USA > Ohio > Church of the Brethren in southern Ohio > Part 8
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The pastors have all been part-time workers to the time of the present writing. S. E. Porter was the first to act as part- time pastor. He was succeeded by G. E. Weaver, who served seven years. He was followed in 1947 by E. Friend Couser, who continued until 1950, when Howard Erbaugh, the present pastor, began his service.
The deacon board consists of C. E. Crowell, Tom Crowell,
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Jesse L. Fisher, Leo Ganger, H. J. Lehman, Wilbur Erbaugh, and H. C. Royer. John Eikenberry, a present member of the Historical Committee of Southern Ohio, is a resident elder, and J. E. Overholser is a resident minister.
E. Friend Couser and his wife, Mabel, have been active in district work, he as a member of the Mission Board and she as a leader in Women's Work. Howard Erbaugh was active in Men's Work. Roscoe Inman and wife spent twenty-one months in Brethren Service in Germany, where he supervised the construction of the Kassel House and she served as house- keeper for the Kassel BVS'ers.
A special observance of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the dedication of the church was featured throughout the year 1948.
BROOKVILLE
The origins of the Brookville church go back to the work of the "Virginia committee" sent to the Lower Miami church in 1811, when the original expansive territory of the Lower Miami church was divided into four divisions. One of these divisions was the Wolf Creek territory. This included the northwestern part of Montgomery County and the north- eastern part of Preble County, comprising generally the area of the Brookville and Eversole churches.
Wolf Creek officially divided into these two congregations in August 1910. The Brookville church organized and became a separate congregation in November of that year. D. M. Garver was its first elder, succeeded the next year, 1912, by J. W. Fidler, who then began a long term of oversight of the Brookville church.
Not until 1915 was a house of worship dedicated. It was erected near the old church and was then adequate to all the needs of the growing congregation.
Elder J. W. Fidler was part-time pastor for several years following his election to the oversight of the church; then he became its full-time pastor, continuing until 1936. After a lapse of one year, Roy B. Teach became the pastor; his ministry
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extended until 1947. In September of 1947, James H. Beahm took up the pastorate and remained until called to the Chicago church in September 1951. James C. Boitnott succeeded him that month and is the pastor at the time these lines are written.
When J. W. Fidler relinquished oversight of the church in 1936, Sylvan Bookwalter became elder and served until 1938, being succeeded by E. R. Fisher, who continued until 1950. In that year J. Oliver Dearing became moderator; he was succeeded by John H. Good in 1954.
The records show that Reuben Boomershine was ordained to the eldership in 1912 and Paul Kinsel in 1943. Ministers ordained include Reuben Boomershine, 1912; Omer B. Maphis, 1914; Ralph Hatton and Ray O. Shank, 1918; Daniel Weimer, 1920; Paul Kinsel, 1931; Don Frederick, 1943. Ralph Brum- baugh, a minister, moved into the congregation in 1950.
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The Brookville Church
The following deacons have been installed since 1920: V. S. Dull, 1924; J. C. Brenner, Raymond Richards, and Fred Knierim, 1931; Paul Fidler and Carl Delk, 1948. John Bowser, a deacon, moved into the congregation in 1923, L. C.
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Longanecker in 1942, Lloyd Brumbaugh in 1943, and Monroe Snider and Ellis Williamson in 1949.
Russell Helstern, a minister, moved into the congregation in 1942, and Harold Helstern the following year, the latter soon thereafter becoming pastor of the Harris Creek church. Glen Moyer moved in in 1923 and F. O. Shank in 1932. Both are ministers.
The church has been host to many district gatherings, including: the district conference, 1916 and 1933; the special district peace meeting in 1917; mission rallies and midwinter youth conferences.
Several from this church have filled important offices in the district, including Fred Knierim as railroad representa- tive; Russell Helstern as camp director and at present a member of the District Board; Mrs. Helstern in Women's Work and on the District Board; Vern Dull in Men's Work; Levi Zumbrum as trustee of the Brethren Home; J. W. Fidler as moderator of district conference and as Standing Committee delegate; Roy B. Teach as a district officer, on the Ministerial Board, and as a member of Standing Committee; James H. Beahm on the Board of Christian Education and as moderator of district conference; Betty Helstern on the CBYF Cabinet.
Some remodeling was done to the church structure in 1945-46, including installation of a new heating plant. In 1947 a parsonage was purchased, located near the church. A new electric organ was installed in 1951. The fortieth anniversary of the organization was observed in November 1950. The membership is three hundred ninety.
CASTINE
There is a sense in which the Castine church is older than the parent church, Prices Creek. The first house of worship in the Prices Creek territory was erected in 1850, at Castine, and served the entire congregation for fourteen years, until the church which is now Prices Creek was built. This building was made from timbers taken from the near-by forests, with puncheon floors and benches.
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Castine continued to grow and developed an active pro- gram so that in 1922 it was granted the privilege of becoming a separate organization. There were one hundred six charter members, which included two elders, Joseph Longanecker and C. C. Petry. The charter deacons were: John Wertenbaker, William Grossnickle, Jacob Petry, and Willie Wondle. The latter was made local overseer of the church services and other activities following the death of the two resident min- isters in 1927.
S. A. Blessing, of West Milton, was chosen first presiding elder of the new organization and served continuously until 1944, when Theodore Eley of Union City succeeded him, serving until his death in 1945. Then W. C. Stinebaugh, who was pastor of the Pitsburg church, was chosen as elder. He served until 1950, when he moved from the district and was succeeded by Dolar Ritchey, pastor of the Beech Grove church.
The Castine Church
Deacons elected since the time of organization include Walter Petry; A. E. Rinehart, 1927; Charles Condon, 1936; Christian Crawford, 1938; Frank Glick, Eldon Whitehead, and
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Virgil Rinehart, 1946. Received by letter were Clayton White- head, 1941, and Roy Rogers, 1946.
The Sunday-school superintendents in their succession have been: C. C. Slade, Elsie Petry, Christian Crawford, Orval Fourman, Lester Studebaker, Eldon Whitehead, Gerald Brown, Harold Petry, Raymond Stocksdale, and Gerald Brown. The last reported enrollment in the Sunday school was one hundred sixty-four.
For many years after the Castine church was organized the preaching was done by alternating the local ministers and calling in ministers from other congregations. The local ministerial board had supervision of this matter. Following the death in the same year (1927) of Elder C. C. Petry and Elder Joseph Longanecker, the church called and licensed Glenn Rust as a minister. After some training at Bethany Seminary and graduation from Manchester College, Brother Rust was made supply pastor from 1931 to 1936, since which time he has given the church part-time service during the school months, while teaching in the Dayton public schools, and full-time service in the summer months. In the twenty- four years he has thus served, the church has grown to a membership of one hundred eighty-four.
Castine is active in Women's Work and Men's Work, and conducts a vacation church school each year. It partially supports Kathryn Kiracofe, missionary in India.
In addition to its pastor, Brother Glenn C. Rust, the congregation has called into the ministry and licensed Edgar Petry (1938), who is a pastor in Northwestern Ohio, and Floyd Emrick (1947), who is a pastor in Northeastern Ohio.
In 1925 the church was remodeled and a basement was added. Since then other improvements have been made and the congregation now enjoys worshiping in a very attractive, comfortable, and inviting structure. In 1950 a centennial service was held celebrating the one-hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the congregation.
The Castine church is the home of two rather well-known women of Southern Ohio: Katie Crawford, gifted in illustrated chalk lectures, and May Allread Baker, author of Willow Brook Farm, a book of verse, and poetry contributor to many
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Brethren and non-Brethren publications. The pastor, Glenn C. Rust, is a member of the District Board.
CEDAR GROVE
The Cedar Grove building was erected in 1895 and the congregation was a part of Prices Creek until 1941. During the early years many lay people and ministers had an interest here. E. S. Hollinger was serving this church as pastor at the time the former history ended. He continued until 1926. At that time Brother Ben Timmons, who had been elected to the ministry in 1921, began serving the church and con- tinued when it became a separate congregation in 1941.
The organizing council was held on February 6, 1941, with the District Mission Board (E. R. Fisher, Oliver Royer, and H. M. Coppock) present. Several ministers were also present.
Theodore Eley was elected elder and continued in charge until ill-health compelled him to resign. Elder Dolar Ritchey succeeded him and is the present elder. Brother Edgar Petry was elected pastor and came on the field in June 1941, serving until 1945. During this time the building was raised and a basement constructed. In 1945 Brother Arno Holder- read became pastor; he served until 1948, when Brother Clarence Brubaker took the pastorate. In 1953 Brother Ira Oren was called and is leading the congregation at the present time.
In 1941 there were fifty-four charter members, nineteen of whom are still living and members. The first deacons of the new organization were Ross Moore and Mr. and Mrs. Roy Rogers. The present deacon board is made up of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Moore, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Moore, Mr. Ross Moore, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Timmons. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Crowe were deacons, but he was licensed to the ministry in July 1953. Clarence Brubaker was elected an elder here at the same time.
The Sunday-school superintendents listed are: Ada Rogers, 1942-44; Ross Moore, 1944-46; Gerald Boitner, 1946-47;
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Louis Apwisch, 1947-48; John Lakola, 1948-49; Clyde Moore, 1949 -.
Soon after the church was organized a women's work and a men's work group were begun, and both have been
The Cedar Grove Church
very active. The men regularly rent a farm, the proceeds from it going to the church.
In 1944 Sister Ida Pierson gave a large part of the money needed to purchase a house and nine acres of land to be used as a parsonage, contributed as a memorial to her deceased husband. This home was later modernized and the church building remodeled, changing the entrance and installing a gas furnace. In 1954 the church purchased a farm of thirty- eight acres with a seven-room house and sold the previous parsonage. The men of the church farm the land in addition to another farm rented annually.
The church has grown from the charter membership of fifty-four and an attendance of about thirty-five to a member- ship of one hundred fourteen and an average attendance of about one hundred eighteen.
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CHARLESTON
Work was begun here in 1895, when the Southern Ohio Mission Board decided to erect a building after members living near here called for assistance. Soon after its erection Jacob Sandy held a series of meetings here. The work was placed under his care.
Various visiting ministers and lay workers were sent to Charleston through the years from 1902 to 1910. In that year Lester Heisey took up the work here as pastor; he re- mained until 1914. The Mission Board had erected a parsonage in 1910. Oliver Royer followed Lester Heisey for four years, then Lee Patton took charge (1918). I. G. Blocher was elder- in-charge.
As we begin the history of Charleston after 1920 we find thirty-four members and a Sunday school of thirty.
The church minutes from 1920 to the present record that six revival meetings were held, some with splendid results. In 1921 the attendance increased to its highest level for some years. Then there was a lapse of interest. Lee Patton resigned as pastor in September 1922, and there was an interim of nearly a year without resident leadership. In August 1923 C. V. Cop- pock began serving part time. This plan was continued until June 1924. There was a lapse of interest in the years immedi- ately following. The parsonage was sold in 1931. But in 1929 the Sunday school was reopened by the American Sunday School Union.
In August of 1931 a business meeting was held; D. G. Berkebile was made elder and L. D. Young began to serve as pastor. There were twenty-six accessions in the years 1931- 33. There was a good attendance. A group of promising young people were showing an unusual interest. Brother Young was also ministering to the Circleville church.
In 1933 Charles Essick followed L. D. Young in this arrangement. He continued in it six years. Arthur Cupp then took over until 1941. In November of that year Harold Myers, serving Circleville, began leadership of the Charleston church. Through the winters of 1941 and 1942 I. R. Beery also came in every two weeks. Brother Beery then moved into the com- munity during the summer months of 1942 and 1943. Harold
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Myers returned then to help the church. Lester Fike became pastor, in conjunction with Circleville, in 1944, remaining until 1946. He was succeeded by Carl Lauer, D. R. Murray preaching on alternate second weeks. In August 1948 Otto Laursen came. Mrs. Laursen died within four months and he remained only until May 1949. D. R. Murray then came on alternate Sundays
CHURCH OF THE
BRETHREN
The Charleston Church
until September 1949, upon the return of I. R. Beery, who was there until April 1950. In May 1950 D. R. Murray was asked to serve again. He comes to Charleston two Sundays each month. The attendance is reported as steady and the young people especially are very much interested. In the years since 1920, forty-five accessions were recorded.
At various times improvements have been made on the building. A vestibule and a belfry were added in 1942, new windows were installed, and the interior was redecorated. There are forty-six members at Charleston now.
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CINCINNATI
A Sunday school was organized in Cincinnati in 1912 in a hall rented by the District Mission Board for the school. Among the first preaching services here were those conducted by D. M. Garver when he held a short revival in December of that year. In 1917 the Mission Board of Southern Ohio secured R. N. Leatherman to direct the work. During that year the district was canvassed for funds to build a church. A vacant lot, forty by fifty feet, was purchased on the corner of Chase and Chambers streets, and also the adjoining lot, forty by one hundred fifty feet, with a six-room house. This became the parsonage, and a modern church building was erected on the vacant lot. It was dedicated January 19, 1919, with H. K. Ober of Pennsylvania delivering the address. There were about a dozen members then. J. W. Fidler was the elder and R. N. Leatherman the pastor.
R. N. Leatherman remained as pastor until 1923. Follow- ing a brief interim Glen Moyer came to pastor the church, continuing until 1927, when A. R. Smith succeeded him for one year. Ben Hirt served six months. He was followed in 1929 by J. R. Hunter, who served until 1932. H. M. Coppock took over the work then, leading the church until 1943. Hugh Cloppert was pastor from 1943 to 1948. Quentin Evans followed in 1948 and served two years. Richard Wenger fol- lowed him for two years. Then Dan Blickenstaff, from Middle- town, was called and is the present leader.
During all these years the elders-in-charge were from the Mission Board and included J. W. Fidler, J. H. Eidemiller, D. G. Berkebile, Oliver Royer, Orion Erbaugh, Ray O. Shank, Hugh Cloppert, and John H. Good.
Glenn Blough, Benjamin Stoner, and Wilbur Hoover, ministers, have lived here, and Lloyd Danzisen was licensed in 1945. The church had licensed Wilbur Hoover and Glenn Blough in 1941. Frank Replogle, an elder, also lived here for a short while. L. M. Denny, a minister, lived here for about nine years. Landon Leaverton, a minister, lived here about two years.
The church has installed the following as deacons: Joseph
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Carl Replogle and Emerson Leaverton, about 1945; Henry Hudson, 1950; and Alvin Grube, 1951.
Those who have led the Sunday school since 1920 include
The Cincinnati Church
Ade LaMonda, Ray Kuns, Ray Mack, E. C. Sipple, Harvey Berkey, John Meyers, D. G. Replogle, Emerson Leaverton, Stanley Day, Glenn Blough, Harry Skiles, Henry Hudson, Robert Stevens, Alvin Grube, and Dwight Crawford.
The church has had an active women's work program and the men of the church are organized. Women's work was organized in 1917. A Sunday evening meeting of mothers and daughters was a feature for several years following 1932. Men's work was organized in 1943. Other activities, including a Sunday evening Bible school and a boys' club, were featured.
H. M. Coppock served for some time on the District Mission Board and Hugh Cloppert on the Ministerial Board.
The membership now numbers eighty-eight. George Phillips presides over the church.
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CIRCLEVILLE
The Circleville church started out in the 1870's as a colored congregation. A little church was built and there seemed to be prospects of a successful church. But not so. By 1907 the membership had so disintegrated that the District Mission Board considered selling the church property and closing the work.
But, instead, interest turned to the white people. A few converts were made and the "complexion" changed. The Mission Board sent Ada Eby to do personal work here. Ministers were sent in to preach. Miss Eby married a minister, Earl Neff, and their labors were joined when he was put in charge.
A better location was secured and a new church was dedicated in 1912. D. S. Filbrun succeeded the Neffs and Mina Bosserman came as a personal worker. In succession, begin- ning in 1914, the leaders were Norman A. Conover, C. C. Sollenberger, and Oliver Royer, who was here when the former history closed. I. G. Blocher was the elder.
The incomplete records seem to indicate that Oliver Royer remained until 1922. After an interim, C. V. Coppock came and remained until about 1926. He was followed by A. G. Crosswhite for a few years and then C. L. Wilkins took over. He was succeeded by Leonard Young, who probably remained until 1933. Charles Essick began as pastor that year and continued until his decease in 1941.
While Charles Essick was pastor the church was re- modeled, adding two Sunday-school rooms and providing restrooms in the basement. After his decease Mrs. Essick was in charge for a while. Visiting ministers preached. Harold Myers came in 1942 and directed the work until 1944. He was followed by Lester Fike until he answered the call to the Springfield church in 1947. He was succeeded by Carl Lauer, who served until 1950, when he went to the Turkey Creek church, Kentucky. Then John C. Hurst, of Gratis, was asked to become pastor. Accepting, he continues there at present.
Other improvements have been made on the church building since that referred to above. The parsonage is next to the church and both are being redecorated and painted at
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this time. The congregation has grown from twenty members in about 1920 to eighty-one, as shown by the present record.
Since the church has been assisted by the district
The Circleville Church
financially through the years, usually some member of the Mission Board has acted as elder of the church.
There have been setbacks through the years but there seems to be promise at present of a substantial growth.
COLUMBUS CO-OPERATIVE BRETHREN
The Columbus church is a co-operative organization of the Brethren Church and the Church of the Brethren. The Columbus church building was built by the Brethren Church in 1911 and was used by them as the First Brethren church of Columbus. The Church of the Brethren had no organized services in Columbus until some years later when the two
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denominations formulated a plan of co-operation for church work in Columbus, using the Brethren church building.
The movement that led up to the establishment of a co-operative church in Columbus started on December 1, 1929, when D. R. Murray, a minister in the Church of the Brethren who was teaching in the public schools in Columbus, began preaching for the First Brethren church in Columbus. On January 16, 1930, a communion service for the members of the Brethren Church and those of the Church of the Brethren was held at the First Brethren church. The Brethren ministers present were: George Stanley Baer, Charles A. Bame, J. Allen Miller, Martin Shively, and R. E. Gottschall. The Church of the Brethren ministers present were: E. S. Coffman, Perry Prather, Charles Morris, G. E. Yoder, Lloyd Hoff, Ora De- Lauter, and D. R. Murray. During the spring months of 1930 several meetings were held in Columbus by representatives of the Ohio District of the Brethren Church and the Southern Ohio District of the Church of the Brethren to discuss and formulate plans for co-operative church work in Columbus.
On July 1, 1930, the Co-operative Brethren church of Columbus was organized. It was placed under the joint care and direction of the Ohio Mission Board of the Brethren Church and the Southern Ohio Mission Board of the Church of the Brethren. D. R. Murray was selected as the part-time pastor. The church has continued under his leadership up to the present time.
Some of the Brethren chosen by their respective mission boards, through the years, to assist in the supervision of the Columbus church have been: for the Brethren Church, Dyoll Belote, George Stanley Baer, E. F. Miller (a layman), J. G. Dodds, and E. M. Riddle; for the Church of the Brethren, E. S. Coffman, D. G. Berkebile, J. H. Eidemiller, and John H. Good. The present elders are: W. Clayton Berkshire for the Brethren Church and H. H. Helman for the Church of the Brethren.
Two deacons and their wives have been installed by the co-operative church: Mr. and Mrs. Ben Starkey in 1941, and Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Cook in 1943. Mr. and Mrs. Clark Crouse were installed prior to 1930 by the Brethren Church and are still serving in the co-operative church. The Sunday-school
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CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IN SOUTHERN OHIO
superintendents have been: G. Hayes Coleman (who was the Brethren superintendent in 1930) from 1930 to 1933, R. E. Cook from 1933 to 1940, and Ben Starkey from 1940 to the present.
The Columbus Co-operative Church
The Co-operative Brethren church of Columbus is recognized officially by both denominations in their district and national conferences.
The church is located at West Third and Oregon avenues. The membership is listed at sixty-four. An outstanding feature of the work there is a very successful vacation Bible school each summer.
The property is owned by the Brethren people. The District Board of Southern Ohio assists in the pastoral expense.
Plans have been completed for establishing a Brethren Student Fellowship at Ohio State University and Dwight Farringer has been called to direct the work. It is believed that the fellowship and the co-operative church will discover mutual interests and pool their resources.
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PART Two: CONGREGATIONS
CONSTANCE
It was in 1897 that the first services were held by the Brethren in Constance, Kentucky. The minister was D. M. Garver, of Trotwood. The first, and later the leading, members were Brother and Sister John T. Moll.
In 1901-02 a church, twenty by thirty feet, was erected and was dedicated by Brother Garver. In 1908 John T. Moll was called to the ministry and began to do the preaching. Assistance was occasionally given by the Mission Board, which sent down ministers from the churches of Southern Ohio. At the time of the 1920 history of Southern Ohio, Constance had seventeen members and a Sunday school averaging thirty- seven. J. W. Fidler was the elder.
In the spring of 1929, Miss Kathryn Royer, under the direction of the Mission Board of the district, came to Constance to assist the Molls. She worked faithfully and helped many enjoy a fuller Christian experience.
In the fall of 1935, Orion Erbaugh, of Trotwood, a member of the District Mission Board, began serving this church, having just been licensed to preach. He continued until in 1941, then began to serve the Hamilton church with part time at Constance. In 1944 the church licensed B. F. Click and Lawrence Rodamer. In December of 1944, Orion Erbaugh died and his wife took over active direction of the work. The two licentiates mentioned above were ordained to the ministry in 1946 and gave active assistance to the work here. Mrs. Erbaugh continues her labors at Constance as this history is being written, and the interest is good. The church is growing by new accessions. The present membership is seventy-two.
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