Goshen, Indiana, First Brethren Church celebrated its 125th anniversary on Sunday, June 12, 2022. The services were attended by both current and past members of the congregation, guests from the surrounding area, and representatives of The Brethren Church. John Drexler, a former pastor of the church, spoke on the “Reward for a Faithful Church” during the celebration worship service. Connection Pastor Jeff Spicher served as host and worship leader. The church’s worship team and organist provided musical leadership. During his message, Drexler highlighted five rewards of a faithful church based on Revelation 3:7-13: 1) deliverance from its enemies, and positions of 2) permanence, 3) prominence, 4) possession, and 5) protection.
The worship service was preceded by a fellowship time in the midst of a display of photos and memorabilia. Following the service, a lunch fellowship was held on the church lawn with the blessing offered by former pastor Cory Smith. At a time-capsule ceremony following lunch, former youth pastor John Howenstine described the value of legacy in the life of the church. He invited Deb and Greg Pollock and Dan, Leslie, and Skylar Laughlin to remove the contents of the time capsule. They represent the three most recent generations of six of one of the church’s charter families. The capsule had been buried at the 100th anniversary and will be reburied with current items for a future celebration.
The church was started in March 1897 when Brethren scholar and future missionary pioneer, Charles F. Yoder, began preaching in Goshen while studying at the University of Chicago. Currently, the church’s vision states, “We long to make Jesus known to Goshen, to Indiana, and to the ends of the earth. We accomplish this through witness to our local community, investment in church planting efforts in our region, and robust relationships with global partners.” The church is currently in a pastoral transition.
A live stream video of the worship service is available on the church’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/goshenfirstbrethren.