| About Bethlehem |
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On October 3, 1832, a petition to Mecklenburg Presbytery was received from Union Church in Mecklenburg County requesting that they be received and recognized as a church. The church was received into Presbytery at the fall meeting that same year.
The location was near the old Union Cemetery, about a mile east of Brief, in what is now Union County. No record has been discovered concerning the history of the church from 1832-1949. It is thought that these records were lost by the late John Henry Long, as he was crossing Duck Creek. High waters washed them out of the buggy, according to W. Baxter Long.
A new building was erected on Concord Road, south of Duck Creek, where there are graves, including Henry Williams, an elder who died in 1865. His wife presented a Bible to the church in his memory, dated 1866. In 1852, the church was renamed Bethlehem, confirmed by Concord Presbytery, and remained here until about 1894 when it was moved to a site on Hwy. 218 and Mill Grove Rd. David M. Crowell made the pews that were installed in the church.
The church was then moved to its present location after the consolidation of local schools. Ground was broken on January 9, 1939 with the first service held a year later. The Fellowship Hall and Education Building were completed in 1960.
The Celtic-style cross in the sanctuary was carved by Jack H. Ramseur in memory of his daughter, Susan Ramseur Maclin, who died of cancer in 1982. She was the wife of then Pastor Bob Maclin.
In May 2003, ground was broken on an addition that included a Multi-Purpose Room and 2 preschool classrooms. This new addition was dedicated in May of 2004.
Mortgage Burning Celebration, 3/28/10
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Our beliefs of are based on the teachings of the Bible, and the practices of the early Christian Church. We believe that we are part of the universal Church of Jesus Christ, and that the Church is to be ruled on earth, under the leadership of Jesus Christ by representative form of government. Our theology is based on the idea that Christian faith and life are not rigid, but are always being reformed by God's Word. Further, we believe that God chooses to be active in word and deed in the world in which we live, and that every person is called to be responsive in everything to the will and the activity of God. We believe that Jesus of Nazareth was God incarnate, (in human flesh), and that he came to earth to reveal God to us. We believe that by his death our forgiveness was achieved, and that by his resurrection the power of God over death was displayed once and for all. We believe that God created the universe, and that God will heal and redeem the universe. We believe that we are called to demonstrate the love of God to the World, and in every way to display our trust in God. Finally, we believe that no matter what trials and troubles we experience in this life, God's Holy Spirit is present with us, and that we may live without fear. We welcome any who believe in Jesus as Lord, to worship, work, and witness with us, to the glory of God. Further, we invite those who are searching for God to come among us, and learn about God's love through our gathering of Christ's followers!
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Printable Documents These documents were distributed to the congregation at an open forum to discuss the future of Bethlehem Presbyterian Church. |
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Coming soon!!
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