Benton United Presbyterian Church

The Friendly Brick Church at the Dam

The Benton Presbyterian Church is a small group that may more resemble a family than a traditional congregation. We meet for worship each Sunday at 9:00 AM. The minister is the Reverend Al Lumpkin, who has been with us for 20 years We are eager to welcome others who will visit with us occasionally or who may wish to join our congregation, as we seek to maintain and perhaps renew our historic presence in Benton

Located at the corner of Park and Market Streets, we are right across from Fishing Creek and the Benton Dam.

For information, call 570 925 2502. To contact Reverend Lumpkin, call 570 275-1461.

To see what our Church looked like in 1908, click here. To see the covered bridge over Market Street, beside the Church, click here. To review a more detailed history, go here.

 

 

Early History

  
 

As early as 1812, local Presbyterians worshiped in an Episcopal church at what was then called Sugar Loaf, also known as Coles Mills. In fact, the St. Gabriel church deed mentioned the church was for the "Lutherans, Presbyterians and Episcopalians." On April 20, 1899, the congregation had 20 members and two elders. In December, 1872, the name Sugar Loaf was changed to Raven Creek, due in part to the fact that another Sugar Loaf existed near Hazelton.

In 1891, an attempt to organize a congregation failed. On April 28, 1902, a committee of Presbytery organized a 45-member congregation. Mrs. Rohr McHenry donated a plot of ground beside the present Market Street adjacent to Fishingcreek and in 1902 the building was started and occupied in 1903. Eleven years later, on May 16, 1913, fire gutted the building. In 1914, a $5,000 task of renovation began, and services resumed March 16, 1915.

Under the pastorate of Rev. John H. Sanders, Raven Creek and Benton joined together and they constructed a manse. Later, Orangeville and Raven Creek joined with this Church in a Parish concept known as the Fishing Creek Larger Parish. Raven Creek withdrew in 1973. Orangeville and Benton continued this arrangement for many years.

Rev. Louis V. Barber served as pastor and lived in the manse from 1925 to 1943.

  
     
 
A view of the original Presbyterian Church, Market Street.
     

History of the Benton Presbyterian Church

Presbyterian services were held in St. Gabriel's Church, Sugarloaf township, as early as 1812. In 1859 a number of persons from Coles Mills petitioned the Presbytery of Northumberland for a church organization, in response to which John Doty, D. J. Waller and John Thomas were appointed to a committee to inquire into the matter. They met in the log Christian church in Benton borough on August 12, 1859, and organized a congregation consisting of Earl Boston, Frederick Laubach, James Wilson, Simon W. Tubbs, Freas Conner, and others. Services were held in the Hamline church until 1874, when the building at Raven Creek was dedicated.

In the early part of 1902 three services were held by the Presbyterians of Benton in the Christian Church building, until the group organized and built a home of their own. The Presbytery of Northumberland was appealed to and appointed Rev. G. H. Hemingway, Bloomsburg, Rev. Joseph Hunter, Berwick, and Elder John E. Sterling to assist in the organization. They met on April 28, 1902, and elected Dr. I. E. Patterson, Dr. I. L. Edwards and D. W. Kramer as ruling elders. Soon after this the following trustees were elected: John G. McHenry, Dr. J. B. Laubach, I. K. K. Laubach, Norman Hess, S. B. Karns, Dr. I. L. Edwards, Dr. I. E. Patterson.

The pastors of the church until 1913 were Revs. F. V. Frisbie, W. Hays Topping and Robert P. Howie. The first church was erected in 1903 at a cost of $23,000, and was considered a pretentious structure for so small a town. It was of wood, with brick veneer and brick and stone buttresses. On May 16, 1913, it was burned to the ground, leaving only the outer shell of brick partially standing. In this condition it stood until the fall of 1914, when the congregation began to rebuild, having a fund of $3,800 from the insurance on the burned building as a foundation. The new structure was similar to the old one in some respects.

The list of the first members of this church is as follows: I. E. Patterson, M. D., and wife, I. L. Edwards, M.D., and wife, Mrs. Agnes Alexander, Miss Mabel Alexander, J. S. Baker, Miss Effie Edwards, Peter U. Parley and wife, Norman W. Hess, Mrs. Leiia S. Hess, S. B. Karns and wife, Daniel W. Kramer and wife, Mrs. Russell Karns, Mrs. William Kline, H. A. Kemp and wife, Mrs. Rebecca Mather, Mrs. Mary Morey, J. B. McHenry and wife, J. G. McHenry and wife, Dr. J. B. Laubach and wife, Miss Estelle Laubach, Mrs. Agnes McHenry, Mrs. James Smith, Fred Wood and wife, George D. Yost and wife, Mrs. J. S. Baker, Myron P. Edwards and wife.

What is Currently Happening With Our Church

The Benton United Presbyterian Church has seen some wonderful changes in the last year. Among all the exciting things that have happened, we are most happy about adding four new members to our congregation.

Reverend Lumpkin united Clyde Wenner and Robin Christilaw in marriage in September, and we just welcomed them into the church December 29th. Evelyn Christilaw and Marjorie Savage joined us several months ago.

The congregation celebrated Reverend Lumpkin's retirement from his teaching position at Geisinger Medical Center in August. After a short sabbatical the first few weeks of 2003, he and his wife will be back in Danville, and he will resume his ministry in Benton.

To commemorate Reverend Lumpkin's distinguished career at Geisinger, the congregation presented to him a plate with our dear church and our best wishes etched into the glass.

We have since commissioned mugs and glasses with the church etched on them. These items have proved to be very popular, and we anticipate having more items available as we celebrate our 100th year in the community.

The Ladies Service Circle started a "Welcome Bag" for people who buy homes in our area. We collected a great variety of items from local businesses and banks. Added to these items, we add hand crocheted dish cloths, hot pads, and homemade quick breads. Of course, we include information on the Presbyterian religion, and our service times. The response to these have been very positive, and we hope this effort will attract new members, or at least some visitors.

Last spring, we refurbished the vestibule. The walls were painted, and burgundy wall to wall carpeting installed. The Trustees addressed other maintenance problems, inside as well as outside, and it was decided to make some major repairs.

With the help of te Presbytery, and Bob Shrandry we have been able to do the work that was necessary. New downspouts and snow shields were installed, the steeple was painted, as were all the outside windows. The basement windows were repaired and encased in aluminum, and vinyl siding put on the back of the church.

Drainage problems were fixed by regrading eroded areas, planting new grass, and affixing flexible drainage diverters to the downspouts. A new railing was put on the back steps on the west side, as well an exterior light. Two exterior doors were replaced on the back of the church, and the steel cellar doors were painted.

Inside, we have had electric outlets donated to the Sunday School room and the vestibule. Electric candles for the front windows, as well as seasonal decorations for the front doors, have also been donated. The dropped ceiling in the Sunday School room was refined and redefined around the vaulted triple windows in the front of the church.

Looking ahead to this new year, we are excited about several projects. We are planning now for our 100th anniversary celebration. We are also planning an archival/reading room in the former Pastor's room. Gathering photos, family histories, weddings, etc. will be a fun project for this winter. We hope to compile a church history, make a church directory, and publish a quarterly newsletter.

We are enjoying working in, and for our church, and watching it grow.

 

The Benton and Raven Creek Presbyterian congregation pooled their efforts and built the manse next to the Church. The project cost $3,500. Dr. I. E. Patterson gave timber from a tract of land he owned on Waller Road. Rev. Sanders, Dr. Harry Biddle, George Yost and H. W. Belles cut the trees. Mr. Belles hauled the trees to Benton for cutting and milling.