Heise Hill Church has seen a lot of changes take place in its 203 years. The church was originally founded by a group of Brethren in Christ families that migrated from Pennsylvania. These sixteen families met in homes for the first three generations, and then in 1877 they built the original 40’ x 60’ part of the building that still stands here today. The church bought land from part of the historic Christian Heise farm, one of the founding members of the church.

Originally, the church was known as The Markham Meeting House. Therefore, it’s quite fitting that we currently use DVD teaching from The Meeting House as a significant part of our Sunday teaching. The church changed its name to Heise Hill in 1896. If you are new to the local area and haven’t come across the name Heise it is pronounced high-zee. The Heise Hill cemetery that sits to the north of the church dates back to the early 1800’s. The earliest grave marker reads 1811.

During the first 50 years of the church the services were conducted entirely in German. The first English service was in 1860 and was preached by Bishop Peter Cober. It was rare to hear a German sermon after 1870. Originally the building had a large veranda across the east side. Several changes and additions took place over the years and then the major changes to the entrance and lobby area were made in 1971. Then in the early 1990’s the last major renovations where done to the building when a full basement was dug to house classrooms, a new kitchen, and a new community hall. 

It would serve well to quote the writers of the centennial anniversary of the building in 1977 when they wrote in their commemorative piece, “This congregation has not been without problems and difficult situations. Like most congregations it has had its ups and downs…May the leaders and members of the past years inspire us today to continue in the Faith of our Fathers. May our lives be worthy of confidence of those about us, as it was for them…may we not fail to hold to God’s unchanging Word.”

For more information about our denominational history check out the webpage for The Brethren In Christ