History of Rockland UMC

Rockland United Methodist Church started as a congregation of the United Evangelical Church led by Reverend C. E. Redecker, November 9, 1900. A Sunday School class of eight members met in the home of Wesley Tucker in the community was known as Jonestown. One month later there were 45 members and a Worship Service was added. At that time the Sunday School was often more larger than the Sunday Worship Service.

The congregation built a church building in 1901. It was called Jonestown United Evangelical Church. That first decade saw an average attendance of 103 Sunday School students and 36 Sunday Worship attenders. In 1920 the Church's name became Rockland, shortly later, Trinity Church of Rockland.

In 1958, the State of Maryland made the Church move their location for the construction of I-70. The church found a location on Old Frederick Road and the new church building was completed December 18, 1960. At that time it was called Rockland Trinity Evangelical United Brethren under the pastoral leadership of Reverend J. K. Barner with 170 church members.

In 1968 the Evangelical United Brethren merged with the Methodist Church and the church was renamed to Rockland United Methodist Church. Rockland today remains a part of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference

Reverend C. E. Redecker

Download Rockland Historical Documents:

1961 Dedication & History

1901-1976 Jubilee & History

2001 Howard County History

Below are some old photos found in the church office:

Old Church

Rockland Construction

Dedication

Rockland Construction

Dedication

Rockland Construction

Cornerstone

Rockland United Methodist Church Completed

The folks below are making apple butter which Rockland folks did each fall up until about 1998. The apple butter was cooked outdoors in those big, old kettles, and it had to be stirred continuously with those long paddles. So, the apple butter making died out with the folks who used to do it, but we sold a lot of homemade apple butter by the quart or pint in Mason jars and it was a good fund raiser as well as being good fun! (information by Shirley M.)

Apple Butter Making

Below are folks on a Rockland missions trip...

Mission Kids

Missions