Maryland history

Maryland

Late 1800’s-Early 1900’s: Frostburg, MD

Perhaps the oldest assembly in Maryland is the Frostburg Gospel Hall in the northwest corner of the state, near Cumberland. It seems to have been in existence in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Nathaniel Dunn, an immigrant from Scotland and a convert of John Knox McEwen, had arrived in the coal mining regions in the late 1800s, and at some point, had associated with the Frostburg assembly. In 1938, evangelists Samuel Rea and Alexander Cathers pitched a tent in a country place near Frostburg, and many were saved and joined with the assembly at that time. The assembly continues today.

Baltimore, MD

Eastern Gospel Hall, Baltimore, MD

Eastern Gospel Hall was one of the oldest assemblies in Baltimore. Located close to Johns Hopkins University and hospital, it ceased to exist around 1987.

1941: Hillendale Bible Chapel, Baltimore, MD

The assembly at Hillendale Bible Chapel in Baltimore has its roots in a chicken coop. In about 1941, a lady left a chicken coop and the land around it to whomever would use the land and coop for a Sunday School. Mr. A.S. Loizeaux along with several others decided to incorporate as a church in order to get this land and begin a Sunday School in the area. The coop was cleaned and renovated, and eventually was added on to. The sessions were held on Sunday afternoons initially in order not to interfere with their other assembly activities. The activity developed into a joint effort of several assemblies in the area. Mr. Bud Young was active in bringing children to the Sunday School, which at one time had about 200 children in attendance.

In the early 1950s, the workers formed an assembly, meeting in that building on Goodview Road. The work at that time had no recognized elders. Will T. Miller, a preacher from New Zealand, and James Dunkerton moved to the area, called Hillendale, in about 1973. They encouraged elder recognition. Elders since then have included Jim Dunkerton, Bill Dunkerton, Roger Dunkerton Jr., Tom Schetelich, and Norris Gorman. The assembly, taking the name Hillendale Bible Chapel, grew and is now the largest assembly in the Baltimore area. The assembly currently rents space in a middle school, and recently purchased land in the Perry Hall district for erection of a larger building.

1950: Glad Tidings Chapel, Baltimore, MD

Glad Tidings Chapel in Baltimore began in about 1950 at 1633 Laurens Street. It derived from Maranatha Gospel Hall in Washington, DC. Glad Tidings moved from Laurens Street to its current address at 4801 Garrison Boulevard in 1970. Aubrey Wilson of Washington DC established the Assembly, and Sister Lawrence purchased the first building. Those in leadership over the years include Aubrey Wilson, William Strickland, and Arthur Evans. About seven adults and youngsters are in the assembly at present.

1951: Loch Hill Chapel, Baltimore, MD

Loch Hill Chapel in Baltimore is a merger of Arunah Chapel and the Lauraville Gospel Hall in 1951. In the Arunah assembly, the elders included Milton Loizeaux, Paul Loizeaux, Alfred S. Loizeaux, Edwin Fesche, Roger Dunkerton, and Elmer Knirimen. In the Lauraville assembly, the elders included Earl Barlow, G.T. Willey, and John Suess. After the merger, these men continued in leadership. The Lauraville Christians had been meeting in an old country school house rented from the city; the Arunah assembly sold its building. A new chapel was erected for the new assembly at 6601 Loch Raven Boulevard, still the location of Loch Hill Chapel.

Brooklyn Bible Chapel, Baltimore, MD

Brooklyn Bible Chapel in Baltimore began as the Masonville Gospel Hall, which was begun by Stanley Loizeaux, Herbert Gray, and Ermal Robinson at a time not now remembered. Others in leadership since the early days have included Alfred S. Gray, Norman Cannon, and Don Brower. For many years, William Cunningham did much of the preaching and visitation. The assembly later took the name Brooklyn Gospel Chapel, then Brooklyn Bible Chapel. The assembly of about 175 people has an active foreign missions program, and has commended several workers to foreign and local fields.

1935: Lexington Park, MD

SAYSF Bible Church in Lexington Park near the southwest tip of Maryland, has its roots back in 1935, when Gould M. Brown began an assembly meeting in his home in New York. Newly saved, he studied the Bible to see what the Lord would have him do and came on his own to New Testament principles of meeting. Upon meeting E.C. Hadley, he learned of the brethren. It was then that he established Parkside Gospel Hall in Milford, NY. During this period, Theron Davidson met and married Mr. Brown’s daughter Barbara, and Theron Davidson joined in the work with Mr. Brown.

Mr. Davidson was a Naval Officer in World War Two and was sent after the war to the Patuxent Naval Air Test Center, adjacent to Lexington Park. The Davidsons began camp work at St. Mary’s City in 1946, and when 17 persons were saved as a result, they purchased 13 acres of nearby land to be used for full-time work for the Lord. They built a home and began an assembly there in 1951, calling it the Lexington Park Christian Assembly. After a chapel was constructed on the property, and because of Pentecostal confusions, they took the name SAYSF Bible Chapel. When they learned that local people thought of a ‘chapel’ as an insignificant church, they changed the name to SAYSF Bible Church (SAYSF stands for ‘Seek and Ye Shall Find’).

The assembly of about 500 has had dozens of men in leadership, including at present Tom Hanrahan, Dick Jordan, and Peter Dobson. SON-KISS Ministries, which provides construction assistance to assemblies, is one of the many outreaches of SAYSF Bible Church.

1964: Bel Air, MD

Bel Air Bible Chapel, formerly called the Bel Air Bible Community Church, in the town of Bel Air northeast of Baltimore, began in about 1964. It is a small group of about 20 people, of whom Neal Wogsland, Edward Suess, and James P. Sabatino have been leaders over the years.

1991: Accokeek, MD

South Potomac Church in Accokeek, south of Washington, DC, began in 1991, having hived off from Clinton Community Chapel in the Washington metropolitan area. David and Deanna Sutherland, Rod and Beth Parker, Chuck and Kit Coleman, Peter and Avis Buckingham, Mike and Margo Clarke, and Brent and Jill Brooks were the principal people starting the assembly. These, with Doug Moore, Eric Burkhardt, Mark Adams, Bob Keysar, Vince Miller, and Storm Hutchinson have been in active leadership. South Potomac Church has commended several to the Lord’s work. About 550 adults and youngsters are in regular attendance at the assembly.

1992: Mechanicsville, MD

Faith Bible Church in Mechanicsville, south of Washington, DC, came into existence in 1992 as a hive-off of SAYSF Bible Church. Theron Davidson was the principal person involved in the start-up, and leadership has been shared by Rodney Spade, Leon Kelly, and Dick Nevala. About 100 adults and youngsters attend Faith Bible Church.

1969: Gaithersburg, MD

Rockville Bible Fellowship, which now meets in a hotel on Rt. 28, began in nearby Gaithersburg in about 1969, and was known then as Gaithersburg Christian Fellowship. George Shabarji and Julius English were those who initiated the assembly; both had assembly backgrounds. Those men, with Arthur Garnes, have taken leadership in Rockville Bible Fellowship, which has about 50 adults and youngsters in typical attendance.

1982: Spencerville, MD

Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, just north of Washington, began in 1982 in Riverdale. After that it occupied rented quarters in Greenbelt, Beltsville, and Bartonsville. At the end of 1997, the assembly moved into its first permanent facility, in Spencerville. Brian McLaren and William Duncan were those who started the assembly, which now has about 500 adults and youngsters in attendance. The vigorous church has commended several church planters.

1987: Laurel, MD

The assembly at Laurel Chapel, in Laurel between Baltimore and Washington, DC, came into being on Easter Sunday, 1987. Its founding was encouraged by Christians at Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Maryland. When the Christians at Laurel purchased an old Congregational Church building in nearby Savage in 1994, they changed the name to Countryside Fellowship Church. Many of the older members of the Congregational Church stayed and joined the assembly.

Commended workers Dan and Sue Schmidt, the principals in starting the assembly, were supported initially by Interest Ministries and the Cedar Ridge assembly. When the Schmidts left for the Lord’s work in Chile, Charles and Katherine Coleman were commended for work in the assembly, which has about 140 adults and youngsters in attendance.

1916: Silver Spring, MD

The assembly now meeting at New Hampshire Avenue Gospel Chapel, Silver Spring began in April 1916 at F. G. Ruebsam’s house at 5224 Illinois Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC. The assembly moved in January 1917 to N. Fillmann’s home, 1422-22nd Street, SE, Washington, where it remained for a time.

Bible Readings were held each Lord’s Day at the homes of C. W. Birkett and F. G. Ruebsam alternately, previous to the Breaking of Bread, which was the outcome of Gospel tent meetings for two consecutive summers (1915 and 1916) by Evangelists Benjamin Bradford and Samuel McEwen. Their ministry was followed by F. B. Hanle in the fall of 1916 and the spring of 1917.

The assembly moved to a rented building at 1420 H Street, NE, and later to a rented building at 245-15th Street, SE. In 1938, the assembly constructed a chapel at 5720 South Dakota Avenue, NE, in Washington.

After the chapel at South Dakota Avenue was sold, the assembly services were held in the Seventh Day Adventist’s church building on Riggs Road in Adelphi, Maryland on a rental basis, during the construction of the New Hampshire Avenue Gospel Chapel at 12608 New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring, still its current location. The first services were held in the chapel on May 24, 1964.

Lloyd Wineberg, Thomas Hall, and Marlow Olsen were the leading brethren for many years. The Sunday Schools have always been important in the assembly. Dorothy Peter (Aunt Dot) is especially remembered for her Sunday School interests. The superintendents have included Lloyd Wineberg, Lou Wieland, Don Kuester, Fred Corley, Ira Mitchell, Ron Gaskins, Rick Markley, Dan Solanki, and Doug Crow. Sunday School picnics were initially held once a year, then twice a year the Saturday before school closed and a week after it opened in the fall.

Sources

• Questionnaire Responses
• 25th Anniversary Celebration of the New Hampshire Avenue Gospel Chapel, 1989
• Letters of Interest, Oct. 1952, p.13; March 1953, p.18