Montandon Baptist Church's congregation began as a Sunday school in 1864 with the first meeting for the organizing of a Baptist congregatin held in the home of mrs. McGinley. She lived in the home presently owned by Mr. Dale Sheets wet of the railroad in Montandon. Lee and Ruth Bennett, members, llived in this home before they relocated to Lewisburg. The Sunday school met in the Philadelphia and Erie railroad depot. Worship was also held in a small room in an old building occupied by the Conner and Company and also in an old storeroom which stood along the railroad.
With attendance increasing, the group moved to the Railroad Station in Montandon. Benches were brought from the First Baptist Church in Lewisburg and each Saturday following the departure of the last train, these were placed in the waiting rooms for Worship services. The growing congregation hoped to meet in the Montandon public school building (Which is the site of the present Elementary School) but use of the building for services was denied. Faced with this refusal, the group met in town and planned for a church building.
The lot where the present church building now stands was purchased on October 17, 1868. Construction of the church was completed in 1870. The dedication services for the building were held Sunday, September 11, 1870, at 2:00 p.m. The dedication sermon was delivered by Rev. Robert Lowery, hymn writer of the day. The prayer was given by the Rev. George J. Brensinger, the pastor of the church. He was a student in Lewisburg at Bucknell University.
The Montandon Baptist congregation has been known as the Montandon Baptist Chapel. The First Baptist Church in Lewisburg held the deed to the church property. During the year 1882, the mission church was organized as a regular Baptist church with L.W. Fry mire, J.H. Winghert, Abraham Fairchild, Peter H. Beaver, John Garber, Edward Hummel, and Joseph Keyser as the first trustees. A church charter was completed on December 32, 1885 and the deed transfered from Lewisburg. there were 38 members and the Rev. Thomas Howard was the pastor. Three years later, on July 27, 1888 the mortgage was retired making the church debt free.
In 1906, church remodeling included a small basement for a furnace, coal bin, and an acetylene gas room from lighting, a new ceiling, pews and decorations. Electric lights were installed in 1916. Stained glass windows were placed in the church in 1920 and a fund started for the purchase of a parsonage. The parsonage, located at Main and 2nd St. was purchased on June 13, 1922. Rev. Burns was the first pastor to live in the home.
On June 22, 1932, at a meeting of the congregation, it was agreed to purchase the Harner Estate, west of the church where the Sunday school building now stands. The cost of this property was $600. Rev. David J. Evans was the pastor. During the ministry of Rev. Edward Orosz, a meeting of the deacons and trustees was held on January 29, 1937 recommending that money be raised for an additional building. The Sunday school offering on the last Sunday of each month was placed into a building fund when not needed for the parsonage.
A permanent building committee of trustees and three members at large was formed on June 14, 1954. It consisted of Luther Burrey, Chairman, Nevin Good, Melvin Good, Earl Helt, Robert Hoffman, Homer Stahl, William Berge, and Charles Bennett. Later, Mrs. Mary Byers, Harold Shuck, and Merrill Noaker were added. Member of the advisory committee were Harold Derk, Edwin Kleckner, and Clayton VanBuskirk. the Sunday school building was completed on September 6, 1957.
The congregation shared its pastors with the Winfield Baptist Church for many years until 1945 when Rev. C.R. Hamilton became pastor.
During the pastorates of Rev. J. Lynn Pantier and rev. Henry Webber the church sanctuary was redecorated and a cement floor replaced the original floor. During the ministry of Rev. Gene Brosius,, who came to the church in 1980, additional repairs were undertaken including the installation of ceiling fans, a new sidewalk, new roofs on the church and Sunday school, storm windows on the Sunday school, new wiring in the church, Â re-painting of the interior of the Sunday school and re-finishing of the wood floor in the Sunday school. Â A new pulpit was given by the William Murray family and Mrs. Alice Snyder and at the same time the congregation added new drapes and re-finished the pulpit chairs and communion table added new flower stands.
