A Brief History of
Chase United Methodist Church
WE ARE STRONG AND RESILIENT
"Out of the tragedy of a horrific structural loss comes the rebirth of a strong and steadfast community of parishioners known as the Chase United Methodist Church family. Our story is one of resilience.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, 'We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.'
Our story could have ended with the unfortunate destruction of a beloved sanctuary, but instead a new chapter unfolds that has new life and new purpose, one full of promise and hope for its people!
We tell a unique and heartfelt story of the history of two separate Chase, Maryland churches, Ebenezer United Methodist Church and Sharp Street United Methodist Church; which began to be intertwined in 2009."
Pastor Dr. Walter D. Jackson III, Chase United Methodist Church
HISTORY OF EBENEZER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
As one of the oldest Methodist congregations in the United States, the Ebenezer Methodist Church has served the Bird/Middle River community since the 1790s. The present building, constructed in 1894, was the second church building erected by the congregation.
The Methodist Church had established a presence in the area in 1790 with the construction of a meeting house that served on Sundays as the Bird River Chapel. The building, situated on a 1/2-acre land parcel and purchased for five shillings, was located off of what is now Ebenezer Road. The chapel became known as the Ebenezer Church and was named in honor of Ebenezer Blackstone, who owned much of the land in the area in 1672.
Ebenezer Methodist Church is eligible for recognition in the National Register of Historic Places.
HISTORY OF SHARP STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Sharp Street United Methodist Church, located in Middle River, MD, formerly Chase Station, was one of the oldest churches in Baltimore County. The small 20th century community church was built in 1902 to replace a log chapel established in 1869. Its name was derived from Sharp Street Church in Baltimore City. It also housed an adjacent cemetery, which still exists today. The church’s cornerstone read, “Sharp Street Methodist Episcopal Church, April 5, 1902.”
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On August 28, 2009, a two-alarm fire caused the roof of the building’s sanctuary to collapse. It is believed that the fire was sparked by a lightning strike. The sanctuary suffered a total loss.
A NEW BEGINNING EMERGES – THE UNIFICATION
Prior to 2009, a few Ebenezer lay persons and the pastor had been part of Bible studies hosted by Sharp Street. Following the loss of the Sharp Street sanctuary, the pastor of Ebenezer, Rev. Cynthia Burkert, graciously extended an invitation to Sharp Street to worship at both Ebenezer Church and/or Piney Grove Church. The offer to worship at Ebenezer was accepted.
Ebenezer’s lay leader gave keys to the Sharp Street pastor with the message, “What we have is yours to share.”
July 2010. In July 2010, Sharp Street joined Ebenezer and Piney Grove as the Bowleys/Chase Cooperative Parish. They began sharing two pastors— Rev. Cynthia Burkert, a full-time ordained elder, and a newly appointed part-time associate, Rev. Jessica Statesman.
For many, the uniting of the two churches seemed to have already occurred, but they were still worshiping separately. Ebenezer and Sharp Street were not united in any real and lasting way, though many desired a deeper collaboration.
In March, 2011, Sharp Street determined that the sanctuary could not be rebuilt. And with that news, at the request of both pastors, and with the consent of Sharp Street and Ebenezer leaders, Ebenezer and Sharp Street began worshiping together on Palm Sunday, 2011.
At last, they were no longer practicing what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called “the most segregated hour in America” – 11 a.m. on Sunday morning. Our pastors finally had the opportunity to lead in worship together. And they quickly discovered that praising God, singing hymns, hearing the Word of God, and offering our joys and our concerns in prayer to the God of us all, transcends the differences of “style” and “history”.
Advance to September 2012. In September 2012, the congregations of both Ebenezer and Sharp Street voted overwhelmingly to merge and rename the church, “Chase United Methodist Church”.
Also, in honor of the legacy of the old Sharp Street church, in 2015, a memorial was erected in the location where the former church once stood, right next to its adjacent cemetery. And, it was agreed that the cemeteries of both Sharp Street and Ebenezer would continue to carry their original names for historic and genealogical research purposes.
TODAY
Today, Chase UMC cheerfully welcomes all parishioners, visitors, and newcomers; and opens its doors to support local community groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts!