Historic Town Clock Church For Sale As Congregation Dwindles

By HEATHER WOLFORD
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) -- Trustees of First Christian Church Disciples of Christ have put the historic Town Clock Church up for sale as the congregation has dwindled to eight active members.

"We are selling the church because our congregation has declined with age," said Pastor Xenia Browning. "Also, because of the economic situation in our town. The young people have had to move away. The jobs aren't here and, once they graduate, they move on."

The youngest member of the congregation is 63-year-old Candy Wood. She has been a member of the parish since she was in the fourth grade. As church treasurer, she knows the money isn't there to keep the church operational.

"I'm really sad to see it go, but I'm treasurer and I know we just can't do the upkeep anymore," she said.

Built in 1848 by German Lutherans who wanted to worship in their native tongue, the Bedford Street church, also known as the Town Clock Church, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The church is so named because Cumberland's City Council offered a town clock to the first church completed by either the German Catholics or the German Lutherans.

According to records, church members were able to complete construction first largely due to the women of the congregation holding torches allowing the men to work at night.

The Disciples of Christ first held services in the church in 1927.

"It's an honor to have the town clock," said Browning. "It's special because it's part of the city. The clock can be seen in many areas of Cumberland and keeps the history of the city alive."

The clock is still in working order and its chimes can be heard throughout the city's North End every half hour. Joe DeGiovanni from Allegany Clock Works is the official clocksmith. John Howard winds the clock two times each week.

In addition to the clock, the church houses one of the oldest working organs of its kind.

It's the oldest built by the Moller Organ Co., the oldest organ manufacturer in the country, and numbered as Opus No. 36, according to Mark Steiner of the Steiner-Murphy Pipe Organ Co. in Cumberland. Steiner said the organ was built soon after Moller's move to Hagerstown in 1879.

Steiner said he hopes to preserve the rare piece of musical history.

"The one in Cumberland is not only the oldest built by Moller, but it's actually 100 percent original, even down to the fact that it could still be hand pumped," said Steiner. "That was the first organ I restored and if the person who buys the building does not want the organ, probably because of my longstanding association with that organ, I'm sure that the church would give me an opportunity to buy the organ and then I would relocate it and put it in another building."

Sally Warner, a real estate agent with Long and Foster in Cumberland, has been assigned to the church sale for about a month.

"We've had a few showings," said Warner. "Each showing has been somebody different looking at different aspects and different ideas for the church. I've had someone wanting to open a restaurant, and then I've had an investor from Southern Maryland wanting to purchase it and possibly wanting to rent it out to somebody. And then we have had someone local wanting to keep it as a church congregation."

Browning said she's upset to see the church go and expressed concern for the future of the congregation, but admitted the parish isn't the building itself.

"It's hard," said Browning. "I don't believe church is the building and I mean that with all my heart. But I am afraid once we sell the building the people will not want to meet."
------
Information from: Cumberland (Md.) Times-News, http://www.times-news.com/timesnew.html