By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Media Relations Coordinator
Each year, thousands of people drive by the tall brick church at the corner of SR 101 and CR 38 in Pleasant Township without realizing the historical significance of the property. It was here that Uriah and Susannah Egbert planted seeds of faith 200 years ago which grew and spread roots of Methodism across Seneca County that are still deeply set today. Both the congregation and Seneca County were birthed that year, 1824, and their histories have intertwined for two centuries.
It is a point of pride for Seneca County that its bicentennial includes a celebration of a local congregation that has sustained its faith, presence and impact throughout the county’s entire history.
On Sept. 29, Pleasant Ridge United Methodist Church, first called The Egbert Church, celebrated the 200th anniversary of the church’s congregation. The celebration, which was hosted by the church’s pastoral team of Virginia “Ginny” Park, Dave Myers and RoxAnne Roush, was attended by area residents, local dignitaries and generations of Egberts from across the country.
The Pleasant Ridge Church congregation began when ten people gathered in the Egberts’ first home on Greenfield St. near Tiffin on Nov. 27, 1824. In 1833, the Egberts bought 240 acres at the SR 101 property, and the congregation followed them, holding services in the Egbert’s log barn.
“After clearing the woods for a home, they wanted to share their faith,” said Kenneth Egbert, Jr., a sixth generation descendent of Uriah and Susannah. “This home became the center of Methodism for a larger area.”
In 1842, a corner of the property was donated for use as a cemetery, and in 1943 another parcel of the property was donated for the construction of a church, which was called “The Little White Church.”
The current brick church was built in 1890, about 15 years after the deaths of Uriah and Susannah.
“They are both buried in the cemetery they founded, but they never saw this church,” Kenneth said.
The church they never saw stands as a lasting testament to the Egberts’ faith. Their voices never filled the church, and yet echoes of their faith reverberated inside the church’s walls on Sept. 29, as their blood descendants shared their family connections, and their faith descendants – the ministers that came after them – talked about the legacy of love that remains today.
Rev. Gary Hicks, who served at Pleasant Ridge Church from 2013 to 2022, said the church is a good example of 1 Corinthians 13 in the Bible, which talks about faith, hope and the eternality of love.
“Love is indispensable. There has always been lots of love for our Lord here, and it’s still here,” Hicks said. “I found faith, hope and love here, and I believe you’ll find the same.”
Seneca County Commissioner Bill Frankart presented a proclamation from all three commissioners to the church and praised the congregation not only for the celebration, but also for their dedication to sustaining the historical church that has impacted the community immensely.
Frankart also declared September 29, 2024, as Pleasant Ridge Church Day in Seneca County.
Pleasant Township Trustee William Biller and Tiffin Mayor Lee Wilkinson also made presentations at the event. Other dignitaries who sent proclamations, resolutions or letters of congratulations included State Senator Bill Reineke, Congressman Bob Latta and Senator Sherrod Brown.
Shirley Egbert Olinik traveled from her home in Texas to celebrate her family’s heritage and participate in the service. She learned just this summer that she is a direct descendent of Uriah and Susannah, so she was overwhelmed by the opportunity to stand upon her family’s ancestral property and sing, “It is Well with My Soul.”
The bodies of Uriah and Susannah may lie in graves outside the church walls, but the voices of their ancestors linger inside the church, sharing the same faith story that defined their lives
The Seneca County Commissioners honor the long, colorful history of Seneca County, which celebrates its 200th birthday in 2024.