History of the Harrisonburg First Church of the Brethren

1900: Ten brethren, living in Harrisonburg, request preaching services.  Cooks Creek, Greenmount and Mill Creek Congregations jointly sponsor the development of a new congregation in Harrisonburg, VA.

1901: The first Sunday Schook and worship sergices are held on June 9, with P.S. Thomas in charge of the service and J.M Kagey in charge of the preaching.

1906: A new sanctuary is constructed at a cost of $15,000.  The new sancutary is first used for worship in December 9.

1909: Cooks Creek, Greenmount and Mill Creek congregations release control of the Harrisonburg congregation.  P.S. Thomas, who has served as pastor since 1901, remains paster of the new congregation.

1918: Additional Sunday school rooms are added to the priginal building on High Street.

1918: E.S. Coffman becomes the congregations second pastor

1923: N.D. Cool becomes the congregations third pastor, and the first pastor to be hired to a full time position.

1927: A second addition is added to the original building, this addition includes more Sunday school classrooms.

1928: D.H. Miller becomes the congregations fourth pastor.

1933: J.M. Henry becomes the congregations fifth pastor.

1937: E.M. Bowman becomes the congregations sixth pastor.

1951: The Harrisonburg First Church Congregation moves across High Street to a larger building.

1953: R.L. Sherfy becomes the congregations seventh pastor.

1962: R.E. Houff becomes the congregations eighth pastor.

1970: H.A. Miller becomes the congregations ninth pastor.

1971: Membership reaches an all-time high with 741 members.

1973: D.H. Fogelsanger becomes the congregations tenth pastor.

1978: A 5.4 acre plot of land is purchsed and a new building is constructed on Dogwood Drive.  The new building has a sanctuary, twelve Sunday school classrooms and a kitchen.

1983: J.D. Glick becomes the congregations eleventh pastor.

1995: An addition and renovation to the existing building on Dogwood Drive begins.  The renovation will create four new Sunday school classrooms and the addition adds a new fellowship hall, for additional Sunday School classrooms and a full service kitchen.

2001: Harrisonburg First Church of the Brethren celebrates its 100th anniversary.

2001: J.R. Ross becomes the congregations twelfth pastor.

2003: R.E. Wyrick becomes the congregations thirtenth pastor.

Portions from the Brethren Encyclopedia, written by Delia M. Miller and Pauline C. Miller.  Pages 259-262

Portions from Brethren In Virginia, by Donald Durnbaugh.  Brethren Press.