Frequently Asked Questions about ANE COB

The Church of the Brethren is a protestant denomination formed in Germany in 1708 with roots in Anabaptism and Pietism. Due to religious persecution, they began emigrating to America in 1719. Basic beliefs include pacifism, non-credalism, and individual conscience.

Read more at http://www.brethren.org/about/history.html

The Church of the Brethren in the USA is divided into geographical regions called Districts. In 1867 the 14 congregations east of the Susquehanna River formed the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In 1911 some congregations split from the Eastern District to form the Southeastern District of Pennsylvania, which was renamed the North Atlantic District in 1954. These two Districts were reunited to form the Atlantic Northeast District in 1970.

Although the German immigrant Brethren initially met in their homes for worship, in 1770 they constructed a stone meetinghouse at 6611 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, which is still used today by the Germantown Church of the Brethren congregation. A Pennsylvania Historical Marker may be viewed at this site.

The Pricetown Meetinghouse near Fleetwood in Berks County, built in 1777, holds this honor. The Mohrsville COB currently maintains this meetinghouse. The congregation has a special annual gathering at the meetinghouse.

Germantown Church of the Brethren holds December 25, 1723, as the start of their congregation. 

Christopher Saur I (1695-1758, also spelled Sauer and later anglicized to Sower) and his son, Christopher Saur II (1721-1784), were among the most influential men in Colonial America. The Saur Press was the most prolific printer of German language books, Broadsides, and a German newspaper that was widely read in the colonies. A Pennsylvania Historical Marker has been placed at 5300 Germantown Avenue to recognize Saur’s influence.

Alexander Mack (1679-1735), viewed as the founder of the denomination in 1708, came to Germantown in 1729 and worshipped with the Brethren until his death in 1735.

Peter Becker (1687-1758), who led the first contingent of Brethren to cross the Atlantic in 1719, led the Germantown Brethren and helped organize congregations throughout Eastern Pennsylvania in the 1720’s. He performed the first baptisms in America on Christmas Day, 1723.

Martin Urner (1695-1755) came to America from Switzerland in 1708. He was a successful farmer who was baptized on Christmas Day 1723, and in 1724 he formed the Coventry congregation. He quickly became a leader in the Church of the Brethren and is credited with organizing and leading the first “annual meeting” of the Brethren in 1742.

Martin Grove Brumbaugh (1862-1930), governor of Pennsylvania 1915-1919.

Conrad Beissel, who founded the Ephrata Cloister as a celibate religious society in 1738, had been a member of the Church of the Brethren in Conestoga (now Lancaster), but split from the Brethren over his belief in the Sabbath being the seventh day (Saturday). Several Brethren from Pennsylvania joined the Cloister, including the wife of Christopher Saur I and the son of Alexander Mack.  Several other members of the family of Alexander Mack became members of the Ephrata Cloister as well.

George Douglas Gehr, Sacred Simplicity: Worship Spaces Among the Brethren in Atlantic Northeast, PeaceAbility Press, 2023

The Brethren Encyclopedia, Volumes 1-3, Brethren Press, 1983. Volume 4, 2000.

Durnbaugh, Donald F., Fruit of the Vine, Brethren Press, 1997

Durnbaugh, Donald F., The Brethren in Colonial America, Brethren Press, 1967

Fitzkee, Donald R., Moving Toward the Mainstream, Good Books, Intercourse, PA 1995

Gleim, Elmer Q., From These Roots: A History of the North Atlantic District, Church of the Brethren, Forry and Hacker, Lancaster, PA 1975

History of the Church of the Brethren Eastern Pennsylvania 1708-1915, readable online at Google books

History of the Church of the Brethren Eastern Pennsylvania 1915-1965, Forry and Hacker, Lancaster, PA 1965