Our History

In 1870, a Sunday School was organized by Wilson Eyler in a school house near what is now Cascade, Maryland. The next year revival services were held in the school house under the direction of Rev. Samuel Spurrier, who would become the first pastor of the new congregation. There were approximately 30 – 40 conversions during these meetings. The first Bethel (church building), located near the present structure, was constructed under Spurrier’s leadership and was dedicated on January 14, 1872. Early maps of Frederick County indicate this was called Winebrennarian Church. It later became known as the Germantown Bethel Church. Germantown is the former name for Cascade, which takes its name from the “Great Falls” on Falls Creek between Fort Ritchie and Buena Vista Springs. The cemetery adjoining the church property is a burial ground for a large part of the mountaintop community. The Friends Creek Church, near Sabillasville, is considered to be the mother church of the Germantown Church of God and the Blue Mountain Church of God, near Rouzerville, is considered to be the daughter church of the Germantown Church.

The church was at first known as the Winebrennarian Church because John Winebrenner, the founder of what is now the Churches of God, General Conference, was instrumental in establishing churches, first in the Harrisburg, PA area and then throughout the neighboring states. “At the General Eldership in Mount Carroll, Illinois in May 29, 1872, a special request came to prominent brethren in Maryland requesting the privilege of organizing an Eldership. In October 1872, at Creagerstown, a vote was taken whether or not an Eldership be organized. November 27, 1872 at Uniontown, Carroll County, the first session of the Maryland and Virginia Eldership was held. The opening sermon was by Elder Samuel Spurrier.” (History as compiled by Pastor Paul E. Tobias, in notebook History of the Church of God of Germantown, Maryland, compiled by Jane Christie and Marcella Hershberger.) The MD/VA Eldership became a part of the Eastern Regional Conference of the Churches of God, General Conference in 2001.

Growth of the congregation through the years has been marked by the erection of our present gothic revival style bethel constructed of native gray fieldstone with stained glass windows and dedicated September 11, 1949. The educational wing annex was dedicated on September 12, 1971, the date the congregation celebrated their 100th anniversary. On adjoining property, a parsonage was dedicated December 8, 1968. The dedication for the Family Life Center, which is nestled within the structure of the church and educational wing, was dedicated on September 15, 1996, which was our congregations’ 125th anniversary.