“History is what connects us with our past and points us toward our future. I particularly find the unique history of this congregation interesting. It can be said that the village and the church grew up together. From the beginning of the history of this congregation the people of the New Jersey church have been deeply involved in the life and welfare of the village. The congregation continues that rich heritage of community involvement… in education, in business, the village government, [and] civic organizations, only to name a few. In many other ways they follow the call of Christ to serve him in the family of faith and in the world.”
Timothy M. McQuade, Pastor
New Jersey Presbyterian Church
March, 1988
Timothy M. McQuade, Pastor
New Jersey Presbyterian Church
March, 1988
A Brief Summary From 1812 to Present
Founding History: This congregation was planted by faithful people who migrated from the state of New Jersey. Originally, Arthur Vanderveer, of Freehold, New Jersey surveyed the land in 1800 and returned in the spring of 1804 with his cousin Tunis D Vanderveer who purchased 1,000 acres of land and began building a home and persuading others from New Jersey to join him. Eventually, there was gathered a core group of families who desired a church, several from the Old Dutch Presbyterian Church in Freehold, NJ. So they began talking to the Miami Presbytery about developing a congregation. The congregation was founded on August 14, 1813 with the part time services of Rev. Francis Monfort who was paid $150 for his first year of service. They met regularly at the home of Tunis D. Vanderveer. The first members joined in late summer 1814 at a ceremony that received 22 members (13 by transfer and 9 for the first time) and ended with the first communion of the congregation. The congregation continued to meet in different homes until they seemed to settle on the barn of member Hedrick Lane.
First Church Building: The congregation built a church building on 2-acres of land offered by Daniel Dubois and a building was built 5 miles north of our current location in 1816, holding a fall communion service on September 22, 1816 which received four more members into fellowship with the church. The building had no stoves, so they “had an arrangement by which heaps of charcoal were laid immediately before the pulpit, in the middle of the house, around which the people gathered to warm and listen to preaching.” But soon they were “smoked out” and only met in the church during mild weather. In April 1820, the church had grown enough to offer Rev. Monfort a full-time pastorate. At the end of Rev. Monfort’s time at New Jersey Church, in 1821, they had 64 members.
Second Church Building: At some point prior to 1863, the congregation determined that they needed a new more modern church building. The process of planning and building was difficult and slow because the congregation had limited resources and was committed to building without going into debt. The new church was dedicated on September 5, 1866. On December 1, 1867 the pastor preached on “Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy home and the place where Thine honor dwelleth” as many wept." The following week, church services began in this new, more modern building, that cost $16,350 by the time it was completed.
One Hundred Year Celebration: The congregation celebrated, with joy to the Lord, at their 100 year celebration. Miss Dora Fleming wrote on this occasion, “Our forefathers laid the foundations broad and deep. Our father built the superstructure stately and strong, and it behooves us of the third and fourth generation to see that we build the walls of Zion, straight and high and beautiful, so that when the Two Hundredth Anniversary rolls around, we may have been found to be workmen of whom our followers need not be ashamed. We will not be here, but may we all, a happy band be found, as a former pastor always prayed, “safe at the right hand of God, where there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (August 14, 1913).”
On December 5, 1920 a fire broke out, during worship, and destroyed the building. Gratefully, no one was hurt. The session met that night, in the manse, to pray and discuss what to do next. The church began meeting in an alternate location and unanimously voted on December 19, 1920 to build a new house of worship
Third Church Building: The new building, in which we currently worship, was completed and dedicated on July 16, 1922 for a cost of $35,000. A little less than seven years later, the last payment for the debt on the new building was burned during the morning worship service. Joseph Clark Chamberlin, a member of the building committee and the then oldest living church member, had the privilege of burning that note.
1930-1980: The church grew and developed, lost members and rebuilt. In the 1940s the church surged in attendance and in 1949 had a Vacation Bible School with 76 students and 13 teachers. In the 1950’s the church averaged a congregation size of 280. In the 1960’s the church had an active youth group and the building grew crowded. During this decade the congregation built on an addition that provided more classroom and office space. They also remodelled the sanctuary by adding new padded pews, a center aisle, new carpeting and paint.
One Hundred and Seventy Fifth Year Celebration: The congregation celebrated the 175th anniversary in 1988 with preparation and enthusiasm. They commissioned a memorial plate and published a book on the history of the church. These books are still available for anyone who requests a copy.
Recent History: As more than 200 years have passed since the founding of this expression of God’s body, the church set about modernizing in order to be prepared for a new generation of worship and faithful devotion to God. In January 2016, the church moved to a new denominational affiliation, ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, looking for a fresh start and support for revitalization. After years of discussion and debate, in July 2017, the congregation was renamed to Carlisle Community Church in order to better reflect the mission to our village and surrounding areas. Since then, the worship style has also gone under transformation, moving to a worship band and taking down the large pulpit, lectern, and choir loft. These changes brought a level of stress and conflict in the church. Even so, this congregation is trusting the Lord to reveal and establish his bright future for the people of CCC/NJPC.
Quotes and content taken from New Jersey Presbyterian Church History, 1988. See pages 5, 37, 40, and 51.
First Church Building: The congregation built a church building on 2-acres of land offered by Daniel Dubois and a building was built 5 miles north of our current location in 1816, holding a fall communion service on September 22, 1816 which received four more members into fellowship with the church. The building had no stoves, so they “had an arrangement by which heaps of charcoal were laid immediately before the pulpit, in the middle of the house, around which the people gathered to warm and listen to preaching.” But soon they were “smoked out” and only met in the church during mild weather. In April 1820, the church had grown enough to offer Rev. Monfort a full-time pastorate. At the end of Rev. Monfort’s time at New Jersey Church, in 1821, they had 64 members.
Second Church Building: At some point prior to 1863, the congregation determined that they needed a new more modern church building. The process of planning and building was difficult and slow because the congregation had limited resources and was committed to building without going into debt. The new church was dedicated on September 5, 1866. On December 1, 1867 the pastor preached on “Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy home and the place where Thine honor dwelleth” as many wept." The following week, church services began in this new, more modern building, that cost $16,350 by the time it was completed.
One Hundred Year Celebration: The congregation celebrated, with joy to the Lord, at their 100 year celebration. Miss Dora Fleming wrote on this occasion, “Our forefathers laid the foundations broad and deep. Our father built the superstructure stately and strong, and it behooves us of the third and fourth generation to see that we build the walls of Zion, straight and high and beautiful, so that when the Two Hundredth Anniversary rolls around, we may have been found to be workmen of whom our followers need not be ashamed. We will not be here, but may we all, a happy band be found, as a former pastor always prayed, “safe at the right hand of God, where there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (August 14, 1913).”
On December 5, 1920 a fire broke out, during worship, and destroyed the building. Gratefully, no one was hurt. The session met that night, in the manse, to pray and discuss what to do next. The church began meeting in an alternate location and unanimously voted on December 19, 1920 to build a new house of worship
Third Church Building: The new building, in which we currently worship, was completed and dedicated on July 16, 1922 for a cost of $35,000. A little less than seven years later, the last payment for the debt on the new building was burned during the morning worship service. Joseph Clark Chamberlin, a member of the building committee and the then oldest living church member, had the privilege of burning that note.
1930-1980: The church grew and developed, lost members and rebuilt. In the 1940s the church surged in attendance and in 1949 had a Vacation Bible School with 76 students and 13 teachers. In the 1950’s the church averaged a congregation size of 280. In the 1960’s the church had an active youth group and the building grew crowded. During this decade the congregation built on an addition that provided more classroom and office space. They also remodelled the sanctuary by adding new padded pews, a center aisle, new carpeting and paint.
One Hundred and Seventy Fifth Year Celebration: The congregation celebrated the 175th anniversary in 1988 with preparation and enthusiasm. They commissioned a memorial plate and published a book on the history of the church. These books are still available for anyone who requests a copy.
Recent History: As more than 200 years have passed since the founding of this expression of God’s body, the church set about modernizing in order to be prepared for a new generation of worship and faithful devotion to God. In January 2016, the church moved to a new denominational affiliation, ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, looking for a fresh start and support for revitalization. After years of discussion and debate, in July 2017, the congregation was renamed to Carlisle Community Church in order to better reflect the mission to our village and surrounding areas. Since then, the worship style has also gone under transformation, moving to a worship band and taking down the large pulpit, lectern, and choir loft. These changes brought a level of stress and conflict in the church. Even so, this congregation is trusting the Lord to reveal and establish his bright future for the people of CCC/NJPC.
Quotes and content taken from New Jersey Presbyterian Church History, 1988. See pages 5, 37, 40, and 51.
