CGGC ARCHIVES MUSEUM • 700 EAST MELROSE AVENUE
P.O. BOX 926 • FINDLAY, OHIO 45839
JIM MARCKEL, CURATOR • 419-424-1961 X131
Are you unable to visit the CGGC Archives Museum? Worry not! This page is a virtual self guided tour. You can navigate through our virtual museum by scrolling through each Tour Stop. There are a total of 58 Tour Stops to complete your tour. Please enjoy the rich history of the Churches of God, General Conference.
Start - Curator's Office
Tour Stop 1 Visitors Welcome! Please sign in. Use our registry. Be sure to pick up our Archives Museum Tour Guide and Brochure.
Tour Stop 2 Membership Consider joining the CGGC Historical Society. Your membership is tax deductible — and will help preserve CGGC History & Heritage!
Tour Stop 3 Trip-Pix Mural This mural by Toledo artist Randy Taylor shows: (L) Early CGGC life in the 1800’s (M) Church life symbols, (R) Modern church life. You will find it located in our Museum Office.
Tour Stop 4 Seals and Logos Seals and Logos of the Churches of God, General Conference and its celebrations. You can see how the denomination’s 11 seals and logos have changed over it’s long history. Try to guess what years each of them represent!
Tour Stop 5 Donor Plaques Donor Plaques of those who made the expansion and modernization of these CGGC Archives Museum Rooms possible. These plaques list the Founding Associates: Paramount Founders, Premier Founding Associates, Founding Associates.
Tour Stop 6 Historical Society Life Members CGGC Life Members by virtue of donation or recognition. Consider adding your name to the plaque. Your Life membership of $1000.00 goes to an Endowment Fund to support the operation of the Archives Museum. Membership may include the donor and spouse.
Tour Stop 7 Museum Artifacts Room This room shows the visual evidence of our church history. A Collection of Cultural and Historical Objects dating from the early 1800’s. Use the Self Guided CGGC Archives Museum Tour Guide for a complete visit.
Tuesday & Thursday 9am — 1:30pm.
Tour Stop 8 Statement of Faith CGGC founder John Winebrenner Display The first comprehensive statement of CGGC beliefs by Winebrenner. “The Church of God has no authoritative constitution, ritual, creed, catechism, book of discipline, church standard, or test-book, which ever God intended his church to have.” Penned in 1844 C.E. (A.D.). This document lists the 27 Statement of Faith declarations.
Tour Stop 9 John Winebrenner’s Life A brief life journey, birth to death. John Winebrenner was born in 1797 and died in 1860. Journey through his birth, education, early circuit churches, The Fourth Street Church of God, to his final resting place.
Tour Stop 10 John Winebrenner Portrait J. P. Abraham’s 1891 portrait of CGGC founder John Winebrenner. From c.1922 until c.1979, this picture hung in the Churches of God Central Publishing House. It is the largest and nicest of the artistically drawn pictures of John Winebrenner, denominational founder. The Central Publishing House published our denomination’s publications. It also published official proceedings of the Pennsylvania State Legislature but eventually lost this revenue source which lead to its closing in the late 1970’s.
Tour Stop 11 John Winebrenner Life Chronology of Significant Events These 19 significant dates highlight John Winebrenner’s story. Born in Frederick County in Maryland 1797, John Winebrenner attends Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for a short time. He establishes the Union Bethel Church of God in 1825. From 1830 to 1860 is active as a preacher, “general missionary,” reformer, editor, printer, publisher, assignor of patents and inventor. September 12, 1860 he dies in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Tour Stop 12 John Winebrenner Pictures Pictures of CGGC founder John Winebrenner
c. 1820 – 1850. Dr. George Ross described Winebrenner as tall and slender, about 6 feet tall, and very erect. Dignity and solemnity were prominent features in his countenance. “It was impossible to be in his company without feeling that you were in the presence of a great and good man”. Remarks by a close associate Dr. George Ross.
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Tour Stop 13 CGGC Navajo Missions c. 1977 – 1997
Carroll and Geneva McNut Navajo Nation American National Missionaries A Nation Within A Nation
Tour Stop 14 John Winebrenner Boyhood Home Located in Frederick County, Maryland near Walkersville. These 8 panoramic pictures show the Winebrenner boyhood homestead in Maryland. These pictures were taken by Jonathan Binkley.
Tour Stop 15 Winebrenner Family Memorabilia Pictures of John Winebrenner, wife and children, licenses, certificates, and artifacts from the Winebrenner family in the top display case. Also, a sneak peak at Tour Stop 59 below the case.
Tour Stop 16 John Winebrenner Tribute The last days of CGGC founder John Winebrenner. He preached his last sermon at the 1860 Eldership on Sunday May 28th. Winebrenner had been sick from 1858-1860. He also had a strained relationship with his son-in-law James Colder. It was obvious by winter 1858-1859 that Winebrenner was ailing and would not survive. His death in 1860 was not unexpected.
Tour Stop 17 John Winebrenner Home 1925 CGGC Centennial artist rendition of John Winebrenner’s 1810 boyhood farm home of Philip and Eva (Barrick) Winebrenner. It is located in Maryland, Route #194 in Frederick County, Maryland.
Tour Stop 18 Log Union Church John Winebrenner’s first church, log construction, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Located on 3rd and Cherry Street, Winebrenner began his ministry in the year 1820. (To the right in the picture is his 2nd church he helped to lead and build).
Tour Stop 19 Salem German Reform Church The 1822 Salem German Reformed Church built in 1821-1822 under John Winebrenner’s pastorate. This building is located at 3rd and Walnut Street.
Tour Stop 20 Memorial Tribute Parting Memorial Tribute and Eulogy to CGGC founder, Elder Rev. John Winebrenner (1797-1860). A successful reformer and able minister of the word, earnest and singally blessed in his efforts to save his fellow men and build the Church of God.
Tour Stop 21 Missionaries Memorabilia Top Left Shelf – American Navajo and India Mission field dolls. Top Right Shelf – Missionaries Viola and Howard Covers’ miniature India Occupations figurines. c.1900 Bottom Shelves – Modern Bangladesh occupational dolls – Missionary Mary White Collection.
Tour Stop 22 Missionaries Memorabilia (Top) Missionaries Viola and Howard Cover (1912-1947), artifacts.
(Bottom) – First CGGC Missionary Clara Landes (1896-1917), items owned by her or commemorating her service.
Tour Stop 23 Missionaries Memorabilia Howard and Viola Cover Collection Missionaries to India Mission Field Idol Worship Items brought back by CGGC missionaries. It helps show the local idolatry the missionaries contend with.
Tour Stop 24 Missionary Facts The only two CGGC missionaries to die on a foreign mission field of service. (TOP) Leah Becker East Pennsylvania Eldership India 1937-1941 (BOTTOM) Rev. Glenn Alderson Illinois Eldership India 1910-1929 They gave that which they could not keep—to gain that which they could not lose.
Tour Stop 25 Tall Floor Window Case Long-serving CGGC missionary pictures and artifacts displays – 5 featured missionaries: *Dr. E. Fidelia Gilbert *Eunice Catlin *Elizabeth Beers *Rhoda Kauffman *Mary Hershey
Tour Stop 26 Earl and Donna Sleasman Earl and Donna Sleasman were missionaries to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from 1963 to 1970 and in Haiti 1970-1971. The displays are from East Pakistan and Haiti fields.
Tour Stop 27 (TOP) Missionary Facts Longest-Serving Missionary Betty Helwig Biswas and husband Soloman Biswas. Betty served in Ulubaria, India for 51 years for the CGGC. Betty graduated from Findlay College in 1951. She served in her missionary role until 2004.
Tour Stop 28 Missionary Memorabilia More Howard and Viola Hershey (1912-1947) missionary artifacts and mementos. Viola Hershey Cover- Our Second Foreign Missionary 1902-1947 Howard Cover- Our Second Foreign Missionary 1912-1947
Tour Stop 29 Bangladesh & Pakistan (Top) – Missionaries to Bangladesh (Dr. Vic Binkley-1974), and Haiti (1980’s- 2000″s). In 2001, a new modern hospital and surgical facility which Dr. Vic designed was built. The Pierre Payen medical facility was hailed as the finest hospital in the region. (Bottom) Missionaries to E. Pakistan (1960-1965), Rev. Melvin and Joanne Summy and daughters.
Tour Stop 30 Featured Display Current Museum Room featured display – Note captions and themes. Congressman Rev.Tennyson Guyer 1912-1981 display and The CGGC Ministers in the Civil War.
Tour Stop 31 Missionary Display (Floor Case) – Jim and Leone Wallace missionary display. Pastor Jim Wallace served 61 years of pastoral ministry in Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan and Haiti. Jim contracted a new mission in Haiti called Project Help.
Tour Stop 32 Panel Wall Displays Panels highlighting outstanding long-serving key19th and 20th century CGGC missionaries. Panel one: Features those serving in the 19th century, Panel two: Features those serving in the first half of the 20th century, Panel three: Features those serving in the last half of the 20th century.
Tour Stop 33 Missionary Display Rev. Aaron and Rev. Lousia Myers missionary display (1912/1918-1940). He served as architect, contractor, and building overseer in construction of the mission house. Aaron and Lousia were in charge of all mission work in the Ulubaria District of the Churches of God India Missions.
Tour Stop 34 & 35 Missionary Memorabilia (Top) Early 1900’s (India) missionary hats – worn by both male and female.
(Setting on bottom shelf) – Two missionary nurse displays, a missionary doctor display, and Clara Landes – first foreign missionary display.
Tour Stop 36 Plaque Display Unusual CGGC facts, personalities events and stories. Eight Plaque Display features: Churches of God in Europe, Religion and Politics in the CGGC, The Changing Churches of God, Missionaries to India, Enoch Marple, George Sigler and John Brown, Churches of God Name, Regional Administrators.
Tour Stop 37 Commemorative Momentos CGGC Celebration and commemoration plates, cups, and mementos. This bookcase was made by Jonathan Binkley in 1958 in his High School wood shop. Jonathan’s parents, Carl and Catherine Binkley donated it in 2004.
Tour Stop 38 Commemorative Momentos (Opposite side of 37) – CGGC Celebration and commemoration plates, cups and mementos. Many churches in our denomination used Cups and Dishes to commemorate Anniversaries, Events and the Presence of their church over the years.
Tour Stop 39 John Hickernell Memorabilia John and Mariah Hickernell pastoral pictures, artifacts, furniture, and household effects – typical of the type found in 1800’s CGGC parsonages.
Tour Stop 40 Tom Hickernell Memorabilia Tom and Charity Hickernell pictures and Information. At age 21, Tom was assigned to the “Ohio Circuit” holding revival meetings in W. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Tom and his wife established their home near Mendon, Ohio.
Tour Stop 41 John Hickernell Memorabilia John and Mariah Hickernell hutch and household items – typical 1800’s parsonage items, especially in Pennsylvania. Items such as a Ground Coffee Jar, Diamond Design Dessert Dishes, Wheat Design Table Compote and Sugar Bowl, Calling Bell to call the children (or John?), Butter and Salt Holder are part of the collection.
Tour Stop 42 Rare Books Room The Rare Books Room displays may only be seen with official personnel present due to the sensitive nature of the books within.
Tour Stop 43 Winebrenner Theological Collection Rare CGGC books of and by its leaders. (Former Winebrenner Theological Seminary Collection).
Tour Stop 44 Central Publishing House History of the CGGC Central Publishing House, its publications and activities, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Our first totally owned Publishing House at 329 Market Street Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 1900-1922.
Tour Stop 45 Denominational Historians Significant leading contributors to preserving CGGC history and heritage display. Starting with John Winnbrenner, these sixteen contributors have helped to preserve our history and heritage.
Tour Stop 46 Publication Editors (TOP) – CGGC early editors of The Church Advocate and predecessor The Gospel Messenger (1835-1939).
(Bottom) – The Church Advocate editors – (1939 to present editor Rachel Foreman.).
Tour Stop 47 Bi-Centennial Celebration (Left) – White House visit by then East Pennsylvania Conference leaders with then President Gerald Ford at the time of the CGGC 150th Anniversary Celebration.
(Right) – The Whole Harrisburg area church delegation visit on the 1975 occasion of the 150th CGGC bi-centennial celebration visit, arranged by CGGC Pastor and Congressman Tennyson Guyer.
Tour Stop 48 Women’s Ministries (Top) – 1953-Present Women’s Christian Service Council and Churches of God Women’s Ministries leadership display. Key dates in CGGC Women’s ministries. Starting in 1848 becoming a denominational subdivision of service in 1953. A comprehensive History was compiled by Barbara Binkley to celebrate their Golden Jubilee in 2003
Tour Stop 49 Women’s Ministry (Top) – WCSC founder Grace C. Pierson, 1st WSCS National President and Founder 1953-1959.
(Bottom) – WCSC / CGWM logo display.
Tour Stop 50 Auxiliary Logos CGGC auxiliary organizations’ Logo displays.
Tour Stop 51 100th Anniversary Memories CGGC 100th Anniversary 1925 Centennial Celebration at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Churches of God was held May 20 to 26th in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Visits were made to key sites such as the Central Publishing House, John Winebrenner’s Gravesite, and the Old Stone Peace Church.
Tour Stop 52 Winebrenner Ministry Photos John Winebrenner life, location and ministry photos taken in 2002 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – area. Photos taken by Jonathan Binkley. (See both sides of 8 Panel display in Archives Room).
Tour Stop 53 Proposed Church Center C. 1979 CGGC Church Center in Findlay. Architects early drawing and pictures of the proposed structure.
Tour Stop 54 Church Center Memorabilia CGGC Church Center for Ministries 1980 ground breaking shovel. The Church Center was rededicated and renamed The Wilkin Center for Christian Ministries in 2015.
Tour Stop 55 Barkeyville Academy Barkeyville Academy Display Board (1881-1906) Henry Barkey founded the village of Barkeyville Pennsylvania. The Churches of God had a need for a school and John Latchaw became the first Headmaster in 1881. Barkeyville Academy served many years and closed in 1906.
Tour Stop 56 Archive Material Shelves Archive material categories each marked by the hanging placards: “Church Camps” “Missions” “Winebrenner Seminary” Look through Scrapbooks from your Camp Days, revisit Missionary Adventures or look through University of Findlay Yearbooks.
Tour Stop 57 News Magazine Rack Past Historical Society News Magazines -free to visitors. The News Magazines have been compiled and edited by Jonathan Binkley and distributed twice a year. Our first edition came out in August 1991. Become a member and sign up to receive your copy.
