Bethel United Methodist Church
The Bethel Church, was called Mariner's Bethel Church because it was built as a house of worship for the people of that area who were either farmers or sea-faring men, whose vessels were in Somers Point Harbor for loading, unloading or repairs.
After meeting in a location in Linwood, a location closer to the people was sought and Bethel Church was erected on land donated by Captain Elmer English and dedicated in 1848. It was to be a free church, meaning that any denomination could meet there as long as it did not conflict with the time set by the Methodist.
The church became a part of the Methodist Episcopal Conference, usually sharing the minister with another church (Central - Linwood; Zion - Bargaintown; Asbury - English Creek; Bethany - Somers Point) with a few years under a supply preacher chosen by the church.
In 1939 the Methodist Episcopal and Methodist Protestant Conferences merged and Bethel became a part of the Methodist Conference. In 1968 the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged with the Methodist Conference and Bethel became the Bethel United Methodist Church.
A merger with Bethany United Methodist Church was consummated on December 20, 1978 as the same minister, Rev. Robert Costello, was serving both Somers Point Churches and a new edifice was going to be built not too far from Bethel. Beginning in January 1978 Praise Tabernacle shared the church and hall with Bethel congregation until August of that year when they were able to buy the Bethel Church building. Bethel Church had served the community for 131 years.
Bethany United Methodist Church
Bethany Church began in 1892 as a Friday night class meeting. With the help of the Palestine Methodist Protestant Church in Scullville, a Sunday School and Sunday evening services, held every other week, were organized with 30 people participating. They met in a lodge room on Shore Road, near Delaware Avenue. Between 1893 and 1895 they moved to a private home, then a store on Shore Road, and then a church on West New Jersey Avenue in the summer of 1895.
In 1902 the first minister was appointed by the Methodist Protestant New Jersey Conference. In 1925 a Sears & Roebuck prefab building was erected as a temporary chapel on Shore Road and Brighton Avenue. The Depression hit in 1929 so it remained as the permanent church until a new building was consecrated on November 6, 1949. That church was built by volunteers. It served as the meeting place until June 1982, then the building was sold to the Shore Memorial Hospital.
The congregation became Methodist in 1939 as denominations merged. It was part of the 1968 Methodist - Evangelical United Brethren merger. As part of expansion plans the church received a $17,000 piece of land from the Annual Conference. In 1978 it was sold for $80,000 and the present site was purchased for expansion at a cost of $109,000. In 1978, Bethany United Methodist Church merged with Bethel United Methodist Church.
The United Methodist Church of Somers Point
For three years the building committee worked on selling the old Bethany Church and on designing the new building. Ronald Vaughn was selected as architect and Robert Lynch designed our church. Robert DeFeo was selected as general contractor to build the complete shell of the church. George Johnson, a congregation member, was selected to lead the volunteers in completing much of the building at a total cost of $733,000.
Ground was broken for the new church building on the corner of Bethel Road and Doran Avenue, on June 27, 1981. On June 27, 1982 a decommissioning ceremony was held at Bethany and everything was packed and moved to our new building. On July 4, 1982 we met in the new church for the first time. We worshipped in the uncompleted Fellowship Hall until the sanctuary was dedicated on August 15, 1982. Our stained glass windows were removed from the old churches and incorporated into the new building.
On August 15, 1982, under the direction of Bishop C. Dale White and Rev. Robert Costello, the Somers Point United Methodist Church building was consecrated. Two Congregations with rich heritages were then truly joined as one ministry as the United Methodist Church of Somers Point.