St. Peter’s Stays True to Its Mission

OCEAN CITY – While America roiled socially and politically in the 1960s, St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, 501 E. Eighth St. was an oasis of calm and traditional values.
Speaking with church historian, Robert Williams, at the sanctuary, Williams, a retired Methodist minister remarked, “Within the church, and I would say in Ocean City, things were pretty placid, and life went on as it had.
“Youth groups were well attended as well as Sunday school for all grades of children. A big activity at the time was collecting for UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund) at Halloween.”
That is not to say that St. Peter’s was immune from some of the prejudices prevalent of the time, prejudices that today would be unthinkable.
For example, Paul Friederich, the pastor in the early part of the 1960s, railed against the candidacy of “Roman Catholic” John F. Kennedy in sermons leading up to the 1960 election although, said Williams, “he gave a very complimentary sermon about him after his assassination. Our pastors were for the most part, then and now, pretty progressive, so these opinions were part of the mainstream.”
During this era as well, St. Peter’s was known by a different name – First Methodist Church – to signify its historical status in Ocean City. In 1880, the church was founded and led by minister Ezra Lake, one of the brothers who actually founded Ocean City as a Methodist retreat.
At this time, it was, indeed, named St. Peter’s but according to Williams, “the name was changed because perhaps of the anti-Catholic sentiment at the time and the prestige of having ‘first’ in the name.” St. Peter’s had a companion Methodist church in Ocean City, Macedonia, which was supposed to be integrated officially but in practice was comprised of all African-American parishioners.
It was not until the mid-1960s that Macedonia was brought into the Greater New Jersey United Methodist Conference, thereby cementing geographical affiliation rather than by race. 
Fifty years ago, St. Peter’s could expect a full house of 600 worshippers for its one service.
Today, there are three services that draw about 300-350 people combined.
“In 1967, our one service was traditional and formal with parishioners in suits for the men and hats and gloves for the women, the choir in robes, organ music and a long-standing Liturgy.
“These days, people have different desires and expectations, and we offer communion every Sunday including at the ‘contemporary’ service with anything-goes garb and guitar, keyboard, and drums.” 
“In fact, having an organ was so important in those days,” continued Williams, “that there were several celebratory events to commemorate when St. Peter’s had the good fortune, funded by leading lay person, Howard Stainton, to acquire a new pipe organ from Moller Organ Co., in Hagerstown, Md.
“There were not just one but two organ recitals by prominent musicians, E. Power Biggs and Virgil Fox, as well as a special service attended by hundreds.
“Mr. and Mrs. Stainton dedicated the organ to the memory of their daughter, Gertrude. The Staintons could always be counted upon to attend and support any, and all church and community activities and his department store (which bore his name) and other business ventures were cornerstones of Ocean City’s economy,” Williams continued.
“Stainton’s name and legacy continue to grace various causes such as the resort’s senior center.
“A major summer event was the church’s 1967 summer services, organized by then pastor William Guffick, which included a roster of prominent clergy invited to preach on special messages to gatherings held at the Moorlyn movie theater on the Boardwalk.
“In tandem, the “ladies of the church,” who went by Mrs. and then their husband’s names, not their own, organized a “Summer Auxiliary” every Tuesday whose “chairman” was Rev. Guffick’s wife, Henrietta.
The schedule included topics about stained glass, music and “here come the brides” and was so popular that July 4, which fell on a Tuesday in 1967, drew a crowd to hear a lecture entitled, “The Cross – Symbol of Faith.” 
St. Peter’s has adapted to the changing realities of religious worship throughout the country while still maintaining its sense of community and service.
For months after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the church and its members, led by then Pastor Brian Roberts, were the bedrock of cleanup efforts, relief for those displaced and an overall symbol of hope and strength through those dark days.
It continues to stay true to its very long history and mission.