CALVARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

The original name was Smyerstown Evangelical Church, built 1904 and was one of the founding church members of the Marchand Quarterly Conference

The conference was made up of six churches. They were as followes: Rossiter, Brison, Marchand, Zion, Pine, and Bear Run. The first meeting of the charge conference was held on October 19, 1901 in the Marchand Evangelical Church.

On September 13, 1957 the Marchand Charge was formed with the following churches: Marchand, Rossiter, St. Marks and Pine.

The church is now named Calvary United Methodist Church and is part of the Western PA Conference of the United Methodist Church. The Rossiter church along with Rochester Mills and Valley Chapel make up the present day Juneau Charge.

The Rossiter church lot was acquired from W.E. Mencer and wife Lizzie on April 1, 1903 for the sum of $200.00 by Trustees John Bishop, J.O. Bishop, and Charles Larabee of the Evangelical Association of North America. John Bishop and Lee Hawk donated the lumber for the church. The church was originally built close to the road on Main Street and was moved back fifty feet to foundations built by Elmer and Grant Baun. The congregation numbered seventy-five members whose early leaders were John, Adams and Charles Bishop and Louis Carcella

Ministers

Harry Faust 1904 - 1909

A.F. Richard 1909 - 1913

Harry Faust 1913 - 1919

Clarence Shield 1919 - 1923

Jacob Troutman 1923 - 1925

W.S. Harr 1925 - 1928

Harry M Mohney 1928 - 1935

Paul Garland 1935 - 1940

Clark 1940 - 1941

James Whitatch 1941 - 1943

N.A. Pearce 1943 - 1951

T.F. Sexton 1952 - 1955

J.F. Strayer 1955 - 1957

C.R. Doverspike 1957 - 1960

Gerald McCormick 1960 - 1963

William R Kinsey 1963 - 1969

Edward Clarke 1969 - 1970

William Filer 1970 - 1974

Richard Hackenberry 1974 - 1979

Richard Russell 1979 - 1984

Robert Hinrichsen 1984 - 1988

Otto Tinkey 1988 - 1991

David Pearce 1991 - 1996

Jeff Sexton 1996 - 1999

Donald R Brauer 1999 - Present