The History of Brick Lane - Celebrating 45 Years of Ministry

Transcript:

Sunday, October 14th 1977 marked the official start of Elverson’s newly formed Evangelical Free Church.  On that morning, 18 adults and their children were in attendance at the first worship service held at Twin Valley elementary school.

The body had called David Fogleboch as it’s pastor and was taking steps to incorporate.

For several month prior to this, these Christians had been meeting and worshipping in homes, but their use of the elementary school was short-lived.  And after only 15 months, the church needed to find new quarters.

For about 6 months, they met in the business on Route 401 known as Cerntainteed and then in homes again until ample space was finally procured in February 1980 at the Elverson fire hall.

For 7 years, the auditorium of Elverson’s fire company was graciously lended out to this body of believers needing a home.  A small sign was permitted to hang under the fire company’s large billboard on Main Street, which bore the name of the church that met there every Sunday - Community Evangelical Free Church.

Many had wanted to name it Elverson Evangelical Free Church, but since no land for purchase was in sight, and an available tract might be far from Elverson, it was decided that the official name be a bit more vague.

As the group’s numbers began to grow, and especially the number of children, CEFC also rented out the small historic church building across from Elverson Borough Hall on South Chestnut Street that had begun in 1884 as United Brethren Church.  It was used for several children’s Sunday School classes and a nursery.

By 1981, the church had a new pastor - Joel McCall, since Dave Fogleboch and his wife Carol and family were called to the mission field.  A tiny office for Pastor McCall was established in the rear of that historic church building.

Additionally, on Sunday evenings, CEFC adults used the same century old structure for prayer meetings and Bible study while their children and neighborhood friends enjoyed good news clubs that church members taught in the fire hall.  By this time, the body of believers had grown to around 150 adults and many young children.

Finally, a 9 acre piece of farm land on Brick Lane in the borough became available for the church to buy and build upon.  A ceremony of ground breaking was conducted by the church members in May of 1986 and following 13 months of construction by Stoltzfus Enterprises, with hours and hours of volunteer work by men and women of the congregation, the first phase of the present church structure on Brick Lane was completed - a sanctuary, foyer, church offices and a short education wing of classrooms.

At this time, another major change was taking place.  Joel McCall and his wife Sarah and family were poised to answer a call to minister a call to minister in a church in their homeland in the south.

Concurrent with this, a 7 year church member and elder, Steven Estes had finalized both his Masters of Divinity and Masters of Theology degrees.  On June 1st, 1987 he was ordained and installed as CEFC’s new pastor.  Therefore, June of that year brought both a new pastor and a much anticipated move from the fire hall into a new, completed church building.

In October 2007, the Community Evangelical Free Church celebrated its 30th year of being founded, along with the 20th year anniversary of the ministry of Pastor Steve Estes, his wife Verna, and their 8 children.

In those 20 years of worshipping the Lord in their own structure on Brick Lane, many changes in the church edifice and its body of believers have come about.

A large new wing parallel to Brick Lane was completed in the spring of 1992, along with the expanded sanctuary, new front entrance and multiple parking lots planted with dozens of sugar maples, ornamental fruit trees and evergreens.  These additions comprised the church phase 2 in its long range plan.  They were needed to accommodate the growing body, which by 2008 included 425 adults and their 337 children and teens.

65% of those adults attending CEFC are voting members, and there is a staff of 9, which to date includes 3 full-time pastors.  In addition to the Senior Pastor of Preaching and Teaching, Steve Estes, there is the associate pastor of counseling, Arlene Hagerty called in 1990 and the executive pastor of administration, Albert Kimball, called in 2005.

Thank you Brick Lane family for 45 years of ministry!