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by Alice French Andrews Grace Edna Ramsdill Adams died of the Spanish flu in Mason, Michigan on January 4, 1919. She was only 28 years old, and she was expecting her first baby. Grace was the much-loved half-sister of my grandmother Mary Jane (May) Rose Schneider, which makes Grace my...read more
On August 20, 2019, William (Bill) Hoke, longtime missionary to India, passed away at age 102. Two years ago, when he celebrated his 100th birthday, an excerpt from a short autobiography was reprinted in the Summer 2017 edition of “History Matters,” the Historical Society’s newsletter (originally from My Story, My...read more
by Kevin Bream* I took the opportunity on Sunday afternoon, July 15, to wander down to Ringgold, Maryland, to the historic Ringgold Meeting House for their annual hymn sing. I had never attended before so was eager to see what made this an annual Brethren in Christ tradition. Upon arrival,...read more
On Thursday, August 30, 2018, Beth Hostetler Mark, librarian emeritus at Messiah College and secretary of the Historical Society board, will share her grandfather’s World War I story at one of the events related to the traveling exhibit, “Voices of Conscience: Peace Witness in the Great War.” The event will...read more
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968, Pennsylvania state representative Patty Kim worked with photographer Michelle Greene to honor 50 African American men in the Harrisburg area who exemplify excellence. One of the men honored is Henry (Hank) Johnson, pastor...read more
If you live in south central Pennsylvania, you have several opportunities in the coming months to see the traveling exhibit, “Voices of Conscience: Peace Witness in the Great War”: April 13-June 22, 2018: Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA August 19-September 26, 2018: Landis Homes, Lancaster, PA (lmhs.org/voices-of-conscience) November 24, 2018-January 6, 2019:...read more
On Sunday, September 24, 2017, the Montoursville Brethren in Christ Church, located in the beautiful mountains of Lycoming County, PA, celebrated 100 years of ministry. The morning worship service included hymns and contemporary music, a message by Bryan Hoke, bishop of the Atlantic Conference, and celebration of communion. Following a...read more
On Sunday, September 24, 2017, the Zion congregation in Abilene, Kansas celebrated its 130th anniversary. Following are Pastor Jay Johnson’s remarks highlighting the significant contributions this congregation has made to the Brethren in Christ Church as a whole. Today we celebrate 130 years of God’s goodness and faithfulness to Zion,...read more
Micah B. Brickner has been appointed executive director for the Brethren in Christ Historical Society. Board president Emerson Lesher announced the appointment at the Annual Heritage Service at the Ringgold Meetinghouse on Sunday, June 4, 2017. Micah replaces Glen Pierce, who will continue to serve as director of the Brethren...read more
by Beth Hostetler Mark As a volunteer in the Brethren in Christ Church and Messiah College Archives, I am currently working on indexing Evangelical Visitor articles from the 1960s. Last week, I came across an editorial (“Prayer – Then What?” See image at left) by John N. Hostetter, in which...read more
In lieu of the August 2016 edition of our journal, Brethren in Christ History and Life, the Historical Society is publishing former missionary Grace Holland’s autobiography, Planting Seeds: A Missionary Story. We are always grateful when people who have kept careful records of their lives are willing to tell their stories for a wider audience,...read more
Last month, the Brethren in Christ Church in Zambia held its General Conference at Sikalongo Mission. The highlight of the conference was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Sikalongo Mission. Below is a brief account of the celebration reprinted by permission from John and Esther Spurrier’s...read more
On September 17, the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society is sponsoring a field trip to historical sites in Gettysburg, PA, featuring discussion of the Civil War from an Anabaptist perspective. The tour will be led by Kevin Lay, a Brethren in Christ pastor. The details are below, reprinted from the newsletter...read more
Thanks to John and Mary Ebersole for the photograph and the information about it. John grew up in Palmyra, Pennsylvania; he and Mary now live in Akron, PA, and attend the Speedwell Heights Brethren in Christ Church This photo came into the possession of John and Mary Ebersole as a...read more
by Harriet Sider Bicksler This postcard is another item I recently found in the suitcase of old photos from my parents. It is addressed to my great-grandfather, John Sider, and dated November 1, 1910. There is nothing identifying the person on the horse, but I suppose it could be my...read more