Our History
This congregation was founded as Powder Springs Lutheran Church (Basye) in 1871. At that time it was part of a union church. Union churches were common in the Shenandoah Valley and consisted of several different denominations sharing the same facility. In 1952, the Lutheran congregation left the union church and moved to its current site closer to Orkney Springs, taking the name Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in the process. Pastoral leadership was shared with Morning Star Lutheran Church until 1991.
Called Pastors to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
The Canaday pavilion was completed in 2008 and dedicated to the memory of Mary and Hank Canaday. Much of the construction was completed by congregation members.
The Reverend David C. Drebes was ordained and installed as Pastor to Prince of Peace on 10 October 2010. The Reverend James Mauney, Bishop of the Virginia Synod, presided and the Reverend Chip Gunsten, Assistant to the Bishop, preached.
The sanctuary was enhanced with the remodeling of the chancel in 2011. The altar was moved out from the wall and refurbished. The dossal curtain was removed and replaced by stained glass designed by Charles Barone. Carpentry for the project was done by congregation members. The remodeling was dedicated on 19 September 2011 in a service presided by Bishop Mauney.
Pastor Drebes accepted a call to serve as pastor of College Lutheran Church in Salem, Virginia. A Call Committee began a search for a new pastor. The Reverend Robert Wise was Called as Pastor in 2019. Pastor Wise accepted a new call in 2020.
A Call Committee was formed and started the search for a full time pastor in 2020. We called the Reverend Sherrie Hofmann as Pastor in October 2021.
For 68 years, Prince of Peace has been welcoming and supporting the communities of Basye, Orkney Springs, and the Bryce Resort, through blood drives, clothing drives, disaster support and partnerships with local service groups. We are a church that shares a living, daring confidence in God's grace.
Join us as we do God's work in Christ's name for the life of the world.
Called Pastors to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
- the Reverend G. William Nabers - 1993-2010
- the Reverend David C. Drebes - 2010-2019
- the Reverend Robert Wise - 2019-2020
- the Reverend Sherrie L. Hofmann - 2021 to the present
The Canaday pavilion was completed in 2008 and dedicated to the memory of Mary and Hank Canaday. Much of the construction was completed by congregation members.
The Reverend David C. Drebes was ordained and installed as Pastor to Prince of Peace on 10 October 2010. The Reverend James Mauney, Bishop of the Virginia Synod, presided and the Reverend Chip Gunsten, Assistant to the Bishop, preached.
The sanctuary was enhanced with the remodeling of the chancel in 2011. The altar was moved out from the wall and refurbished. The dossal curtain was removed and replaced by stained glass designed by Charles Barone. Carpentry for the project was done by congregation members. The remodeling was dedicated on 19 September 2011 in a service presided by Bishop Mauney.
Pastor Drebes accepted a call to serve as pastor of College Lutheran Church in Salem, Virginia. A Call Committee began a search for a new pastor. The Reverend Robert Wise was Called as Pastor in 2019. Pastor Wise accepted a new call in 2020.
A Call Committee was formed and started the search for a full time pastor in 2020. We called the Reverend Sherrie Hofmann as Pastor in October 2021.
For 68 years, Prince of Peace has been welcoming and supporting the communities of Basye, Orkney Springs, and the Bryce Resort, through blood drives, clothing drives, disaster support and partnerships with local service groups. We are a church that shares a living, daring confidence in God's grace.
Join us as we do God's work in Christ's name for the life of the world.