Beginnings of the Bethlehem Reformed Church

The Bethlehem Reformed Church, now known as the Bethlehem United Church of Christ, was founded by German immigrants in 1859. At the time of its founding, the church had 35 members. The church itself was built and completed in 1860. Many glass workers were of German descent and became members of this church. At the turn of the century, the church had 100 members. It also housed a Sunday school. The church was renowned for increasing membership and a great spirit of worship.

Come 1955, the church underwent a substantial renovation. The building received a new red brick extension on the front of it, while the interior of the church, including the basement, was entirely renovated. In 1957, the parsonage, which was behind the church, was sold and moved to Oak Street, while the old land was leveled and is now used as a parking lot. Another significant change took place in 1957: there was a merge between the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Church, which resulted in the present day United Church of Christ. The current location of the church is at 137 S Main Street (39.698573, -75.113137).

Reflections at Bethlehem United Church of Christ

Despite being the smallest church Leo and I examined in our project, it was the one I got the most response about. In speaking with community members on Facebook, people speak fondly of the church. They recall going to Sunday school there, as well as attending mass. From what I've been told, many of the members are still of German descent. Considering the church was founded in 1859, that is no small feat that the descendants of the original parishioners still attend church there. This can be seen as a form of social sustainability. Customs were passed on through many generations and attachments were formed to an place. Over the years, these people continue to attend church at Bethlehem United Church of Christ due to the inherent familiarity of it. It's amazing to see how many people are dedicated to continuing worship at this tiny, but mighty, church.

Article by Sarah McClure

Resources:
Walton, Edward H. “Through Many Changes, ‘Old Bethlehem’ Church Endures”. The Enterprise, June 18, 1980.
Humes, Jane. "Glassboro's Bethlehem United Church of Christ concludes 150th anniversary celebration". Accessed December 13, 2018. https://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/towns/index.ssf/2009/10/glassboros_bethlehem_united_ch.html