|
Built 1879
|
Through The Years Greencamp United Methodist Church
|
1934
|
|
Early Interior |
||
1957 |
2002 |
HISTORY OF CHURCH BUILDING
|
As time passes, the needs
and desires of people change. This has been the case with the congregation of
the Greencamp United Methodist Church. Even the name has changed since it was
the organized as a Methodist Episcopal Church.
|
|
The First Congregation was
housed in a white frame building erected by a Mr. Strode (probably William
Strode). This was used until 1879 when the first part of the present church
building was erected. This new structure, built by Isaac N. Davis and Edward
D. Leach, was on the same location as the original building. The building that
has originally housed the church was moved across the street and became a
private residence. |
 |
The new church had a high
belfry and a tall steeple. It had four tall windows on each side of the
sanctuary that were probably protected by outside shutters. Three steps led up to
the double front doors that were beneath an arched window. This white frame
church was typical of the churches that dotted the countryside at that time. |
|
Thirty years
later, the members of the congregation wanted to enhance the beauty of
their building. Accordingly, they replaced the windows with lovely
stained glass windows still in place today. These stained glass
windows were dedicated to the memory of early church leaders and
groups within the church in 1910. |
 |
With the new
windows came other changes. Carpet and pews were installed and the
rostrum was changed. A furnace replaced the stoves and chimneys.
George E. Hedges was the president of the Board of Trustees, and the
Reverend Milton C. Wisely was the minister. In 1917, a single bit of
change took place when the gas lights were replaced with electric lights. One
of the original gas lights is with other memorabilia in the glass display case
by the Pastors office. The Reverend Alvin L. Vandegriff was pastor at this
time. |
 |
In 1934, time and weather
had taken their toll on the steeple of the church. This part of the building
was removed, but the belfry was left intact.
This was probably during the time that the Reverend Cecil Francis Fogle
was pastor. |
 |
The next major remodeling
was done in 1945 when the Reverend F. Melvin Wentz was pastor. At this time,
the church building was raised enough that a full basement could be put under
it. The basement included a kitchen and restrooms as well as a multi-purpose
room. New lights were installed in the sanctuary, and the front entrance was
changed. Also at this time, the belfry was lowered. Services were held in the
Green Camp Township Hall during part of this remodeling. The next major change to
the building was in 1957 while the Reverend John Wagner was pastor. At this
time, a two level addition was added to the back of the church. This addition
had three class rooms on the upper level and two rooms and a modern kitchen on
the lower level. After converting from a
coal furnace to a gas furnace, the area used as a coal bin was remodeled and
housed the church library. |
 |
Green Camp United Methodist Church 2002 After
more than ten years of planning, a new addition to the church was made.
Construction on the new addition began on April 16, 2001, completed in the
early fall of 2001 and dedicated on April 28, 2002. The cost of this addition
was $211,237.00. The addition consisted of:
|
|
Pastoral
Service At Green Camp United Methodist Church
(Compiled
from Frances E. Davis’ History of the Church)
dates not available: John Goodman dates not available: John Coalern dates not available: Henry Hudson
dates
not available: H.E. Armicost 1860: Henry Frank, Benjamin Herbert 1861 Henry Boyers, Stephen Fant 1862: Stephen Fant 1863: Thomas H. Wilson 1864: Wesley J. Wells 1865: Edmund B. Morrison 1867: John Sites ( Local Pastor) 1869: Albin D. Matthews 1871: William W. Lance 1873: Leonard O. Cook 1875: John S. Kalb 1877: Jonathan Zook 1879: Benjamin Wilson Day 1881: Benjamin L. Rowand
1884:
John W. Donnan (Donnai?)
1886:
Thomas H. Campbell
1887:
Phillip A. Drown
1888:
Manoah D. Scott
1890:
William G. Littell (Litel?)
1892:
Benjamin B. Powell
1893:
Isaiah R. Henderson
1894:
Charles G. Smith
1895:
Charles Fulkerson
1897:
Henry Conley Burger
1898:
Eugene H. Snow
1899:
Charles W. Cunningham
1900:
Richard H. Schoonover
1901:
Edwin Jordan Webster
1905:
George H. Beaschler
1906: Hershel V. McCleary
1907:
Charles Mason
1908:
Milton C. Wisely
1911:
James O. Hillery
1912:
J. Frank Richardson
1913:
William H. Cundy
1914:
George F. Kinnear
1915:
William Franklin Cummings
1916:
Alvin Lindsay Vandegriff
1922:
Elliott L. Ditzler
1923:
L.W. Flauner (Flenner?)
1924:
Frank A. LePage
1925:
Robert A. Clark
1926:
Samuel B. Cunningham
1928:
Cloyce D. Copley
1930:
Ernest Ralph Rector
1934:
Cecil Francis Fogle
1938:
Oliver Starks Hall
1939:
Nobel Rompell
1940:
Dale Limbert
1942:
T. Avery Ballinger
1944:
F. Melvin Wentz
1949:
Carey O. Good
1950: Lewis Raymond Kennard 1953: Jimmie W. Spears 1956: John Wagner 1961: Frank Ellis 1966: Joseph C. Snyder 1967: Clinton Jordan 1976: Roger Ashley 1982: Mark Rowland 1985-1986: Sue Day (Associate Pastor) 1987: Joseph E. Henson, Sr. 1989: Lowell Headley, Silas M'mworia (Interim Pastor) 1991-1994: Woodrow Bell (Visitation Pastor) 1996-2002: Douglas Dowson 2002-2006 Nancy Newton Ratz 2006-Current Mandy Rice |
 GREEN
CAMP – The Green Camp United
Methodist Church will celebrate “Heritage Sunday” April 28, 2002 at the 10
am worship service, with a homecoming and dedication of its new building
addition. Former Pastors, members and friends of the congregation have been
invited to join in the celebration, and the public is cordially invited. A
potluck dinner will follow at noon in the fellowship room. Plans for this new
addition began more then 10 years ago, and actual construction began April 16,
2001. A narthex has been added and the front entrance moved to the east side
of the church. This provides more open, usable space outside the sanctuary.
Two handicapped accessible restrooms were included with one upstairs and the
other downstairs next to an additional large classroom. A large cross was
placed over the front round window. Bash builders were the contractors, and
work was completed at a cost of $211,237.00. The remaining debt is
approximately $55,000. As time passes, the needs and desires of people change.
In 1879, the original Methodist Episcopal Church was built on the present
site. The church had a high belfry and tall steeple. It had four windows on
each side of the sanctuary, and three steps led up to the double front doors
that were beneath an arched window. Thirty years later, the congregation
wanted to enhance the beauty of their building, and replace the windows with
lovely stained glass windows, which are still in place today. These windows
were dedicated to memory of early church leaders and groups within the church
in 1910. In 1917, the gas lights were replaced with electric lights. By 1934,
time and weather had taken their toll on the steeple, which was removed
and the belfry was reduced in size. The next major remodeling was done in
1945. At this time the church building was raised to accommodate a full
basement. The basement included a kitchen, restrooms and a fellowship room.
New lights were installed in the sanctuary. In 1957, a two level addition was
added to the back of the church. This addition had three classrooms on the
upper level and two rooms and a kitchen on the lower level. An elevator was
installed in 1988. The original 1879 medallion has been restored by Roy Bash, and
is now spotlighted over the sanctuary entrance doors. Many of these historical
facts were taken from a history book written in 1995 by Frances E. Davis, who
passed away on March 11, 1999.
|