Who We Are
All are welcome to the
Snake Spring Valley Church of the Brethren!
We are friendly, family oriented, and intergenerational! We invite your active participation in the life of this congregation, as together we continue to grow in our faith…“Continuing the work of Jesus. Simply. Peacefully. Together.”
SSVCOB Mission Statement
To know God and to make God known.
SSVCOB Vision Statement
To be a church family that displays God’s love through our actions, discipleship, and outreach.
SSVCOB Core Values
Christ Centered- We believe the Bible is God’s word, center our worship around it, and worship God daily through our actions and attitudes.
Discipleship– We love and follow Jesus, becoming more like him in our actions and attitude while connecting with and discipling others as we grow together.
Discernment–We seek the leading of the Holy Spirit through prayer, scripture, and the gathered community.
Biblical Hospitality– We follow Jesus’ example of respecting all people and inviting them into his fellowship by welcoming all who desire a seat at the table and providing a safe place in our community.
Stewardship– We show God’s love to others through our words and actions.
Kingdom Living– We love God by seeking his will “on earth as it is in heaven” and loving others as God loves his Son and us.
“In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
– Romans, 12:5 NIV
The Origin of Our Denomination
Our small rural congregation was organized in 1820 by early settlers in Snake Spring Valley, first meeting in homes. A meeting house was built in 1860, and the present church was built in 1891. Our average attendance is around 100.
The Church of the Brethren, earlier called the “Dunkers,” or German Baptist Brethren, began in 1708 near Schwarzenau, Germany, by Alexander Mack, who led a group of 8 believers with adult baptism. Of the Anabaptist and Pietist traditions, and facing religious persecution, the small group immigrated to America in 1729. The first congregation was founded in Germantown, PA. Finding freedom and new lands for their families, groups of Brethren began moving westward across the United States and establishing churches. The New Testament is our only Creed. To learn more about our denomination, check out www.Brethren.org.