Church celebrates its tricentennial

Congregation began before the Revolution and still going strong Augusta — The Frankford Plains United Methodist Church celebrates its 300th anniversary this year, with a slate of events on Oct. 16, including a chicken barbecue, historical display and a presentation by potter Michael Ferris, who will present a program A Journey to the Potter’s house. According to church history, a congregation first built a log structure, which came to be called the Log Cabin Church in 1710 about a mile north of what today is Augusta, in Frankford Plains. That congregation was thought to have been of the Puritan or Lutheran denomination, according to church history. Its log church was located along the road adjoining the old graveyard, which is now known as the Frankford Plains Cemetery. A marker there notes the site of the log cabin church, which was replaced in 1750 by a second church building. By 1787 this church came under the control of the Methodist Society. The building stood for another 50-plus years. A third church building was erected in 1810 and called the Frankford Union Meeting House, as several church societies held meetings there at different times. Built i na plain and simple style, it had an eight-foot high pulpit and balconies that expanded the seating capacity. in its day, as many as 1,500 people came from miles around to attend the many services in this third church, which was considered the first Methodist Church in Sussex County. The structure stood 50 years until it, too, was torn down, in 1860. Today’s church The fourth and current church was constructed in 1860 and dedicated free from debt in 1861. Also in 1860, an octagonal schoolhouse was built on the church’s property. Classes were held in that one-room schoolhouse until 1950. It still stands and has been renovated as the church’s office and the pastor’s office. A long narrow community hall built next door, adjacent to the road, rduring the 1900s once used as a horse shed was redesigned over the years and used by many community groups. In 1989 a new fellowship hall was built further back on the back of the church’s property. The parsonage was built in 1956 on land donated by the Smith family. Prior to this the pastors stayed at members’ homes.

If you go
What: Frankford Plains United Methodist Church 300th anniversary
Where: 99 Plains Road, Augusta
When: Saturday, Oct. 16
Events: History display, 1:30 p.m.
Traditional worship, 3 p.m.
Chicken BBQ, 4:30 p.m. Call 973-702-0334 for tickets
Speaker Michael Ferris: “A Potter’s Journey,” 6 p.m.
Outside worship, Christian bands, music: 7:30 p.m.