To know the love of Christ, show the love of Christ,
and grow in the love of Christ.
and grow in the love of Christ.
Sunday Morning
• Bible Study 10 am
• Worship and Children's Church 11 am
Listen to Sunday messages here:
Other Ministries
• Pastor's Bible Study
Wednesday evenings @ 7pm
Click here to visit our Bible Study page
Periodically, Dr. Clifton chooses a Scripture or theological topic of interest and presents an in depth examination of the subject. Discussion is encouraged.
• Music Ministry
6 pm Wednesday evenings (except during the summer) the choir meets
to practice and prepare music for our worship services.
• Willing Workers Women's Ministry
These ladies meet at 6 pm on Monday evening every other month, for
fellowship and to address various needs within the church and community.
• Piecemakers Quilting Ministry
Meets on the 3rd Saturday from 10 am-1 pm.
• Bible Study 10 am
• Worship and Children's Church 11 am
Listen to Sunday messages here:
Other Ministries
• Pastor's Bible Study
Wednesday evenings @ 7pm
Click here to visit our Bible Study page
Periodically, Dr. Clifton chooses a Scripture or theological topic of interest and presents an in depth examination of the subject. Discussion is encouraged.
• Music Ministry
6 pm Wednesday evenings (except during the summer) the choir meets
to practice and prepare music for our worship services.
• Willing Workers Women's Ministry
These ladies meet at 6 pm on Monday evening every other month, for
fellowship and to address various needs within the church and community.
• Piecemakers Quilting Ministry
Meets on the 3rd Saturday from 10 am-1 pm.
10501 Pole Run Road
Disputanta, VA 23842
804.861.0834
pastor's email: pastor@bethlehemcongregationalchurch.org
Disputanta, VA 23842
804.861.0834
pastor's email: pastor@bethlehemcongregationalchurch.org
About God
We believe in one God eternally existing in one essence, yet there are three divine persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - the Trinity, equal in power but distinct in roles. We acknowledge God as our heavenly Father, infinitely perfect and intimately acquainted with all our ways. As the first person of the Trinity, the Father is the source and ruler of all things and is fatherly in His relationship with creation in general and believers in particular.
About Jesus Christ
We believe that, according to the Father’s plan, the eternal Son took on human form thereby uniting undiminished deity with true humanity, fully God and fully man. Born of the virgin Mary, Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, was crucified for the sins of us all, was buried, after three days rose bodily from death and ascended into heaven and will in the same way return in glory.
About the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead is currently at work in the world. He is the personal agent of the Father and the Son, sent from God to live inside all who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He teaches, comforts, and enables the believer, giving each diverse gifts, and empowering them for lives of service and personal holiness.
About the Bible
We believe the Bible is God’s message to mankind. God speaks to us in and through the Bible. We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and written centuries ago by chosen men of God. The Bible is without error in its original manuscripts, is completely reliable as the final authority in all matters of doctrine and practice.
About Salvation
We believe the offer of salvation is God’s gift to all who receive it, completely apart from any works on the part of man. Those who accept this offer by faith in Jesus Christ become a new creation by God’s power. Because fallen humans are unable to save themselves, God, according to His sovereign mercy, acts to save those who come to Him by grace through faith in His Son. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to suffer the penalty of death in the place of condemned humanity. Through believing the good news that Christ died for one’s sins and then rose from the dead, and putting one’s faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, a person can be forgiven of all sin, declared righteous by God, reborn spiritually into new life and guaranteed eternal life with God.
We believe in one God eternally existing in one essence, yet there are three divine persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - the Trinity, equal in power but distinct in roles. We acknowledge God as our heavenly Father, infinitely perfect and intimately acquainted with all our ways. As the first person of the Trinity, the Father is the source and ruler of all things and is fatherly in His relationship with creation in general and believers in particular.
About Jesus Christ
We believe that, according to the Father’s plan, the eternal Son took on human form thereby uniting undiminished deity with true humanity, fully God and fully man. Born of the virgin Mary, Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, was crucified for the sins of us all, was buried, after three days rose bodily from death and ascended into heaven and will in the same way return in glory.
About the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead is currently at work in the world. He is the personal agent of the Father and the Son, sent from God to live inside all who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He teaches, comforts, and enables the believer, giving each diverse gifts, and empowering them for lives of service and personal holiness.
About the Bible
We believe the Bible is God’s message to mankind. God speaks to us in and through the Bible. We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and written centuries ago by chosen men of God. The Bible is without error in its original manuscripts, is completely reliable as the final authority in all matters of doctrine and practice.
About Salvation
We believe the offer of salvation is God’s gift to all who receive it, completely apart from any works on the part of man. Those who accept this offer by faith in Jesus Christ become a new creation by God’s power. Because fallen humans are unable to save themselves, God, according to His sovereign mercy, acts to save those who come to Him by grace through faith in His Son. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to suffer the penalty of death in the place of condemned humanity. Through believing the good news that Christ died for one’s sins and then rose from the dead, and putting one’s faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, a person can be forgiven of all sin, declared righteous by God, reborn spiritually into new life and guaranteed eternal life with God.
The History of Bethlehem Congregational Church
(One church member’s brief account since 1896)
This migration began slowly enough and it was not a direct one from the old country. In fact, these families came from several states. The beginning was made by the Mistr family, owners of a large farm in Silver Lake, Minnesota, where they settled in 1869. In 1881, their oldest son, Frank, became ill and it was recommended that a move to a milder climate would aid in his recovery.
At that time a real estate agency advertised cheap farms in Virginia, and they moved to the Old Dominion buying what was known then as the Lovesay farm, now owned by the A. Willie Bresko Jr. family. With them came the Dvorak family and Vincent Halva. This was the beginning of the Begonia Czechoslovak settlement according to a history written by Reverend John Prucha.
Like those who have gone before us, we seek to make worthy responses to opportunities for the service that God has set before us in our own time.
Missionary Origins
Historically, the church has its roots in the missionary efforts of Dr. Henry Schauffler and Dr. A. Adams, who were sent by the American Board to Bohemia where they planted a number of small churches after they had learned to speak the Slavic language. These missionaries returned to America and Dr. Schauffler began a Congregational mission among the Bohemian immigrants in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1882. Dr. Adams began similar work in Chicago, Illinois.
Twenty-five Czech, Slovak, and Polish students graduated from the Slavic Department of Oberlin Theological Seminary and a considerable number of undergraduates were employed in the mission field. In 1887, Dr. Schauffler organized the Bible Readers’ School to train young women for missionary work. This was known as Schauffler College and its graduates were leaders in Christian education.
The first Slovak church was started in Braddock, Pennsylvania in 1892 upon the request of Mr. Thomas Addenbrook, a loyal Congregational layman. He showed concern for the Slovak immigrants, who were like sheep without a shepherd. This Braddock Church once numbered about 300 members but they branched out into nearby cities of Duquesne, Pittsburg, Charltlerio, and Stockdale, and during the early depression many families left to settle on farms in Disputanta, Virginia. Others moved to farms in Minnesota and Ohio.
The community was originally settled by Moravian farmers from Minnesota and Czechoslovakian farmers turned steel mill workers from Pennsylvania. On September 3, 1896, 35 dedicated individuals donated their time, talents, and energies to organize a chartered church. Rev John Jelinek, from Braddock, Pennsylvania, accepted the position of Pastor and came down occasionally to preach and administer the sacraments.
Bethlehem Becomes a Reality
Soon after, officers and trustees were elected and three acres of land were acquired at the crossroads of present-day Pole Run Road and Hollywood Drive. Two years later, dedication services took place on September 11, 1898, for the newly erected building which was about a third of the present-day building. Reverend Vincent Totusek agreed to become the first resident pastor for “the rent of a four-room house at $30 per year, $27 in cash, 10 bushels of corn, and 2 bushels of potatoes.” The Congregational Home Mission Society paid an additional salary of $650 per year.
Organizations, Changes, and Additions
In 1925, a Sunday school room (the present-day side segment of the sanctuary) and the church steeple were added. For the convenience of families, a second church was built “across the railroad tracks” in Disputanta in 1914 which was later dismantled and added to the original sanctuary in 1939. This area became the fellowship hall and kitchen. The present-day church proper includes the parsonage (built in 1911), garage, cemetery, and recreation field when the land next to the parsonage was cleared in 1947 for the enjoyment of the young and “young-at-heart.”
ln 1960, much expansion took place—including a heating system, three classrooms, two lavatories, and a hallway. It is hard for us to imagine, but prior to the lavatory additions several of our members can recall using an outhouse located out of the kitchen door. Sidewalks around the church were also laid and many interior renovations were undertaken.
Much of what you see are remnants of past years. The floors are original and well-worn. The hole for the potbelly stove that heated the building remains. On the wall in the fellowship hall are pictures of the past pastors of Bethlehem. As you can see, they all had Slovak names until the mid-1900s. Sections of the sermons at Bethlehem were preached in Slovak until this time.
In 1984, the circle in the Sanctuary Cross was designed symbolizing the unbroken entwining of the life of man with God. Church Interiors, Inc. of High Point, North Carolina, installed our stained glass windows and also upholstered the seats and backs of our pews in 1985. Vinyl siding on the church was completed in October 1981. The handicapped ramp was added in June 1985.
A new regional fellowship was formed when ministers and laymen from Virginia and North Carolina met at Bethlehem on November 16, 1985. At a spring meeting in April 1986, at Mt. Zion Christian Church in Mebane, North Carolina, the Virginia/North Carolina Fellowship voted to apply for membership into the 4 C’s (Conservative Congregational Christian Conference). Rev. David Gilbert, pastor at Bethlehem Christian Church, Altamahaw, North Carolina was our representative.
Christian Endeavor Societies (CE) were active within Bethlehem Congregational Church during the 198Os. These were also a part of the worldwide movement which sought to lead young people (also children and adults) to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Christian Endeavor operates in '76 nations and island groups and is used by 83 denominations. The first society was organized in February 1881, in Williston Congregational Church, Portland, Maine, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. Francis Clark.
Appearance again took on a new look in the 1990s. Central air conditioning had not been added until this time, and even then, some members thought it was not necessary. After all, we had those paper fans that were donated by the funeral homes! Paved side and front parking lots, new flags, and altar scarves enhanced our sanctuary. A new electric stove, counter cabinet, and linoleum gave the kitchen a “facelift.” Rooms were painted and curtains added. A wooden framework displays our former ministers. A cabinet was made to make our choir robes conveniently accessible. For the first time, our church cemetery was placed in the “perpetual care” category. The pavilion for outside activities and a permanent extension for the stage were added.
In 2001 the most recent building addition was added. This addition includes three classrooms, (one is used by the choir), a storage room, and a third bathroom. The most exciting addition, for the men at least, was the pull-down stairway to the attic. No more ladders! Through the 2000s improvements continue at Bethlehem. Improvements include the addition of a new swing set, a new sign, and new front and rear porches.
Documented as the “oldest Congregational Church in the South.” Bethlehem Congregational Church’s doors remain open, surviving 127 years of change—yet preserving its original beliefs through the twenty-first century.
We thank God for those who have gone before and pray that we may accept the challenges in the years ahead—that this Church may be a witness of God’s saving Love for all mankind.
(One church member’s brief account since 1896)
This migration began slowly enough and it was not a direct one from the old country. In fact, these families came from several states. The beginning was made by the Mistr family, owners of a large farm in Silver Lake, Minnesota, where they settled in 1869. In 1881, their oldest son, Frank, became ill and it was recommended that a move to a milder climate would aid in his recovery.
At that time a real estate agency advertised cheap farms in Virginia, and they moved to the Old Dominion buying what was known then as the Lovesay farm, now owned by the A. Willie Bresko Jr. family. With them came the Dvorak family and Vincent Halva. This was the beginning of the Begonia Czechoslovak settlement according to a history written by Reverend John Prucha.
Like those who have gone before us, we seek to make worthy responses to opportunities for the service that God has set before us in our own time.
Missionary Origins
Historically, the church has its roots in the missionary efforts of Dr. Henry Schauffler and Dr. A. Adams, who were sent by the American Board to Bohemia where they planted a number of small churches after they had learned to speak the Slavic language. These missionaries returned to America and Dr. Schauffler began a Congregational mission among the Bohemian immigrants in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1882. Dr. Adams began similar work in Chicago, Illinois.
Twenty-five Czech, Slovak, and Polish students graduated from the Slavic Department of Oberlin Theological Seminary and a considerable number of undergraduates were employed in the mission field. In 1887, Dr. Schauffler organized the Bible Readers’ School to train young women for missionary work. This was known as Schauffler College and its graduates were leaders in Christian education.
The first Slovak church was started in Braddock, Pennsylvania in 1892 upon the request of Mr. Thomas Addenbrook, a loyal Congregational layman. He showed concern for the Slovak immigrants, who were like sheep without a shepherd. This Braddock Church once numbered about 300 members but they branched out into nearby cities of Duquesne, Pittsburg, Charltlerio, and Stockdale, and during the early depression many families left to settle on farms in Disputanta, Virginia. Others moved to farms in Minnesota and Ohio.
The community was originally settled by Moravian farmers from Minnesota and Czechoslovakian farmers turned steel mill workers from Pennsylvania. On September 3, 1896, 35 dedicated individuals donated their time, talents, and energies to organize a chartered church. Rev John Jelinek, from Braddock, Pennsylvania, accepted the position of Pastor and came down occasionally to preach and administer the sacraments.
Bethlehem Becomes a Reality
Soon after, officers and trustees were elected and three acres of land were acquired at the crossroads of present-day Pole Run Road and Hollywood Drive. Two years later, dedication services took place on September 11, 1898, for the newly erected building which was about a third of the present-day building. Reverend Vincent Totusek agreed to become the first resident pastor for “the rent of a four-room house at $30 per year, $27 in cash, 10 bushels of corn, and 2 bushels of potatoes.” The Congregational Home Mission Society paid an additional salary of $650 per year.
Organizations, Changes, and Additions
In 1925, a Sunday school room (the present-day side segment of the sanctuary) and the church steeple were added. For the convenience of families, a second church was built “across the railroad tracks” in Disputanta in 1914 which was later dismantled and added to the original sanctuary in 1939. This area became the fellowship hall and kitchen. The present-day church proper includes the parsonage (built in 1911), garage, cemetery, and recreation field when the land next to the parsonage was cleared in 1947 for the enjoyment of the young and “young-at-heart.”
ln 1960, much expansion took place—including a heating system, three classrooms, two lavatories, and a hallway. It is hard for us to imagine, but prior to the lavatory additions several of our members can recall using an outhouse located out of the kitchen door. Sidewalks around the church were also laid and many interior renovations were undertaken.
Much of what you see are remnants of past years. The floors are original and well-worn. The hole for the potbelly stove that heated the building remains. On the wall in the fellowship hall are pictures of the past pastors of Bethlehem. As you can see, they all had Slovak names until the mid-1900s. Sections of the sermons at Bethlehem were preached in Slovak until this time.
In 1984, the circle in the Sanctuary Cross was designed symbolizing the unbroken entwining of the life of man with God. Church Interiors, Inc. of High Point, North Carolina, installed our stained glass windows and also upholstered the seats and backs of our pews in 1985. Vinyl siding on the church was completed in October 1981. The handicapped ramp was added in June 1985.
A new regional fellowship was formed when ministers and laymen from Virginia and North Carolina met at Bethlehem on November 16, 1985. At a spring meeting in April 1986, at Mt. Zion Christian Church in Mebane, North Carolina, the Virginia/North Carolina Fellowship voted to apply for membership into the 4 C’s (Conservative Congregational Christian Conference). Rev. David Gilbert, pastor at Bethlehem Christian Church, Altamahaw, North Carolina was our representative.
Christian Endeavor Societies (CE) were active within Bethlehem Congregational Church during the 198Os. These were also a part of the worldwide movement which sought to lead young people (also children and adults) to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Christian Endeavor operates in '76 nations and island groups and is used by 83 denominations. The first society was organized in February 1881, in Williston Congregational Church, Portland, Maine, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. Francis Clark.
Appearance again took on a new look in the 1990s. Central air conditioning had not been added until this time, and even then, some members thought it was not necessary. After all, we had those paper fans that were donated by the funeral homes! Paved side and front parking lots, new flags, and altar scarves enhanced our sanctuary. A new electric stove, counter cabinet, and linoleum gave the kitchen a “facelift.” Rooms were painted and curtains added. A wooden framework displays our former ministers. A cabinet was made to make our choir robes conveniently accessible. For the first time, our church cemetery was placed in the “perpetual care” category. The pavilion for outside activities and a permanent extension for the stage were added.
In 2001 the most recent building addition was added. This addition includes three classrooms, (one is used by the choir), a storage room, and a third bathroom. The most exciting addition, for the men at least, was the pull-down stairway to the attic. No more ladders! Through the 2000s improvements continue at Bethlehem. Improvements include the addition of a new swing set, a new sign, and new front and rear porches.
Documented as the “oldest Congregational Church in the South.” Bethlehem Congregational Church’s doors remain open, surviving 127 years of change—yet preserving its original beliefs through the twenty-first century.
We thank God for those who have gone before and pray that we may accept the challenges in the years ahead—that this Church may be a witness of God’s saving Love for all mankind.
Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the material on the website is provided "as is" and without warranty of any kind. All express or implied conditions, representations and warranties, including any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement, are disclaimed. While it is our goal to keep this website accurate and current, no representations, warranties, guaranties as to the quality, suitability, accuracy or completeness of any of the materials contained on this website are made.
All original materials copyright © 2023-2024. All rights reserved
All original materials copyright © 2023-2024. All rights reserved
In March 2023 Bethlehem Church called Dr. David Clifton to serve as their pastor.
Pastor David was born in Roanoke, Virginia. At the age of 15, he surrendered to serve God in whatever capacity the Lord would choose to use him. Having been active in music from the fourth grade on, in preparation for Christian Service, his first experience in college was as a music major. While he did not obtain a degree in music, his early vocational ministry experience generally took the form of serving as a bi-vocational Minister of Music, or Minister of Music and Youth in various churches in North Carolina and Virginia.
In the late 1990s, the Lord began gently calling David into pastoral ministry. As time progressed that call became more emphatic, finally to the point that it could no longer be ignored. With that calling in mind, he returned to school completing a M. Min. with an emphasis in theology and ultimately a Ph. D. in Biblical Studies. David’s main hobby is photography, but he enjoys nothing better than sitting in a quiet place with his Bible and a good commentary; and whenever possible, sharing the truths contained in God's word.
In 1991, David married Laurie Fitzsimmons of Livonia, Michigan. David and Laurie met in a Christian singles group in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Laurie is a semi-retired Doctor of Audiology, but she has also used her gifts and talents in God’s service. Laurie is a gifted musician and has ministered musically as a worship leader and as a vocalist in many choirs, ensembles, and smaller groups over the years. She has also taught various Bible studies and was active with Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU), Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, and Navigators while in college. In the summer of 1987, she served as a student leader for a summer missions team sent to Gibraltar with Teen Missions International.
David and Laurie look forward to continuing in the Lord’s service by ministering with the folks at Bethlehem Church.
