USA > Pennsylvania > Change and challenge: a history of the Church of the Brethren in the southern district of Pennsylvania, 1940-1972 > Part 30
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time the Friends' Grove people saw the advantage of meeting with the Gettysburg people. This change was effected in 1949 under the leader- ship of the new pastor and the Friends' Grove house was sold to the Adams County Grange.
Walter A. Keeney, a local banker and an active member of the con- gregation, served as the moderator from 1944 until 1948. The Friends' Grove people cooperated more and more with the Gettysburg people in the developing pastoral program and the Marsh Creek people became more and more independent of the program.
In 1949, Robert Knechel became the pastor. He had been the Direc- tor of Visual Education for the brotherhood. During his ministry, the congregation showed encouraging growth. When B. F. Lightner died in 1951, he willed a Gettysburg property to the church for use as a church parsonage Dr. A. C. Baugher, president of Elizabethtown College, was guest on the day when the parsonage was dedicated.
THE DIVISION OF A CONGREGATION
Beginning in late 1951, officials meetings were held to consider the division of the Marsh Creek congregation. A notice of a special council meeting was mailed to the entire membership on December 22, 1951, an- nouncing a meeting to be held on January 4, 1952. The purpose of the meeting was to "study and make recommendations upon a division of the congregation and its assets into two entirely separate congregational bodies." At the January 4th meeting there was general agreement on the recommendations before the church. By an eighty-nine percent vote, the congregation decided to divide. The details of the division were entrusted to a committee.
The Gettysburg Area congregation retained the charter and the rec- ords of the corporate body . It also acquired the ownership of the Gettys- burg parsonage, the Friends' Grove meetinghouse and the new church building north of Gettysburg along route 34. The Marsh Creek member- ship was granted the use of the Marsh Creek meetinghouse for a ninety- nine year period and the personal property items belonging to the meeting- house. The Marsh Creek cemetery remained the property of the two con- gregations with a board of trustees selected from both church bodies.
The ninety-nine year lease was granted because of the stipulations contained in the original deed of the congregation dated March 9, 1855:
"Subject . .. to revert to the said John Pfoutz or his heirs or assigns at any time the said Dunkard congregation may become ex- tinct or that the house now erected or any house that may hereafter be erected as a house of worship for the Dunkard congregation or society shall become vacant or not occupied as a meetinghouse as aforesaid for the Dunkard society for five successive years, the premises in such case to revert back to D. John Pfoutz. And it is further understood by the parties the D. Trustees or their successors can not sell or convey the premises aforesaid to any individual or any other Christian society or denomination for a place of Public Worship or other purpose."
Under terms of the agreement drawn up on January 4, 1952, the Marsh Creek members had full rights and use of the original meeting- house "for public worship of Almighty God according to the doctrines, practices and usages of the Church of the Brethren". An agreement settled on services held at least bi-weekly. The lease was to be subject to automatic renewal for ninety-nine year periods so long as the condi- tions of the lease were fulfilled. The lease agreement was witnessed to by George L. Detweiler, Levi K. Ziegler and Robert L. Cocklin.
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THE UPPER MARSH CREEK CONGREGATION
The membership which continued to worship at the Marsh Creek meetinghouse assumed the name of Upper Marsh Creek to distinguish it from the Marsh Creek congregation. The latter name was retained by the Gettysburg Area membership. There were discussions that the Upper Marsh Creek membership might take the name of Pfoutz congregation, but no official action was ever taken to make the change. M. Carroll Valentine became the moderator of the new congregation. George L. Detweiler continued to preside as the moderator of the Gettysburg Area membership, and Robert Knechel provided the pastoral services.
The Upper Marsh Creek membership was never large in numbers. For most of the years since its formation, the congregation has num- bered less than fifty members. It has continued to provide Sunday School services, regular preaching and evangelistic services and biannual Love- feasts and Communions.
M. Carroll Valentine (1889-1967) continued to serve the congregation until his death on February 28, 1967. His son Donald G. Valentine was licensed to the ministry in 1956 and was ordained on April 13, 1958. He was advanced to the eldership on July 17, 1960. Along with John M. Myers, Harold E. Miller, Donald E. Stine and John G. Miller, Donald G. Valentine has provided ministerial leadership to the Upper Marsh Creek congregation.
In 1972, the Southern District Board appointed a committee to meet with the Upper Marsh Creek congregation to hear grievances against the district and the brotherhood. This committee, composed of John D. Miller, Donald E. Miller and Charles M. Bieber, met with representatives of the congregation on April 19, 1972. At that time, the district com- mittee received a report of the action the Upper Marsh Creek Church had taken on February 17, 1972. At its official council, the congregation decided "to sever our relationship with the Church of the Brethren." As early as the fall of 1971 the congregation had taken steps to withdraw.
The motives for this action centered in the denomination's affiliation with the National Council of Churches. The members also objected to the denominations involvement in civil affairs and its relaxation of rules in granting divorce and permitting remarriage. A portion of the state- ment by the dissenting group noted:
"Also numerous other departures from the faith resulting in a suppressing of the Spirit causes us to feel that we can better function as our Lord intended by separating ourselves from organized religion." The withdrawing group assumed the name, "Marsh Creek Independent Brethren Church". They continued to meet regularly for a period of time in the original Marsh Creek meetinghouse.
The Executive Committee of the Southern District Board requested the special committee on grievances to determine whether a Church of the Brethren remained at the Upper Marsh Creek location and if there was any interest in continuing a ministry to any of its members.
THE MARSH CREEK CONGREGATION
A new church building was erected on the Biglerville Road in Butler Township on land which had been given to the congregation by Mr. and Mrs. Levi Ogburn. As the building neared completion, the Gettysburg Area membership prepared to sell the church building on Stratton Street in the Gettysburg community. The Pennsylvania Baptist Convention showed interest and negotiations were conducted to sell the house for $20,000. The agreement was reached in 1951 with the Southern Baptist group. For a brief period of time the Gettysburg Church building was
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used jointly by the Baptist congregation and the Church of the Brethren congregation. The work begun on Stratton Street in 1905 came to an end for the Church of the Brethren in 1952.
The new church building north of Gettysburg was unique in that it expressed the faith of the Brethren in art designs in the windows. The chancel window speaks of the open Bible, the cross, the resurrection and the ascension. Other windows depict baptism, the anointing service, the Lovefeast occasion, the footwashing rite, the Communion of the bread and the cup, home instruction, stewardship, missions and service, all drawn according to the style of the colonial period of history. Harry B. Lenker, a registered architect of York, supervised the work of construction.
The Gettysburg Church met for dedication services on January 22-25, 1953. Leaders of the brotherhood and of the district shared in this cele- bration with the congregation. M. Guy West, A. C. Baugher, Paul M. Robinson, Calvert N. Ellis and George L. Detweiler spoke during these services.
The Gettysburg Church
In 1954, an invitation was sent to the various congregations of the district announcing the completion of the Gettysburg Church building. "We are now worshiping in our new church building", the announcement said.
From April 29 to May 1, 1955, the Gettysburg Church united with the Upper Marsh Creek membership in celebrating their common heritage. The Upper Marsh Creek Church observed its 150th anniversary and the Gettysburg Church observed its 50th anniversary. A Stauffer Curry spoke to the congregation on April 29th and Roy K. Miller returned to address the membership on May 1st. The youth of the church celebrated the occasion by placing a bronze plaque at the grave of the founder of the original church.2
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When Robert Knechel moved to Indiana, the Gettysburg Church negotiated with the Regional Executive to secure a new pastor. A letter to the membership on February 25, 1958 announced that the local minis- terial board was recommending the employment of C. Reynolds Simmons Jr. as pastor. He came from a pastorate in Maryland and moved into a newly-renovated parsonage on July 17, 1958. A service of installation was conducted by Joseph M. Baugher and Harold Z. Bomberger on July 27, 1958. At this service, a representative of the congregation officially presented the church key to the new pastor.
The location, size and ample facilities of the new Gettysburg Church encouraged its frequent use by many district and Adams County groups. It has hosted the regular and special District Conferences of the Church of the Brethren. It has hosted the annual Ministerial meetings and Sunday School meetings. On December 12, 1959, a retreat of the Minis- ters and Ministers' Wives met at the church to hear an interpretation of the Brotherhood Call program.
The year 1960 was an eventful one for the church. During the Len- ten season the pastor began a series of fireside meetings in private homes. In May of this year, the church met in council to license Warren Eshbach to the Christian ministry. Warren came to the Gettysburg area from the Coventry Church of the North Atlantic District. The Gettysburg Church requested the District Commission on Ministry and Evangelism to be present for the licensing. In June of the same year, Larry Boyer left for two years of experience in Brethren Volunteer Service.
Other young people from the congregation have also served in Brethren Volunteer Service or in Alternative Service assignments. Sue Bucher Rube served at Linz, Austria and has remained overseas as a resident of Germany. She married Eberhard Rube of Germany. Barbara Rummel Wagner entered B.V.S. work in 1953 and served in community work in Fresno, California. Roger Turner entered Alternative Service in the spring of 1969 and served two years at the Bethany Brethren Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He has continued as a member of the staff of the hospital. Michael Arendt entered Alternative Service in the spring of 1969 and served two years at the Norristown State Hospital.
On August 4, 1963, the congregation called Merlin G. Shull to serve as pastor. C. Reynolds Simmons Jr. entered pastoral work in Spray, North Carolina. Bro. Shull was pastor of the Nimishillen Church of North Canton, Ohio (1955-1963). He had given three years of service in Austria as a Brethren Service worker for the denomina- tion (1950-1953). Merlin and Grace Shull moved into the Gettysburg area on Sep- tember 1, 1963.
The congregation continued to reduce its church indebtedness. The debt liquida- tion campaign was begun in December of 1962 under the direction of the laymen of the congregation. Bro. Walter A. Keeney was serving as the moderator of the church Merlin G. Shull (1960-1971). By 1966, the congregation had completely paid for the new church building. Recognition of the debt-reduction efforts was made at a mort- gage-burning service on March 27, 1966. No sooner had the church paid
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for its $200,000 building than it began plans to build a new parsonage on the ground close to the church.
The congregation met in a ceremonial ground-breaking service as the membership joined hands to pull a single plow share at the site. On October 23, 1966, the new parsonage was completed and a service of dedi- cation was conducted. Joseph M. Long, Tri-District Executive Secretary and C. Reynolds Simmons Jr. were guests for this important occasion. A reception and an open house event followed the afternoon dedicatory service. The parsonage cost the church $29,567.
The Church has rendered unique services to the Gettysburg com- munity. The Annual Meeting of the Adams County Council of Churches and the Adams County Leadership Training School have met at the church. A number of Brethren Volunteer Service weekend camps have also been conducted here. On occasions, even community weddings have been held at the church. The congregation has cooperated with the chaplaincy program to render service to the sick and to the infirm of the Annie Warner Hospital in Gettysburg.
In the summer of 1965, a Migrant Day Care Center to care for three- to six-year old children was opened at the church. An Infant Day Care Center was operated for two years (1970, 1971). The church has also made its facilities available to minister to public school Handicapped Children's Classes three days each week (1972).
Jeanne Lee Jacoby, daughter of Glenn William and Gladys M. Jacoby, was licensed to the Christian ministry on May 20, 1962. The District Ministry and Evangelism Commission continued to renew the license until 1966 when Miss Jacoby requested that it be discontinued. Daniel A. Hoopert was also licensed to the ministry in 1950 and was ordained to the full ministry in 1951 by the District Ministry Commission.
Jeffrey H. Johnson was called and licensed at a special service in September, 1966. He attended the Bethany Theological Seminary and graduated in 1972. On August 6, 1972, he was ordained to the Christian ministry in a service conducted by the Southern District Executive Secre- tary. Jeffrey entered into a pastorate at the Lone Star congregation in Kansas on September 1, 1972.
The congregation has provided leadership in the district and to the college at Elizabethtown through such persons as Merlin and Grace Shull, Cyrus and Jeannie Bucher, Paul S. Burkholder, Anna Kepner, Rhoda Bosserman and Walter A. Keeney. In 1972, Cyrus G. Bucher, the congre- gation's moderator, became the first lay Moderator-Elect of the Southern District.
The Gettysburg Church has had unique opportunities in the past to hear many leaders of the denomination. Special weekend services have been conducted for such leaders as Anna Mow, M. R. Zigler, Perry Huf- faker, Nevin W. Fisher, Ralph W. Schlosser and Rufus P. Bucher. Com- munity hymn sings have been popular and well-supported. Dr. Carl W. Ziegler has conducted week-night Bible study sessions for the church.
On January 17, 1971, a new Allen organ was dedicated at the Gettys- burg Church. On April 8-9, 1972, the District Youth Hill Top event met in the church. Here young people engaged in a discussion concerning the meanings of fellowship and joined in a meal in Oriental style. The youth also participated in a planned, unique informal worship service for the entire church membership. As part of the weekend events, the youth walked from the Gettysburg Square to the church in order to raise sub- scriptions for the Fund for the Americas.
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THE MECHANICSBURG CONGREGATION
The Church of the Brethren in Mechanicsburg was originally a part of the Lower Cumberland congregation. Services prior to 1900 were held in the Union Church on East Main Street in the community. In 1900, the first building to serve the Mechanicsburg congregation was erected by the Lower Cumberland congregation. A division of the Lower Cumberland congregation in March, 1926 led to the organization of the Mechanicsburg Church on May 8, 1926. The new congregation had sixty members.
The division was made because members of the Lower Cumberland congregation in the Mechanicsburg community preferred pastoral leader- ship. When this right was not granted to them, the members requested a division. Charles Steerman (1926-1928), Jesse Whitacre (1928-1931), Joseph Rittenhouse (1931-1934) and John Rowland (1934-1940) were employed as pastors prior to the period covered by this volume.
In 1940, J. Lloyd Nedrow (1940-1946), who had been serving the Center Hill congregation in Western Pennsylvania, came to minister to the Mechanicsburg membership. The church continued the practice of conducting regular fall evangelistic meetings. In 1943, cottage prayer meetings were used as a preparation for the evangelistic services. During this period of church life, congregations customarily chose their pastors for one year terms. An interesting note from the church Minutes said: "Bro. Lloyd Nedrow was elected as pastor for another year on the same terms as in previous years."1
Union Church, Mechanicsburg
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The congregation observed an all-day rally and homecoming service on October 4, 1942. W. Grant Group, Otho J. Hassinger and John Hershey were guest speakers for the day. Bro. Nedrow continued to serve the congregation faithfully until September 1, 1946, at which time he returned to Western Pennsylvania. Ira M. Hart supplied the pulpit until the church was able to employ a new pastor.
Harvey D. Emmert (1946-1949) was called by the Mechanicsburg Church to lead the congregation. Bro. Emmert had been pastor of the Lost Creek congregation and was not a stranger to the Mechanicsburg Church. During his pastorate in Mechanicsburg, the church council decided to remodel the church house. Unfortunately, Harvey D. Emmert died before the remodeling program was completed. J. Vernon Grim served as the pulpit supply for the congregation (1949-1950) until a new pastor was employed.
Special services of dedication were held for the remodeled church on March 24-26, 1950. George Klinefelter, president of the Mechanicsburg Ministerium and the local Reformed minister, was the guest speaker for a community night service. Hiram G. Gingrich, J. Vernon Grim and George L. Detweiler were speakers at other dedicatory services. Ira M. Hart presided as the elder of the congregation from 1946 till 1950. The congregation purchased its first organ for the dedication services in 1950.
Howard A. Whitacre succeeded as the pastor on November 1, 1950. He had served the Glendale and Artemas Churches of Middle Pennsylvania prior to his arrival in Mechanicsburg. He was brother to a former pastor of the congregation. During his pastorate (1950-1959) the growth of the congregation created the need for planned expansion. In 1954 the church began a building fund to secure more classroom space.
The congregation has licensed and ordained four young men to the ministry since the early 1940s. On January 16, 1949, Clarence Bivens was licensed. David C. Wilson, who has served in Brethren Volunteer Service in Puerto Rico at the Castaner Hospital, was licensed in 1952. He was advanced to the full ministry on May 23, 1954.
Robert Lee Earhart, son of a former pastor, was licensed to the ministry at a special service on May 22, 1966. Robert attended Bethany Theological Seminary and served the district as the summer chaplain at Pinchot State Park (1969). Larry Mark Dentler was called and licensed by the church in June, 1971.
The congregation selected a committee in 1956 to investigate possible new church sites. In 1957 the Mechanicsburg Church was given the deed to two and a half acres of land on West Coover Street for a new church house. In this year on Palm Sunday, the membership observed its thirty- first anniversary. Pastor Whitacre was honored by the church for his twenty-fifth year in the Christian ministry (1957).
When Bro. Whitacre concluded his services and moved to Western Pennsylvania, the church council called D. Luke Bowser from a pastorate in Middle Pennsylvania. J. Vernon Grim returned to conduct a service of installation on September 20, 1959 for the new pastor. Prior to his arrival, the church committed itself to a three-year stewardship emphasis. This campaign resulted in the giving of $30,000 for a proposed building program.
After extended debate, the church council decided not to build on W. Coover Street. Instead, a larger lot in the Orchard Crest section of east Mechanicsburg was selected. The pastoral years of Bro. Bowser were difficult years of planning and building. The ground for a new church house was broken on March 26, 1961 at the Orchard Crest site. Nevin H. Zuck
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The Mechanicsburg Church
was invited to be the guest for the event. A cornerstone laying cere- mony was conducted on September 10, 1961 with Dr. Jesse D. Reber as a guest speaker. Dr. Reber was the Executive Secretary of the Pennsyl- vania Council of Churches.
By January 14, 1962, the last service was conducted in the original Frederick Street Church building. The church was later sold to the Mechanicsburg Area Public Library. Palm Sunday dedication services were held at Gale Street and Apple Drive with Dr. M. Guy West as the guest speaker (April 15, 1962). The new church structure has been erected at a cost of $148,326. The building design was created by Arthur Dean, the brotherhood architect. William White, a member of the Church trustees, was the building supervisor. The building committee consisted of William Replogle, Harry Rohrer, Wayne Tritt and Paul Gibble. During these eventful years of transition, Robert L. Cocklin served as the church moderator (1951-1962).
Ronald A. Beverlin succeeded D. Luke Bowser as the pastor of the church. Bro. Beverlin had served as the pastor of the Johnson City Church in Tennessee. J. Vernon Grim, acting on behalf of the District Ministry Commission, conducted the service of installation on September 16, 1962. The congregation continued to host many district events. In 1963, the annual Speech Contest and youth banquet of the district met in the church. Carl W. Ziegler was guest at a special Christian Education Day sponsored by the District Commission on Christian Education (1963). Ronald A. Beverlin served as pastor until September 1, 1964, at which time he entered pastoral work at the Immanuel congregation in Elkton, Maryland.
J. Stanley Earhart (1964-1970) came from the Oak Park Church of Western Maryland to serve as the new pastor. He brought steady coun- seling and skilled administration to the work of the Mechanicsburg Church. He continued to publish the monthly church paper to keep the congrega- tion informed. At the close of his pastorate, he was able to report that numerical and spiritual growth had been evident. The church increased its membership from 224 to 286 during his years as pastor.
The congregation observed its fifth anniversary in its new building on April 16, 1967. D. Luke Bowser returned to share in the celebration. The congregation has continued to respond splendidly to the financial challenges of the expanding church program. New improvements were required by the challenge of the new location to a developing community.
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To assist the church with its stewardship campaign, K. Ezra Bucher was invited to meet with the membership in 1969 as it planned its giving. The response was commendable in a congregation which had already estab- lished a very high per capita giving record.
J. Stanley Earhart submitted his resignation to the congregation in order to become the first Southern District Executive Secretary. William L. Gould, who was serving as pastor of the Codorus congregation and who has just returned from a preaching mission in the British Isles, began his pastoral work in the Mechanicsburg Church on September 1, 1970. An installation service for the new pastor was led by Elmer Q. Gleim, representing the District Ministry Commission (September 20, 1970).
The deacons of the congregation were soon involved in an Undershepherd Plan. Other members of the church were invited to share in this effort to give an evangel- istic thrust to the total church life. The congregation entered into Lenten preach- ing missions with W. Clemens Rosenberger (1971) and Glenn E. Kinsel (1972) as lead- ers. On March 12, 1972, the Mechanics- burg Church dedicated a new Conn organ and a public address system. The cost of these improvements was met by a legacy which had been granted to the church by the Rev. and Mrs. Ira M. Hart. The dedication was made in their names.
The church completed a new parsonage building program at a site adjoining the William L. Gould church campus on East Coover Street. The new parsonage replaced an older house in the center of Mechanicsburg. The older parsonage had been used by nine pastoral families over a period of forty years. The old parsonage was also sold to the Mechanicsburg Library. William and Edna Gould moved into the new church parsonage in 1971 and services of dedication for the new residence were conducted on May 2, 1971.
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