Rockland United Methodist observes bicentennial
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BELPRE -- The Rockland United Methodist Church in Belpre is celebrating its 200th anniversary.
Robin Cox, chair of the Anniversary Committee, said many of the annual activities sponsored by the congregation and several special events will commemorate the bicentennial.
An Open House is set for 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, with District Superintendent Mark Chow attending. Edward Duling of the Methodist Historical Society will present a certificate and Belpre Mayor Mike Lorentz and his wife, Joyce, will be guests.
A potluck dinner will be held after services on Sunday, Oct. 9.
Members of the congregation participated in a unit in the Belpre Homecoming parade to announce the anniversary to the community. The congregation will sponsor a missionary family, the Salvatores, to the Dominican Republic with the missionaries planning a visit to the church in 2023.
Continued service to the community includes Wednesday devotion time and livestreaming of church services to Rockland Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, collecting school supplies for school children and a Mitten Tree. The church bazaar provides funds for Belpre Area Ministries, Belpre Elementary School, Hopewell Health Center in Belpre, Marietta Home, Hospice and Washington County Children Services.
Rick Stuhmer, the current pastor, has been a pastor for 30 years and came to Rockland in July. He previously was the minister at Tunnel and Warren United Methodist churches.
"This celebration marks the legacy that the church has built in the community through the years. But it's much bigger than simply a legacy of 200 years. It is part of a story that never ends," Stuhmer said. "We celebrate looking forward to the next 200 years, starting with the present as we offer hope and new life to Belpre and the Mid-Ohio Valley."
Rockland United Methodist Church began 200 years ago with 21 members in a "class" in 1822. Part of the church's heritage begins with John Wesley's movement in the Church of England.
Wesley called his local groups societies or "classes," not churches. He did not intend to start a separate church.
Between 1769 and 1774, Wesley sent eight missionaries to America. Among those was Francis Asbury.
In December 1784, Asbury was ordained as deacon and elder and was consecrated as Bishop of the American Methodist Church. Asbury is known as the Father of American Methodism.
Bishop Asbury came to the Belpre and Parkersburg area in September 1810. He preached on both sides of the Ohio River. On Wednesday, Sept. 12, 1810, Asbury recorded "I preached in a schoolhouse on a bluff opposite Blennerhassett's Island."
This area of the bluff, now Rockland, was called Cedarville for the evergreen trees growing on the stony bank of the Ohio River.
Asbury also preached in Belpre's middle settlement, Farmers Castle, in September 1810. The speculation is the organization of Rockland began with Asbury's sermon preached at the bluff.
The Methodist class of 21 members organized in 1822 first met in a schoolhouse on the farm of Joseph Newberry, located today near the present site of Rockland United Methodist Church, 2300 Washington Blvd. Joseph O'Neal was the leader.
In 1827, Pastor Leroy Swomstedt added 17 new members who decided to build a meeting house. In September 1827, a subscription paper was circulated for the purpose of building a meeting house at Cedarville, which is now Rockland.
The heading of the paper stated, "We the undersigned subscribers believe that it would be of importance to the Methodist Society in Belpre to build a house of worship, not only for their own convenience, but for all those that may be willing to attend. That it is desired by all those who are acquainted with the form of Methodist meeting houses that the seats be free for those who do not belong to the society in time of worship. We the undersigned do hereby agree to pay the amount to our respective names of the trustees of the Methodist Church in said Township, who may be appointed to superintend the building of said meeting house, to be applied as they think proper."
Subscriptions were 50 cents to $40. One was for $4.50 for a hat, not specifying a lady's or man's hat. One was for $5 to be paid in nails.
Work on a church began on April 1, 1832. Due to the flood of the Ohio River in 1832, the lumber was floated to the work site from Ellenwood's Mill on the Little Hocking River.
On June 9, 1832, the first meeting was held in the new church. Pastors' salaries for the first year were $120 and pastors were Absolom Fox and Joseph Carpenter.
Cedarville was surveyed and platted on April 22, 1837. The village consisted of two grocery stores, 12 houses and the Methodist Church.
By 1842, there were 75 members divided into two classes in the church. One class met in the brick schoolhouse on the plain led by Colbert O'Neal. Daniel Goss led the class that met in the church.
Later in 1842 the church name was changed to the Barlow Circuit. In 1851, there were 100 members. The church was known as the Cedarville Church until 1867. At this time Belpre was an independent Station with three appointments, Cedarville, Belpre Village (now St. Mark's) and Centenary Church.
No records are available from 1867-1923. It is also unknown when Cedarville Church became known as Rockland Church. The name change may have been a gradual occurrence over the years with the Post Office being established as Rockland in 1837.
In 1923, with the Berry brothers as contractors, two classrooms and a kitchen were added to the left side of the church. Sixty new members were added to the church in 1925.
Again, no information is available for several years. The Great Depression happened during this period of time and many churches closed their doors. There is no record of Rockland discontinuing services.
In 1948, three rooms were added across the back of the church building. From 1867-1961 Rockland shared a pastor with Lewis Chapel, now St. Mark's United Methodist Church. Rockland became a separate charge in 1951. The budget went from $1,900 to $5,000 a year.
In 1956, R.B. Newman donated the property at 2141 Washington Blvd. to the church for a parsonage. Glen Sinnett, a trustee of Washington County Methodist Union, secured $20,000 to build an educational building completed in 1957.
Because of the condition of the old sanctuary, which had been used 129 years, it was deemed necessary and advisable to build a new sanctuary on the same site. The building's cost was $40,000 and was financed by families, members and friends. Work began in spring of 1961. A cornerstone service for the new church was held on May 23, 1961. The first service was held on Sept. 10, 1961, in the completed new sanctuary. The bell tower housed the original bell from the old church and is still there today. The debt and mortgage was paid in full by Jan. 9, 1965.
Plans were made in 1966 to replace the parsonage. A red-brick, three bedroom, attached garage and full basement house was built at the 2141 Washington Blvd. site. Cost was $39,000.
During 1972-1985, several maintenance projects were completed on the church including a new roof. The property of the church was extended to the west by the purchase of the Tippens' property for $36,000.
On March 19, 1995, a ground-breaking ceremony was held to build a new education wing, fellowship hall and kitchen. A loan of $250,000 was obtained from Belpre Savings Bank. The upper floor was completed in November 1996. The first covered dish dinner in the new fellowship hall was held on November 3, 1996, with 170 people attending. In March 1997 the lower floor of the education building was finished, and Sunday School classes met in their new rooms.
During 1972-1997 the United Methodist Women, Men and Youth organizations were busy with many projects, including the Annual Christmas Bazaar, Live Nativity Scene for the Christmas Season, trips to Kentucky for mission work (both adult and youth) and Summer Camps.
In the early 1990s, a food bank opened and in 1996 Rockland Food Pantry was expanded to be a ministry partnership between several of the area churches and is known as Belpre Area Ministry.
The last 25 years have seen many changes. In March 2001 the property to the west of the church was purchased from the Walker family. BAM was moved to this site after extensive cleaning and remodeling. This became a thrift store and food bank for the area. The back part of the building was the LOFT (Looking Out for Teens), an outreach project for the youth of the area.
The property on the east side of the church was donated to the church by the Holcombs in 2014, which included an apartment and separate garage.
The sanctuary and fellowship hall have been updated with projectors and screens, highly used during the COVID pandemic when the doors of the church were not open. Sermons were livestreamed and broadcast on Facebook. When services began again, social distancing was practiced due to the updates the church enacted.
A picnic shelter was built in the area behind the church and has been used for many summer potluck dinners, Bible School, Backpack to School and many other projects. Three benches have been installed to be enjoyed by the members of the church and community.
Children's Ministry has sponsored several projects in the community. Backpack to School started in 2013 and distributed 50 backpacks filled with school supplies. In 2018, 250 backpacks with supplies were given to children from several of the area schools and BAM.
Project Jeremiah was started in 2013 with the goal of serving a meal on Sunday evening to the youth and children of the area. In 2015 Kingdom Konnection was started as a free tutoring program during the summer for the children of the community.
The Missions committee sponsors local and global projects. The Mitten Tree at Christmas time collects mittens, gloves, hats, and socks for Belpre City Schools. In 2019-2022 Backpack to School has been replaced with the members of Rockland Church donating needed school supplies to Belpre City Schools' classrooms due to COVID Pandemic restrictions.
Outreach was a new committee started in 2018 which has sponsored a Saturday night Drive-in Movie in the church parking lot using a projector and outdoor screen. Another project has been to feed the Belpre Band and Cheerleaders before a home game.
In 2022 Rockland United Methodist Church and Belpre Heights United Methodist Church through the Outreach committee sponsored Jordan St. Cyr, a Christian music artist at Belpre Homecoming. Cox said the group plans to sponsor Christian music in 2023 at the event.
The church website summarizes the church mission in 2022: "Here at Rockland, we are 'Building the Family of God' upon the 'Solid Rock' of Jesus Christ. We welcome you to join us as we continue on this journey together!"