FAITH CHAPEL
Bruceville, Maryland
1885-20071
The
Society of Methodists is believed to have been
organized in the Trappe area about 1780, shortly
after the first Methodist Conference was held in
America. In his famous "Journal", Bishop
Francis Asbury, who was John Wesley's personal
representative in America, writes under date of
February 9, 1780: "Have peace, but long to be
more employed in public work. I hear the word
spreads in Bolingbroke [an area south and east of
Trappe] and Talbot. So the Lord leads us through
many hindrances.2
E. C. Hallman wrote
that Methodism came to the Trappe area and the
society was "organized in the home of Dr.
Allen, one of the staunch friends of the
Methodists, and a place where many of the early
itinerants stopped. Bishop Francis Asbury mentions
visiting him on several occasions. We are not
certain as to when the church [at Bolingbroke] was
built, but it was in existence by 1784, in that we
have record that on Dec. 6th of that year". ,
Bishop Coke preached and administered the
sacraments. The church was improved in 1884, and
1899. By 1909 the society had dwindled until it was
found necessary to close the church. It was sold
and made into a shop. Bishop Asbury preached here
on Dec. 5, 1786, Nov. 22, 1787, Nov. 24, 1788, Nov.
23, 1789, Dec. 12, 1790, May 20, 180l and April 16,
1802. 3
The exact location of the church at
Bolingbroke is unclear but it was possibly near the
intersection of Jamaica Pt., Chancellors Pt. and
Barber Roads In the village known as Hughlett, also
known as Manasses, and now called Barber.
Historical maps document the existence of a
"M.E. Ch." at this location circa 1900.
Undocumented reports indicate that a church was
moved from a location on Chancellors Pt. Road to
this location. Could this have been the church at
Bolingbroke? Although the society of Methodists at
the church at Bolingbroke dwindled, several other
Methodist congregations grew and flourished in the
Trappe area. "There are five ---Methodist
Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South, Methodist
Protestant, Protestant Episcopal, and African
Methodist Episcopal. The churches have an aggregate
seating capacity for over 1,500 persons".
[Baltimore Herald, June 3, 1881]
"The division of sentiments brought about by
the Civil War, left its mark upon Trappe, as it did
upon so many communities. According to the few
records that have been preserved by private
individuals, a Southern Methodist Congregation was
meeting together as early as 1866, when the
Reverend F. A. Mercer was appointed to the charge.
On May 22, 1867 a deed was recorded placing the
property in the hands of [named] trustees of
Trinity M. E. Church South. By 1883, the church was
well established and under the pastorate of J. W.
Grubb."4
The Methodist Church in Bruceville [Faith Chapel]
began in a private home not far from the present
church site. With the passing of time, the people
in the community decided to erect a church building
and such records that are available, show that by
1885 Faith Chapel joined with Trinity M. E. Church
in Trappe for form a circuit of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South.
While it is not
possible to remember the names of every person who
was responsible for the erection and continuing
program of the church, records and memories have
given us a few of them. Among the men who helped to
erect the building and who were active in the
earlier days were Mr. Charles Lyons, Mr. Hugh Kemp,
Mr. Edward Brinsfield, Capt. Adam Bryan, Mr.
Nicklas Parrott, Capt. Samuel Merrick and Capt.
William T. Cryer, among others. One of the most
prominent and best remembered members of the church
was Mr. William Sard, who for forty two years
served as Sunday School Superintendent. Those who
remember him report that the church was the center
of his community activities and that he served it
with loyalty and devotion. Church school records
also show the name of one other superintendent who
was active in the earliest days of the church - Mr.
James Wherett, who was servicing as early as
1887.
Two ministers, the Rev. J. W. Grubb
and the Rev. B. S. Highley labored together in the
first years that Faith Chapel was established.
Then, in 1902, under the pastorate of the Rev. H.
M. Reed, the church was enlarged to its present
size. It is also known that the pulpit Bible was
given by Capt. William Kemp and that Mrs. Hugh Kemp
made the cushion upon which the Bible rested. The
pulpit furniture which is in use today was
purchased from the Upper Bambury Church at the time
of its closing. It is known that, prior to 1850, a
Methodist Protestant Church was established in
Trappe [probably at the location now known as 3036
Main Street], and was part of a circuit with Upper
Bambury M. P. and Windy Hill M. P. Churches.
Apparently these churches ceased to function by
1912.
It is
dangerous to attempt to name all of the active
laymen of the early years of Faith Chapel, for some
names are certain to be omitted. but perhaps to
this incomplete list others may share their
recollections with us, correct us where we are in
error and help to make the history of this church
more complete. In addition to those already named,
it is known that among the active members of
yesterday there appear the names of Mr. Lacy Cox,
Mr. Alex Skipper, Mr. Roby Corkran, Mr. William
Chesseman, Mr. Logan Talley, Mr. George Phillips,
Mr. Henry Hummer and Mr. William Talley. Mrs. James
Dulin is remembered as one who took it upon herself
to always keep the little church in readiness for
service. Other ladies who added their labors to
those named above were Mrs. Florence Watts, Mrs.
Hugh Kemp, Mrs. Lizzie Bryan, Mrs. Ada Lyons, Mrs.
Dora Lyons, Mrs. Sudie Harding, Mrs. Sallie
Parrott, Mrs. Lyda Fleetwood and Mrs. Sudie Ross.
We are sure that there are many others who have
labored faithfully to keep the church
alive.
In 1939 and 1940, in the true
spirit of Methodism, Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, merged its congregation with that of
the Lebanon Methodist Episcopal Church, becoming
known as the Trappe Methodist Church. The Trinity
building was disposed of at public auction and was
subsequently destroyed by fire in 1953. This is
where the story of Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, ends and a long association between
Trappe Methodist Church and Faith Chapel Methodist
Church begins. In 1968, when the national church
united with the Evangelical United Brethren Church
and became the United Methodist Church, Faith
Chapel Methodist Church was obliged to change
it's name to Faith Chapel United Methodist
Church.
In 1970, District Superintendent, Otto Bud Brewer,
devised a plan to merge the Trappe Methodist Church
and the Oxford Methodist Church into one Charge. At
that time, Faith Chapel became a part of the
Easton, St. Mark's Charge. Reverend Davis was
our Pastor for the four years that we were merged
into a Charge with Easton. Reverend Kyle Smith
served the Trappe - Oxford charge and lived in the
parsonage at Oxford. After four years, Reverend
Smith went to a Church in Milford, Delaware, and
that meant that a new minister would be coming to
the Trappe - Oxford Charge. The people of Trappe
told the District Superintendent that since
Reverend Smith had lived at Oxford for four years,
the next minister should live in Trappe. This was
not acceptable to the people at the Oxford Church,
and so Oxford and Trappe once again became two
different Charges and Faith Chapel became part of
the Trappe-Faith Chapel Charge again. Rev. Robert
O. Wallace agreed to come back to the Trappe -
Faith Chapel Charge, where he had another very
successful two-year term of service. Reverend
Wallace is the only pastor who served the two
churches at two different times, fourteen years
apart.
When Reverend Henry
Charlton was assigned to the Trappe-Faith Chapel
charge in 1992, he intended to permanently close
the doors of Faith Chapel. The congregation had
dwindled to about 5 ladies, which he called
"the ladies of faith". "Their
grandfathers built the church and they wouldn't
give up". Despite Pastor Charlton's
efforts to close the doors, the tiny congregation
worked hard to increase attendance and save their
church. The congregation grew steadily and Pastor
Charlton soon changed his mind about closing the
doors, and began an all-out effort to revive Faith
Chapel.
On July 15, 1996, the Trustees of Faith
Chapel purchased from Gerald and Lorena Skipper,
the large lot of land west and south of Faith
Chapel for future expansion and additional parking.
By 1997, Faith Chapel had seen a 600% growth in
attendance, and on May 10, 1997, was given the
Order of St. Barnabus award. This award is usually
given to an individual for outstanding service to
the church, but the one who was designated to
receive the award felt that no one individual
deserved all the credit, so an exception was made,
and the award was given to the church. We were told
that this had never been done
before.
Although the
churches at Trappe and Bruceville were previously
"united" in name and shared the same
pastor, they remained largely autonomous, if not
occasionally a bit estranged. Pastor Charlton,
(Pastor Hank as he preferred to be known), was to
change all that. Under his leadership, and with
God's help, our churches today share many
activities in a spirit of mutual cooperation and
understanding and are truly
united.
In 1998, Pastor Charlton asked to be
relieved due to a period of declining health.
Pastor Ruthann Simpson replaced him. Pastor Simpson
was the first female pastor assigned to the Trappe
/ Faith Chapel charge. She served until June 2004,
and was followed by pastor Cynthia Burkert, and
pastor Maleia Ann
Rust.
By the
summer of 2001 it was clear that termites and rot
had taken their toll on our building, so a major
renovation project was initiated. New timbers
replaced much of the deteriorated old wood, vinyl
siding was added, most of the roof was replaced,
and storm windows were added. In 2006, our brother
and long time church member, Al McNeal departed
this life and it was discovered that none of the
doors of Faith Chapel were wide enough to permit a
casket to enter the church. A contractor was hired
on short notice and the side door was enlarged in
time for the
service.
While to many, this small
building of worship may seem a wasted effort
because of its size, but let no one ever forget
that the church of which it is a part, has been
built upon a foundation of small churches. We
cannot disregard the fact that no place is too
small for God. This church, and hundreds like it,
have, in a small way, kept the message of the
Christian gospel alive in every corner of our land.
We worship here today because a little group of
people cared enough for their God to build a house
of worship, and because their successors have
labored to keep it alive. What the future holds we
do not know, but we can be sure that the future for
Faith Chapel can be expressed in the continued love
of the people of this community as they come to
this holy spot to worship Almighty
God.
PASTORAL
RECORD
Trinity M. E. South / Faith
Chapel |
| 1866-68 |
F. A. Mercer (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1868-69 |
L. B. Jones (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1869-70 |
J. M. Granpin (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1870-74 |
W. E. Maloy (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1874-75 |
J. Rembert Smith (Trinity M. E.
South, only) |
| 1875-77 |
B. W. Bond (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1877-78 |
F. B. Smith (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1878-79 |
J. H. Temple (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1879-81 |
J. L. Kibler (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1881-83 |
B. S. Highly (Trinity M. E. South,
only) |
| 1883-86 |
J. W. Grubb (Faith Chapel joined
Trinity M. E. South in 1885) |
| 1686-87 |
J. M. Follingsbee |
| 1888-89 |
W. M. Wagner |
| 1891-92 |
W. L. Dolly |
| 1893-94 |
F. M. Totten |
| 1895-97 |
C. W. Mark |
| 1898-1901 |
G. R. Mays |
| 1902-04 |
H. M. Reed |
| 1905-07 |
J. W. Mitehell |
| 1908-11 |
J. W. Grubb |
| 1912-14 |
J. A. Rood |
| 1915-17 |
L. B. Bobbit |
| 1918-21 |
A. B. Sapp |
| 1922 |
R. V. Whitehurst |
| 1923 |
C. M. Sarver |
| 1924 |
C. L. Reiter |
| 1925-33 |
F. T. Fairbanks |
| 1934-37 |
J. S. Swartz |
| 1938-39 |
S. L. Dulaney
|
Trappe Methodist / Faith Chapel |
| 1939-1940 |
D. B.
Prettyman |
| 1940* |
Orm Rice (Served about
six months after Rev. Prettyman passed
away.) |
| 1941-44 |
H. H. Schauer |
| 1945 |
Howard R.
McDade |
| 1946-47 |
R. J. Cooke |
| 1948-51 |
H. Norman
Nicklas |
| 1952 |
R. G. Given |
| 1953-58 |
J.
Gordon Stapleton |
| 1958-60 |
Robert O. Wallace |
| 1960-61? |
Cameron Johnson |
| 1961-62? |
Dave Paul |
| 1962?-65 |
Don
Knight |
| 1965-67 |
John Randolph |
| 1967-70 |
Chester Wilcox |
St. Marks, Easton / Faith Chapel |
| 1970-74 |
Rev. Davis |
Trappe Methodist / Faith Chapel |
| 1974-76 |
Robert O.
Wallace |
| 1976-80 |
Ray F.
Graham |
| 1980-85 |
Kevin English |
| 1985-88 |
Tom
Edwards |
| 1988-92 |
Dale
Evans |
| 1992-98 |
Henry
Charlton |
| 1998-2004 |
Ruthann
Simpson |
| 2004-2007 |
Cynthia
Burkert |
| 2007- |
Maleia Ann Rust |
1 The information contained in this
history of Faith Chapel was compiled by Robert
Croswell from an early historical letter
written by Rev. Mark, Rev. Maize & Rev.
Mitchell, History of Trappe United
Methodist Church by Charles B. Adams. Jr.,
2003, individual recollections, and several
published documents noted below. We welcome any
additions and corrections
2 Excerpt copied from the
manuscript of James C. Mullikin's
History of Trappe, which was never
finished. Circa 1953
3 E.C. Hallman; The Garden of
Methodism; Peninsula Annual Conference, the
Methodist Church; [1948]; p. 337.
4 The 173rd Anniversary of
Trappe Methodist Church 1781 - 1954, J. G.
Stapleton, 1954
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