Our Christ Church History
(From the 1939 Dedication Service and Other Sources)
It was in 1863 that, from all available information, the Clepp, Hoffman, Dreyer, Feuchter, Knopf, Krueger, and Mack families and the Rev. C. F. Reitmeier founded the Rockport Methodist Church near 4600 West 130th Street. The charge was on a circuit with St. Paul Church until 1887, when it was served by students from Baldwin-Wallace College until 1893.
On the 19th day of March 1893, Dr. F. W. Mueller, then pastor at the Rockport Church, came with a number of members from the Rockport Church to Cleveland and opened a Sunday School and a morning service in a wigwam at West 86th Street and Lorain Avenue.
Two children attended the Sunday School and nine adults were present at the hour of worship. When the wigwam had to be vacated meetings were held in a house until a church was built at what is now West 91st Street and Willard Avenue. In the fall of 1893 the pastors, H. Herzer, H. Jend, K. Koch, J. Mayer and F. W. Mueller, acting as a board of trustees, sponsored the building of the church.
On December 9, 1893, the above-named pastors together with H. Dreyer, B. Stocker and H. Ehle, organized themselves as a Quarterly Conference at the Rockport Church and decided to unite with the Bethany Church in Cleveland. Other members of the Rockport Church who participated in the founding of the Bethany Church were Mrs. Emma Lang, Mrs. Rose Zinser, Miss Lillie Stocker, Mrs. Ellen Mueller and Frank L. Stocker. Prominent names in the first pastorate not mentioned above were Dieter, Heckel, Karkoff, Kast, Klee, Kuhn, Pflug, Rehburg, Riemenschneider, Emde, Smith, Schneerer, Steyer, Wicke, and others.
In 1915, under the leadership of Robert A. Blume, the congregation rebuilt its church so as to provide more adequate facilities for the work of the kingdom.
Four memorials in Bethany Church recall the glorious past. The Barth and Maria Stocker window; the Margaret and Peter Schmidt window; the William and Anna Schneerer window; and the George C. Lang Chimes. Adjustments to perpetuate these memorials may be made in the new church.
The West Park Church opened as a mission on August 30, 1908 at nine o’clock in a store room in Lorain Avenue near the railroad tracks. Forty-two children and adults were present. The mission was under the care of J. F. Hecker, a student who was attending Baldwin-Wallace College. Elijah Congdon was elected the first Sunday School superintendent.
On June 6, 1909, it was necessary to move to larger quarters and services were held in a block on Lorain Avenue and West 135th Street.
July 19, 1909, this group was organized as a Methodist Church. The first trustees were: Elijah Congdon, William Valentine, R. Brantain, Holly Pender, Sam McWalters, Mrs. William Stocker, Mrs. Tom Pentland, Mrs. H. Pender and Mr. W. Stocker.
August 24, 1914, a lot was purchased at the southwest corner of Lorain Avenue and West 135th Street. The building committee was composed of F. Wolf, H. W. Miller, Elijah Congdon, P.H. Ohlinger, Albert Barker, and Albert Bunyan. This committee planned so that work on the new building started April 28, 1915.
During Rev. Fulmer’s pastorate the parsonage at 3670 West 138th Street was built. The parsonage has recently been renovated and is a beautiful home.
In April 1925, Rev. Don P. Mueller was sent by the North East Ohio Conference. After a study of the situation, the obstacles that beset the path of the church were removed and plans for an educational unit as well as a worship unit were made. After a financial campaign, work on the new church at the intersection of West 138th Street and Fairwood Drive was started. The first unit of the educational department was dedicated November 20, 1927.
Through the persistent efforts of Rev. H. B. Williams and others a settlement with the bank was effected in June 1937. This meant new hope and a definite plan of amortization of the debt.
In the winter of 1937 Bethany Church elected a committee to study the problems that confronted the church. On the recommendation of this committee it was decided to sell the Bethany property and to unite with the West Park Church. A similar committee was appointed by the sister church to study further ways and means of union.
In consideration of union of Bethany and West Park Churches, a steering committee consisting of Mrs. Emma Lang, Mrs. Elizabeth Preslan, F. C. Mues, G. G. Winters, Fred Koellish, and J. B. Cooper, was appointed. In cooperation with the pastors, H. B. Williams and Ernest Knautz, as well as the District Superintendents, W. W. Dieterich and C. B. Ketcham, this committee guided the sale of Bethany property and planned the union of the two congregations, which took place June 19th, 1938.
Other ministers, not mentioned above, who served the two former churches, are:
Bethany-Dr. F. W. Mueller, Rev. J. J. Bowman, Rev. J. H. Holtcamp, Rev. H. C. Beyer, Rev._ G. Mitter, Rev. H.. E. Blume, Rev. W. J. Webber, Rev. H. Knauff, Rev. A. L. Wellemeyer, Rev. H. l. Borneman, Rev. J. H. Holtcamp and Dr. E. Knautz.
West Park-Rev. J. Hecker, Rev. C. C. Eyster, Rev. S. Amstutz, Rev. F. D. Wolf, Rev. E. I. Warner, Rev. J. Q. Callister, Rev. R. Smith, Rev. D. P. Fulmer, Rev. D. W. Knight, Rev. D. P. Mueller, Rev. J. Sivard, Rev. H. B. Williams, Dr. F. A. Jester, Dr. J. W. Dowds.
After many years of service, the zeal and loyalty of the founders of this church are still characteristic of the present membership, equal as in the past to the accomplishment of challenging tasks.
On November 26, 1939, the first service was held in the new sanctuary. At this time the furniture had not yet been purchased, the floors were bare and there was an improvised altar. It was only after the money became available that these things were added.
The combined membership of the two churches was 632, with a Sunday School of 369. The consecration services took place in November and December of 1939. Dr. Ernest Knautz was the pastor and one of the notable speakers at the services was the Honorable Harold Burton, Mayor of Cleveland.
The present Sanctuary and basement rooms were built for a cost of $75,000. Today it would be cost well over a million dollars. The mortgage for the first section of Christ Church was burned in 1943, with Rev. Roy Farmer, the pastor, leading the dedication services.
In 1950 Dr. Virgil Jump became our pastor and Christ Church grew in membership and size, the church represented a pillar of faith and love in a growing community. With the formation of some very active Sunday School Classes, a new spirit of fellowship and dedication was prevalent. The Inspiration Class, The Opportunity Class, The Doublets Class and The Kumduble Class were part of the earliest Sunday School.
In the early nineteen-fifties, the membership of Christ Church, along with the Sunday School, was growing at a fast rate. With the membership headed toward the 2,000 total and Sunday School rooms full to capacity, it became evident that more space was needed. In 1954, under the leadership of Dr. Virgil Jump, a building program was activated. The program included the enlarged sanctuary, the Lounge, the Chapel, Fellowship Hall, and all the Sunday School rooms. The cost of the Building Program would be $250,000. By February 12, 1956, the building was completed, and consecration services were held with Bishop Hazen G. Werner and District Superintendent Clarence H. LaRue present.
One of the largest crowds ever to attend Christ Church was on Easter Sunday, 1959, when over 1,200 members and friends were present at the four services.
In the summer of 1959, Dr. Virgil Jump left for England as an exchange pastor with Rev. J. Banks, a Methodist pastor from London. The exchange was for a period of six weeks and proved to be a very satisfying experience for both pastors. After serving eleven years at Christ Church, Rev. Jump went on to become the first Executive Director of Copeland Oaks retirement community in Sebring, Ohio.
Rev. Ralph Gray was our pastor in the early sixties. Serving with love and dedication, his pastorate was short lived, as he was transferred to become District Superintendent of the Steubenville District.
By 1963, Christ Church was ready to celebrate its Silver Anniversary. Recognizing twenty-five years of faith, dedication and devotion to all who came through its doors. Rev. Robert Dieterich, the pastor, along with Rev. Clarence Cumler, led the service in the week-long celebration. Among the special guests were Bishop Francis Kearns Dr. Robert Courtney, Dr. Harold Williams and Dr. Ernest Knautz.
Rev. Oliver Davis became the pastor of Christ Church in the seventies. Some fine programs and many special improvements were completed in these years. One of the notable highlights was the celebration of the America’s Bicentennial on October 12, 1975. The early morning service included the dedication service, with the City of Cleveland naming the huge oak tree on the east side of the church an historic site. The rest of the day was celebrated in fellowship with former pastors and friends, and climaxed with a good congregational dinner.
In a changing world, churches were finding much competition from TV and other activities. In the early eighties, Rev. Walter Weston came from Delaware Avenue United Methodist Church of Lorain, Ohio to become the new pastor of Christ Church. After serving two years,
Rev. Weston was transferred to Western Reserve United Methodist Church of Youngstown, Ohio. Before he left, Rev. Weston helped to establish the Thrift Shop of our church. He also was very active in forming Prayer Groups and Healing Groups.
Dr. Rollin Conway became our new pastor in the summer of 1984. He had served as Associate at The United Methodist Church of Berea and came to Christ Church with some very fine credentials. The dedication, love, and leadership of Dr. Conway was felt throughout the membership of the church during his eight-year tenure. In 1988 Christ Church celebrated “50 Years of Caring and Sharing” with a congregational dinner and program with many returning former members and pastors.
In the summer of 1992, Dr. Rollin Conway became the pastor of North Royalton United Methodist Church and Rev. George Shiltz came to Christ Church from Keene United Methodist Church. Some of the victories under Rev. George’s leadership, was the reactivation of our Men’s Club and Summer Sunday School. In 1994, Rev. Shiltz was appointed to the Community United Methodist Church in Elyria, Ohio and Christ Church welcomed Rev. Milton D. Smith who came to us from Grandview United Methodist Church in Cuyahoga Falls. Rev. Smith served with us for four years. During this time the church enjoyed many fish tales and Rev. Smith’s jovial manner touched us all.
In 1998 Rev. Kerry King came to Christ Church from the Steubenville District in time to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the church. Rev. King continued to serve Christ Church for ten years then pastored at Minerva UMC in Tuscarawas District for three years before retiring in 2011.
In 2008, Rev. Nestor Nazario came to Christ Church and began a new chapter in our church’s story as we became part of a two-point charge with First Hispanic UMC. Rev. Nazario went on to become the District Superintendent of the Mid-Ohio District in 2017 after serving at the newly formed Hope United Methodist Church for four years.
In 2012, Rev. Darlene Robinson became the first woman to serve as a pastor of our church as part of a two-point charge with Simpson UMC. Rev. Robinson went on to serve at Willard First UMC and Wildare UMC in Trumbull County.
In 2017, Rev. Dianne Tobey Covault became our pastor coming from Church of the Savior UMC in Cleveland Heights where she served as an Associate Pastor for three years. In 2018, she became our first full-time pastor in several years.