On May 20, 2008, Bethel celebrated 175 years of ministry and worship. Our long history is a testimony of the faithfulness of God and the dedication of the men and women who have served Him at this place. Over 175 years we have amassed a lot of stories (and a lot of characters!), some funny, some sad, but all a valuable part of who we are. This is a short version of our roots. Please join with us as we continue to grow and bear fruit for the Lord!

A Brief History of Bethel Presbyterian Church

By  Dorothy King

Updated by Judi Shipman

Bethel Church was organized May 20, 1833, as a Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Cumberland Presbyterianism, an outgrowth of a real religious revival, was introduced into Western Pennsylvania in 1829 by the Rev. H. M. Boone and John H. Ogden. In this area interest in this religious movement was evidenced when five members of Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church, dissatisfied with the Presbyterian Confession of Faith, wrote to the president of Cumberland College at Princeton, Kentucky, expressing a desire to become better acquainted the revival.

The Rev. John Morgan, the Rev. Alexander Chapman and the Rev. Alfred Bryon rode into Washington County on horseback from Kentucky and preached in the First Methodist Church in Washington and at Mt. Zion Methodist Church. These men went from home to home, grove to grove, up and down Ten Mile Creek preaching every day of the week and drawing large crowds to outdoor revival services.

Encouraged by the Rev. Jacob Lindley of Upper Ten Mile Church and the Rev. Thaddeus Dodd of Amity, these missionaries organized a Cumberland Presbyterian Church in this community. A place just west of West Union was selected as the location for organization. After public notice was given, the meeting to organize was held in a grove near West Union on August 18, 1831. The first congregation of this denomination in the state of Pennsylvania was thus organized and became the Old Concord Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Two years later on May 20, 1833 the Bethel Church was organized. It was composed in large part by Presbyterians from the Upper Ten Mile congregation. The Rev. John Morgan was called to serve as its minister for a one year period.

The Bethel congregation has had in the past 175 years two houses of worship. The first structure was erected in the year 1833 on property purchased from Daniel Gober by Samuel Weir and Isaac Condit, trustees of the Church. This first building rested on the exact site of the present building and was red brick structure 60 feet long by 60 feet wide with a 11 to 12 foot ceiling. The pulpit was an elevated platform in the same part of the room as it is today; four doors opened to the outside, two in front and one on each side of the pulpit. Four stoves heated the building, and lard burning lamps were used for light.

In 1869 this building was razed and the present structure was erected upon the same ground. The new church was completed early in 1870 at a cost of $4,354.34. In 1874 the congregation built a manse which is the current Morgan home located on Deerfield Road and in 1957 the present manse was built on the lot adjacent to the Church. A year later the Education wing was completed and the narthex was begun in 1972. At about the same time, the sanctuary was remodeled and new pews were installed. The manse was remodeled and enlarged in 1978.

The first Sunday School at Bethel was organized on March 30, 1934. There were twelve teachers, and Ephriam Cooper was superintendent.

In 1907, following a division of nearly one hundred years, the Presbyterian Church U. S. A. and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church were united.

The Bethel congregation has been served by 44 pastors, all strong men of God, and by a great number of Elders, Church school teachers, trustees and faithful members who made the Church the center of their lives.

Session minutes have been kept since the day Bethel Church was founded. These minutes, sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, are a history of the Church and testimony to the faith, courage and devotion of the congregation from generation to generation. Even though the changes which occur from one generation to another reflect practices and policies which may seem strange to us, we realize our indebtedness to the faith, courage and devotion of those who have gone before us. Many dreams, hopes and prayers have been poured into the life of this church and we are committed today to go forward in this community, showing the love of God to this generation as our ancestors did in the past.