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History

History of Church on Main

  • Presbyterians began meeting in 1700 in Odessa, Delaware.
  • A congregation was organized in 1708 and a church named “Drayer’s or Drawyers” was organized in 1711– one mile north of Odessa.
  • A group of Drawyers members formed a new church in 1750 in a forest just north of Middletown, which became known as Forest Presbyterian Church.
  • The brick building on Main Street was erected in 1850-51 (second oldest church in Middletown) and remodeled in 1868-1870, 1882, and again in 2016.  Our building still stands strong nearly 170 years later.
  • The Town added the tower in 1882, and then in 1906 they added the clock with a bell that strikes every hour. The Town of Middletown continues to maintain the clock.
  • 8 stained glass windows were restored in 2000 with community support. These windows enhance the beauty of the sanctuary.
  • In 2015, the Forest Session (the ruling elders) voted to take a new path.  The church lacked a full-time minister, its membership had declined, and the church building needed many major repairs.
  • The New Castle Presbytery (an organization of 51 churches in Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland) assessed the situation and voted to take control of the church in 2015 and invest in the growing Middletown community.
  • Church on Main was born with the intention of creating a new worshipping community in the MOT area
  • Numerous repairs and additions were completed in 2016-17, including:
    • Building trusses were repaired
    • Exterior masonry repaired
    • New electrical wiring installed
    • Fellowship hall and entry way have been remodeled
    • New bathrooms were added.