide in Reading. Her case attracted tremendous sympathy; 20,000 viewers came to view her hanging, swamping

8004-607: Was born in Reading. In 1935, comedian Jackie Gleason began his professional career in Tiny's Chateau Nightclub, located inside Reading's Black Bear Inn. Reading is home to the 17-time DCA world champion drum and bugle corps, The Reading Buccaneers . In 1914, one of the anchors of the Battleship Maine was delivered from the Washington Navy Yard to City Park, off of Perkiomen Avenue. The anchor

8096-482: Was dedicated during a ceremony presided over by Franklin D. Roosevelt , who was then assistant secretary of the navy. Reading was home to several movie and theater palaces in the early 20th century. The Astor, Embassy, Loew's Colonial, and Rajah Shrine Theater were grand monuments of architecture and entertainment. Today, after depression, recession, and urban renewal, the Rajah is the only one to remain. The Astor Theater

8188-639: Was demolished in 1998 to make way for The Sovereign Center . Certain steps were taken to retain mementos of the Astor, including its ornate Art Deco chandelier and gates. These are on display and in use inside the arena corridors, allowing insight into the ambiance of the former movie house. In 2000, the Rajah was purchased from the Shriners . After a much needed restoration, it was renamed the Sovereign Performing Arts Center. In 2013

8280-765: Was held on November 14–16, 1871, in Fort Wayne, Indiana . The Illinois and Minnesota synods, who had by this time both left the General Council, were also in attendance. The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America was formally organized on July 10–16, 1872, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin , by the Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Norwegian, Ohio, and Wisconsin synods as an expression of their unity of faith. The member synods agreed to work together in matters relating to Christian evangelism. Included in this

8372-750: Was organized in 1878 in Little Rock, Arkansas , as St. Paul's Colored Lutheran Church. Several churches and schools were opened in New Orleans and other towns in Louisiana in the 1880s. By 1890 there were a total of seven mission stations in place—four in New Orleans, one in Little Rock, one in Meherrin, Virginia , and one in Springfield, Illinois . In 1879, Doescher left the employ of

8464-709: Was there, they planted several congregations, and by 1900, there were 12 mission stations in North Carolina. By 1927, there were 23 congregations and preaching stations in North and South Carolina, with 1,328 baptized members. The Immanuel Conference, as it came to be called, expanded to include all outreach to African-Americans in Alabama and Louisiana. In 1932, the Immanuel Conference had 37 congregations or preaching stations, 3,263 members, 2,124 Sunday school students, and 604 day school students. In 1940,

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