Located at 519 Church Street in historic Clifford, this white clapboard church with its towering steeple has served its myriad generations of local congregants since its founding in 1817 with 34 members.
Submitted Photo
If you want to be part of another special birthday celebration this summer without extensive travelling, be sure to visit the Clifford Baptist Church.
Located at 519 Church Street in historic Clifford, this white clapboard church with its towering steeple has served myriad generations of local congregants since its founding in 1817 with 34 members.
And while the number of years since its origin is actually 209, construction of the church building itself began 200 years ago, in 1826. This was done through the initial efforts of Elder Charles Miller and Orin Thatcher — with a pledge of only $19, payable in cash, labor, and maple sugar.
As historic celebrations abound this year to commemorate America’s semiquincentennial birthday, the Clifford Baptist Church looks forward to celebrating its own bicentennial birthday. On Sunday, June 14, the public is invited to join the congregation for regular services at 10 a.m.
Beginning at 12:30 p.m., there will be a welcome and prayer of thanksgiving, followed by Pastor Bonnie Colwell and her Mountain View Chimette Bellringers. At 1 p.m., lifelong congregant and church historian Barry Searle will offer a brief history of the church building, lead an old-time hymn sing, and unveil a special church plaque to further celebrate the occasion. Closing out the event at 1:45 p.m. will be a sweet and fun-filled ice cream social.
“We are so proud to recognize this church as the oldest known structure that is still standing in Clifford Township,” said Searle. “It is also one of the oldest Baptist churches in northeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.”
As Searle explained, “This long-standing church draws its lineage from the First Regular Baptist Church of Clifford, when early Baptist meetings were held in the homestead cabins of Clifford founder Adam Miller and Amos Harding in 1802. Interestingly, Harding was the great-grandfather of Warren G. Harding, the 29th US President. About 1807, Miller employed Sally Moss, the daughter of another early settler, William Moss, to teach school in a room that had been added to his cabin; that ‘school’ was also used for early church services. Over time, the founding settlers and faith-minded locals worked hard to maintain their own farmsteads but periodically donated and hauled timber from their lands to build the initial church structure. By 1836, the pulpit and galleries were added.
“Clifford was steadily growing,” continued Searle, “and by 1881 work began to enlarge and remodel the church to incorporate the bell tower, vestibule, and lecture room, which later became the Sunday School and was completed in 1882. The parish had joined the Abington Baptist Association in 1818, making Clifford the second-oldest church in the association.”
Searle noted that the congregation has always been very community-oriented. “Our mission is to be a people and place where love and respect is the norm, lives become Christ-filled, and individuals and families grow in joyful harmony, sharing Christ’s love in their daily lives by serving one another,” Searle said. “And while our membership has never been very large, this congregation has always been deeply involved in activities both inside and outside the community.”
He added that the church supports American Baptist missions throughout the year, regularly collects food and monetary donations for the Susquehanna County TREHAB program through the annual May 19 program, and donates 10% of its weekly offerings to the missions of the American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware.
“All of us at Clifford Baptist Church are very excited to celebrate our 200th birthday, and we invite the pubic to share this special time with us,” said Searle.
