 Jefferson United Church of Christ has its roots in the German Reformed Church, an
early denomination in Protestantism. The name gave way to the Reformed Church around
1850 when ministers began giving their sermons in English.
The original church, a plain brick structure, was dedicated on August 21, 1841. A
Sunday School room with an outside entrance was constructed by excavating an area
under the altar of the church. Rev. George W. Willard served as the first pastor of
the Jefferson Reformed congregation.
In 1872, dedicated parishioners had a pipe organ installed and added a 100-foot tower
with two bells that could be heard into the Middletown Valley. Today chimes and
lights grace the tower with bells.
A Sunday School building was erected next to the church in 1900 and building
continued in the 1920's and 30's with the addition of four classrooms and a kitchen.
The main edifice was beautified with Memorial art windows in 1953. The Lenora
Stockman wing was added to the church school building in 1985 which provides two
more classrooms, a choir room, a heritage room, pastor's study and secretary's office.
The Nina Thomas Library was completed and made available to the members in June, 1987.
Through denominational mergers with the Evangelical and Reformed, and the Congregational
Christian churches, the Reformed Church in Jefferson became the Jefferson United Church
of Christ in 1957. The church is now an historical Frederick County Landmark.
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The Jefferson UCC Ministry |
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Rev. Robert Douglas |
1844-1850 |
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Rev. Dr. S. N. Callender |
1851-1853 |
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Rev. Andrew P. Freese |
1853-1855 |
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Rev. Samuel Phillips |
1855-1856 |
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Rev. William F. Colliflower |
1857-1867 |
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Rev. Simon S. Miller |
1867-1874 |
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Nehemiah Skyles |
1875-1889 |
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Rev. Harry F. Dittmar |
1890-1905 |
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Rev. David N. Dittmar |
1905-1909 |
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Rev. Wayne H. Bowers |
1909-1911 |
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Rev. William C. Sykes |
1911-1914 |
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Rev. William S. Gerhard |
1914-1918 |
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Rev. Ray E. Hake |
1918-1921 |
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Rev. George E. Plott |
1923-1926 |
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Rev. Atvill Conner |
1926-1936 |
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Rev. Claude Henry Corl |
1937-1942 |
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Rev. Dr. William R. Barnhart |
1942 (supply) |
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Rev. Kenneth E. Bishop |
1943-1945 |
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Rev. Edwin L. Werner |
1945-1947 |
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Rev. George E. Plott |
1948-1957 |
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Rev. William Stevens |
1958-1963 |
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Rev. Bronson Staley |
1963-1967 |
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Rev. Guy A. Wenck |
1968-1973 |
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Rev. Kenneth Wyatt |
1973-1980 |
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Rev. Hassel Helsabeck |
1980-1983 |
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Vacancy in ministry |
1983-1984 |
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Rev. Wendell M. Taylor |
1984-1991 |
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Vacancy in ministry |
1991-1996 |
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Rev. Guy A. Wenck |
1996-present |
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