The Cherry Glade Conservative Mennonite Church
Out of Our Past and Into the Present
A Brief Look 1850 - 1999

The beginning of the Cherry Glade Church can be traced to the mid 1800s when our Amish Mennonite ancestors began to move into the Casselman Valley region, in southern Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and northern Garrett County, Maryland. Some of the families moved even further south to the Accident and Bittinger area or the "Govel Bark" (The Forks), as it was known. Some families relocated from Berlin, Pennsylvania, where they had settled earlier while others immigrated directly from Europe.

During those early years, the church met in the homes of its members for worship and fellowship. But in 1881, the Casselman Valley Amish Mennonite group decided to build four new church houses in a single year. The Cherry Glade church house was built near Bittinger, on what is now the Foxtown Road and Maple Glen was built near Grantsville, both in the northern part of Garrett County, Maryland. The other two church houses were built at Flag Run and Summit Mills in the southern part of Somerset, Pennsylvania. (Click here to see photo of the 1881 Cherry Glade Building as it stands today.)

In 1895 the Maryland and Pennsylvania churches separated, each then with its own autonomous leadership. In 1897 the Oak Dale church house, near Salisbury, Pennsylvania, was built and shared ministers and deacons with Cherry Glade and Maple Glen on a rotating basis. The church met at both Cherry Glade and Oak Dale on the one Sunday and on the alternate Sunday they all assembled at Maple Glen.
Building plans for the Cherry Glade church house were to be of the "simplest possible construction." The building measured 24' x 40' and cost a total of $300.00. Two potbellied stoves were used for heating, while kerosene lamps provided light.

In 1912 Cherry Glade, along with Maple Glen and Oak Dale, affiliated with the newly formed Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference. Two years earlier, some of the Amish Mennonite leaders had met to plan for the future, stating simply: "In accordance with an announcement and invitation to the ministers of the Conservative Amish Mennonite Churches a number of ministers, brethren and sisters assembled themselves together to counsel with each other for the welfare of the church and the building and extension of the work of the Lord."

The second meeting of the newly formed Conference was held at Maple Glen at Grantsville, MD in 1912. At that time, concerns were expressed for orphans. By 1916 the Amish Mennonite Children's Home had been constructed, which now is a part of the Goodwill Mennonite Nursing Home. The children's orphanage may have been the first social service of its kind in Garrett County. In the 1950's, the Conference dropped "Amish" from its name as it then became the Conservative Mennonite Conference.

The Conservative Mennonites were rooted in many of the beliefs and practices of the Anabaptists which formed during the early years of the 16th century Protestant reformation. The Anabaptists broke from the traditional state church claiming the Bible as the only guide for faith and life, as did the early church after Jesus ascended into heaven. Central to the Anabaptists belief was, a total commitment to discipleship, the church as a group of believers, and the ethics of love and nonresistance. A motto of one of the early followers was, "No one may truly know Christ except he follow Him in life."

They believed, for example, that the Bible taught that only "believers" should be baptized, clearly going against the teaching of the state church, which practiced infant baptism. How could infants, after all, make a choice to be "believers"? On the evening of January 21, 1525, a small group of those wanting to be totally committed to the teachings of the Bible, met for prayer, study, and discernment as to their next steps. Before the evening was over, they arose from their knees and baptized each other. For this practice they became known as the Anabaptists (baptized again). Being baptized as an adult believer, however, was not the main issue; but rather it had to do with being faithful to the teachings of the Bible. Believers baptism became a symbol of defiance against the state church and its authority.

Over the years, it is estimated that more than 5,000 Anabaptists died as martyrs for their faith. Many were tortured and put to death by drowning, beheading or burning at the stake.

Through all of this, the Anabaptists declared repeatedly that the Bible alone should guide their beliefs and practices. Thus, they were willing and able to debate both priests and judges as to what the Bible taught. Through the years, persecutions and suffering took its toll as some attempted to flee Europe seeking freedom and a new life in a new land – America.

Menno Simons was one of the Anabaptist leaders from the Netherlands. As a priest, he began to search the scriptures in earnest and decided that he needed to obey God. His motto became "For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ." (I Cor. 3:11)

Today the name Mennonite can be traced to Menno Simons while the name Amish is traced to Jakob Ammann, a later leader in the movement for a group of the Anabaptists. While neither of these men came to America, their influence did through those who immigrated with their faith tested, but intact. As a peace-seeking people, the first Mennonites arrived in America around the mid 1600s with the first permanent settlement being in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1683. Waves of new immigrants continued to arrive over the years. Migrations to the west, north and south continued to occur. Some of these came to the Casselman Valley area, and still others to the "Govel Bark."
The small, simple Cherry Glade church house helped to create an atmosphere of closeness. The pulpit had two benches along both sides and was only twenty-five feet from the last bench at the rear of the building. In a sense, the congregation seemed more like a large family, warm, informal and caring.

By the early 1960s, the old church house could no longer accommodate its members. In 1965, the new Cherry Glade church house was built on top of Negro Mountain, at a cost of $32,482.77, the present location. This new site provided a centralized location for families on both the east and west side of Negro Mountain.

The last service was held in the old Cherry Glade building on August 29, 1965, and the new church house was dedicated the following Sunday, September 5, 1965. With the completion of the new church house, Sunday morning services were held each Sunday. The ministerial team continued to be shared with Maple Glen and Oak Dale.

On April 8, 1966, Cherry Glade was organized as a separate congregation with a charter membership of 86. On September 15, 1968, the church ordained its own bishop and within several years, had additional ordinations for its own ministerial team.

In 1972, Cherry Glade was asked by the Allegheny Conference to assist with the work at the Dry Run Church. Within a few years, a number of families left Cherry Glade and began attending at Dry Run. Later, the Dry Run Congregation withdrew its affiliation with the Conservative Mennonite Conference.

Steady growth continued at Cherry Glade, although at one time, the youth group numbered only five. With the relatively high number of young families, the youth group however, numbered nearly forty within ten years. Growth was occurring as families from other churches transferred membership to Cherry Glade.

Within twelve years the church house was once again unable to accommodate all of its members. In 1978, the church house was enlarged by extending the auditorium and adding a Fellowship Hall, at a cost of $160,000.00.
In 1981, the One Hundredth Anniversary of the old Cherry Glade Church was observed with an out-of-door morning worship service at the old building site. Several German songs were sung, "O Gott Vater, Vir Loben Dich" (Our Father God, Thy Name We Praise), and "Gott Ist Die Liebe" (For God So Loved Us), and the song, "O God Our Help In Ages Past." In the afternoon the addition to the new Cherry Glade church house was dedicated. The Cherry Glade Men's Chorus provided the special singing. The membership then stood at 160.

Throughout these years, the congregation experienced significant growth along with changes in some of its practices. Some rules and expectations for membership were relaxed which permitted greater individual choice. Changes also occurred as members moved increasingly from farm families to day laborers and professional occupations. More of the youth, and older members as well, began attending colleges or other formal training.

During these years of growth and change, the organizational structure of the church remained basically unchanged. The Pastoral Team composed of Pastor(s) and Deacon(s), Sunday School Superintendents, Song Leader, Mission Board, Trustees, Ushers, Mennonite Disaster Service, and Women's Sewing, comprised most of the major functions within the church. Many of the activities and the decision-making revolved around the Pastoral Team, which found it increasingly difficult to keep pace with all of their responsibilities to meet the church's needs. The pastors were not financially supported by the congregation except that of quarterly offerings which were divided among the Team.

In 1991, at the recommendation of the Pastoral Team, a Long Range Planning Committee and a Finance Committee were established to plan for future needs. The Long Range Planning Committee recommended that a Church board be established, consisting of the Pastoral Team and other key congregational positions. The recommendation was adopted in January, 1993. By January 1994, the remaining organizational structure was accepted which included the creation of five commissions: Spiritual Life and Worship; Fellowship and Service; Nurture and Education; Mission and Outreach; and Finance and Property. There commissions are all represented on the Church Board, and have responsibility to coordinate and promote goals and activities of numerous committees within each commission. The Church Board appointed a Church Secretary. A Gifts and Service Committee was also established to assist in matching gifts with service opportunities.

The church is also involved in other service opportunities, such as Mennonite Disaster Service, the Sewing, and Sunday morning services at a State Park.

The membership at present is at 273. Once more, questions are being asked about the future. The church house is no longer adequate to accommodate the congregation's needs. Should the present facility be expanded or should we divide and start a new church? Possibly the congregation should move toward small cell groups. Our forefathers, one hundred and fifty years ago, met in homes for worship and fellowship. Should we again begin to do so?

Other issues are being addressed as well. What is the mission and what are the goals of our congregation as we near the end of a millennium? How can we be faithful in our day as were our forefathers in their day? What is God asking of us today at Cherry Glade? How do we answer faith and life questions for our day? What do we believe about the Bible itself?

Over four hundred and fifty years ago, Menno Simons read the Word which took him on a new personal spiritual pilgrimage. At one point he declared, "O dear Lord, I did not know myself until I viewed myself in Thy Word." John Wesley expressed the need for the Word when he cried, "I want to know one thing – the Way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the Way; for this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a Book. O give me that Book! At any price, give me the Book of God."

The early church and the Anabaptists had that Book as they sought to know the Way. For them, discipleship was very costly. But it was the Way the Lord intended for He has spoken it.

Nearly two thousand years later, we also have the Word to know the Way. It is for us to read, and with Holy Spirit power, discover, discern, and decide; for that is the Way of discipleship, for each as an individual and together as a congregation. O give Cherry Glade that Book that we may read and believe and follow on the Way to heaven. That Book has stood the test of nearly two millennia and will for many more, or until the Lord returns in power and great glory.