Cline's United Methodist Church

History of Cline’s United Methodist Church, Gardners, Pennsylvania

Cline’s UMC is a church located in the rural area of Gardners PA 11 miles from the square in Gettysburg, traveling NORTH on Carlisle St. (which becomes PA route 34, Biglerville Road) approximately 7 miles to the second traffic light in Biglerville. Continue approximately 4.1 miles to Cline’s Church Road, which is at a fork in the road just past Little Italy Restaurant. Taking the left fork follow Cline’s Church Road until you come to the old stone church on the right-hand side of the road approximately 1 mile.

A Historic Building & Cemetery

The 1850-stone one-room church is nestled in the midst of apple orchards which are the heartbeat of Upper Adams. Located on Cline’s Church Road, a back country road, you will find Cline’s Church to be one with a unique atmosphere where a real spirit of joy fills the building as we worship God each Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

The one-room stone church was built in 1850 on a parcel of ground purchased by the founding trustees, Joseph Cline, Jessie Cline, and George Peters. The church began as a United Brethren congregation and was the earliest in Adams County.

The “Civil War Building” plaque was placed on the single room, one story limestone church by a committee from the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table in October of 1970.

Looking For Civil War Veterans?

Cline’s Cemetery, adjacent to the church, has 11 marked graves of Civil War veterans, some killed during the war. An information sheet on the veterans is available at the church preceding and following worship.

PLOTNAMEDATESC.W. COMPANY
Row A#4George G. Carson1921 Aged 81
Row A#18Joseph H. Cline1843-1917
Row B#10Jesse Smyers1874, aged 30
Row B#19Jess
Row C#13David Cline1839-1926
Row C#15Amos Little1822-1901, Aged 78
Row C#21Isaac Miller1820-1905
Row L#2Cli Hellerdied 1877
Row H#10John H. Cleaver1843-1929Co. G 138 Regt PVI
Row N#8David Daydied 1901, aged 78
Row R#1John B. Cline

The founders of Cline’s United Brethren Church, Jesse Cline, Joseph Cline and George Peters are buried in the first two rows of the cemetery close to the church end of the rows. They had been involved in a Sunday School class which had begun in 1847 and their pastor encouraged them to start a church. The land upon which the church and the cemetery are situated was once owned by the Cline family and donated by them to the church.

Unbroken historic church secretary minutes dating from 1850 when the church was begun to the present are still in existence. A Bible given by their first pastor to the church at its dedication is still a property of the church.

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