Oak Park Church of the Brethren

Statement of Purpose | Our Story | History of Pastors | Original Charter Members | Our Deacons

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the Oak Park Church of the Brethren is to provide a means in this community for Christians to work in loving harmony to do God's will and to lead others to salvation through Christ.

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Our Story

As early as 1899, voices for a Church of the Brethren in Oakland, Maryland, began to be heard. In 1900, a committee had already studied the situation and reported to the District Meeting. Their findings revealed much interest and $1,000 was pledged. However, the District Meeting voted not to establish a mission at Oakland in 1900.

A few decades later, the probing mind of a moutaintop Brethren pioneer began to entertain notions of a Church of the Brethren at Oakland. The pioneer was Rev. Jonas Sines, and as the years went by, his probing notions evolved into convictions. In the later years of the 1940's he began to quiz members of the General Brotherhood Board in an attempt to ascertain interest and sharing of conviction. Finally it all resulted in the meeting of a few interested families. That historic meeting was in the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Spoerlein, south of Oakland. It was that June 7, 1953, meeting that severed the thread of history and inserted the new chapter which tells the warm and glowing story of a new congregation.

More to come...

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History of Pastors

Rev. Jonas Sines	Free Ministry
Rev. Ronald Spire	1957 Part Time
Rev Edward G. Wenger	1957 - 1961 Full Time
Rev. J. Stanley Earhart	1961 - 1964
Rev. J. Rogers Fike	1964 - 1965
Rev Galen Fike	Interim Pastor 1965 - 1966, 1969 - 1971
Rev/. Eldon Shingleton	1966 - 1969
Rev. Paul Crumley	1971 - 1979
Rev. Verne Leininger	1979 - 1988
Rev. Paul Stauffer	1988 - 1994
Rev. Earl McCombs	1994 - 1996
Rev. Mel Menker	1996 - 2009