A Brief History of

Faith Bible Fellowship Church of Harleysville, PA

Faith Bible Fellowship Church of Harleysville was born in the late summer of 1897.  The Graterford church (of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Denomination) had the burden to plant churches in neighboring communities.  The Graterford-Trappe-Harleysville circuit (multiple churches served by one pastor) was established and would be the last circuit to be dissolved by the conference, that in 1963.

In 1899, Tabernacle or tent meetings were held in Harleysville, Souderton, Lederachville and Skippackville.  Through these efforts some of the first members of the Harleysville class were saved (Michael Ziegler and Elsworth Hartman were among them.)  During the period of 1907 to 1914, membership ranged from a high of 26 to a low of 20.  The church met in homes, and had very energetic meetings.

In 1914, God blessed the young congregation with a building of its own.  A former schoolhouse on Main Street, and the church began a new period of growth.  The church was often called the “Church on the Hill”.

The Harleysville Sunday School opened in 1926 with Henry Schueck (brother of Kathryn Dietz), as Superintendent and Lizzie Mae Swartly (oldest living member of FBFC) as Secretary.  The Sunday School began with 10 officers, 40 Scholars and an average attendance of 66.

The church continued to grow.  Some of the reasons attributed to this growth were the tent meetings, the prayer meetings and Bible studies.  Kathryn Dietz recalls that at times there were so many people in the room (at prayer meetings) that the kerosene lamps would grow dim because people were using up all the oxygen.

One of the distinctions of Faith Church was baptism by immersion.  Baptisms in the Perkiomen Creek would attract crowds of the curios, and became a great witness to the community.  The church continued to grow, and by 1940, the membership was 64.  In 1948, the congregation negotiated to use the Community Chapel on Mapel Avenue.

In 1963, the Harleysville church purchased 3.175 acres from PK Alderfer, part of his fathers farm, and began building a ranch-style parsonage.  This began the process of breaking the circuit.  In 1964, they welcomed a new pastor, Pastor John Golla.  But it wasn’t a good mix, although plans continued for relocation of the church to the site next to the parsonage.  And in 1965, the conference assigned Pastor David E. Thomann to the Harleysville church.  Pastor were assigned to particular congregations by the Stationing Committee of the Denomination until the mid 1960’s.  This newly independent church struggled, but in 1966, the church petitioned conference for full status as a church.  Ground was broken on March 8, 1968 for the sanctuary (now the Fellowship Center) and accompanying classrooms.  The church grew to a membership of 146 in 1974, but Pastor Thomann was called to serve at Pinebrook Bible Conference.

In 1975, the church called Pastor Arthur Frable and purchased additional acreage including the Alderfer farmhouse and barn, and added a multi-purpose gymnasium onto the facilities.  But things were not running smoothly.  By 1978, membership had dropped to 100, and there was a strained relationship between Pastor Frable and the congregation.  In 1978, the church called Pastor Paul Zimmerman, who led the church through a time of healing.  Membership grew, and so did the staffing needs of the church.  The church hired their first Associate Pastor, and a Secretary for the Pastors.  Pastor Zimmerman left the church in 1988 to return to the Mission field, and Pastor David Armstrong was called to the church in 1989.  As the community around the church grew and changed, so did the ministry of the church.  Membership grew to 193 in 2001.  Pastor Armstrong’s ministry at the church ended in August 2002. 

Godly leadership from the Board of Elders led the church through this transition time, and the decision was made to call two Team Pastor s: Pastor Andrew Crossgrove, who had served as Pastor of Youth Ministries at the church for nine years, and Pastor Alan Miller.  In 2006, the congregation designated Pastor Crossgrove as Sr. Team Pastor .  In 2007, Pastor Miller was called to serve as the pastor at the Blandon church.

In 2007, the Harleysville Congregation will celebrate 110 years of ministry.  We look forward to watching God’s hand at work among the congregation here in Harleysville.  All for the Glory of God!

We look forward to watching God’s hand at work among the congregation here in Harleysville.  All for the Glory of God!

{adapted from “100 Years of Faith for the Family” by Al Roberts}