Bethel Evangelical and Reformed Church
Hickory NC

Bethel is known as "The Little Church with the Big Heart," and it has certainly held true to its name all 167 years of its life. For such a small church we feel we make a BIG difference. We do our best to reach out and to help others in our community, in our nation, and in our world.

 

http://www.bethelchurchhickory.com/  

 

1. Head East on I-40 East
2. Take exit 123A toward US 321 S/N Carolina 127 S/Lincolnton
3. Merge onto US 321 S
4. Take exit 41 for River Road
5. Turn right at River Road
6. Take left at Hickory Lincolnton Rd/Zion Church Rd.
7. Take the first right toward Bethel Church Rd.
8. Turn right and arrive at Bethel Church  

The Formation of a Church

Around 1847 Bethel was organized by Reverend John H. Crawford so that the religious needs of the Reformed families locating in the rural western section of Catawba County could be met.

In 1848 a small frame building was built for worship. The brick sanctuary that is currently on the site replaced the small frame building in 1886.

In 1935 a log hut was built and in 1950 it was remodeled for things like Sunday School. In 1968 there was an educational wing added to the back of the sanctuary.

Around 1987 a "family life center" was built.

The parsonage that was built in 1906 was a frame parsonage that was shared by four churches. It was replaced with a house that was more adequate in 1948.

There was a cemetery established sometime before 1860.

Church Beginnings

Bethel began as a church that provided spiritual growth between Henry's Fork and Jacob's Fork of the South Fork River in the western section of Catawba County, NC. Bethel expanded its influence to reach educational institutions like Catawba College and to help some of the neighboring churches, such as Corinth in Hickory, to get organized. Corinth was organized with fourteen members of Bethel as charter members. Bethel is still a relatively small church that is still located in a somewhat rural area.

The Need for a Church

The congregation and its members was organized around 1847 by Reverend John H. Crawford. At this time he was a pastor at Grace Reformed Church in Newton. Organizing Bethel was a response to families who were members of St. Paul's Church and Grace Church who wanted a church that was located closer to where they lived. Services began to be held in the Minerva School Building on Sunday afternoons.

There was a deed for the land where the church is located dated September 2, 1848 which led to the first Bethel Reformed Church building being constructed.

Building

This first building was to be the place of worship for the congregation until it was sold and removed from the land around 1886 or 1887 to make room for a new brick building completed under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Lewis H. Reiter, 1885-1890. The current building has been refurbished a number of times throughout the years but continues to serve the congregation as its sanctuary where worship services are held Sunday morning.

A Piece of History

Bethel Church holds a fascinating bit of history related to the heirloom communion set it has which was purchased originally by John Wilfong in 1798. There are descendants of his who are still members of the church congregation.

The communion set is made of silver and pewter and crafted in Boston by a tinsmith. This set has been used in three historic Catawba County German Reformed Churches, beginning in Grace Church, Newton in 1845, then in Corinth Church, Hickory around 1869, and then donated to Bethel in 1887 upon completion of their new sanctuary.

Five generations of the Wilfong family have attended Bethel Church.

The Little Church with a Big Heart

Bethel Church is located in Hickory on a beautiful piece of property in the midst of what has become a growing housing area. It is a small rural church that has facilities that are capable of carrying on a ministry to a growing congregation. The congregation has sent four very capable people into the ministry, including Reverend Sterling W. Whitener, who served as a missionary to China for more that 30 years.

One of the greatest contributions the congregation has made to the wider ministry is the number of people they have provided over the years as leaders in the Reformed Church Classis of North Carolina, the Southern Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, and the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ. In the early days of the congregation its ministers served as president of the Classis five times and another person served ten times.

Pastoral Leadership Since 1965

Rev. Roy E. Leinbach, Jr. 1954-1976 Rev. T. Ronald Vaugh 1980-1983 Rev. Jamie T. Fonville 1983-2000 Rev. Maria Yocum 2001-2003 Rev. Dr. Anne Wepner 2004-present