Taneytown's Presbyterian Church
David Buie
(1/2022) For Christians, Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus for Christians, and the next few months honor his life which is symbolically completed on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon; this is the first full moon after 21 March, or Easter, as it is commonly known. It has been difficult to attract members to the various denominations of churches for decades. Taneytown's Presbyterian Church was among the first to be dissolved. This article follows the journey of the Presbyterian Church.
In 1820, a group of English-speaking Presbyterians in Taneytown covenanted with the predominantly German-speaking Reformed Church to create a "union congregation." These two groups combined to erect a church building that they shared – though, because of the language differences, they did not worship together in it. (There is evidence that the union congregation had hoped to secure a bi-lingual minister, but that effort was unsuccessful.) The few remaining records of the time do not indicate whether this was an arrangement approved by a presbytery. Nor is it known how (or even if) the English-speaking Presbyterian pulpit was supplied with trained clergy – though there were older existing Presbyterian congregations relatively close by in both Emmitsburg and Harney, Md, whose ministers might have provided some pastoral services.
However, the Presbyterian part of the union church was not yet an established congregation at the time of the union agreement, because in 1828, the Presbytery of Baltimore met in the union church building and officially organized the Taneytown Presbyterian Church, as well as ordaining and installing the first pastor. For the next 55 years, Taneytown Presbyterian Church continued to share worship space with the German Reformed Church.
The church purchased a building lot on the Hanover Pike (now MD 194) in January 1883. By selling the union church for $300 to the German Reformed congregation, the church contracted with John A. Dempwolf, a well-regarded architect from York, PA, to design a worship facility. Mr. Dempwolf's design was accepted in late March or early April 1883, and the building was dedicated before the year was over. The congregation was housed in the sanctuary built in 1883 for 75 years without significant changes. The church building was raised on building jacks in 1959, a new foundation was installed, and a walk-out basement was excavated that had the same footprint as the sanctuary above. In addition, a fellowship hall, kitchen, mechanical room, and restrooms were added.
Like many small churches in small towns, Taneytown Presbyterian Church was a yoked field for most of its life. Ministers who served the Taneytown church also served either the Emmitsburg Presbyterian Church or the Piney Creek Presbyterian Church in Harney – and sometimes all three. In the early 20th century, Piney Creek was yoked to the New Windsor Presbyterian Church, leaving the Taneytown and Emmitsburg churches as a two-church field. The last installed pastor departed the Emmitsburg/Taneytown field in 1982. The Rev. R. Benjamin Jones served both churches as a part-time stated supply for the next 26 years. Upon his retirement in 2006, each congregation then sought separate pastoral leadership.
The Taneytown pulpit was filled by a Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) candidate for ministry until 2009 and then by the Rev. Lloyd Fuss, a retired minister from another denomination. During this period, PCUSA ministers from nearby churches moderated the Session. When Mr. Fuss indicated his need (because of health) to cease preaching, the congregation considered its options and decided that the time had come to conclude their ministry. A unanimous congregational vote in July 2018 requested the presbytery to dissolve the congregation. The dissolution took effect after the final worship service on October 14, 2018.
On July 24, 2018, at a duly called congregational meeting, the Taneytown Presbyterian Church requested that they be dissolved. Accordingly, acting through the Steering Cabinet, the presbytery established an Administrative Commission ‘to attend to any and all matters related to the closing of the Taneytown Presbyterian Church … to remain in place until all issues arising from the dissolution" were satisfactorily concluded. The following were named as members of the Commission: Ministers of the Word and Sacrament Renee Mackey and Walter Peters; and Ruling Elder Ruth Ferrence, a member of the Taneytown church.
After viewing the property and considering several other possibilities, the congregation of St. James the Apostle Orthodox Church in Westminster made an offer of $205,000 for the church building. After a series of stops and starts, the sale finally closed on July 25, 2019.
On July 29, 1876, Rev. William Simonton stated that, "Truly the place whereon we stand is holy ground. It has been consecrated by the myriad earnest supplications of our pious spiritual ancestors, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. The amount of divine truth here proclaimed by a succession of God’s ambassadors is very great. The communion seasons enjoyed throughout the years have been numerous. Around these what tender memories cluster! They have been times of sweet, spiritual refreshment to a succession of the living followers of the Lord Jesus. Burdened hearts have been relieved by fellowship with the precious Savior. The mourning have been comforted and assured by the tokens of His love. The weary have found rest upon the bosom of the Beloved. The fearful have been encouraged, the weak have been made strong, the faint-hearted have become courageous and unflinching soldiers of the cross."
