THE FIRST BEGINNINGS
The Church of God, with general offices in Anderson, Indiana, is a one hundred and ten year old fellowship of Christians who sensed a divine commission to unite New Testament unity and holiness. The work of the Church of God began in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware one hundred years ago. The Boyertown District of the Church of God today includes 33 congregations of Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey and Delaware. The first contacts of the Church of God movement in this area began in 1889 and 1890. We see our mission and ministry in terms of world-wide evangelism, with the continued quest for reformation, for personal holiness, and for Christian unity as set forth in the New Testament. The Church of God Reformation Movement had its beginnings in the American Midwest in the 1880’s and soon thereafter took deep root in Pennsylvania soil. The Church of God movement with general offices in Anderson, Indiana, began in 1880 in Indiana and in Michigan. With a current worldwide constituency of over one-half million, our movement would describe itself as theologically conservative and evangelical with special emphasis and concerns for promoting holiness and Christian unity. We often identify ourselves as a “movement” rather than a denomination, for we originated not out of a split from any other group or groups, but as a spontaneous coming together of Christians from many church bodies with common concerns about the divine nature of God’s church and the holy character of its members. The early leaders regarded our activities as affecting the whole structure of the church.
Prominent among the first leaders was Daniel S. Warner (1842-1895), an Ohio minister in the Churches of God of North America (Winebrennerian). The Churches of God of North America was founded by John Winebrenner in 1830, breaking from the German Reformed Church, because of evangelistic and pietistic emphasis. Daniel Sidney Warner, who came from a rural, non-church-going family, was converted in a schoolhouse revival meeting, attended Oberlin College for two years, and was licensed by the Ohio Eldership in 1868. Ten years later he was disfellowshipped because of his persistence in preaching the doctrines of “entire sanctification” and personal holiness. These teachings, first preached by John and Charles Wesley in 18th century England, were being widely promoted in America in the late 19th century by the largely Methodist-based “holiness movement”, and Warner had become a strong proponent. Both Warner and most of our early leaders represented the non-Methodist background within the American Holiness movement, according to our church historian John W.V. Smith in “The Quest for Holiness and Unity.” After a brief affiliation with a small Indiana group which also espoused holiness teachings, in 1881 he withdrew and renounced all denominations as being man made sinful divisions of “the body of Christ”, the church. He declared himself to be related to all Christians in an open and free fellowship composed of every person who had experienced redemption in Christ. He saw no need to join any “sect” or denomination.
Warner was “a minister and an editor, a fiery preacher, and a pungent writer”, according to Harold L. Phillips in “The Miracle of Survival.” Through a magazine which he owned and edited, “The Gospel Trumpet”, and through his preaching and contacts in the holiness associations he soon learned there were many others in various denominations who believed as he did and either had already or were on the verge of taking the same stand as he had. In a short time there were dozen or so itinerant “flying messengers” traversing the nation, calling sinners to repentance and Christians to holy living and to a demonstration of Christian unity in an unstructured fellowship outside the denominational system. Thus our reformation movement was born. We adopted the Biblical name, Church of God.
Warner was the first itinerant minister of our group to visit Pennsylvania. In 1884 he conducted a series of meetings in two Mercer County locations in western Pennsylvania, Sandy Lake and Greenville, but no congregations were established then. In 1889 he held meetings in Armstrong County and in 1892 was in Perryville for an outdoor meeting. He expressed a desire on several occasions to visit eastern Pennsylvania, but was unable to do so.
On Warner’s first visit he also made contact with another former Winebrennerian minister in Pittsburgh, George T. Clayton, who had already renounced the sectarian system and was ministering as an independent evangelist. Clayton was later to become a strong leader in the development of the Church of God in Pennsylvania, particularly in the western part. His most unique venture was the building of a three hundred seat chapel and living quarters on an unpowered flatboat which he called the “Floating Bethel”. Beginning in Pittsburgh in 1894 he started down the Ohio River, evangelizing with the help of other ministers (including D.S. Warner) at every landing along the way. In 1898 the boat was destroyed by fire at Moundsville West Virginia, but in the four years of its use over forty congregations of the Church of God were started along its route. Through the pages of “The Gospel Trumpet” now called “Vital Christianity”, other persons who were to become leaders of the movement in Boyertown District were identified, and joined in spreading the message. Probably the first was William J.Henry (1867-1955) from Ohio, who was just beginning his ministry. He was called: “one of the most prominent of the “flying messengers of the pioneer days,” by John W.V. Smith, church historian. In 1889 he responded to a request for meetings, which Warner had received but was not able to accept from holiness-believing Winebrennerian congregations in eastern Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, at Dow and Auburn. Henry later became a very active evangelist and songwriter, holding many meetings in eastern Pennsylvania and ministering in every state of the Union as well as England. He toured eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey for several months each year till 1895.
John W.V. Smith in his book: “Heralds of a Brighter Day” tells of the ministry and work of Nora S. Hunter, (1873-1951). Nora Seins was her maiden name. She was a part of the evangelistic party aboard the “Floating Bethel”, conducting children’s meetings on the boat. She worked in Pittsburgh for several months, before teaming up with W.J. Henry’s tour of eastern Pennsylvania, in 1892. They spent several months in various cities and towns in this area, and then went on to Maryland® Nora S. Hunter founded the Women’s Missionary Society (now called Women of the Church of God) in 1932, and started it in eastern Pennsylvania in 1934.
Another of the Pennsylvanian “Heralds of a Brighter Day” was Herbert M. Riggle,(1872-1952), born in western Pennsylvania, pastor in Cambridge Springs and Distant, prolific writer for the “Gospel Trumpet”, and one of the theologians for the Church of God. He and his family also ministered on the “Floating Bethel”.
Another early leader was John H. Rupert (1862-1936), a native of St. Petersburg, Pennsylvania, who was converted and began preaching in the late 1880’s. Later he was the first Church of God preacher to preach in Germany. In 1890 Rupert along with his wife, Hattie, and William J. Henry responded to an invitation to conduct revival meetings at West Point, Pennsylvania from William S. Kriebel, who had learned of the Church of God from his parents in Illinois. These evangelistic meetings resulted in the formation of the first continuing congregation in the state of Pennsylvania. One the converts Benjamin Franklin Weikel(1857-1936) who was born in Trappe Montgomery County eastern Pennsylvania became the first resident pastor in eastern Pennsylvania in 1892. The congregation later merged with Sellersville started by the Enos Fluck family to form the present day Lansdale Church of God.
The introduction of the Church of God to Harrisburg area was by “The Gospel Trumpet in 1890”s William J. Henry preached in the early 1890’s in Loysville. They moved down the Susquehanna River to New Cumberland. Here Anna Martin who came out of the Salvation Army and the Henricks family were early promoters of the Church of God movement. In 1908 Martin held a Sunday School in the home of the Henricks in Camp Hill area. This resulted in the formation of the Harrisburg Cleverly Heights Church.
The first known contact in the state of New Jersey was at Lambertville, New Jersey, across from New Hope, in October of 1892 by William J. Henry and J.H. Rupert. Later D. O. Teasley, (1876-1942) prominent national leader, hymn writer, and author, held the first service for the Church of God, in 1897 in Hoboken, New Jersey. He founded a missionary home in Hoboken, along with C. J. Blewitt in a store building. Later Teasley established the longest-lasting “missionary home” in the nation, in the Bronx, New York City. The “missionary home” was a unique feature of the early development of the Church of God in the larger cities. They followed the example of the Gospel Trumpet home in Anderson, Indiana, where the workers carried on the publishing work and lived free, but without salary. These homes in other locations performed functions of city missions and also served as centers for ministerial training, fellowship and meetings.
The Bronx home became the departure and return point for all the movement’s trans-Atlantic travelers and missionaries. They developed a comprehensive program of meetings in various sections of the city, and later the “New York Bible Training School” was part of their ministerial training program.
In 1896 Benjamin Franklin Weikel stated out from West Point in a springboard wagon to start a “permanent mission home and to evangelize Philadelphia.” This mission home at 505 Lehigh Avenue was purchased in 1897 and was the earliest contact in Philadelphia. His work led to the establishment of the First church in Philadelphia which he pastored for several years. At least three missionary homes existed in Philadelphia at the turn of the century, including a German speaking home, led by Adolph Ast. J. Grant Anderson, prominent leader in western Pennsylvania, also spent two years at a mission home on Allegheny Ave.
A “Gospel Trumpet” was purchased by a David Chronister, who lived in the York Springs area in the 1890’s. A brush arbor meeting was arranged by David Chronister in 1897, and meetings were held in homes, near Rock Chapel, the second oldest Methodist church in Pennsylvania. A revival held by Mary Helpinstine, Pearl Smith, and Mrs. Sadie Wallace caused two families to accept the truth. This eventually resulted in the start of the York Springs Church.
SIGNIFICANT DATES IN OUR HISTORY
1867 D.S. Warner enters ministry with Winebrennarians
1878 Warner became editor of “Herald of Gospel Freedom”
1881 Warner started “The Gospel Trumpet on January 1 On October 1 Warner took his stand free from all sectarianism at Beaver Dam, Indiana
1884 Warner visits western Pennsylvania to preach
1889 William J. Henry preaches in eastern Pennsylvania at Dow and Auburn in Schuylkill County
1890 John H. Rupert, along with William J. Henry holds evangelistic meeting at West Point where Benjamin Franklin Weikel was converted
1892 Benjamin Franklin Weikel, first resident pastor in Pennsylvania at West Point from 1892-1895
1892 William J. Henry preaches first time in New Jersey at Lambertville, and later at Harrisburg
1895 Benjamin Franklin Weikel starts missionary home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which becomes First Church in Philadelphia
1897 D.O. Teasley starts missionary home in Hoboken, New Jersey and later at Bronx, New York
David Chronister holds brush arbor and home prayer meetings in York Springs, Pennsylvania.
1915 J.J. Bruce, first Black pastor in Philadelphia in 1920 at what became High Street Church, first came in 1915, later joined by other ministers such as Thomas P. Delaine, Charles Watkins, and others.
1917 First “Yearbook of the Church of God” lists nine churches: Athens, Easton, Lititz Philadelphia Reading, Taylor, West Point and preaching points and churches in eastern Pa.; Butler and Gloucester in New Jersey, missionary home in Bronx, with two Eastern conventions each year
1922 First Eastern Camp meeting at Wescosville, Pennsylvania
1925 First Eastern Camp meeting at Boyertown Camp
1934 Women’s Missionary Society formed at Boyertown Camp by Nora S. Hunter
1946 Boundaries of Boyertown District set, Tri-State, the North Eastern area and Boyertown District developed out of Eastern State’s area
1955 Delegated General Assembly of the Church of God in the East formed from Boyertown Association of Church of God
1963 Integration of the district which doubled number of churches belonging to the General Assembly of Church of God
1971 Kingdom Builders board formed
1980 Centennial of the Church of God 28 churches listed in Yearbook, 2,324 members
1990 Boyertown District Centennial of the Church of God 33 churches listed in Yearbook, 4,560 members
DATES OF OUR CONGREGATIONS STARTING
1890 West Point which became Lansdale
1895 First Church of Philadelphia
1896 First Services held in Loysville, the Harrisburg area
1897 Hoboken, New Jersey Missionary Home which led to development of
North Bergen & Bronx Missionary Home
1897 First services
held near York Springs, Pennsylvania
1900 Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania
1906 Butler, New Jersey (Kinnelon)
1906 Athens, Pennsylvania (Sayre)
1908 First Church in
Reading, Pennsylvania
1910 Gloucester City, New Jersey
1914 Taylor, Pennsylvania
1917 Services held in
Easton and Allentown area
1923 Northside Church of God in Philadelphia (High Street)
1925 Westside Church of God in Philadelphia
1927 Palmerton,
Pennsylvania
1934 North 17th Church of God in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1936 Chester,
Pennsylvania (Brookhaven)
1947 Carlisle, Pennsylvania
1948 German Church of
God, Union City, New Jersey
1953 German Church of God, Flourtown, Pennsylvania
1953 Pine Street Church of God, Reading, Pennsylvania
1958 Community Church
of God, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1964 New Castle, Delaware (North 23rd, Wilmington)
1965 North 8th Street Church of God, Reading, Penna.
1967 Refuge Church of God, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1968 West Oak Lane,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1970 North Side Church of God, Wilmington, Delaware
1975 Christ Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1975 Boyertown, Pennsylvania
1979 Bible Fellowship
Church of God, Philadelphia, Pa.
1981 Korean Evangelical Church of God, Flourtown, Pennsylvania
1982 Community Church of God, Temple, Pennsylvania
1983 New Covenant Church of God, Philadelphia, Pa.
1984 Hosanna Family Ministries, Philadelphia, Pa.
DELAWARE VALLEY CONGREGATIONS
The Delaware valley includes the city of Philadelphia and adjoining areas, with such cities as Chester, Brookhaven, and Lansdale. It is the largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania with over two million population in Philadelphia alone. It was founded by William Penn as the city of brotherly love, translation of Greek word Philadelphia, in late 1600’s. Philadelphia was a major emigration center for the Pennsylvania Dutch (Germans) and many others. The city was crucial in the revolutionary days, as was the whole Delaware Valley, which would include Valley Forge.
There are now at present nine churches in Philadelphia, two in Flourtown, one in Gloucester City, New Jersey, Brookhaven, and Lansdale, making a total of 14 in the Delaware Valley.
FIRST CHURCH OF GOD OF LANSDALE,
PENNSYLVANIA (Now called "Hope Fellowship")
(West Point and Sellersville) 1890
The first permanent congregation was founded at West Point, Pennsylvania by interest of William S. Kriebeland his father, Jonas who requested revival meetings to be held in 1890 in West Point. William J. Henry, and John and Hattie Rupert responded to the request. They met on the second floor of a building used for cattle auctions on the first floor. Several ministers were converted in these meetings, including B.F. Weikel and Suzie Kriebel. Benjamin Franklin Weikel (1857-1940) was born in Montgomery County on August 22, 1857. He was converted on December 2, 1892, and baptized on December 9. He served as pastor at West Point from 1892-1895. He was the first residential pastor in the state of Pennsylvania for the Church of God. Later the Ruperts rejoined the West Point group, accompanied by J.W. Daugherty and others. Prayer meetings were held in the Seasholtz home; Sunday morning worship at the Bean home and evening serve at the West residence. Ministerial service was irregular after 1895 at West Point.
The Sellersville Church of God was started in 1918 by the Enos Fluck family. Enos Fluck discovered the truth of the church by reading a “Gospel Trumpet” which a neighbor had given him. J.C. Blaney, Herman Ast, and Rolla Shultz served as full time pastors at Sellersville. When Pastor Shultz resigned, the group decided to worship with the West Point group at Lansdale.
The move to Lansdale came about when a building committee, consisting of Charles Handy, father of Rev. Raymond C. Handy, Fred Seasholtz, and Rev. Myrle Cross discovered a lot in Lansdale, which seemed to be just what they needed. Though the lot was for sale for $1,000, the owner sold it for $450, when he learned that a church was to be erected there.
Myrle Cross, born in 1903, entered the ministry at West Point in 1924 as the first full time pastor and moved with the congregation to Lansdale and served there until June of 1928. The new building in Lansdale, at 37 Jenkins Avenue, was dedicated in November of 1925, with Earl Martin, then of Boston, and first dean of our School of Theology, preaching the dedication sermon.
Albert J. Kempin (1900-1965) was born in Germany, and emigrated with his family to Philadelphia, where he attended the public school system, and Temple University. He was converted in the First Church of God in Philadelphia in 1917. He later earned a Ph.D. while pastoring in California. He met his wife, Naomi Schiele from Royerford at Boyertown Camp meeting, was married in 1927. He first pastored in Union City, New Jersey, from 1924-25, then in New York City from 1925-1928, then assumed the pastorate at Lansdale in 1928 until 1930. He became a well known author of books and articles for Warner Press, and served on Executive Council and other committees at Anderson, Indiana. He was a member of the first trustee board at Boyertown Camp.
C. L. Quinn, author and prominent minister of the Church of God, followed Kempin as pastor until 1934. Daniel Schemmer served as pastor from 1934-1943, during which time an addition was added to the building which served as living quarters for the pastor’s family.
Charles Struthers served the church as pastor from 1942 till 1946. Charles and Florence then became missionaries in Jamaica from 1946 till 1958. They rejoined the congregation in the 1990’s, and he passed away in 1997.
William Dudgeon pastored the Lansdale church for the decade of 1946-1956. During his ministry, the silver anniversary of the church was celebrated on November 12, 1950.
George Kufeldt, later professor of Old Testament at our School of Theology, pastored from 1957-1960. During his pastorate a new parsonage was constructed, with the old parsonage becoming the Sunday School annex.
A building fund for a new church building was started under the leadership of Robert Cantrell who served from 1966-1969.
A new church building was erected on Valley Forge Road under the ministry of Ben Ullmer. The old building was sold, and four acres of property were purchased to build the building near a nice new subdivision. Ben Ulmer pastored from 1969-1975. Ben died at an early age in 1998.
David C. Schwarz pastored from 1976 till l984, then Robert Weber pastored from l984 till 1988. Doug Riley, a native of Maryland, and graduate from Warner Southern College, became the pastor in 1988, after pastoring in Niagara Falls, New York.
Dr. Streeter Stuart, born in Oklahoma, and who pastored at Allentown for eight years, became the pastor in 1995.
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania, and the major port of immigration. It is a city filled with history of our nation, with the liberty bell’s home, and first home of our congress. It is the center and heart beat of the Delaware Valley, which includes Wilmington Delaware, parts of South Jersey, as well as Lansdale, Chester, and Brookhaven.
FIRST CHURCH OF GOD OF PHILADELPHIA 1895
The second congregation of the district, First Church of Philadelphia, was started by the efforts of Benjamin J. Weikel, who journeyed to Philadelphia by spring board wagon in February of 1895. He preached wherever an opportunity was given him, in homes, halls, missions and churches. When he first started in Philadelphia, Sister Ora Howard, who later married D.O. Teasley, helped to preach. Weikel used a gospel wagon to hold tent meetings in the summer in the surrounding town till about 1902. A prominent Gospel Worker in the church was Milo Gleeten, who had worked for the Gospel Trumpet Company, and settled in Philadelphia to work in the shipyards.
For the next few years the preachers from New York Faith Missionary Home would come and preach. Among them were Brother Blowout, Anna Nelson, J. Blarney, and Otto Inn who later become professor of NT at Warner Pacific College.
In 1907, J. Grant Anderson pastored the First Church of God in Philadelphia until 1909. C.E. Brown (1883-1971), editor of the Gospel Trumpet, well know author, and respected theologian for the Church of God, pastored from 1909 till 1914. He regularly preached during his pastorate at West Point Church of God. The 1914 Gospel Trumpet speaks of a missionary home in Philadelphia with C.E. Brown as director. Anderson Brown, C.E.’s brother pastored till 1917.
The First Church of God was pastored by Adolf Ast in 1917. The 1917 Yearbook of the Church of God listed 75 people ministered to, and a seating capacity of 80. He was a full time pastor with four years in the ministry. He was married to Emily Ast with four children at that time. He spoke German fluently and often preached in German. He was assisted by Herman B. Contz.
A Gottfried Kohn, born in Hamburg Germany, converted under the ministry of John Rupert, was an evangelist living in Philadelphia, according to the 1917 Yearbook. He may have preached at a German Missionary Home operated by Adolph Ast.
There appears to have been a German Church of God in Philadelphia pastored by Herman Ast, according to C.E. Brown in “When the Trumpet Sounded”.
The Albert J. Kempin family, his parents, and his two brothers (Adolf, and Alfred) were key members in the First Church of God. Albert was converted in August of 1917 at the church under the pastorate of Adolf Ast. His brothers were leading laymen with their families, and members of the church’s trustees. Alfred or Fred was the trustee who deeded the building to the board of Church Extension in Anderson, who later deeded it back to Christ Center Church when they merged.
John W. Smith lists three missionary homes in Philadelphia in his history of the church. There was a missionary home under leadership of Wiekel in the early days, then under the leadership of C.E. Brown. There was the German home, and one operated by J. Blaney.
The early black ministers in the area worshipped at times with the First Church of God also. Among the very first were a Minister James and his wife, Matilda who came here in 1915. Most of them came from the Carolina’s and the South during the 20’s. Brother and Sister May, Brother Daniel, Brother Barnes, Rev. Noah and Viola Reid, Sr. and Rev. J.J. Bruce, who pastored the first Black church in Philadelphia.
The first full time pastor at First Church was LeRoy Abbotts who came in January of 1923, who received $26 per week. He resigned in 1924. A church building was secured in May of 1924 at 505 Lehigh Street.
William J. Paxson, born in 1872, who was converted on the “Floating Bethel” and ordained by D.S. Warner in 1895, was the pastor from 1927 till 1951. He served in the church building at Howell and Dittmon Street for 24 years.
LIST OF PASTORS FOR FIRST CHURCH PHILADELPHIA
Benjamin F. Weikel 1895-1902 William J. Paxson 1927-1951
Supply Pastor 1902-190· Joseph D. Chelett 1951-1953
J. Grant Anderson 1907-1909 L.G. Kliphouse 1953-1955
C.E. Brown 1909-1914 Edward Duty 1956-1958
Anderson Brown 1914-1917 Alton Watts 1961-1963
Adolf Ast 1917-1923 Arthur Wieand 1967-1972
Supply Pastors 1923-1927 Howard George 1972-1979
In 1979 the First Church merged with Christ Center, with David Stevens as pastor, and Howard George, Assistant. This became the first modern integrated work in Philadelphia.
HIGHLAND PARK CHURCH OF GOD (Gloucester City, N. J.) 1910 (click to visit website)
Gloucester City, New Jersey is right across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. It is a smaller community among a number of other cities in the Greater Philadelphia area on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. The congregation has been greatly affected by the early leaders and workers of the First Church of God in Philadelphia, where many of the outstanding early ministers visited and preached.
Many of the first contacts in South Jersey were made by the workers at the First Church in Philadelphia. Many of them first heard of the Church of God, and received its literature from Philadelphia. The first pastor, Herbert B. Huntsinger (1884-1953), was born in Williamstown, New Jersey of a devout Methodist family. Seeking for the truth, he was introduced to the Church of God during a visit to his uncle, David Grant, where together they visited Philadelphia and heard Charles E. Brown. Due to the influence of an uncle giving him tracts and “Gospel Trumpets”, Brother Huntsinger gave his life to the preaching of the entire Word of God, as he understood it.
The first public service of the Church of God in Gloucester City, New Jersey was held about 1910. It was held in the home of Mrs. Jennie Barclow, 446 North King Street. C. E. Brown, the pastor at Philadelphia First Church from 1909-1914, and one of the leading theologians of the Church of God Movement, was the guest speaker. Among those attending were Mrs. Barclow, Herbert and Florence Huntsinger who became first full time pastor, Ralph Faldon, David Grant, Reverend William Downer, who started a small congregation in Glassboro, New Jersey in 1904, Parker Faldon, Ethel Faldon, Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Peterson.
Doctrinal teachings caused the early Church of God Reformation Movement to be called the “come-outers”. Many were those who came out of “sectism” and denominationalism which was called “Babylon” by our early preachers.
Rev. William Downer
was very helpful in establishing them in the truth and would baptize
members in the Delaware River. He served as spiritual leader in the early
days. The 1917 Yearbook of the Church of God lists H.B. Huntsinger who
began his ministry in 1914 as part time pastor at Gloucester City with 20
people ministered to. Rev. Huntsinger was ordained to the Christian
ministry in 1921. The earliest development of the Highland Park Church
of God in Gloucester City is mainly associated with the life and work of
Rev. Herbert B. Huntsinger, who pastored 38 years from 1914 thru June of
1952.
Weekly meetings were held in the homes with many evangelists stopping to speak to the people. In 1916, Mr. Ralph Faldon loaned the group $1,000 to purchase an old shoemaker’s shop at 228 Burlington Street, which was remodeled and served as a church building until 1932. (Click picture to view larger)
In 1929, the present property was purchased
for $2,000. Church services were held regularly in a church on Bergen St.
while the new church was being built. The church was completed in 1935 at
an estimated cost of $25,000. Mr. Mark Kane, a
member of the church, supervised the
construction.
Brother and Sister Huntsinger formed an effective team as they worked hard to lead the flock closer to God. Throughout this time, Brother Huntsinger remained self-supporting and gave of himself with such willingness that the work in Gloucester City grew and prospered.
John W. V. Smith,
church historian from 1957 to 1985, tells in his major history: “The Quest
for Holiness and Unity” about the work in Gloucester City, N. J. He quotes
a 1932 report on church growth in the “Gospel Trumpet”: “Often our church
in the Sunday evening service has been filled to overflowing. The Lord
has enabled us to pay off an indebtedness on a lot and also to erect a
foundation for a new place of worship. We are glad to report increasing
spirituality and also a spirit of personal evangelism.”
In moving the site
from Burlington Street to the present site on Market and Baynes Avenue,
much prayer and deliberation was evidenced. Now it seems to have been a
wise move since the church is now located in a nice residential section
while all but two churches have remained in the old residential section
west of the main street.
(Click picture to view larger)
In May of 1957 the church purchased the adjoining property at 111 Baynes Avenue. This property was used for Sunday School rooms and a pastor’s study. It became obvious that either the congregation would expand its facilities in 1963, or else it would cease to grow, since all available church school space was filled to capacity, including the small bungalow.
After much study and conversation it was decided to have the first
fund-raising program here
sponsored by the national Board of Church Extension and Home Missions.
Under Pastor Alfred L. Conner, a native
of West Virginia, and graduate of our School of Theology, there would be a
total of five such capital fund
programs. This would be the highest amount at any one
location nationally in the Church of God.
Construction was begun on a new
educational unit in November of 1964, and on December 5, 1965, the
new addition was dedicated.
(click picture to view larger)
Extensive renovation was begun on the old edifice in 1966, tying it architecturally to the new addition. In 1970 about $15,000 was invested in an addition to the parsonage and air conditioning for the church. In 1971 the church expanded its ministry by establishing the Small World Nursery School. The school is accredited by the Division of Institutions and Agencies of the State of New Jersey.
The pastor, Alfred L. Conner, emphasized ministry to the community through youth groups, youth choirs, young adult ministry, and counseling. Rev. Conner has served the church, as well as the district for 28 years.
HIGH STREET CHURCH OF GOD (North Philadelphia) 1923
The first Black church in the Delaware Valley was originally called the North Philadelphia Church of God. A number of Black ministers moved to Philadelphia from the Carolina’s in the 1920’s. Many of them did attend the First Church of God, when they first arrived and for several years. Among the first were a minister James and his wife, Matilda who came in 1915. They began to hold prayer meetings from house to house, then started church services. They sent for Rev. J.J. Bruce to be their pastor and moved from store front to the home of the pastor.
J.J. Bruce was the first Black pastor in the Delaware Valley. J. J. Bruce (1868-1929) entered the ministry in 1894 at the age of 26. The 1927 Yearbook of the Church of God lists him as married with one dependent, and pastor of the North Philadelphia Church, with all his time spend in pastoring. Jane Williams was the founder of one of the earliest Black Church of God congregations in 1886 in Charleston, South Carolina, and one of the earliest outstanding Black leaders in the movement. She visited the work in Philadelphia in 1923, according to a news note that appeared on April 30, 1923 in the “Gospel Trumpet”. She wrote: “From there (Pittsburgh), I came to the home of Brother J.J. Bruce, and went to work in this little congregation (40). They are doing effectual work in Philadelphia. I helped in the Sunday School (25) as card-class teacher. Here I worked all winter until the last of March.” The Church of God Yearbook lists the location at 1720 North 21st Street, and later at 2455 Turner Street. J.J. Bruce pastored the church for seven years till 1929. Thomas P. DeLaine (1895-1951), graduate of Tuskegee Institute in 1924, became pastor at North Philadelphia in 1929. He was the second oldest of ten children. He attended Anderson University for one year, after which he returned to Philadelphia to enroll in classes at Temple University. In 1914 he entered the ministry, and was listed as an evangelist in 1927 Yearbook. He attended church, and worked under the direction of older ministers. They insisted that he should become pastor, and so he accepted. His education, and methodical ways, were difficult for some to accept who did not believe in formal training for ministers. He started a young people’s meeting, usher board, girl’s & boy’s clubs, choir, and regular board meetings. The 1939 Directory of the North Philadelphia Church speaks of the efficient and orderly work of this very gifted and intelligent man of God. The local church directory of 1939 listed 93 members. He married Clara Cluts while pastoring there. He resigned the pastorate in 1947.
W. W. White became pastor in 1949. During his pastorate a small building on Dauphin Street was purchased. After a serious illness he passed away in 1953.
Horace Sheppard who grew up in the North Philadelphia Church was called to be pastor in 1953. The congregation grew and soon moved to 222 High Street in 1956. The move was a very prosperous one to the new building which includes a gymnasium and a large Sunday School unit. Horace Sheppard became a well known evangelist, holding revivals and camp meetings across the country. He resigned the church in 1967, and later became pastor at West Oak Lane church.
C. Milton Grannum, a native of Guyana, and a product of Church of God missions became pastor in 1968. He obtained his doctorate in education from Temple University. He established a strong missionary emphasis with a minister of missions, Donald Fredlund. He also started a Christian school at the church. The gymnasium and Sunday School unit suffered a severe fire in 1980. He pastored at High Street till 1981, and then started the New Covenant Church of God, Clarence Glover, who grew up in the church, pastored at Reading N. 8th Street Church, and missionary to St. Kitts, become the next pastor. Don Fredlund was interim pastor for a while. He pastored then from 1982 till 1987. Then Don Fredlund was interim pastor again till 1989, when Van A. Copeland became the pastor.
The first Black Church became the source for most of the Black pastors in our district, and has produced many outstanding pastors in our movement, such as Benjamin Reid who now pastors in Los Angeles, California. He is considered one of our finest ministers. The original North Philadelphia Church of God (now High Street) was the prime start of every other Black Church of God in the Delaware Valley, not including New Jersey.
WEST SIDE CHURCH OF GOD 1925
The West Side Church of God began in South Philadelphia in the summer of 1925. The founder and first pastor was Charles Watkins (1890-1964). He was serving part of his time as pastor according to 1927 Yearbook of the Church of God. He was also listed as married with one dependent.
Brother Watkins began his ministry in the Southside with street corner meetings, on the corner of 29th and Alter Streets. With God’s help a storefront mission was opened the next summer in 1926 with six members, and Charles Watkins pastor.
Due to the blessings of the Lord and the growth of membership, larger quarters were needed in 1929. Being encouraged by continual growth, the young congregation made several moves. In 1936 they moved to 3713 Wallace Street. Tent meetings were held in the summer of 1939, and West Philadelphia knew of the presence of the Church of God.
The present building at 504 Sloan St. was purchased in 1940. Rev. Charles Watkins pastored the second black church in Philadelphia for 39 years, passing away in 1964.
Rev. Noah W. Reid, Sr. assumed the pastorate in 1964, and served for eight years till ill health forced his retirement in 1972. The church then selected two ministers as supply pastors, Noah W. Reid Jr, and Gabriel Bowman, in December of 1972. Pastor Noah W. Reid, Jr. accepted the pastorate in October of 1973, naming Gabriel Bowman as assistant pastor. Pastor Reid had a strong ministry with refugee resettlement, being aided both by our national missionary board, and by the Pennsylvania Council of Churches. Several renovations were made to the building, and Daryl Reid, after graduation from seminary and his ordination, became youth minister. Pastor Reid resigned in 1982 to accept the pastorate of the North 17th Street Church of God in Harrisburg.
BROOKHAVEN CHURCH OF GOD (Chester) 1936
Chester is a major suburb of Philadelphia, and Brookhaven is an adjacent community to Chester. Probably the first contact in the Chester area was in 1902 by Benjamin F. Weikel, first resident pastor at West Point and at Philadelphia, who brought his Gospel Wagon for evangelistic meetings. The 1918 Yearbook of the Church of God lists an “isolated saint”, Curtis Montgomery in Chester.
The first mention of any public service was in 1929 with a prayer meeting reported to the “Gospel Trumpet” by Adam W. Miller, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and later first dean of our School of Theology. The first service in Chester was held in the home of Mae Bailey, and later in home of Lynn T. Crippen for a number of years. The first public Sunday services were held in the Odd Fellows Temple at 8th and Sproul Streets in Chester, in February of 1936, under the leadership of Denzel Lovely and Elwood J. Bailey. A few months later the location was moved to the YMCA, at 7th and Edgmont Avenue, where it remained until February of 1939.
Brothers Bailey and Lovely left in May, 1936, and W.J. Paxson, Pastor at Philadelphia, with the help of Adolph Kempin and Rev. E.E. Rhoades, served until September, 1938, when Bailey returned as pastor. It was during his term that the church building on Virginia Avenue in Brookhaven was purchased. The congregation started worshipping in that building on February 1, 1939. Katherine Daugherty served as interim Pastor until June of 1943. A mortgage burning service was held on February 28,1943.
Robert H. Reardon, born in 1919 at Chicago, Illinois, to Dr. E.A. Reardon, was pastor from 1943-1947. The Annex was added, a parsonage was purchased, and first efforts to a new church building were started. Dr. Robert H. Reardon resigned in August of 1947 to become assistant to the President of Anderson University. He was President from 1958-1983, during which most of the present buildings of the University were built.
Ronald Joiner became the pastor in 1950, and pastored for nine years, at which time he resigned to accept a position at Warner Press. He later taught at the college, the Seminary, and Warner Pacific College. Alfred B. Cain, Jr. followed him and was pastor of the church on Dedication Day in 1959. The new church building was started on August 25, 1958 and the congregation first worshipped in it on January 4, 1959. He resigned in 1960 and Howard George, native of Kentucky, first became pastor on January 1, 1961 and served until 1968.
He was an outstanding leader of the church on several occasions. Paul J. Bently Jr. was pastor until 1972. Then Rev. George was interim pastor until Earl Nichols assumed the leadership on July 1, 1973 and served till 1978. John Lentz served as pastor for one year until July of 1979. Howard George was again interim pastor till 1983 when Gary Graves from West Virginia was called first as an assistant then as pastor until he resigned in 1987. Howard George passed away after a long illness in 1988. Raymond Burns accepted the pastorate in 1989.
GERMAN CHURCH OF GOD
(Midland Park, N. J. & Flourtown, Pa.)
(1948) (1953)
Although there was an earlier German Church of God in Philadelphia, and a German Missionary Home, the current German Church of God congregations began with a new migration of German speaking Church of God people after the Second World War. They settled first in 1948 in Union City New Jersey, and then in 1953 in Flourtown. The Union City congregation later moved to Midland Park, New Jersey to a very fine new building under the leadership of Karl Keiffer, who has pastored there for several years. The new German speaking immigrants formed the church in Philadelphia at 337 West Seymour, under the leadership of Alfred Berzins. Rev. Alfred Berzins was born in Rujiena, Latvia, presently a Baltic Republic of the U.S.S.R. He was converted at the age of 22 and started preaching at age 24 in his home town. After attending the Church of God Bible School in Dassel, Germany, he pastored in his home town for ten years. When the Russians took control of Latvia, he fled to Treysa, Germany, with his family and served as a minister for four years. It was here that he was ordained in the Church of God movement.
The congregation first met in the Buerger home on April 15, 1953. There were 25-30 people at the first meeting, with guests from around the country and from the German Church of God in Union City, New Jersey. On January 1, 1956, Alfred Berzins was asked to become the pastor at Union City as well as Philadelphia. He served both churches for ten years until 1966. He then devoted all his work to the church in Philadelphia. Around 1972 Oscar Z. Berzins, son of the first pastor, was called to be the pastor. He also was born in Latvia, worshipped in Philadelphia, and spent some time as editor of the German “Gospel Trumpet” which was published in Kansas. In 1975 the German Church of God moved out of Philadelphia to a small community nearby by the name of Flourtown, at 708 Bethlehem Pike. A lovely new building was built. Oscar Berzins pastored for eleven years, and resigned in 1983. The Korean Church started meeting in the Flourtown building in 1980. Andrea Hammich became the next pastor for several years.
The present pastor at Flourtown is Jonathan Fitzner. The German congregations at Flourtown, and in Northern New Jersey at Midland Park became part of our district in 1980.
COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD 1958
The Community Church of God was founded and organized by the Rev. Thomas P. DeLaine in February,1958. Brother DeLaine pastored for one year, then moved to North Carolina to set up a Christian school. He left in his will more than three thousand books to Anderson University when he died in 1972.
Rev. Allen Lee Mack found the Church of God in Lamarr, South Carolina in 1925 when he was converted. He felt his call to ministry in 1930, and was ordained in 1931. He studied under the leadership of Thomas P. DeLaine in the 40’s for four years. He pastored in Virginia and Alabama before he accepted the call to Community Church of God in 1959. The church had four other locations prior to the present one. With God’s help and diligent work, the congregation moved into its present location at 42nd and Parish Streets in 1973. Rev. Mack was a faithful warrior for God, and pastored the church for 23 years. He retired as Pastor Emeritus in 1983, and was honored for more than fifty years ministry at Boyertown Camp Meeting in 1989. Noah W. White, former pastor at North 8th Street in Reading and later in Pittsburgh, accepted the pastorate in 1983. He pastored until 1989 when he retired.
WILMINGTON (North 23rd) DELAWARE 1964
This was the first congregation of the Church of God in North Delaware, across the bridge from Philadelphia. It was the outgrowth of 12 members of the High Street Church of God in Philadelphia who lived in Wilmington and New Castle area. They had commuted to High Street for several years. They began meeting in June of 1964 at 101 Ryan Avenue in New Castle with Harold E. Harrison as pastor, who resigned after five years in 1969. Sister Geraldine Dixon, minister, who had been serving as assistant pastor, was appointed as interim pastor.
The congregation spent some time in serious prayer before Rev. Edward Cross Sr. was found to be pastor. The church was moved from New Castle to 23rd Street in Wilmington which adjoins New Castle in 1977. A fire did extensive damage to the sanctuary, but the repairs made the sanctuary even more serviceable than before. Pastor Edward Cross has served the congregation as pastor over twenty years of this congregation of 100.
REFUGE CHURCH OF GOD 1967
he church began with the ministry of Sister Bessie Simons in 1967, at 2127 Federal Street in Philadelphia. Roland Leonard, the present pastor, began his ministry here in 1973. The congregation moved to 1728 Wylie St. after 1980.
WEST OAK LANE CHURCH OF GOD 1968
In the spring of 1969 a small group of worshippers met at the home of Brother and Sister Rogers in cottage-style services, praying for general guidance and direction in securing a leader. Late in the summer a new Church of God congregation was organized, and Horace W. Sheppard was chosen as pastor. For two years the small congregation shared the facilities of the Messiah Lutheran Church at Herman and Morton Streets.
In June of 1970 the building at 69th and Ogontz Avenue was purchased for the sum of $100,000. This property was only sixteen years old at the time and attracted the attention of the officers because of the two floors of classrooms adjoining the main building of the sanctuary and a large hall and kitchen area. With only thirty members and no credit rating, they were able to secure a loan for the initial cost. Pastor Benjamin Reid and his congregation, then at Detroit, Michigan, came to their rescue and borrowed the necessary money for them. The congregation marched into its new home on the third Sunday of October, 1970. The loan was repaid to the Detroit church in two years, and all of the expenses of the remodeling were paid. There was not a Church of God congregation in the West Oak Lane area, and many of the residents were seeking a local church home. The church grew rapidly and quickly outgrew its facilities at 69th and Ogontz, with 250 members and 340 attendance in 1978. In the latter part of 1979, the church was able to obtain more spacious quarters at Washington Land and Limekiln Pike. The church lists in the 1980 Church of God Yearbook 400 in attendance, and the 1990 Yearbooks lists 1,000. Horace Sheppard has influenced many people to enter the ministry, and several congregations are the outgrowth of his ministry.
WILMINGTON (Northside), DELAWARE 1970
Wilmington adjoins Philadelphia on the Delaware line, and is the largest metropolitan area in Delaware. The Northside Church of God began in June, 1970, when Sister Jacquelyn Harrison began gathering children for service at East Lake Methodist Church. Sister Virginia Bailey, a new convert, immediately began helping in this infant work.
Pastor Harold Harrison, then working as a Middle School guidance counselor, being touched by the almost total un-Christian behavior in school, began picking up teenagers to bring to church. In 1971 the work was greatly strengthened by the coming of two ministers, Jimmy Davis and Richard Walker, who moved their families from New York City to Wilmington to help nurture the new congregation. Harold Harrison often did missionary and evangelistic work in other cities. He resigned in 1983 to assume the pastorate at Gary, Indiana. Richard Walker, who had served as Interim Pastor at Temple, become pastor in 1984. He now has four associate ministers, in the congregation of 70 in 1990.
CHRIST CENTER, PHILADELPHIA 1975
he ministry of Christ Center Church of God began in 1975 with the work of David Stevens, who was raised in Philadelphia, and nurtured by the Community Church of God. David and his wife are graduates of Anderson University. They began a coffee house and a Christian Night Club as their ministry to teenagers and young adults, in what become known as Christ Center. A youth choir was formed early in their ministry which still continues. In 1975 a building at 1619 West Chelten, in Philadelphia was listed by the Yearbook of the Church of God, with 53 enrolled in the new Sunday School. The district Kingdom Builders were of some help with finances in 1971 and 1972. The Kingdom Builders assisted the congregation with a small loan of $2,000 for the purchase of an additional building in 1979. Christ Center in 1979 merged with the First Church of God which began in 1897 as the second church in our district. Rev. David Stevens was pastor, and Howard George, pastor at First Church, become the assistant pastor at Christ Center. A new building was purchased, and remodeled for the church at 1615-19 W. Chelten Avenue. The congregation has grown from 60 members in 1980 to 115 in 1990.
BIBLE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH OF GOD 1978
The church started with the ministry of Benjamin Graves, a product of the ministry of Horace Sheppard in 1978 at 1445 E. Vernon Road with a few believers. The congregation was recognized by the ministerium in 1979, and has grown to about 70 members in 1990. The district Kingdom Builders has assisted in pastoral support supplements.
KOREAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF GOD OF FLOURTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
Rev. D. K. Chung moved to the United States in 1980, and settled in Philadelphia with the intention of starting a Church of God for that great metropolitan area. Rev. Chung is a third generation Church of God Christian from North Korea who escaped to South Korea to avoid the communist rule. He has served as chairman of the Church of God in Korea, and is highly regarded there. He has produced a Korean hymnal for the Church of God. He arranged for the use of the German Church of God in Flourtown in 1981, and began services in Korean. He has had numerous retreats at the Boyertown Camp, even maintaining an office there for several years. This was the first Korean speaking Church of God in the nation.
NEW COVENANT CHURCH 1983
The congregation was organized by Rev. C. Milton Grannum in 1983, and met for a while at a public school. They moved later to their present location at 6400 Ardleigh. The congregation began with a hundred or so people, and has grown to be the largest congregation in the district with two thousand members in 1990. Rev. Grannum is nationally known as an outstanding camp meeting and convention speaker, as well as holding several offices nationally.
HOSANNA FAMILY FELLOWSHIP 1984
Hosanna Family Fellowship is an outgrowth of the marriage and family counseling of Rev. Desmond Maul, with a doctorate in counseling. He has had extensive experience as a sergeant in the Philadelphia police force. The ministry began in 1984 and has continued as a strong emphasis on family counseling. The congregation is located at 3956 N. 16th Street in Philadelphia. They began with a handful and now have over 60 in Sunday School, and over 150 in morning worship. They are receiving some help from district Kingdom Builders.
THE NORTHERN NEW JERSEY CONGREGATIONS
D.O. Teasley (1876-1942), general manager of Warner Press from 1917-1918, author, song writer, and well known preacher, was instrumental in starting the first work both in New Jersey and in New York City. He was very helpful in ministering both at North Bergen and Butler, New Jersey in the early years. The first missionary home in the New Jersey and New York City area was started in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1897,which was the forerunner of the Bronx Missionary Home, the departure and return point for all the movement’s trans-Atlantic traveler’s and missionaries. They had the capable leadership of such persons as D. Otis Teasley, George P. Tasker, C.J. Blewitt and Axchie A. Bolitho. The Bronx Home had a very comprehensive program of meetings in various sections of the city and among the many immigrant groups and a formalized training program for workers called the “New York Bible Training School.”
The German Church of God in Midland Park, New Jersey is part of the Boyertown District and its history is given in the section of the Delaware Valley congregations, since its history is best understood in conjunction with Flourtown. There are 17 Black churches in New Jersey who have their own district organization. The Boyertown District has given pastoral support to the Willingboro Church of God in South Jersey, although it is not part of the district.
KINNELON CHURCH OF GOD, NEW JERSEY (Butler)
The first organized congregation in New Jersey was at Butler, which is Northwest of Paterson and near Pompton Lakes. It is often called the “Gateway to the Lakes.” Butler is surrounded by small communities, each retaining its own traditions and characters. The first contacts in New Jersey were by W.J. Henry and D. O. Teasley in 1897, but the first organized congregation with one of the first buildings in New Jersey and Pennsylvania was at Butler. Mr. & Mrs. Abram Brandow made contact with the Church of god by a chance reading of a “Gospel Trumpet” on a train ride to Catskill, New York in 1902. The teachings in the magazine appealed to Luella Brandow and her husband so much that she shared her new faith with her brother, Mr. Alonzo Jeune, and her sister, Mrs. John Lyons. They started having meetings in their home in the Catskills. When Mrs. Brandow, her brother, Alonzo, and his wife returned to Butler, they started distributing literature door to door in 1903. Mrs. Luella Brandow was the first “Gospel Worker” or leader in 1903, and became the first pastor in 1908.
D.O. Teasley, from the Missionary Home in New York City, held a revival meeting in the home of Alonzo Jeune’s father in 1903 at which time Alonzo and his wife were converted. They began distributing literature, and held cottage meetings in homes. Teasley and Blewitt came to Butler several times and preached in these cottage meetings. The small group rented a number of halls, first at the Glenn Building on Keil Avenue, then the Bedson Building on Main Street in 1910, later the WCTU Hall downtown. Luella Brandow who was known for her loving devotion and sacrifice, pastored from 1908-1921.
Some of the early ministers who visited Butler and greatly encouraged the Brandow’s were Lottie Charles Warren, C. J. Blewitt, I.S. McCoy, and George Coplin. Marcel Desgalier(1892-1987) become pastor in 1921. Brother Desgalier was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, and immigrated to New York City in 1913 to join three of his sisters who had came earlier. He was introduced to the Church of God by his first wife, Jeanne Lea Kramer whom he had met in Washington, D.C. where he was employed as a butler. They were married in April of 1915, and attended the black church in Washington, where Charles T. Benjamin was pastor. He often ministered to the churches in the district who did not have a pastor at that time such as West Point, Sellersville, Emmaus, Boyertown, Reading, Harrisburg, Jersey Shore, North Bergen, New Jersey, and Round Lake, New York.
One of the first church buildings in the district was built under his ministry, by the dedicated help of a few men in the church. Later he served in the Niagara Falls Church from 1926-1943, District Evangelist from 1943-1949, then pastor at Carlisle 1949-1952. The first Board of Trustees at Butler was composed of Mr. Leroy Dolan, Mrs. Rosie Daglian, Mr. Arthur Struble, Mr. John Lyons, and Mrs. Abram Brandow. Estella Kemp Gray (1890-1975), Gospel worker at North Bergen, moved to Butler to help in the work there, and married John Gray. She had been converted in the same revival meeting in Baltimore with Adam W. Miller, first dean of our Seminary. Estella Kemp Gray started the first missionary society in New Jersey in 1926. She was listed as the assistant pastor in the 1927 Yearbook of the Church of God. She was a leading layperson in Butler for about fifty years.
Charles Appel (1891-1950) became pastor in 1926, after beginning his ministry in 1921. He was a fulltime pastor, with a family of five children, who served at Butler for 24 years. During his ministry, the church basement was finished and then enlarged to take care of the growth of the Sunday School. The church was remodeled, new pews purchased, and stained glass windows installed. In 1949, it was felt that a new Sunday School building was badly needed. The outer frame of this building was erected prior t Rev. Appel’s death, and several classes met in it, though it was not finished until 1951. Leslie Ratzlaff, first Dean at Warner Southern College, became the pastor in July, 1950, during which time the Sunday School building was finished, the back wall, pulpit and chancel remodeled, and memorial chimes installed in memory of Rev. Appel. Rev. Ratzlaff resigned to go the mission field in the late summer of 1952.
Marcel Desgalier served his second pastorate here from 1952-1957. Wayne Harting was asked to assist in youth work and music during his study at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. After this Wayne served as pastor from 1957-1966, with a strong program of outreach, community involvement, music and youth programs. The Butler church was the host church at the Protestant and Orthodox Center at the New York World’s Fair on August 8, 1964. Wayne resigned in 1966 to assume the State Fair Avenue Church of God pastorate in Detroit, Michigan. He is presently pastoring in Baltimore, Maryland, and has served as the chairman of national Commission on Social Concerns, and later as the chairman of national Board of Christian Education.
Donald Murphy, native of Ohio, and graduate of the church’s seminary, formerly pastoring in Eldred, Pennsylvania, became the new pastor of the Butler church in April, 1967. He emphasized the ministry to youth, and drug counseling. In 1969 the congregation celebrated its sixtieth anniversary, at which time all past living pastors were invited to attend. Rev. Murphy resigned in 1972 to become pastor of the First Church of God in Reading, Pennsylvania. He had served as chairman of the district Board of Christian Education while at Butler, later being chairman of ministerium, then ten years as district chairman. Michael L. Hicks became the pastor in February of 1973. He served until 1976, when William Thomas, who was pastoring in Maryland, became the pastor. Pastor Thomas was instrumental in the selling of the church and parsonage, and purchase of land in Kinnelon, which is adjacent on the South side of Route 23. He resigned in 1989. Scott Stremmel became the pastor in 1989.
COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD OF NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY
North Bergen is just across the Hudson River from New York City by way of the Lincoln Tunnel. There have been many influences on the church by its proximity to New York City. It is part of the large metropolitan mega city of North Jersey. The first services of the Church of God to be held on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River were in the year 1897. The Reverend Charles J. Blewitt (1873-1948) who was referred to by John W. V. Smith as “pioneer of the work in the East”, pastor of the Grand Avenue Church of God in New York City, very early supporter of missionary work, and member of our missionary Board in the 1930”s, was one of the first preachers to speak in New Jersey. He along with D. O. Teasley, minister in New York City began a mission in a store building in Hoboken. A number of families became interested and the services were held there until several months later when they were moved to the home of the Johnson sisters. From that day until the present time, there have been continuous services of the Church of God in Northern New Jersey either in homes or in chapels.
Charles Volbert (born in 1879, entered the ministry in 1922) first came into contact with the Church of God in New York City in 1919, according to Charles E. Brown in “When the Trumpet Sounded”. He found a place in West New York, New Jersey to start a meeting where C.J. Blewitt preached at first, and Alice Sprague was the first evangelist. In 1920 Rev. Blewitt rented a store front building at 409 Bergenline Avenue, West New York, next door to the Public Service Building. Charles Volbert, a lay preacher in the congregation, assisted in this work. In 1922 the church moved to 342 Bergenline Avenue in Union Hill.
In the same year of 1922 a truck chassis was given to Mr. Volbert for use in Gospel work. Through his ingenious ability, a unique Gospel Car was built, resembling a small chapel, from which he would preach and conduct open-air services. This Gospel Car was used for several years on Saturday nights for evangelistic meetings and on weekdays for church talks and illustrated sermons. On Sundays, it served as a Sunday School bus. Hundreds of tracts and other Gospel literature were given away, and many people were converted by the work of the Gospel Car. This same year of 1922, two women evangelists, Miss Lottie Charles and Miss Estella Kemp (later Estella Kemp Gray of Butler, N.J.) held a revival for the congregation and were persuaded to remain as full-time workers in the church for one year.
In 1924, Rev.
Volbert, who had by now been ordained in the Church of God, assumed the
full responsibility of the church and became its pastor. In February, 1924
an additional work was started in West Hoboken at 330 Summit Avenue, which
is now Union City. A.J. Kempin, from Philadelphia, became the supply
pastor. Services were held at this address for one year, and early in 1925
Mr. Christ Olsen, a member of the congregation, heard of a political
clubhouse in Woodcliff, at the corner of 37th Street and Fifth
Avenue (now 82nd and Fifth Avenue, North Bergen) which was for
sale. The building was only a year and a half old, and suitable for a
church. At that time Woodcliff, now known as North Bergen, was a new
housing area with no other churches in the city or vicinity. The new
church building was dedicated on February 15, 1925 with Myrle Cross,
Charles Clark, and Mayor Charles J. Morris, of North Bergen as speakers.
A. J. Kempin remained as pastor until September, 1925, during which time
the work flourished and prospered.
In August of 1926 a merger was effected between the church in Union Hill and the one in Woodcliff. Pastor Volbert and his congregation moved to the building in Woodcliff, and he became the pastor of the combined group. During his pastorate he took a deep interest in the camp at Boyertown, and was active in it and in the district. He continued pastoring until December 31, 1946. During the coming years, extensive remodeling was done and the annex was built on the main building. One of the most ambitious endeavors of the church during these years was the sending of Miss Frieda Strenger of the Williams-Bridge congregation in New York City, to Africa in 1935. Miss Strenger served the Kenya Colony Mission Station for eleven years, and was supported by North Bergen church during this time of service.
Rev. Volbert, and his wife, who was listed in Yearbook as Assistant pastor, served for twenty-two years as pastor. They and their daughter Pearl will be long remembered in the church and in the community for their untiring efforts and dedication. Marcel Desgalier, who had been serving as the Boyertown District Evangelist (one of the earliest of District Coordinators), came to be the next pastor. During his stay of over two years, the congregation made substantial gains, both spiritually and numerically. He resigned to return to his former work as evangelist for the district in April of 1949. On April 17, 1949, Sam Sharp became the pastor followed by George Ramsey, later a professor of Bible at Anderson University, from 1954-1959. J. D. Chelette served as supply pastor during the summer of 1959, and Howard Wilcomes, a lay minister for many years who has attended the congregation since childhood, served thru the winter of 1959 and 1960. Chelette returned as pastor in 1960. Many improvements have been made in the interior of the building. The church experienced two pastoral changes from 1963-1970. Joseph Fair served in 1963-1964. Howard Wilcomes served from 1964-1969. He was ordained in 1966, after serving the church as a lay leader for many years. Rev. Howard Wilcomes was invited to serve as full time pastor in November of 1970, and has served at North Bergen since. He has developed a ministry to senior citizens, when a 12 passenger van was purchased in 1975 to convey senior citizens to the church, and as a Sunday School bus. In June of 1975 the nursery was renovated and the church also air conditioned. He has had a ministry to the teamster union, to which he belonged for many years, as their chaplain. The church celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1975. Pastor Wilcomes will celebrate twenty years as pastor in 1990.
BERKS COUNTY CONGREGATIONS
Berks County is adjacent to the Lehigh Valley on the East and Lancaster County on the West. It’s county seat is Reading, which was listed in “Ten Gritty Cities”. This book recounts the industrial revolution in the East with textiles, steel industry and their decline, but the ten gritty cities of the East were able to survive by diversification. Greater Reading metropolitan area has about 250,000 people, with suburbs such as Temple, Laureldale, and Wyomissing. Towns like Boyertown and Fleetwood are also part of Berks County.
The present congregations in Berks County include First Church of God, North 8th Street Church of God and Pine Street Church of God in Reading, the Boyertown Church of God, and the Community Church of God in Temple. There were early contacts in Schuylkill County, North of Reading at Dow and Auburn with a German speaking Winebrennerian Church of God in 1889 seeking speakers from our movement. W. J. Henry did hold meetings in that church. There is still an old cemetery and camp meeting grove in Auburn, and several families from the First Church of God in Reading were related at one time to the German Winebrennerian Church, such as Mengel’s, Britton’s, Yundt’s and Dissinger’s. Our movement was again blest by the work of the church in Auburn, whose members moved to Reading, which is down the Schuylkill River. A congregation existed in Lititz, outside of Lancaster in 1917, pastored by Isaac Bocker. There also appears to have been an early congregation in Fleetwood of our movement, according to some residents there.
FIRST CHURCH OF GOD OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA (Now called "Mountain View Fellowship")
The First Church of God in Reading can be traced back to the year 1906, when services were conducted in a store building at Locust and Green Streets. Mrs. Ellen Smith was the first “Gospel Worker” or lay leader, at Reading, and was listed as such in the 1917 Yearbook. She was of the Holiness background, and held prayer meetings in her home. Mrs. Ellen Smith, together with her father(Alfred Heinly) and her daughter(Mrs. Forest Elliot) and Mrs. David Gairing, along with others met for services. Mrs. Ellen (Heinly) Smith was won to the Church of God by the efforts of then 15 year old brother Floyd W. Heinly (1887-1961), who was born in Berks County. F. W. Heinly first heard of the Church of God through the preaching of B. F. Weikel in Philadelphia, and early contacts with D.O. Teasley of New York City. In 1904 F. W. Heinly at age of 17 worked in the Gospel Trumpet Company, then located at Moundsville, West Virginia. The next year he worked at the New York Missionary Home as secretary to D. O. Teasley, director of the Home. Later he served as a missionary to what is now Bangladesh, as well as managing editor of the “Gospel Trumpet”. His family and he had a great burden for the work in Reading, as well as Mrs. Emma Ruth who associated herself with the work in the early years.
Later the group met in a store at 721 North 9th Street, and then for several years services were held at the home of Mrs. Ellen Smith at 639 North 9th Street. John C. Blaney, then pastor of the First Church of God in Philadelphia came to Reading often to assist, as well as Dr. C.E. Brown, Mr. Becker, and J.C. Blewitt of New York City. The 1917 Yearbook lists Joseph Presser, who lived at 848 Elm Street, as pastor. Through the efforts of Mrs. Smith and others, a Reading resident, Mr. William S. Swavely, was converted and later fulfilled pastoral functions in the congregation. On December 7, 1918, Mrs. Swavely called to order a business meeting, but it was not business as usual. The purpose was to organize a congregation of the Church of God. The object was to elect a Board of Trustees to hold church property. In 1919 the church building at 1325 North 10th Street was purchased from the Primitive Methodist Church. The church had rented the building for a year previously. The building was secured by a mortgage of the Heinly home in 1925. For several years, 1925-1930, a congregation existed in Boyertown, and shared a pastor with the Reading congregation.
A work had developed as a Sunday School in the home of Harvey Dierolf in Boyertown, who was a realtor and instrumental in purchasing of the camp in Boyertown. He contacted the ministers to suggest a pastor. Blair and Nellie Sleppy(1895-1986), natives of Pennsylvania, and graduates of Anderson University, had previously pastored at Fort Meade, Florida. Barney Warren (1867-1951), famous song writer, who took a great interest in the camp at Boyertown, recommended the Sleppy’s as pastor. In 1926 they assumed the pastorate of the Boyertown Church of God on fourth Street, which had forty people in attendance. They preached the morning service in Boyertown, and the evening service at Reading to which they traveled by streetcar. They served both churches for a year, at a salary of $25 per week. Nellie Sleppy was very active in the Women’s Missionary Society (Women of the Church of God) ever since she first heard Nora Hunter in 1934. She served as President of the Women in the district for 13 years. Raymond Charles Handy was the next pastor at Reading for sixteen years. He was born in Maryland, but moved to a farm near Philadelphia when R. C. was two. His parents were early subscribers to the “Gospel Trumpet” in the 1890’s, and often drove a horse and carriage to West Point for church. Raymond was converted at age 13 at a revival meeting in Sellersville. R. C. fondly remembers working on the farm to secure the finances needed to continue his efforts in starting new Sunday Schools in the area, and for his preparation for the ministry that God had called him into. He graduated in 1928 Suma Cum Laude from Anderson Bible Training School (Anderson University). His first pastorate was in South Whitley, Indiana, then at Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania. While at Jersey Shore and at Reading he worked closely with the district in camp work, Christian Education, and youth camps. While in Reading, his wife served as chair of district Board of Christian Education, and taught courses for the Greater Reading Council of Churches. During the pastorate of R. C. Handy, the congregation purchased the first annex in 1944 and the second in 1946, which relieved the overcrowding of the growing Sunday School. They resigned in 1952 to accept the church in Dundalk, Maryland where he continued his ministry for twenty two years, retiring in 1975.
James W. Fair pastored from 1953-1957, and left to become a missionary to Denmark from 1957-1962. J. Clifford Thor, who was a member of the national Board of Christian Education, become the pastor in 1957. He led the church in the acquisition of new property and the building of new church on Hampden Blvd. Through the kindness of Mr. & Mrs. Solomon Boscov, the church was able to acquire title to the present church building at 1255 Hampden Boulevard. The plans for the first unit were drawn by local architects at a cost of $150,000. The building was dedicated February 23, 1963. Thomas J. Cockerham became the pastor in 1964. Under his leadership the old parsonage at 1024 North 11th Street was sold, and the house behind the new church at 1410 Perry Street was purchased from Solomon Boscov in 1968. Brother Cockerham left in 1970 to pastor in Texas. Donald L. Murphy, formerly pastor at Butler, New Jersey, became the pastor in July of 1972. Under his leadership major renovations were made including new pews, carpet, and painting of sanctuary in 1974, a 20 car parking lot and sanctuary air-conditioning were added in 1979. A new roof on the parsonage, and the church were also added. Rev. Murphy left in 1989 to accept the Allentown Church of God. Rev. Greg Ritchie, native of Maryland, and graduate of our School of Theology then became pastor.
PASTORS OF THE FIRST CHURCH OF GOD
Ellen Smith 1906-1916 J. Clifford Thor 1957-1964
Joseph Presser 1917 Thomas J. Cockerham 1964-1970
William Swavely 1918-1928 Mark Brewer 1971-1972
Blair Sleppy, Sr. 1928-1936 Donald L. Murphy 1972-1989
R. C. Handy 1936-1952 Gregory Ritchie 1989-
James W. Fair 1953-1957
PINE STREET AND NORTH 8TH STREET CHURCH OF GOD
Both Pine Street and North 8th Street Church of God came into existence because of a dream by Rev. Mary Jane Martin, who had pastored a Church of God in Belews Creek, North Carolina. After the Martin family moved to Reading in 1946, mother Martin and her family worshipped at the First Church of God, then located in the 1200 Block of North tenth Street. She felt comfortable worshipping under the pastorate of R. C. Handy. Mother Martin was concerned about her children not attending church. For a time she traveled to different churches, holding revivals. With the co-operation of Rev. Horace Sheppard and others, it was decided to start a Church of God for the black people in Reading, Pennsylvania. The church was born in Rev. Mary Jane Martin and husband’s living room at 2321/2 Plum Street in the early 1950’s, then to Pine Street, and in 1964 to North 8th Street Church of God.
Rev. Noah White was the first pastor at Pine Street, with seven people in the first service including Rev. Paul O. Martin, son of Rev. Mary Martin, and present pastor at Pine Street. After several weeks they outgrew Mother Martin’s living room. Rev. Paul Martin and his wife, Dorothy, were led by God to purchase a building located at 622 Pine Street. The congregation grew under the leadership of Rev. Noah White. The church with the help of Rev. Paul Martin and his wife and others purchased an old Jewish synagogue (Shomeri Haprith), at 535 North Eight Street to worship at. Much of the carpentry work and general repairs was done by Rev. Paul Martin. The church worked tirelessly to make the building suitable for worship. Rev. White was assisted by Rev. Paul Martin at the Eighth Street Church, and pastored there till 1970. In 1967 Rev. Paul Martin and wife felt led to return to Pine Street to minister to the senior citizens on the south side of Reading. A new baptistery, built by Rev. Martin and his grandson, has been well used by the new converts at Pine Street Church. Clarence Glover, from the High Street Church of God in Philadelphia, became the pastor at North Eighth Street in 1971. He often commuted from Philadelphia to serve the congregation at 8th Street. He was very involved in the Migrant Ministry and Jail ministry, often taking the congregation with him to minister on Sunday afternoons. He resigned in 1978 to become a missionary in St. Kitts.
Archie Allen became pastor in 1979, moving his family to live in Reading from Philadelphia. He pastored till 1986. Rev. Edward Cross, Jr. from Delaware pastored from 1987 till 1990.
It only seemed natural to have a congregation in Boyertown, since our camp meeting was on Englesville Road in Boyertown. A early work existed in 1926-1930 with Blair Sleppy pastoring both at Boyertown and Reading. The present congregation in Boyertown was started at the initiative of the District’s Board of Home Missions and Kingdom Builders in 1975. In October of 1974 the General Assembly approved the project in Boyertown as well as the remodeling of the lower dormitory in the area of the original kitchen and dining hall. The first floor of the lower dorm became the chapel with three class rooms and offices for the new church. Siding on the outside, the placement of a steel beam for support of ceiling, and the redoing of the foundation were covered by a loan of $36,000 which was taken by the General Assembly. Pastor Maurice Overturf was called as the first pastor in June of 1965 by the Kingdom Builders. He spent his first month remodeling the Sunday School rooms with the assistance of a team of Tri-S students from Anderson University. The first public service since 1930 was held in July, as well as the installation of the pastor at Boyertown Camp Meeting. The first families included Mr. & Mrs. William Carpenter, Mr. And Mrs. Bernard Ludwig and family and the Overturf family. Rev. Overturf started a Sunday School, Youth Fellowship, and evening services that first year. Maurice pastored from 1975 till 1977. The Kingdom Builders Board helped the church in the obtaining of the next pastor, Jeffrey W. Frymire, a native of Gloucester City, New Jersey, who was converted at Boyertown Camp as a youth. The K.B. Board, under the leadership of David Roemer from Jersey Shore, recommended the purchase of the church building at 40 Washington Street in 1979 at a cost of $49,000. The church was purchased and dedicated in October of 1979. Jeff Frymire resigned in 1981. Bob Wilson, a graduate of our seminary was pastor from 1983-1986. Lou Ann Gressman-Dunn pastored from 1987-1990.
COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD, TEMPLE
Jan and Joy Wisler, graduates of Anderson University, had served as music ministers in Louisiana. Joy who was raised in Berks County, returned with her family to the Fleetwood area in 1979. After several years, she and her husband, along with her parents Roy and Mae Wolfskill started a church in Jan and Joy Wisler’s home in Fleetwood. The congregation held its first service on December 5, 1983. They sought the direction and advice of the district Ministerium and James Johnman was appointed as advisor. They were ministered to by the services of Howard George, David Dudgeon, and others in the early years. Richard Walker served as interim pastor, as well as Stephen E. Black for a well. A church building at Tenth Avenue and Hay Road in Temple, which is near Fleetwood and Reading in Berks County,was purchased in 1985 with the help of the national Board of Church Extension. Travis Smith become the pastor in August of 1989.
GREATER HARRISBURG AREA CHURCHES
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania, and has one of the finest and most beautiful capital areas in the nation. The greater Harrisburg area would include Carlisle, and York Springs, as well as York and adjoining areas. It is a growing and prosperous part of south central Pennsylvania. John Winebrenner, founder of the Churches of God, began his ministry in the 1820’s as a minister with the German Reformed Church. His congregation became the Church of God in 1826, due to his evangelistic and pietistic ways. He was the first to use the Biblical name, Church of God. This eventually resulted in the formation of the Churches of God of North America, of which Daniel S. Warner was an ordained minister. Their headquarters, and printing plant are still in Harrisburg. Some of our early leaders were ministers in this group. James Johnman tells in his master’s thesis at the Pennsylvania State University of the work of early “flying evangelists” at Harrisburg such as H. M. Riggle, I.S. McCoy and William Drew. They met at the farm house of Albert McCoy (who was no direct relation to I.S. McCoy, Andrew Lender, Sam Dile, and Ira S. Weaver(who was the father of Cora Wertz). This was near Loysville. W. J. Henry also preached to this group as well as others. The McCoy and Shope families meet in a little abandoned Lutheran church for a brief time, till the doors were locked. Many meetings, and protracted meetings were held in 1910 and 1911, according to advertisements in the “Gospel Trumpet. In addition to these gatherings, meetings were held in Newport, Hummelstown, Hockerville, Hershey and surrounding communities.
CLOVERLY HEIGHTS CHURCH OF GOD OF HARRISBURG
Annie Martin, who come out of the Salvation Army, and the Henricks family become great supporters of the work. Meetings were held in the Hendricks home in downtown Harrisburg, or wherever they could get together. The local congregational history begins with the work of Annie Martin and the Hendricks with the Sunday School held in the Hendricks’s home in Camp Hill. Among the early worshippers were Mary and Fanny Detweiler, several McCoys, and William Drew. Tent meetings were held in surrounding towns, or at the Hendricks’s home in Camp Hill, and later at Front and Seneca Streets. Many meetings were held in Harrisburg from 1914-1918. In 1917 several tent meetings were held on Berryhill Street in Harrisburg. Among those who preached were John L. Williams, William Drew, and I.S. McCoy, according to Forrest Shaffer’s B.D. thesis on the work in Boyertown District.
On Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, a small hall was rented at 1210 Market Street in Harrisburg. It was the beginning of a congregation which had struggled to find a location for its church. Here weekly Sunday School, prayer meetings and church services were held for one year. Such ministers as J.C. Blaney, Mary J. Helpingstine, Amanda Brown and Joseph Johnson would stop and preach to the people. Meetings were held in a lodge hall on Howard Street, where Marcel Desgalier held his first revival meeting with great success.
In 1922 a lot was located on Eighteenth Street and Paxton Streets in Harrisburg by Charles N. Shope, Andrew Jacobs and William Mace. The lot was purchased in 1922, and a small building was erected, which was dedicated April 12,1923. J. W. Whitmack preached the dedicatory sermon. The congregation was formerly organized, began to register in the Yearbook, and gave its call to the first full time minister, Rev. O. E. Howard, from Gambrills Maryland. He entered the ministry in 1917. In May of 1936, a new location was purchased and a stately brick church and parsonage was built. Church services were held in a large tent in the adjoining lot till unit was completed in 1937. The basement was divided into classrooms in the 1950’s and major renovation in the basement took place in 1986.
An interesting outline of the history of the Harrisburg Cloverly Heights congregation is given by James Johnman in his thesis: the initial phase, the Church on 18th Street, the transition and building phase, the protest era, the World War I and post war years, the community church, and the present tenure.
The congregation was active in social protests on issues such as legalized gambling, horse racing, Sunday movies, and temperance. They wrote many letters to elected local, state, and national leaders. The most extensive and most adamant protests were against the shipment of arms prior to World War II, and opposing any involvement in the war. Since the days of D.S. Warner war has been declared sinful, but we have not been an official pacifist church. A new Hispanic work was started on Easter Sunday,1990 at the Cloverly Heights Church, under the leadership of James Johnman, in conjunction with the national board and the district Kingdom Builders. A parsonage was provided for the new pastor, Rev. Mario Lopez.
The pastoral listing for Cloverly Heights Church is as follows:
Charles Shope 1900-1920 Edgar Williams 1936-1942
Mary Detweiler 1921-1923 H. Revere Cook 1942-1946
O.E. Howard 1923-1927 Walter Frye 1946-1954
Paul Moore 1928-1929 Arno Thompson 1954-1959
William Mace 1929-1930 Franklin Beaird 1960-1968
William Eldrige 1930-1932 Marvin Moser 1969-1974
E. S. Alexander 1932-1934 James Johnman 1975-
Ernest Shaw 1934-1935
CHAPEL HILL CHURCH OF GOD OF YORK SPRINGS
In the 1890’s David Chronister brought a “Gospel Trumpet into the York Springs area, which is not far from Gettysburg. In 1897 David Chronister held meetings in homes and in woods near Rock Chapel. A revival held by Mary Helingstine, Pearl Smith, and Mrs. Sadie Wallace caused two families to accept the truth. Several revivals and grove meetings were held in the area. In 1919 a revival was held in Rock Chapel M.E. church, which is the second oldest Methodist church in the state of Pennsylvania. Two families were won to the truth, which were the George Howe and Harvey Miller families. About this time meetings were held in the home of John Albert, and the Cloverly Heights Church of God in Harrisburg began to assist the work.
For one and a half years, meetings were held in homes with the services of being led by Mrs. Wallace of Harrisburg. C. H. Hunter and J. Grant Anderson preached for eight years during this period. In the Spring of 1931, the Rock Chapel schoolhouse become the place of worship until May 31 when the school was closed to the group. O. E. Howard, from Gambrills, Maryland, who later became the first full time pastor at Harrisburg, held a meeting. Brother Sam Keckler gave ground on his property to build a church, and the offer was accepted. Rev. Howard designed the building, and it was erected by the men of the congregation. The building was dedicated in 1931, with a debt of $1200 remaining. The cornerstone cost $10 and contains a Bible.
E. S. Alexander who had pastored the churches in the Lehigh valley appears to have pastored both at York Springs (1931-1934), and at Harrisburg from 1932-1934, for ten dollars from each church. Edgar Williams also pastored both churches, beginning in 1935 at York Springs, and 1936 at Harrisburg.
Brother Williams held both the first wedding and the first funeral at the church. Lima Lehmer, a local girl sailed for Kenya, Africa on November 29, 1936 as a missionary for the Church of God. The mortgage on the church was burned in 1943, with Adam W. Miller, then Dean at our seminary speaking. In 1961 the mortgage on the parsonage was burned, and it was decided to build a new church building. In 1966 consultant Merle Bosworth of the national Board of Church Extension gave helpful information toward a building program. The church was incorporated in 1966 as Chapel Hill Church of God. The ground breaking services were held in 1968, with the dedication in October of 1969. A new parsonage was built in 1978.
LIST OF PASTORS OF YORK SPRINGS
E. S. Alexander 1931-1934 Donald Roemer 1947-1952
Edgar Williams 1935-1939 Glenn Rankin 1952-1953
L. Frank Haas 1939-1940 W. Ocker 1955-1958
George Myers Interim Donald Roemer 1959-1966
H. B. Rittenhouse 1940-1944