History of Asbury United Methodist Church of Arnold
 

When you enter the swinging doors into the sanctuary, you are standing with the spirits of Asbury parishioners who have worshiped here since 1888.  The structure which forms the nave of the historic sanctuary was built in 1888.  The contractor was Alfred Asbury Stinchcomb, a local builder and member of the congregation.  An invoice in the church archives indicates that the tin roofing for the building, bought from James H. League, Maryland Stove House, 113 Main Street, Annapolis, Maryland cost $129.97.  This price also included "R.R. passage for hands and freight on material."  There were two doors on the front of the building facing Church Road, one for men and one for women.

In 1914, a 20-foot wing was added for classrooms.  The orientation of seating was rotated 90°, and a bump out was added to house the cancel area.  The bell tower with narthex at the base was added and a basement was hand dug.  The paneled wall of the current hallway became the back of the sanctuary, and was engineered so that it could slide up into the attic to make overflow seating space.  Two separate doors were on two sides of the bell tower, and the original two doors became windows.

1950 brought another major renovation when a new 20-foot addition was added to accommodate the altar, organ, and choir seating.  The seating orientation changed 90° again, and some of the pews were cut and pieced to fit the new arrangement.  If you look carefully, you can find 9 of those pews.  Six new pews and a matching communion rail were purchased.  Two stained glass memorial windows were installed.  "Jesus in Gesthemane" was donated by the Botzler family in memory of their son killed in World War II.  "The Good Shepherd" in the rear, was donated by the Dull sisters in  memory of their mother who was the first president of Asbury's United Methodist Women.  The pulpit and lectern paneling were built by Bill Neilson.  The balcony in the rear was also added.  During this construction period, the congregation met in the Arnold Fire Hall.

The altar cross was made by T. Roland B. Riley in 1937.  In the 1980's, vandals came into the church, stole the cross, flower vases, and candlesticks.  They also sprayed CO² fire extinguisher around the Asbury Room and turned on the gas stove before they left by the rear entrance.  Fortunately, they left the door open, or we may have lost the building at that time.  More than a year later, the cross was returned by a quick-thinking detective as the police department was disposing of unclaimed items.

The lower level of the building houses the Asbury Room, classrooms, library, choir room, Boy Scout equipment room, two rest rooms and a furnace room.  In days gone by, women of the church served suppers in the Asbury Room.  The three paintings hanging on the wall are by Masonetta Stinchcomb Waring.

In 2003, the historic sanctuary was completely renovated while the congregation met in Fellowship Hall.  The building, both upstairs and downstairs, now in pristine condition, stands ready to welcome any and all worshipers.  The sanctuary itself is always open; in fact you will notice as you go out, there is no lock on the outside red doors.