About Us

The roots of United Zion Retirement Community (UZRC) are grounded in the Civil War era. Barbara Kauffman Miller was widowed at an early age and left with five young children to raise. In a common practice of that era, the young widow worked in the harvest fields, following the reaper and tying sheaves. In 1877, Widow Miller married Henry Firestone, a miller by trade. The couple had two sons. The Firestones gardened and Mrs. Firestone was a baker. They regularly took their garden produce and Mrs. Firestone's baked goods to the market in Lancaster. The baking become a good source of income for the couple and led them to establish the Pleasant View Bakery in Manheim Township. They later sold the business, moved to Lititz and got into the restaurant business. In 1902, the Firestones took into their home five elderly individuals that needed a place to live where someone could provide for their needs.

At the United Zion General Conference in 1904, the conference delegates supported the proposal to have a "Home for the Homeless" established by private individuals to be under the influence of the United Zion Churches. At the United Zion General Conference in 1905, the conference agreed to purchase the "Home for the Poor and Indigent Persons" from Henry and Barbara Firestone. The Firestones were elected to serve as steward and matron of "the Home". The Charter was recorded and the facility was named the "Home of the Homeless of the United Zion Children Home". From the beginning, worship services were offered to residents, initially in the living room of the Firestone farm house. After building frame dormitories, worship services were held in a basement room of the dormitory. In May 1906, the trustees approved the construction of a 36X60 chapel with a bell tower housing a bell used to open each service. This chapel was dedicated with the initial worship service held November 10, 1906.

UZRC has grown from those modest beginnings with a live in steward and matron providing for the needs of a few individuals. The frame dormitories are a distant memory. The 1906 church was replaced by a brick structure in 1955. That former brick chapel is now redeveloped into two spacious cottages. Today, UZRC offers cottages, apartments, personal care/assisted living, and skilled nursing care to about 135 individuals.

The centennial celebration May 27, 2005 honored the founding of UZRC by a re-enactment of the charter signing. The current board members, attired in the 'plain suits' favored by the congregations in 1905, re-enacted the signing of the charter. The Auxiliary made a quilt that to commemorate the 100th anniversary. The quilt, along with a grandfather clock owned by Matthais G. Brinser, the founder and first bishop of the United Zion Church, are focal points of the UZRC reception area.

United Zion Retirement Community at 722 Furnace Hills Pike in Lititz has provided services for more than 100 years to residents of the Lititz area and surrounding communities. For more information about the United Zion Retirement Community, contact the facility at 626-2071.

722 Furnace Hills Pike
Lititz, PA 17543
phone: (717) 626-2071
fax: (717) 626-0911