The History of Christ United Methodist Church

Broomall, Pa.

 On September 25, 1800 near Fredrick, Maryland the United Brethren Church was organized after the movement had grown through the work of Otterbein and Boehm whose roots were in the German Reformed Church and the Mennonite Church respectively.  The Brethren experienced tremendous growth with such influences as the Second Great Awakening, the Wesleyan model of small groups and the move from working with exclusively German-speaking people to those who spoke English.  In the mid 1800’s and early 1900’s missionary efforts in many Protestant churches including the Brethren exploded with efforts aimed abroad as well as the burgeoning cities. 

     While this missionary fervor was getting started, there was change happening in the city of Philadelphia as well.  The section of the city known as West Philadelphia was beginning to expand with many white middle class working people buying row homes and commuting into the central business district of the city, as transportation continued to improve with the advent of the rail lines. It was in this historical and cultural milieu that our church began.        

     For the first forty-five years of our history our congregation was known as Second Church and was located at Fifty-ninth and Catherine Streets in West Philadelphia.  On October 13, 1957, the congregation moved to Broomall, Delaware County and held its first service, a service of Holy Communion, in its new location, 2900 Springfield Road.  At that time the name was changed to Christ Church.

      Second Church, Philadelphia, was conceived in the mind of the United Brethren of Christ’s Annual Conference of 1911 after an enthusiastic report of the Conference Missionary and Church Extension Board.  In 1912, the Reverend S. C. Enck, D.D. was appointed as pastor.  Authority to purchase a lot at the corner of Fifty-ninth and Catherine Streets, West Philadelphia, for $8,000 was granted.  And on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, interested persons met at the home of the pastor, 402 South Fifty-Seventh Street, and formed Second Church with fifty-three charter members.  The beginnings of the church was due in  large part to the hard work of Reverend Enck as he literally visited from home to home in the neighborhood; especially since there was a Methodist Episcopal Church that was only several blocks away.    

     A Sunday School of 37 members was begun on Sunday, June 1, 1913, the day of the cornerstone laying for the Sunday School Building.  Services were held in a tent from June 1 until the tent was destroyed by an electrical storm.  On Sunday, November 2, 1913, the building and parsonage were dedicated to the worship and service of Almighty God.  Dr. S. C. Enck served as pastor of the church until October 1917 when he was elected superintendent of the East Pennsylvania Conference.  An almost phenomenal growth occurred during the first five years of the life of Second Church.  In 1917 the membership was 429.

     Shortly after the Reverend Clyde A. Lynch had become the pastor of Second Church in October 1925, a disastrous fire broke out in the church causing damage estimated at $6,241, the amount being covered by insurance.  In addition to repairing the damage of the fire, the congregation made additional improvements including the installation of a manual Moeller pipe organ.  On Sunday afternoon, October 17, 1926, a mortgage burning service was held and the original mortgage was burned.

     In 1931 the Reverend Cawley H. Stine, D.D. began his pastorate.  During this time the community experienced a population change and many of our congregation moved into the suburbs but they continued to commute back to the city for church.  Elwood Bussom recalled the challenges that a Second Church had with a large number of commuters.  It became very difficult to find a place to park because none of the city churches had parking lots.  

     A program of renovation, to make the sanctuary more conducive to the beauty of worship, was presented to the Council in 1944 by the Reverend Harold S. Peiffer.  On Sunday, July 9, 1944 after extensive work had been completed, a Rededication Service was held.  Dr. S. C. Enck, the first pastor, shared in this service.  A little more than three years later, on Sunday, November 16, 1947 a Mortgage Burning Service was held marking the completion of this improvement project.  It was during this time that a uniting conference was held in November 1946 bringing together the Evangelical Association and the United Brethren Churches.  Second Church became known as the Second United Brethren Church at West Philadelphia.

     Dick Unangst, one of the oldest members of our congregation remembers those years while he lived in an apartment in West Philadelphia and attended pharmacy school.  Between the years of 1954 and 1958 the demographics of West Philadelphia had begun to change.  It was still a time of Segregation so the church began to experience dwindling membership, with 125-150 in worship each Sunday. 

     Mr. Unangst also recalled his memories of the merger of the Evangelicals with the United Brethren.  While he remembers a smooth transition, coming from the Evangelical perspective, he felt that the Evangelicals were much more spiritual than the United Brethren.  Mr. Bussom, coming from the United Brethren tradition, also remembers a smooth transition without any ill feelings in the church.   

     Under the pastorate of the Reverend David W. Gockley, the Council of Administration began to re-evaluate the program and the possibilities of Second Church.  In 1956 extensive conversations with the Board of Missions of the East Pennsylvania Conference concerning the future of Second Church were begun. 

     In the fall of 1956 the Reverend Robert M. Daugherty became the pastor of the church.  After much prayer and study the congregation voted to relocate in the Broomall area by an overwhelming majority.  When asked why Broomall was identified, Mr. Unagnst recalls that several people of the active leadership were living in the area.  One of the driving forces behind a move to Broomall was John McElvy who was employed by PECO.  Mr. Bussom recalls teams of two coming out from the city and visiting neighbors to ascertain whether they would support a new church in the area.  Mr. Unagnst, who had moved to the area after getting married and graduating from college in the early 1950’s, remembers that Broomall was heavily influence by the Roman Catholic and Jewish traditions.  St. Anastasia was founded in 1912 and just around the time the Second Church was considering the move St. Pius was founded in 1955.  Temple Beth-El was founded in the 1940’s.  Needless to say, as the pairs canvassed Broomall, there was very little support for the church in the community.  It is interesting that they continued with their plans despite the lack of commitment by the local community.       

     Five acres of land and a large house were purchased at 2900 Springfield Road, Broomall in 1957 at a cost of $63,000.  The site at Fifty-ninth and Catherine Streets was sold to the Sharon Baptist Church.  For several years the large house served as a parsonage, sanctuary and Christian Education facility.  Both Mr. Unangst and Mr. Bussom remember those early years worshipping in the house.  It was a three story house in which the pastor and his family lived on the second and third floors while the first floor was converted into a sanctuary.  At this time there were approximately 30-40 people worshipping at the church. 

     Almost immediately plans were begun for the erection of a new sanctuary and fellowship hall.  After careful consideration Creative Building, Inc. was selected as architects for the new building.  Following a successful Building Fund Campaign, which raised $63,800 in pledges over a three-year period, ground was broken for the new unit on Sunday, October 19, 1958.  Work progressed rapidly on the new building and the cornerstone was laid on Sunday, February 22, 1959.  On Sunday, June 21, 1959, the completed sanctuary and fellowship hall, costing $105,000 was dedicated.  In 1961 a second Building Fund Campaign was undertaken and again more than $60,000 was pledged over a three-year period.  Shortly before the dedication of the new church, a parsonage was purchased adjacent to the original property for $25,000.  The original building on the 2900 Springfield Road property was then used completely for Christian Education work.  The church experienced its biggest growth in the suburbs during this period; 175-200 people worship on Sunday morning. 

     From 1964 to 1969 the Reverend W. Richard Kohler was Pastor of Christ Church.  During these years there were many improvements to the buildings and grounds.  The children’s Sunday school expanded and Christian fellowship grew. 

     It was in 1969 that the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Episcopal Churches merged.  Church member Nancy Wade kids that in one day prior to joining the church she remembers driving past and the sign read Christ Evangelical United Brethren Church and later that day when she pasted by again the name had been changed to Christ United Methodist Church.  Having lived through the previous merger Mr. Unagnst remembers this one as well.  While the previous merger went by with little notice, this merger caused a bit of a stir in the church.  The Evangelical United Brethren felt that they were more spiritual than their Methodist counterparts with less of a liturgical worship style.  Also there was a fear that they would be swallowed up by the Methodist Church which had caused suspicion of the larger church in general; some of the suspicion of the Conference looms today with the church.       

     The Reverend Glenn Welch became Pastor in June of 1969.  Under his direction the new Sunday School building was built and due to phenomenal giving, this building costing $120,000 was paid for by 1978.  In 1987 a building project was undertaken which added five new classrooms, a choir room, storage room and restrooms for the handicapped.  Due to much volunteer help, this new addition cost only about $75,000 that was raised through pledges over a five-year period.  At this same time an additional parking lot was added.  It was also during this time that Christ Church also experienced large growth in their youth group especially through the enthusiasm of Eastern University interns partnering with interested parents.  One of the most well known of the youth workers was Bart Campolo.

     In 1998 Reverend Daniel J. Schimmel became pastor.  This was a time of transition at Christ Church.  A church ministry audit was completed and a new mission and vision statement were adopted.  This was another time of transition in which the church struggled with its identity with having lost its longest tenured pastors of 29 years.  Worship attendance and giving suffered to the point that it was no longer able to sustain a full-time pastor.

     Reverend Jesse A. Coale was appointed to Christ United Methodist Church in 2000 as a part-time local pastor.  The goals of the ministry audit were begun.  Within two years Creation Corner Preschool was established and continues to grow.  In 2003 it was found that the youth house at the rear of the parsonage was not a part of the church property, despite its use since purchasing the parsonage.  After negotiations with a developer who was building next to our property, it was donated for the cost of the transfer of the tile.  Many technological upgrades were made to the sanctuary which has allowed a contemporary service to begin in 2005.  Since the inception of the 9:00 am contemporary worship service worship attendance has continued to grow to an average of 90-100 people between the two services.  The church including attendance and giving records have become completely computerized as well as the development of a church web site.    

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The Pastors of Christ Church

Second Church of the United Brethren in Christ

April 16, 1939