BRIEF HISTORY OF BETHANY CHURCH
1901….First
services held at Jessup St. School on Saturday, Apr. 26. Dec. 22 the cornerstone
was laid for a new
building.
1902….The
North Berwick Evangelical Church was dedicated July 5 with Bishop Stanford
present.
The project cost $3,300
1903….The
North Berwick church was named a Station separate from Columbia Circuit with
Rev. Shaffer, pastor.
1925….The
educational unit, costing $37,000 was dedicated on Sept. 13 with Rev.
Fleckenstine
as pastor.
1946….The name
of North Berwick Ev. Church was changed to Bethany Evangelical United
Brethren Church.
1951….Ground
was broken on March 10 for a new Sanctuary.
Rev. H. H. Jacobs laid the
cornerstone on July 15.
1952….Bishop
Epp dedicated the Sanctuary on September 21.
1953….Bethany
hosted the Central PA. Conf. Annual Session.
1960….The
property at 116 Summerhill Ave. was purchased.
It is now a Church office and small
group meeting area.
1966….A new
parsonage at 1700 Pine Street was dedicated.
1970….A three
manual Rodgers Organ was dedicated. A
goal of $15,500 was reached within the
next three months.
1980….Plans
were accepted to remodel the balcony of the Sunday School.
1982….An
experimental youth ministry with Bethany, Bower and First UM Churches was begun.
Shaffer House became
the residence for the Director.
1983….A goal
of $11,000 was set to erect a ramp leading to the Sanctuary level of the Church.
The goal was reached in
two months and the ramp erected.
1985….A Lay
Witness Mission was held in Feb. The
Sunday School hit a record of 335 in
attendance in the Fall
Rally Day.
1986….Shaffer
House is employed by the Church as a residence for the Custodian and family.
1987….Extensive
remodeling of classroom space, both the main floor and in the basement was
completed.
1988….Our
debt, which stood at $42,000 in July of 1987, was paid in full. Bethany set a goal for
the year 1989 of hiring
a full-time Assistant Pastor. The
Over The Hill Club was organized in Jan of 1988.
1989….A new
roof was installed on the church along with numerous other improvements.
Three
members celebrated 75
years as a member of Bethany, (Maude Pollock, Martha Collins & Lee Banghart).
1990….We had
several special events during the year, the highlight being the Mt. Zion Baptist
Choir, Rally Day attendance hit 223. A
van was purchased with a goal to secure a second, Advent Devotional written by
Bethany folks were published while a Nativity Scene came alive on December
weekends! A Prison Ministry was
started with about a dozen people participating in it.
1991….Many
members gave exceptional gifts: New
handicapped restroom on the main level by Alice Stephens.
Sanctuary was air-conditioned by a gift of $30,725 by Don and Bunni Meske,
Pew Bibles were dedicated in memory of Janice Harmon, $5,000 inheritance for
missions & a 4th octave of bells from the Gayle Zeart estate.
Educational Trust from Fay Dendler, two sets of Altar vases from Glovene
Youngkin, a Telex Video Projection unit from Lloyd & Trudy Johnson, Holly
trees in memory of Janice Harmon & in honor Earl & Lois Heimbach. In May a second van was purchased. We all smiled for the Pictorial Directory and sang from new
hymnals.
1992..... 29
people joined our fellowship, attendance for Worship and Sunday School remained
constant, air-conditioning was added to the Kindergarten and Nursery rooms while
a new furnace warmed Bethany House. The
sound system was completely renovated, Sanctuary painted, new computer/printer
purchased for the office while 8 members were renewed with a trip to the Holy
Land. Bethany offered its first
Holly Trail to raise funds for Missions and hosted Bishop May for a day in the
District. A fifth octave of Bells
was ordered and Highest Praise choral group organized.
1993.....Bethany
was chosen by the Central Pennsylvania Conference to participate in Church
Growth with Integrity. Following weeks of information gathering, Rev. Bill Easum
of Texas visited Bethany for a church consultation. A building fund was established in Feb. to begin an account
for future development. A gift of
$250,000 was pledged to motivate additional giving.
Missionaries Pete & Carol (Heim) Unseth came home in June for a year
of leave. Bethany gave over $6,000.
for flood relief in the Mid-west. Christmas
Eve Service was the largest in decades. Bethany joined Habitat for Humanity. A
second Vespers Service was added on Sunday Evenings.
1994.....A
devastating Winter cut programming and attendance for the first two months.
The highlight came in August with the hiring of Mrs. Amy Kacyon as
full-time Assistant to the Pastor in the area of Youth and Children.
A contemporary worship service at 11:15 a.m. was started in June with 56
persons in attendance. A
congregational vote approved hiring Centura Associates for preliminary drawings.
An additional $90,000+ was pledged towards a growing Building Fund.
A Pioneer Club was started for grades 1-4, with a membership of 20+ while
Youth Fellowship grew above 30 members. Largest
attendance was for the Annual Bell Concert with 525 at the two performances.
1995.....History
was made on Sunday, March 12 with a Church Conference voting to proceed with
building a $1,300,000. addition. Construction can begin when $700,000 is
received. Twenty-six youth attended a weekend retreat at Wesley Forest. Death
claimed 19 members while 14 joined. The Building Fund grew by $492,594. and a
public auction was conducted on the rainiest day of ‘95. People found Christ
at a Lay Witness Mission in Oct.! After one year 40+ children belong to Pioneer
Club. Organist Marlene Eckrote celebrated 35 years at the console. Our favorite
missionaries returned to Berwick due to Pete Unseth’s health. Bethany noted
for ministry to youth & children was featured in the Conference newspaper.
Additional ministry was given with Grief Support Groups.
1996....Lori
Gibbs came on Staff as Assistant to the Pastor. Bethany hosted for the District
The Rev. Olaf Parnament of Estonia as World Missioner.
The Building Committee met on May 9 with Bill Oberdorf of Centura
Associates to review bids of 9 contractors.
Hepco Construction of Selinsgrove was the low bidder for General
Construction ($886,400), Dent Plumbing & Heating ($34,158), Dent
Plumbing & Heating ($87,925), and I. Ray Zimmerman Electrical
($88,450). On Pentecost Sunday (May
26) Groundbreaking services were conducted by District Superintendent Rev.
C.Raski Fuller for the new addition which will contain 16 new classrooms,
fellowship hall and stage, recreational area, kitchen and office.
The old educational unit will experience remodeling for a new library,
church office, nursery, classrooms. Every
area will be accessible by elevator. Members came in droves to dismantle Bethany
House (formerly parsonage, currently Church Office) to save $8,000 demolition
fees. Properties at 135 Summerhill Ave ($79,900) and 1836 Jessup St. ($37,500)
were purchased for a parking lot and garage. The home at 1836 Jessup was
restored by volunteers as a residence for the Assistant to the Pastor.
The Bell Choir traveled in June to Portland, Maine to participate in the
National Bell Festival and were featured at a tri-district service to welcome
Bishop Neil Irons to Central PA. Bethany’s
member Paul Dauenbaugh accepted a full-time U.Meth. pastorate at Jerseytown and
the Unseths moved to Texas to teach for Wycliffe. The “Rock” was formed to
voice support for Scriptural Christianity in United Methodism. Pioneer Club
reached over 50 members. A “Live” Nativity was a huge undertaking/success as
Bethany portrayed the birth of Christ at the Columbia Mall every day from Dec.
13-24. Nearly 200 members participated!
By year’s end the new addition was 50% complete.
1997….We
won’t forget this year. The
culminating event happened on Sunday, July 20 at the 9:00 a.m. worship service
as the District Superintendent Rev. Raski Fuller consecrated the new facility.
After a year of dust, moving, dust, temporary quarters for classes and offices,
more dust, daily decision making, painting, and still more dust; finally the
temporary inconvenience became a permanent improvement.
Bethany survived a $1.5 million addition/renovation. Thanks be to God!
Land adjacent to the new parking lot (behind 1836/1840 Jessup St.) was purchased
for a garage which was built by Bethany volunteers. Parking lots were paved, the
Bell Choir traveled to Ithaca, N.Y., the first Gospel Celebration was held with
a full house, Bethany hosted the yearly District Men’s banquet and the women
organized under the name “Encouragers.” Our first community craft show was
held in Nov. and the first Bloodmobile in December. The Mall Live Nativity was
repeated and the Children’s Department presented a Christmas Program.
Pioneer Club reached 60+ and Bethany received 36 members (20 by
Confession of Faith). To God be the Glory! Money received for the Building Fund
stood at $762,705. The debt is $850,000.
1998....An
auction held in the big room was both a social & financial success
($15,250.75). In March the Administrative Board passed a proposal for a
“Christian” Day Care/Preschool. Mrs. Cristie Bacher was hired as Director of
Bethany Blessings with 27 children enrolled. The Pioneer Club had 69 children
registered and participated in the first annual “Kids for Kids Hike.”
Attendance just missed 500 for Easter (by 3) and sailed over 400 for Christmas
Eve (largest in recent years). Volunteers refinished the pews & Pine St.
doors. Stained glass windows were installed on the wall of the old stage. Youth
ages 10 - 18 were enlisted for an Acolyte ministry. At Annual Conference Pastor
Dennis received the Harry Denman Award in Evangelism. Bethany Youth hosted
“Overtime” following football games. The
Building Fund debt stood at $787,000.
2001….2001 was an exciting year for Bethany as we celebrated 100 years as a church. The anniversary celebration was kicked off by Bishop Neil Irons on Sept. 10, 2000. During the following months we had guest speakers, who had served our church or went out from our church to do Christian work. Our speakers were: Dr. David Keller, Rev. Tom Harmon, Rev. Larry Hummel, Rev. Dr. Jeff Rarich, Rev. Paul Daunbach, Rev. Randy Heacock and Pete Unseth. Lori Landry and Denise Roberts provided special music on separate Sundays. April 29, 2001 was our Anniversary Sunday with Rev. Dr. Sammuel Sheffler speaking followed by the release of 350 balloons, a slide show from the past and a meal in the big room. Lee Banghart was honored for being a Sunday School teacher for 75 years.
2002….We had
Tim Kauffman here for a Saturday night dinner/concert followed by three
nights of revival services. We have
86 kids in our Pre School/Day Care now. The
boys & girls in the Sunday School department presented the Christmas play
Heavenly Harrold during the Sunday School hour with an attendance of 210.
At the end of 2002 our Building Fund debt is at $634,000.
2003…. This year was a great year here at
Bethany. We had two dinner concerts
featuring the Dixie Melody Boys and
The Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet. Our
Pioneer Club continued to flourish with over 65 children enrolled.
Pete and Carol Unseth visited us on June 15th for a Special
Mission Sunday. In August, the
Youth Fellowship journeyed to McColl, South Carolina on their annual Mission
Trip. The 40 Days of Purpose
program was in October and November. This
Program helped to united our Church and to use our gifts to the glory of God.
December brought a lot of activity as we continued the Live Nativity at
the Columbia Mall. Bethany also
hosted a Christmas Bell Concert with choirs from Danville, Townhill, and
Millville participating along with our own choir.
Bethany Blessings sponsored our first ever display at the Christmas
Boulevard called “The Pine Tree Parable”.
Bethany Blessing Pre-School/Day Care continues to as an outreach to our
community with an enrollment of 87 children.
2004….
What a great time of fellowship here at Bethany!
We began the year with an Auction to benefit the building fund.
Bethany hosted our annual Lenten Services this year.
In March, we hosted Heartbeat Productions, a music based youth ministry.
In May, we had our Spring Bell Concert along with the Kid’s Choir
Musical. Also in May, David Ring
was our special speaker for our Spring Rally Day. In August, VBS had a wonderful
turnout of over 100 kids. The
Bethany Beacon’s Softball Team won the League Championship. September brought
the beginning of our Praise and Worship Service on Sunday Mornings at 11 am.
In October, the Wehry Family joined us for a message in song.
December was filled with the Live Nativity at Columbia Mall, a Christmas
Bell Concert, A Night of Christmas Music, and the Candlelight Christmas Eve
Service (370 attending). Our
Pioneer Club continued to minister to children on Wednesday Evenings, and
Bethany Blessing Pre-School/Day Care continued as an outreach to our community.
2005….
We began the year again with an Auction to help raise money for a
full-time youth pastor. We hosted
Heartbeat Productions again in the spring.
In May, there was the Kid’s Choir Musical.
June brought the Creation trip for the Pioneer Club teens, and also a
visit from our missionary friends, the Unseths.
In August, VBS was a success with its VIVA Mexico theme, and Youth
Fellowship took a group to teens on their mission trip.
The Bethany Beacon’s Softball Team won the championship trophy.
The musical group “Renewed” gave a concert in the fall.
December was filled with a Christmas Bell Concert, A Night of Christmas
Music, the Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, and the Christmas Day Cantata.
Pioneer Club continued to meet on Wednesday Evenings, and our pre-school
continued as an outreach to our community.