Our rich heritage has helped to make the Homestead Village retirement community what it is today. In 1975, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ and St. John’s United Church of Christ in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, merged to form Church of the Apostles. The two combined to create a unique, faith-supportive community campus that would eventually include a new church, social service agencies, and a Life Plan Community (formerly known as a Continuing Care Retirement Community or CCRC).
In 1976, a board of directors was formed for Homestead Village, with plans for a forward-thinking retirement community that would offer senior adults an opportunity to continue leading fulfilling, independent, and meaningful lives. The plans were realized in 1983 when the first cottage was completed, and the first phase of independent living apartments and the skilled nursing center were opened in 1986.
Today, Homestead Village stands as proof that, through dreams and dedication, an idea can be translated into reality. When the two churches merged to form Church of the Apostles, the beautiful stained glass window from St. Paul’s could not be used. The window was stored away, with plans that someday it could be installed at Homestead Village. In 1995, the window was restored and has found a new home in the chapel of our Lancaster, PA Life Plan Community. The window serves as a lovely reminder of the past.