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Mariner's Bethel United Methodist Church records

Notifications

Held at: Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church [Contact Us]235 N. Fourth Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
37
Repository:
Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church
Extent:
1.25 linear feet
Language:
English
Date:
1948-2006 (bulk) and 1833-2006 (inclusive)
Creator:
Mariner's Bethel United Methodist Church (Collingdale, Pa.)
Abstract:
Mariner's Bethel United Methodist Church in Collingdale, Delaware County, Pennsylvania was founded as Central Methodist Church in 1924, and changed its name in 1948. The church closed in 2010. The Mariner's Bethel United Methodist Church records, 1833-2006 (bulk 1948-2006), include administrative records, such as minutes, treasurer's reports, and budgets; membership and vital records, including baptisms, marriages, and deaths; photographs; anniversary pamphlets; and various other materials relating to the church and its history.

Methodism is a protestant Christian faith based in the teachings of John Wesley (1703-1791), who preached "practical divinity," emphasis on Christian living, and putting faith and love into action. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1784 in Baltimore, Maryland with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as its first bishops and held its first general conference in 1792. In May of 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church; the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and the Methodist Protestant Church united to form the Methodist Church (U.S.). In 1946 the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (New constitution) and the Evangelical Church united to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968 the Methodist Church (U.S.) and the Evangelical United Brethren Church united, forming the United Methodist Church (U.S.).

Founded as Central Methodist Church in Collingdale, Delaware County, Pennsylvania in 1924, Mariner's Bethel United Methodist Church changed its name when it laid the cornerstone in 1948 for a new building at 815 Clifton Avenue. Dr. G. Paul Beck led the congregation from the time of the first service in the new building, 1949, until 1951. In the late 1980s the congregation's first woman pastor, Reverend Alice Cook, became involved. The church closed in 2010.

The Mariner's Bethel United Methodist Church records, 1833-2006 (bulk 1948-2006), include administrative records, such as minutes, treasurer's reports, and budgets; membership and vital records, including baptisms, marriages, and deaths; photographs; anniversary pamphlets; and various other materials relating to the church and its history. A folder-level inventory for the collection is available.

Some church records at the Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church, particularly membership and vital records, are available in digital form through Ancestry.com or on microfilm at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and/or the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.

The Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church is the repository for records of member churches when they close.

Summary descriptive information on this collection was compiled in 2012-2014 as part of a project conducted by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to make better known and more accessible the largely hidden collections of small, primarily volunteer run repositories in the Philadelphia area. The Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories (HCI-PSAR) was funded by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

This is a preliminary finding aid. No physical processing, rehousing, reorganizing, or folder listing was accomplished during the HCI-PSAR project.

In some cases, more detailed inventories or finding aids may be available on-site at the repository where this collection is held; please contact Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church directly for more information.

Organization
Subject
Place

Publisher
Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories using data provided by the Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church
Sponsor
This preliminary finding aid was created as part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. The HCI-PSAR project was made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Access Restrictions

Contact Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church for information about accessing this collection.

Collection Inventory

Seventieth Anniversary, 1994.
Box 1 Folder 1
Seventy-Fifth Anniversary, 1999.
Box 1 Folder 2
Baptism Records, 1923-2006.
Box 1 Folder 3
Official Board Minutes 1933-1941.
Box 1 Folder 4
Administrative Board/Council Minutes, 1987-1994.
Box 1 Folder 5
Administrative Board/Council Minutes, 1995-2006.
Box 1 Folder 6
Worship Bulletins (selected), 1937-1997.
Box 1 Folder 7
Charge Conference Records, 1981-2003 (incomplete).
Box 1 Folder 8
Church Study, 1964.
Box 1 Folder 9
Death Records, 1929-2005.
Box 1 Folder 10
Membership Directories, 1930, 1954, 1997.
Box 1 Folder 11
Historical Materials, 1926-2000.
Box 1 Folder 12
Marriage Records, 1933-c. 2000.
Box 1 Folder 13
Membership Records, 1924-2002.
Box 1 Folder 14
Treasurer's Reports, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1998, 2005.
Box 1 Folder 15
Annual Budgets, 1953, 1990, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1991.
Box 1 Folder 16
Administrative Board Minutes, 1975-1979.
Box 1 Folder 17
Photographs, 70th Anniversary, 1994.
Box 2 Folder 1
Photograph, 1996 Chrismon Service.
Box 2 Folder 2
Photograph, George Darby, 1987.
Box 2 Folder 3
Photograph, Altar at Easter, 1987.
Box 2 Folder 4
Photograph, Rev. Paul Buck, c. 1950.
Box 2 Folder 5
Photograph, Rev. Henry Ziegler, c. 1980.
Box 2 Folder 6
Photograph, Rev. George Darby and Children, 1985.
Box 2 Folder 7
Photograph, Pastor Alice Cook Farewell, 1991.
Box 2 Folder 8
Photograph, Rev. Val Hastings, 1984.
Box 2 Folder 9
Photograph, Christmas, 1984.
Box 2 Folder 10
Photograph, Alice M. Cook, Pastor, 1987-1991.
Box 2 Folder 11
Photograph, Jusef Salam, Pastor, 1991-1998.
Box 2 Folder 12
Photograph, George E. Darby, Pastor, 1984-1987.
Box 2 Folder 13
Photograph, J. Val Hastings, Pastor, 1983-1984.
Box 2 Folder 14
Photograph, Steven Waligar, Pastor, 1980-1983.
Box 2 Folder 15
Photograph, Henry Ziegler, Pastor, 1977-1980.
Box 2 Folder 16
Photograph, Rev. David Adam, Pastor, 1969.
Box 2 Folder 17
Photograph, C. B. Cook, Rev. Alice Cook, Elneada Kearny, Kathleen.
Box 2 Folder 18
Photograph, Rev. Don Kniffen with choir, c. 1970.
Box 2 Folder 19
Photograph, Rev. Steven Waligar and family, c. 1980.
Box 2 Folder 20
Photograph, C. B. Cook, Rev. Alice Cook, Myrtle Albright.
Box 2 Folder 21
Photograph, Rev. J. Val Hastings, 1994.
Box 2 Folder 22
Photograph, Rev. Jon Swenson, 1994.
Box 2 Folder 23
Minutes, 1833-1841, 1855-1870.
Box 3 Folder 1
Minutes, 1837-1842, 1844-1846; Subscription Lists, n.d.; List of Members, n.d.
Box 3 Folder 2
Minutes. 1833, 1847, 1874, 1906.
Box 3 Folder 3
Jubilee Program, 1906.
Box 3 Folder 4
Photograph, n.d.
Box 3 Folder 5
Articles of Incorporation, 1954.
Box 3 Folder 6
Contract for Construction of Parsonage, 1959.
Box 3 Folder 7
Photographs, Ground Braking, n. d.
Box 3 Folder 8
Records, 1959-1991.
Volume 1
Baptisms, 1951-1962; Full membership.
Volume 2
Baptisms, 1943-1960; Marriages, 1943-1969; Deaths, 1949-1959.
Volume 3
History file.
File 1
History File Scope and Contents note

Centennial Anniversary 1931; 50th Anniversary 1924; 75th Anniversary Programme 1906; Historical Sketch 1899; Drawing of church Interior; Picture of Altar; Drawing-Old Bethel; Annual Reports (1882,1922,1924,1929); Sunday School Library-undated; 1927 clipping

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