December 2004

Christmas Programs...

The Sunday School held a Christmas program in the church in 1877. The Superintendents were Richard Evans, Sr. and Moses Pease. The annual Christmas program was to be the first of over a hundred years of programs that ranged from the traditional Nativity pageant, in full costume, to short or very long recitations by pupils. The children, big-eyed and proud (or sacred to death), standing on the edge of the pulpit platform in their best clothes for all the loving parents and friends to admire.

The evening was usually topped off by a visit from Santa Claus who gave oranges and sometimes candy to each child present. The purchase of the box of candy, sometimes hard, sometimes chocolate, was a major purchase of the Sunday School Treasurer in the 1930's and 1940's. To get the best value and hope the chocolates did not taste cheap was of great importance. Usually the oranges were donated (anonymously) by the Sunday School Superintendent. Elvin Tomlinson was one of the leaders in this endeavor, wanting all the children present to receive the oranges even if the candy did not stretch far enough. Although it was a sure bet that the children would be there who did not usually attend Sunday School, no child went away empty handed if it could be helped. Sometimes the teachers gave up their own fruit or candy to insure this.

This annual entertainment was the main attraction in the little town of Cross Keys in the early years. Everyone including the town "characters" were sure to attend Christmas Eve festivities. The church was decorated by the men of the church with greens and ropes of laurel and, of course, a tree. It has been recalled about 1900 a real sleigh was in the pulpit filled with evergreens and a tree. In later years, various pieces of scenery have been used to better illustrate the Christmas Story. In 1950 Mark, the new born son of Rev. and Mrs. E. Earl Hartman, portrayed the Christ Child.

The Christmas Eve Sunday School Program gradually gave way to modern and more commercial times when families made their own plans for Christmas Eve.

October 2004

The 100^th year Anniversary of the Bell and Tower has been celebrated, the decorated cake eaten, and commemorate pens have been given out. What's next?

The first mention of a sexton was the year 1878-1879. Mr. David Bates fulfilled the need and was paid $30 probably for the entire year. Sexton duties have varied over the years, and it is hard to imagine all the tasks of the early sexton. Mr. Bates lived across the street from the church and he probably had to stoke the fires in the winter, empty ashes, shovel snow, clean up and might have had to care for the outside grounds. In that day of horse and buggies, there were horse sheds along the property line on the north side so the horses could be out of the bad weather. Was he responsible for cleaning that as well? As far as is known there are no photos of the horse sheds, but they were still in existence in the 1930's. - Historical Reflections of the Cross Keys United Methodist Church

September 2004

It is the 100^thYear Anniversary Celebration of our Bell and Tower! Come join us on October 17, 2004 to ring the bell in either Service. There will be a Fellowship Hour following the 11:15 A.M. Service.

1904: A bell tower was proposed and the faithful few set about to raise the money and purchase a bell. John Wesley Sparks, a native of Cross Keys and prominent stockbroker in Philadelphia, pledged the bell and the installation, if the congregation would erect the tower and pay for it. He also provided for the cost of the painting of the parsonage and the church. The tower committee was J.W. Sparks, Richard Yapp, Richard Fisler, and S.E. Tomlinson. Allen Duncan was contracted to build the tower on the center front of the church with double entry doors. A round window was placed two-thirds of the way up the front and two frosted glass windows on the sides of the tower. Access to the bell tower is through a square opening in the balcony area ceiling, into the church loft, through an opening cut into the original church front wall onto a wooden platform. From there a ladder leads up the wall of the tower to the bell platform. A rectangular wood plague on the front of the original building was covered by the tower and only seen from the ladder. It reads "Lebanon Methodist Church."

The 550 pound bell cast by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore, Maryland was shipped to Williamstown for a total cost of $130. The freight charge was only $1.61. The warranty reads: "The above mentioned Bell is warranted to be of the best workmanship throughout, composed exclusively of the Best Grade New Copper and Imported E. India Tin, to be of good clear tone, satisfactory to purchaser and not to crack by regular usage within fifteen years from this date. Should it crack within time specified and immediate notice is given to us, we will give a new one of the same size and quality in Free Exchange for cracked one, the purchaser only to pay the freight Charges on cracked Bell and new Bell in exchange. (signed) McShane Bell Foundry by S.W. Seeny."

May 2004

The Honor Roll

Memorial Day services were observed at the Cross Keys United Methodist Church in the early years of the 20^thcentury. Early memories are of a parade by the uniformed men of the lodge Junior Mechanics and the Veterans of World War I. Children decorated their bicycles with red, white, and blue crepe paper streamers and every house flew a flag. The people of the town would gather in the Church sanctuary for a service of patriotic songs, memorial readings, and a sermon. Former residents who had family buried in the cemetery returned to decorate the graves and renew old friendships. Following the service, everyone gathered behind the church and the children were given an American flag and a pot of geraniums to be place on the graves of the veterans. Following this eagerly awaited activity for the children everyone went into the church basement for lunch. The local Cross Keys Grange #123 prepared ham sandwiches and cheese sandwiches on snowflake rolls with lots of hot coffee.

May 1944 an Honor Roll listing of names of the men and women of the community serving in World War II from both the Monroe and Washington Township sections of the town became a Methodist Youth Fellowship project. It was designed and constructed by Warren Banse. The rustic design was appropriate for the rural community which remembered, whether or not they had ever attended the Cross Keys Methodist Church.

On Memorial Day 1944 a fitting dedication ceremony was held by the members of the MYF, Elsie Gollmer, President and Rev. Olin C. Lore officiated at a short ceremony. Then, everyone went to the church for the usual Memorial service. The Williamstown Veterans
organizations have also honored the fallen by firing a salute both at the memorial and at the cemetery.

Historical Reflections of the Cross Keys United Methodist Church 1875-1985

March 2004

The building of the Education Building - 1969

Now that Cross Keys United Methodist Church is breaking ground to erect an all purpose building on the former Morgan property on the north side of the church, a step back in time will review the first building added to the church property in 1969.

After careful and prayerful consideration and a congregational meeting, an architect from Haddonfield was hired to design an educational building that would serve the needs of the church. It was also to be kept in the style of architecture of the church itself.

A $50, 000 building consisting of ten rooms was planned. This was the first construction project to be undertaken by the governing body, The Official Board, since 1912 when the basement was put under the existing church. The new building consisted of 3, 400 square feet. Four of the classrooms had folding dividers so they could be opened to make two larger rooms. Library and office space for the Pastor was provided, as well as restrooms and a utility closet.

In order to build the Education building it was necessary to demolish the original parsonage, which was being used for classrooms and a garage. The building committee was persuaded to leave the tree that had stood at the parsonage back door, to provide shade on the front of the building. Working around this obstacle, parking spaces were allowed for twenty five cars.

The Camden Metropolitan District gave an initial donation of $5, 000 to start the building fund. A Fund Raising Specialist was sent by the Conference to instruct the committee responsible how to go about the raising of the needed money. Ten teams of two persons contacted members, friends, and the business community on April 20, 1969 and obtained pledges and/or donations of time or talent toward the construction. The builder and contractor worked along with the building committee agreeing on what the volunteers would do, such as painting, tile work, heating, and plumbing.

A financial goal of $30,000 was to be raised by pledges, asking each member family to give $3.00 per week for 156 weeks (three years). Each Sunday School class and Church organization also made pledges. The extensive use of a clever brochure, entitled "Is God Dead in Cross Keys?" assisted in the door to door visitations.

On September 14, 1969 the church bell rang wildly to signal the community that the goal of the pledges had reached $30, 000.

On October 30, 1969 a ground breaking ceremony was held on the projected area of the new building.

On April 25, 1971 the Consecration Day was celebrated with a service at 3 pm, following a luncheon provided by the ladies of the church.

Two District Superintendents were present, the architect and builder and many friends and members. All present signed the Historian's guest book and toured the building.

Excerpts from "Historical Reflections of the Cross Keys United Methodist Church, 1875-1985

Members of Cross Keys have long considered Faith a verb, acting as the Spirit has moved them to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Just take a look at our History of Faith...

1875 - With donated land, materials and labor, early church members built our existing sanctuary which accommodates up to 200 people for Sunday services.

1904 - Bell Tower was built to welcome church goers to services.

1912 - Basement built to support growth in ministries.

1931 - Stained Glass Windows were purchased (and refurbished in 1999).

1971 - Educational Building was built to expand Christian education.

1984 - Parsonage was erected for the Pastor and his family.

1998 - Morgan property was purchased to support future growth.

2000 - The church family has recognized a need to meet its on-going mission statement. In the fall of 2000, the church conference unanimously approved the building of a new facility for our growing ministries.

Our Mission Statement...

Cross Keys United Methodist Church is a welcoming Christian community committed to living and sharing God's word and expressing Christ's Love through Care, Outreach, Worship, Fellowship, and Mission.