By Linda Bubar
Grace Calvary Church, originally founded in 1924 as Union Chapel, begins celebrating its centennial throughout the summer months of 2024 with a timeline story board that provides an overview of the church within the context of world, country, and local highlights. Just as we are impacted by the world around us, so too were its founders.
In the early 1900s the Welch Revival and Azusa Street Revivals influenced a preacher named “Billy Sunday”. He in turn influenced John “Dad” Schill to start sharing God’s word with his neighbors and community here in Beach Arlington.
As early as 1916 in the midst of World War I local men kept eyes on the beaches at night. LBI’s life saving stations were transformed into the early Coast Guard stations. On August 13, 1918, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the oil tanker Frederic R. Kellogg just miles off of Barnegat Light and shelled Fort Handcock north of LBI in Sandy Hook. That same year, the deadly influenza global pandemic reached the United States. One can imagine the concerns, motivators, and prayers of the community.
Dave Wark Sr. installing the roof on the Union Chapel • Circa 1923
In Beach Arlington, more commonly known today as Ship Bottom, Sunday school was being held on porches; hymn fests were held in local homes. Sunday school quickly outgrew the porches. After the storms of 1920 and 1923 seriously impacted train service to Long Beach Island the Beach Arlington Sunday school was moved to the train station. The train station also became Beach Arlington Volunteer Fire Company #1 in 1922. Union Chapel members Oliver Cox, Joseph Baily Jr., Willard Miller, and Moses Friedel were among the fire company’s original officers. On August 31, 1924, Union Chapel, known today as Grace Calvary Church, celebrated its construction and incorporation. Its early trustees were of diverse faiths: Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, and Quaker.
Rev. John Sinnamon, Union Chapel pastor from 1929 to1935, tells how Alfred Clark was the first to suggest to John Schill that a chapel should be built and offered up the first donation of $10. Sinnamon credited Willard Miller, John Pharo, Charles Cox, David Wark Sr., and Moses Freidel for generously donating their time and tireless efforts in labor, and Charles Conrad for contributing a 1500-pound church bell. The surnames and roles of Gurtcheff, Gustafson, Brown, Magee, and Miller are also recorded in Union Church history. Most of these men remained active church leaders through the 1950s and beyond.
Pastor Dan Stott, working to serve others
The commitments of many have been impactful in the church. Frank Neubauer, Mary Buchwald, William Reinhold, Sara Holt, William “Scotty” Ackland, Bernie Godbolt, Hank Braun, and Ed Chatterton were steadfast servants. Trustee Doris Marine shepherded the church during its transition from Union Chapel to Grace Calvary Church. Every decade offers its own stories of dedicated servants. There are many more, too numerous to mention.
Grace Calvery Church began in the hearts of its community and remains there. In 2012, the church served as a hub in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy offering up hot food and supplies from the Red Cross and Salvation Army. It also hosted the Southern Baptist Convention’s disaster relief teams in the distribution of aid and remediation of damaged homes. Current pastor, Dan Stott, was honored as Grand Marshall at the 2013 Ship Bottom Christmas Parade.
Grace Calvery Church gives thanks to God, and recognizes its pastors and people, and community as it shares its story during office hours throughout the summer.
