HISTORY OF GRACE EVANGELICAL
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 

by: Sarah, Class of 2004 

In 1834 the Valley Church of the Evangelical Association was organized at the Weaver school house by Rev. Solomon Altamouse. In 1840 the first church building was built at the site of the Valley Cemetery. In 1889 what was the Valley Church was built.

 In 1891 the denomination split. Then in 1894 the members who wished to leave the Evangelical Association joined the newly organized United Evangelical Church. The new group was forced out of the Valley Church by legal procedure, these members built a new church in Ninevah. 

In 1900 the original Grace Church was built and dedicated. In 1906 the parsonage was built. The parsonage is the house that the pastor and his family lives in which is located next to the church.

In 1910 the original "Grace Church" caught on fire and was completely destroyed. Until 1911 all of the church services were held in the Maccabee Hall (It still stands on the property of Mr. and Mrs. J. Lynn.) when the church was rebuilt on its original foundation. Also in 1911 Carrie Bell, a teacher in the Ninevah school, raised money to buy a clock a few days after the fire. It was the first money raised to rebuild the church. On January 10, 1912 the church was dedicated debt free. The total cost was $5100.

The wooden beams of the church were replaced with steel beams and the steel ceiling was replaced with wooden ceiling. In 1935 electricity was installed in the church and in 1939 the parsonage received electricity. In 1942 plumbing was installed in the parsonage.

 In 1947 the church purchased an organ and a piano. Also in 1947 a picture of Christ was given to the church in memory of Rev. and Mrs. E.C. Courtney. Grace Church entertained the 26th annual conference; the meals were served at Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Beck's home. All four of the churches on the Venango Charge provided food and lodging; in 1948.

 A gas furnace was installed under the church in 1951. In 1954 the Sunday School building annex was started and completed in 1955. The total cost was $20,000. In 1965 the stained glass windows were installed. In 1975 the church spent $80,000 on a building project to enlarge the sanctuary, build a foyer, and add more rest rooms.

After the Revolutionary War Jacob Albright's children died from an epidemic. He was deeply saddened by and found that he needed something more so with the help of a preacher that lived next to him he prayed for many hours a day. Through this experience Albright was saved. He described his new way of life in this way, "Though this continuous struggle I finally was able to separate myself from the way of the flesh, and only attend to that which is above. My Prayers were no longer mere entreaties but praise and hearty thanksgiving were also brought as an offering, mingled with tears of joy, to the Giver of every good gift." 

After Albright's experience he began to study the Bible and the principles of the Methodist Church. He soon realized that his friends and neighbors need they same experience he had, and that was to be freed from the grips of sin.

 With his new found faith Albright went about preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 1800 he had enough people for an organization for worship and ministry of the Christian faith. This organization had become known as the Evangelical Association with Jacob Albright as the first bishop. The word Evangelical means to witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the savior of the world; and the word congregational means that the congregations manage their own money and their own property and determine their membership. 

The early preachers of the Evangelical Association spread like wild fire throughout the country, mainly in the frontier, some even went as far north as Canada. These preachers instructed the people in the Word of God and formed small groups. As the groups grew larger they became congregations with their own church building.

Back to Yesterday Home

Page designed by Norm, Class of 2004