1909 – 1984

Seventy-Fifth Anniversary

Fenelton United Methodist Church

Sunday, October 7, 1984

Rev. Sharon L. Schwab, Minister

 

Excerpts from the Anniversary Service Program and booklet as transcribed by Joyce Bauldoff Rauschenberger

 

History of the Church

The town of Fenelton dates back to 1856, when Peter Fennell, his son Peter, and nephews Daniel and Abram, moved from Armstrong County to settle in Fenelton.  In the early 1900’s Fenelton was a large mining town.  At one time Fenelton had 3 stores, 3 churches, a post office, a restaurant, railroad station, resthome for the elderly, a telephone office, 2 blacksmith shops, a shoe shop, and a barber shop.

 

The Fenelton United Methodist Church dates back to 1909, when Rev. Paul Sappie, who traveled the countryside on horseback, began agitation for a new church at Fenelton.  Until then the house across the road from where the church is now located, formally H. A. Swartzlander farm, was used for occasional service and usually Sunday School every Sunday.  Some of the Methodists went to the United Presbyterian Church near Carbon Center, and some went to the McKee Chapel Church.

 

Sometime before 1909, Peter Fennell, a member of one of the pioneer families to settle in Fenelton, donated a plot of ground at the crossroads in Fenelton for a church.  Nothing was done until 1909, when Rev. Sappie, a young minister from Craigsville, got people interested in building a church.  By late fall the wall was completed.  Much of the work was done by willing members of the congregation, under the supervision of Mr. Thomas G. Dipner, a contractor and builder. 

 

The church was officially dedicated on July 17, 1910, with three services.  Enough money was contributed at these three services to nearly cover the entire cost of construction.  The 10:30 sermon was by Rev. Thomas Boyle.  The dedications service was by Rev. E.J. Knox, at 3:00 and the 8:00 service was delivered by the Rev. Iams.

 

Fenelton’s first pastor was Rev. Paul Sappie.  The first female pastor, which is the current minister, is Rev. Sharon Schwab. The Fenelton Church had a Fortieth Anniversary in 1949, with Rev. Alvin Bowser as the minister, and Rev. W.L. Ewing delivering the sermon at 2:30, and Bishop L.C. Wicks giving the 7:30 sermon.  The Fiftieth in 1959 was the Re-dedication and Homecoming Anniversary. The Rev. Arnold Slagle was the minister, and J.L. Carraway delivered the sermon.

 

Since the Fiftieth Anniversary, we have remodeled the basement, added the basement entrance, dedicated new offering plates, built new front porch, dedicated candle holders and flower vases, purchased new tables and chairs for the basement, dedicated new bulletin board in front of church, a piano was donated to the church, new alter scarves were made and donated to the church, dedicated new Baptismal Fount, purchased an organ, a Nativity Scene was donated, dedicated new carpet, dedicated lights that sit on piano and organ, and started a Memorial Fund.

 

The official directory of the Fenelton United Methodist Church as of this date:

Bishop – James Ault

District Superintendent – Jack Buckley

Minister – Rev. Sharon Schwab

Lay Leader and Church School Superintendent – Paul Barnhart

Assistant Church School Superintendent – Floyd Barnhart

Church Treasurer – Donna Anthony

Church Recording Secretary – Lois Barnhart

Church Pianist – Robert Patton, Jr.

 

Members of the Seventy-fifth Anniversary Committee are: Rev. Sharon Schwab, Marlene Hoover, Peggy Morrow, Sherry Parker, Ralph Barnhart, Lois Barnhart, Robert Patton, Jr., Maxine Patton, and Donna Anthony.

 

Former Pastors


Paul Sappie                  Oct. 1908 to Oct. 1911

Samuel M. Cousins       Oct. 1911 to Oct. 1913

D. J. Davis                    Oct. 1913 to Oct. 1916

R. H. Calderwood          Oct. 1916 to Oct. 1921

R. C. Ehrheart               Oct. 1921 to Jan. 1922

Grant D. Swartout         Jan. 1922 to Oct. 1922

O. E. Rodkey                Oct. 1922 to Oct. 1924

L. C. Matthews             Oct. 1924 to Oct. 1926

C. L. Cusick                 Oct. 1926 to Oct. 1928

Parker W. Large            Oct. 1928 to Oct. 1933

Roy A. Beggs               Oct. 1933 to Oct. 1935

Arthur Sellers                Oct. 1935 to Oct. 1937

C. L. Murdock               Oct. 1937 to Oct. 1940

W. E. Baker                 Oct. 1940 to Oct. 1941

W. Smith                      Oct. 1941 to Oct. 1944

W. E. Baker                 Oct. 1944 to Oct. 1946

E. D. Crispens              Oct. 1946 to Oct. 1948

Alvin Bowser                 Oct. 1948 to June 1957

Samuel C. Dunning       June 1957 to June 1958

Arnold A Slagle             June 1958 to June 1960

Edward G. Miller           June 1960 to June 1962

Elson Rose                   June 1962 to June 1963

James Reeher               June 1963 to June 1964

Donald E. Rainery         June 1964 to June 1965

Roy E. Daugherty          June 1965 to June 1967

Daniel Enterline             June 1976 to June 1969

Duane Stewart              June 1969 to Sept. 1969

John Osborne               Sept. 1969 to Jan. 1976

Harry E. Sayre              Feb. 1976 to June 1976

James Hamilton            June 1976 to April 1977

C. M. Schwab               April 1977 to June 1977

Sharon Schwab             June 1977 to Oct, 1984+


 

 

Members and Years of Membership


Edward Sipe                   70

James E. Swartzlander    70

Lela Swartzlander           70

Clara R. Bauldoff             62

Williard Holmes              57

Gladys Swartzlander       52

Winora Morrow               50

Robert I. Mnorrow            48

Marie Englehart              48

Margaret Huselton           46

William Swartzlander       45

Maxine Patton                45

Marlene R. Hoover           38

Margaret A. Olszak         38

Ruth Holmes                  32

Florence Barnhart           31

George Barnhart             31

Gerald Barnhart              31

Lois Barnhart                  31

Paul Barnhart                 31

Clara Jean Boal              31

Theron G. Boal               31

Emmabele Hepler           31

Benjamin A. Morrow        31

Georgia M. Morrow          31

Jerry morrow                   31

Lewis morrow                 31

Bessie Truitt                   31

Helen Fennell                 30

Janet Rome                    30

Margaret O. Boal            29

Orville F. Boal                 29

Patricia Hutchison           29

Marilyn McPherson         27

Donna L. Anthony           26

Darlene Hewitt                26

Dorothy McWilliams        26

Elizabeth Swartzlander    26

Diane Carson                  24

Robert Carson                24

Virginia Carson               24

William Carson               24

Virginia Glodowski          24

Thomas McPherson        24

Charles Stewart              24

Alice Faye Stewart          24

Noreen McIntyre             23

Alice morrow                  23

Floyd Barnhart                19

Don McElhaney, Jr.         18

Barbara Barnhart             17

Anna Curtis                    17

Edward Mahood              17

Louella McElhaney          17

Robert Patton, Jr.            17

Linda D. Bester               15

Kevin Morrow                  15

Sherry L. Parker             15

Beverly K. Christie          13

Linda Quinn                    12

Norma Voorhees             12

Richard Voorhees           12

Bertha Angert                 11

Ralph Barnhart                11

Henry Ogin                     11

Leola Ogin                      11

Terry Ogin                      11

Ruth Barnhart                 9

Dawn Hepler                   9

Karen Morrow                 8

Susan Morrow                8

Kimberly Perkins            8

Monica Moore                 7

Randall G. Morrow          3

Brenda Quinn                 3

Lisa Quinn                      3

Christine M. Sutton         3

Donald E. Sutton            3

Donald E. Sutton, Jr.       3

Mary Belle Sutton           3

Ronald Barnhart              1

Kevin Anthony                ½

Tricia Anthony                ½

Jeffery T. Keene              ½

Christopher Morrow         ½

Norma Wolfe                  Ό


 

 

50 Year members


Clara Bauldoff

Willard Holmes

Winora Morrow

Edward Sipe

Gladys Swartzlander

James Swartzlander

Lela Swartzlander


 

 

 

 

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