CHURCHES OF GOD HISTORICAL TOUR
Monday, July 14, 2025
The tour will be of several historical sites significant to the life and ministry of Elder John Winebrenner. The plan is to car pool, but individual cars are welcome to join and follow. Guests are welcome to come along.
- The itinerary will include a visit to Winebrenner’s grave, the Metropolitan Bethel and Salem UCC in Harrisburg, the Union Bethel in Mechanicsburg, and Peace Church where he preached.
- There’s no cost involved, but a gift offering may be given to the drivers to help defray expenses.
- Wear weather appropriate clothing as we will be walking outdoors.
ITINERARY & DRIVING DIRECTIONS
12:00 p.m. - Leave the Best Western Motel, 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA, 17109
- Turn left out of parking lot & travel .3 miles to Union Deposit Road (second red light).
- Turn left & travel 1.5 miles to split and bear right on Canby Street for .5 miles to signal.
- Turn left on North Walnut Street & travel 1.3 miles to 13th street signal light.
- Turn right onto North 13th Street & go 1½ blocks to the cemetery entrance gate.
- Enter the cemetery & continue straight ahead to the top of the rise (4th cross lane).
- Turn right & go 1½ sections to JW’s grave on your left (granite pulpit w/ open Bible).
12:15 - Visit John Winebrenner’s grave site: Harrisburg Cemetery. (521 N 13th St, Harrisburg, PA 17101)
12:45 - Leave Winebrenner’s grave and travel to Salem UCC. (231 Chestnut Street, Harrisburg, PA)
- Go out the cemetery gate, turn left on Liberty Street and turn right on North 15th
- Go one block and turn right on State Street toward the PA state capitol.
- Cross the State Street bridge and bear left; round the curve onto Walnut Street.
- Go to 4th Street and turn left; pass JW’s Metropolitan Bethel (1854) on left.
- Continue on 4th to Chestnut Street; turn right and in 1 block turn left on Dewberry Street and continue right around bend to 3rd Street to parking lot entrance gate ahead or park curbside on Chestnut Street opposite Salem UCC (requires purchase of pass at kiosk).
1:00 - Tour Salem UCC (1823): Enter by the side door.
2:00 - Leave Salem Church and travel to Mechanicsburg Union Bethel.
- Travel westward on Chestnut Street to Front Street and turn left continuing along the Susquehanna riverside where JW held services after the 1823 lock-out at Salem.
- Continue straight and bear left onto the entrance ramp for 83 South toward York.
- Stay on 83 South & 581 North to exit 4 (Mechanicsburg & route 641) on right.
- Stay right off exit ramp and turn right onto 641 West (Trindle Road). Pass Peace Church and I. Daniel Rupp’s stone house, “The Refuge” (on right) 1 mile from Peace Church.
- Stay on 641 West into Mechanicsburg. Pass Dunkleberger Tavern (log house on right).
2:15 - Visit Mechanicsburg First Church of God (FCOG) and the Winebrenner’s Union Bethel.
- Come to the Union Bethel (on right) and Mechanicsburg FCOG (on left). Turn left into the alley beside the church building and park behind. Enter at side door in the alleyway.
- Visit FCOG (second period bethel – 1868) and Union Bethel (first period bethel – 1825).
3:15 - Return to Peace Church the way we came (Trindle Road).
- Head eastward on 641 to St. John’s Church Road.
- Turn left on SJCR. Take the third left (just before the 581/83 overpass) into the cemetery and follow round the square to the grassy area along SJCR to park.
3:30 - Tour Peace Church.
4:00 - A one-hour Winebrennerian Song Service at Peace Church concludes the tour. Be ready to sing.
TOUR NOTES
Winebrenner Grave Site: (March 25, 1797 – September 12, 1860) The current granite monument erected by the CGGC is a replacement of the original marble plinth and column.
The Metropolitan Bethel: This building was erected in 1854 and originally featured a tall spire that subsequently was struck by lightning and replaced. In 2015 the CGGC congregation disbanded and sold the building to a Harrisburg Dramatic Group.
Salem United Church of Christ: This building was erected in 1823 while John Winebrenner was pastor of the congregation. Here at the Chestnut Street entrance he was locked out in 1823 and led the assembled congregation to the banks of the Susquehanna where he conducted the service that day. Thus began the Church of God movement.
Daniel Rupp: Rupp was a personal friend of Winebrenner having been converted under his ministry at Peace Church. Rupp is recognized as Pennsylvania’s first professional historian. One of his works was The History of All Religious Denominations in the United States, first published in 1844. Winebrenner encouraged this work and wrote the chapter on the Church of God subsequent to the formation of the General Conference in 1845. In 1848 Winebrenner took over the publication of this book and issued it in an “improved portrait edition.” As such it went through several editions and became a source of income for Winebrenner.
Union Bethel: Erected in 1825 before the formation of the first eldership (1830) this school-house bethel was dedicated for use by any Christian organization. Winebrenner’s signature appeared on the original charter found in the cornerstone during the building’s restoration. It is typical of early CGGC meeting houses though many of them were of log or frame construction.
Mechanicsburg FCOG: The two-story bethel of the Mechanicsburg FCOG was erected under the ministry of Elder George Sigler (1834 – 1915) in 1868 and represents a second-generation facility with the sanctuary on the second floor and an educational hall on the first to accommodate the Sunday School.
Peace Church (St. John’s): Erected in 1798 this church was one of the four congregations Winebrenner came to pastor in 1820. This facility is essentially unchanged from its construction and thus appears today as it did in Winebrenner’s lifetime.