The founders were inspired to organize a church because of the continued expansion of the church school and the opportunity to acquire a building. Rev. Herman Retter was called from Bayonne to assist in organizing the new church and became St. Paul's first part-time pastor. He ultimately resigned in September 1915.

The first church council meeting was held october 16, 1912 during which the founders voted to buy the old schoolhouse for $3,500. Because of the German heritage of the founders, the church was first named "The German Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul's Church of Garwood." The church was to see two other name changes over the years. The next name change came as a result of the merger of the Evangelical Synod of North America and the Reformed Church of America resulting in 1934 in the formation of the Evangelical and Reformed Church (E&R). St Paul's took the name "St Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church" in 1953. The final name change came as a result of yet another merger; this time between the Evangelical Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches in 1957. The resulting denomination is the United Church of Christ. St Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church became "St. Paul's United Church of Christ" in 1963.

After Rev. Retter's resignation  (1915) the Rev. Schauer,  then pastor of the Bayonne Church, took over the pastorate of St. Paul's which continued to be a "Preaching Point" in the Bayonne charge. The women of St. Paul's have always been extremely supportive always coming to the rescue when ever the church found itself in financial straits.

Between 1915 and 1932, the German language was used in all the services and activities. English was introduced in 1932 with a concommitant increase in membership. In 1926 the church reluctantly accepted the resignation of Rev. Schauer and Rev. W. Petersman from Union Theological School became the new pastor. During Rev. Petersman's pastorate the church saw some major revisions. Bi-lingual services were begun and relations with the Bayonne Church were severed (the Bayonne "Mother" Church closed its doors in 1995). Beginning in 1929 official records and minutes of St. Paul's Church were to be recorded in English. Our first permanent Pastor was received on may 17, 1930 . when the congregation welcomed Rev. Benedict W. Tannler who instituted the first joint Thanksgiving Service with the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians. This service continues to this day as an Ecumenical Service including the Roman Catholic Church of St. Anne. He also started a very successful Summer Daily Vacation Bible School for all ages in 1931. Rev. Tannler resigned from St. Paul's in 1941 and the church saw an 8 month interim period during which Mr. Robert Poppendeick, a layman from Springfield, N. J. conducted the services.

Rev. Walter C. Pugh came from the Board of Home Missions of the E&R Church and was elected pastor  September 7, 1941. During this month the services in German were discontinued and English used throughout. The membership records reveal a membership of 170 dedicated members in 1944 and in June 1944 St. Paul's had a formal mortgage burning ceremony. Rev. Pugh resigned in 1957 to be more helpful to his then ailing wife and the Rev. Stephen Szabo was elected pastor and teacher in 1958. During Pastor Szabo's pastorate (1958-1985) St. Paul's built a new sanctuary and a new education wing.

In 1964 construction began on a new Sanctuary. The time had come for the church to say good-bye to the "Old Schoolhouse".  The new Church building was dedicated  December 20, 1964 with a celebration which saw 370 friends and relatives of St. Paul's together.

In 1976 it was decided to demolish the old church building and build the new church school building. The corner stone was laid for this new building in 1982. The church took out a mortgage with a local bank to enable us to build. The loan was taken over by the Central Atlantic Coinference UCC. We have just recently paid off that loan and look forward to another mortgage burning ceremony.

Rev. Szabo resigned in 1985 and the Rev. Douglas Lovejoy-Carter became Pastor and Teacher. "Pastor Doug" stayed with us until 1991 when Rev. Fred Rogers was called to be our "part time Pastor." About a year after his installation he became full time.

                               Pastors of St. Paul's Church
Rev. Herman Retter...................................Sept. 1912 - Sept 1915
Rev. Carl Schauer.......................................Oct. 1915 - Nov. 1925
Rev. W. Petersman......................................Jan. 1926 - June 1927
Rev. Paul Lehman........................................Sept. 1927 - July 1928
                                                                        Oct. 1928 -March 1929
Rev. Ernest Bizer..........................................July 1928 - Oct. 1928
Rev. Fremzen................................................June 1929 - July 1929
                                                                        Dec. 1929 - May 1930
Rev. C. C. Lampe..........................................July 1929 - Nov. 1929
Rev.  Benedict W. Tannler............................May 1930 - Jan. 1941
Mr. Robert Poppendieck...............................March 1941 - Sept. 1941
Rev. Walter C. Pugh......................................Sept. 1941 - Dec. 1957
Rev. Stephen Szabo.......................................April 1958 - 1985
Rev. Douglas Lovejoy-Carter.......................1985 - June 1991
Rev. Frederick W. Rogers.............................Oct. 1991 - Present
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