Page 108 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
P. 108
History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
Missions granted Cedar Grove $100 to supplement the preacher’s salary. In 1949, with 24 members,
Cedar Grove was attached to Keezletown to constitute a student charge to be known as Cedar Grove-
Keezletown Charge. The Cedar Grove-Keezletown Charge report in 1951 was that Cedar Grove had
added a belfry added and painted the basement for $441. In September 1952 the Conference
Superintendent reported: “Rev. Wilton Thomas resigned as pastor of the Cedar Grove-Keezletown
Charge on August 10th to take work in Dayton, Ohio, prior to his entrance in Bonebrake Seminary; and
Rev. Andrew Agnew, a first-year Ministerial Student at Shenandoah College assumed the
responsibilities for this charge. On February 1st, 1953, Rev. Robert H. Varney resigned as pastor of the
Westernport Charge to enter the U.S. Navy; Rev. Andrew Agnew was named to succeed him, and Rev.
Norman Butler filled the vacancy thus caused on Cedar Grove-Keezletown Charge.
Sometime in 1953 Cedar Grove Church was destroyed by fire; by September 1953 $6,000 had
been raised for a new church; and the Superintendent attended the Cornerstone-Laying Ceremony for the
new church at Cedar Grove on November 8th, 1953. The charge reported in 1954 that the new church
had been completed enough to have services in it and that $16,805 had been spent to date on its
construction (the remaining debt, $5,453). The missionary salary appropriation for Cedar Grove-
Keezletown for 1954-55 was $200 (with the two churches contributing an additional $1,000). The
salary supplement in 1955-56 and in 1956-57 was 300 with the two churches contributing $1,200 more.
On July 31st, 1957, Rev. Harold Albert resigned as pastor of the Cedar Grove-Keezletown Charge, and
Rev. Charles Robinson, a Ministerial Student from Shenandoah College, was appointed to complete the
year. At the September 1959 meeting of the Conference Board of Missions, “Warren Ritchie, Melvin
Armentrout, and Ralph Steele presented the plans for the completion of the Cedar Grove Church, to cost
$3,000—$1,500 for bath rooms and $1,500 for the ceiling; they have $500 in cash. Motion made and
passed that we pay the first $1,000 out of the Lenten Offering towards the completion of the Cedar
Grove Church.” The mission supplement approved in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963 was $200 per
year (for 1959-64). Rev. Bruce D. Gearhart, student pastor at Cedar Grove, and Miss Nioma Mae Peffer
were united in marriage on April 16, 1960.
In 1962 Boundary Committee recommended: “Upon a request from the Cedar Grove-
Keezletown Charge…that the Charge be divided and that each of these churches be made a Station.”
Rev. Lawrence Frye resigned as Pastor of Cedar Grove Church on June 30, 1963, to accept the Pastorate
of Franklin Charge. The Rev. P. W. Fisher, retired minister from Shenandoah, completed the year at
Cedar Grove. In 1966 the Cedar Grove Lay Delegates to Annual Conference were Ralph L. Steele and
Jack Shifflett. At the June 1966 meeting of the Conference Board of Missions, “Mr. Warren Ritchie
presented plans for the remodeling of the sanctuary of Cedar Grove Church east of Harrisonburg, which
includes reversing the pulpit and installing new pews (20) and two choir lofts. Seating capacity is 136.
Estimated cost is $12,000. J. C. Bowman is the contractor. Motion made and passed that we approve of
the plans and pay interest on their loan for 5 years, not to exceed $2,000.” In 1968 the Cedar Grove Lay
Delegates to Annual Conference were Lloyd Meadows and Warren Ritchie; and for and 1969, Warren
L. Ritchie and J. D. “Jack” Shifflette. At the June 1968 meeting of the Conference Board of Missions,
“Mr. Lloyd Meadows, representing Cedar Grove Church, made a request for the Board’s approval of an
application for a loan of $25,000 from the Board of Missions of the Denomination to be used on the
remodeling project of Cedar Grove Church. Dr. Fulk moved that the Board grant approval for the
application. The motion was supported by Millard Floyd. It was voted.” On September 29, 1968, the
Superintendent “assisted in the dedication of Cedar Grove Church, Dr. E. E. Miller, Pastor, with Bishop
Paul M. Herrick bringing the message and leading in dedication service.”
Table 20, below, identifies some early pastors for Cedar Grove Circuit. In the years before 1921,
membership data was recorded only for the charge and not for the individual churches and other
appointments. Table 21, below that, provides the names of appointed pastors and membership data for
II.B.10 Cedar Grove U.B. Church 94
Missions granted Cedar Grove $100 to supplement the preacher’s salary. In 1949, with 24 members,
Cedar Grove was attached to Keezletown to constitute a student charge to be known as Cedar Grove-
Keezletown Charge. The Cedar Grove-Keezletown Charge report in 1951 was that Cedar Grove had
added a belfry added and painted the basement for $441. In September 1952 the Conference
Superintendent reported: “Rev. Wilton Thomas resigned as pastor of the Cedar Grove-Keezletown
Charge on August 10th to take work in Dayton, Ohio, prior to his entrance in Bonebrake Seminary; and
Rev. Andrew Agnew, a first-year Ministerial Student at Shenandoah College assumed the
responsibilities for this charge. On February 1st, 1953, Rev. Robert H. Varney resigned as pastor of the
Westernport Charge to enter the U.S. Navy; Rev. Andrew Agnew was named to succeed him, and Rev.
Norman Butler filled the vacancy thus caused on Cedar Grove-Keezletown Charge.
Sometime in 1953 Cedar Grove Church was destroyed by fire; by September 1953 $6,000 had
been raised for a new church; and the Superintendent attended the Cornerstone-Laying Ceremony for the
new church at Cedar Grove on November 8th, 1953. The charge reported in 1954 that the new church
had been completed enough to have services in it and that $16,805 had been spent to date on its
construction (the remaining debt, $5,453). The missionary salary appropriation for Cedar Grove-
Keezletown for 1954-55 was $200 (with the two churches contributing an additional $1,000). The
salary supplement in 1955-56 and in 1956-57 was 300 with the two churches contributing $1,200 more.
On July 31st, 1957, Rev. Harold Albert resigned as pastor of the Cedar Grove-Keezletown Charge, and
Rev. Charles Robinson, a Ministerial Student from Shenandoah College, was appointed to complete the
year. At the September 1959 meeting of the Conference Board of Missions, “Warren Ritchie, Melvin
Armentrout, and Ralph Steele presented the plans for the completion of the Cedar Grove Church, to cost
$3,000—$1,500 for bath rooms and $1,500 for the ceiling; they have $500 in cash. Motion made and
passed that we pay the first $1,000 out of the Lenten Offering towards the completion of the Cedar
Grove Church.” The mission supplement approved in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963 was $200 per
year (for 1959-64). Rev. Bruce D. Gearhart, student pastor at Cedar Grove, and Miss Nioma Mae Peffer
were united in marriage on April 16, 1960.
In 1962 Boundary Committee recommended: “Upon a request from the Cedar Grove-
Keezletown Charge…that the Charge be divided and that each of these churches be made a Station.”
Rev. Lawrence Frye resigned as Pastor of Cedar Grove Church on June 30, 1963, to accept the Pastorate
of Franklin Charge. The Rev. P. W. Fisher, retired minister from Shenandoah, completed the year at
Cedar Grove. In 1966 the Cedar Grove Lay Delegates to Annual Conference were Ralph L. Steele and
Jack Shifflett. At the June 1966 meeting of the Conference Board of Missions, “Mr. Warren Ritchie
presented plans for the remodeling of the sanctuary of Cedar Grove Church east of Harrisonburg, which
includes reversing the pulpit and installing new pews (20) and two choir lofts. Seating capacity is 136.
Estimated cost is $12,000. J. C. Bowman is the contractor. Motion made and passed that we approve of
the plans and pay interest on their loan for 5 years, not to exceed $2,000.” In 1968 the Cedar Grove Lay
Delegates to Annual Conference were Lloyd Meadows and Warren Ritchie; and for and 1969, Warren
L. Ritchie and J. D. “Jack” Shifflette. At the June 1968 meeting of the Conference Board of Missions,
“Mr. Lloyd Meadows, representing Cedar Grove Church, made a request for the Board’s approval of an
application for a loan of $25,000 from the Board of Missions of the Denomination to be used on the
remodeling project of Cedar Grove Church. Dr. Fulk moved that the Board grant approval for the
application. The motion was supported by Millard Floyd. It was voted.” On September 29, 1968, the
Superintendent “assisted in the dedication of Cedar Grove Church, Dr. E. E. Miller, Pastor, with Bishop
Paul M. Herrick bringing the message and leading in dedication service.”
Table 20, below, identifies some early pastors for Cedar Grove Circuit. In the years before 1921,
membership data was recorded only for the charge and not for the individual churches and other
appointments. Table 21, below that, provides the names of appointed pastors and membership data for
II.B.10 Cedar Grove U.B. Church 94
