THE TALE OF TWO CHURCHES

By Mikki Senn

Any time I get to a point of change, I like to look back at history and put things in perspective. Somehow it seems to make decisions easier. So I took a look at the summaries of our church history compiled by MaryAnna Taylor and Midge Prigel. As we have discussed the blending of our administrative councils, I considered our two churches and started seeing them as two sisters, each with her own story and personality.

On the one hand, we have Trinity. In 1771 John Wesley sent Francis Asbury and Richard Wright out to these colonies to establish Methodism. Asbury traveled to the north and Wright came to this area where he found a Methodist Society was active. The Bethesda group met at Cayot's Corner and another met at Thompson's School and at Bethel by 1790.

From 1825 to 1829 the congregation began meeting in Mrs. Cropper's kitchen in Chesapeake City and then in her daughter's home on 2nd and Bohemia Ave. When the church outgrew this arrangement, it moved to a rented schoolhouse on George Street. In 1846 Trinity was built at 3rd and Bohemia. It was the first church in the town. In 1890 the church was reopened after it was rebuilt using Port Deposit granite. In 1958 the education building was added.

On the other hand, we have Town Point. For years the residents of Port Herman met for services in an old vinegar mill that belonged to Augustine Herman. Mr. Herman's connection to this area, then Bohemia Manor, goes back to the 1660's, but that is another story. In 1902 the Town Point Episcopal Methodist Church was formed by Rev. William Harris and led by ministers who were circuit riders, and sometimes even rowers. In 1917 Mr. Robert Fears gave land on Cherry Street, and Town Point was housed in that little white church for many years. In the post war years the population was mostly weekend and summer visitors.

In the 1960's and 70's the area changed. The canal was deepened and more permanent residents moved in. Many of the neighborhoods along Town Point Road were built. Then the Port Herman condo owners granted the church two acres of land along Port Herman Road. Church members raised money, and . . . in 1988 Benner Hall was opened. In the early 1990's there was talk of building one sanctuary for both churches, but the time was not right and the idea was voted down. More money was raised and in 1993 the new Town Point church opened.

These sister churches joined together to form the Chesapeake City Charge with a shared pastor in 1981. By 1985 joint Bible study classes began, starting under Kevin English with Disciple, a 34 week study of the entire Bible. By the mid 90s, all of our Bible Studies and Small Groups were shared across our church family. The Ecumenical Association was formed in 1992, and both churches have been actively involved in it with such programs as the Vacation Bible School and the Generation Station. A shared newsletter began in 1997. A shared prayer list began in 1998. Joint Choir performances began in the late 1990s. A joint web site was redesigned and launched in 2002. By 2004 our missions committees and worship committees were meeting jointly. In addition, Covenant Discipleship Accountability Small groups began meeting together in 2004.

In 2004, we again had conversation about coming together. This time, a Land Acquisition Task Force proposed a purchase of 16 acres on Route 213. This was passed by a Church Conference vote, but the seller refused to sell the land to us. Again, it was not God’s timing. In 2005, a launch team for Jacob’s Well was formed. We invited folks from the church family to pray and God lifted up people from both Town Point and Trinity. Together, we all supported the launch of a contemporary, multi-media worship service. In April of 2006, contemporary worship service for the Charge began with Jacob's Well. In 2007, servants from Jacob’s Well began to serve God’s church here in Chesapeake City, stepping forward as web master, Vacation Bible School director, and many more roles at Jacob’s Well and across the Charge.

In 2007 lay leaders, Administrative Council chairs, and pastors began meeting about a blended ministry parish. That is where we are now. The nature of history is that each person looking at the story interprets it in his own way. When I look at these two sisters, I see living things that have grown and changed over time. They developed in order to meet the needs of the congregation. Now we are again at a crossroads, and it is time to prayerfully discern where God is leading.