By 1738 a log meetinghouse had been built on or near what is today the site of the Old Stone Church. At least until the early 1800's, this meetinghouse was used regularly for worship by some of the many Quaker families in the Valley. By 1807, however, many of these Quakers had migrated westward, and the Smith Creek Friends ceased meeting on this site.
By 1844, the meetinghouse was crumbling and Jacob Martz, the owner of the land on which it stood, deeded it to several trustees. He appointed John Cowan, Jacob N. Cowan, Martin Martz, and Jackson Martz 'to superintend the building of a house for Divine Service on a lot of land of the said Jacob Martz as well for and in consideration of "His strong desire to promote the principles of Christianity as of one Dollar Current Money. . ." (Rockingham Deed Book 17; 21 Sept. 1844, p. 381).
The Old Stone Church was built in 1845 by a Rockingham County stonemason named Jeremiah Clemens, who was about 24 at the time, and who later migrated to Missouri,
There is much about the religious history of the church in the decades following its construction which is unclear. It may be that more than one religious group or denomination was using the Old Stone Church for services at one time, or it may be that different groups used the building in succession. It appears that groups called the "United Brethren in Christ" and the "German Baptist Church" worshipped there. It seems that the name "Bethlehem" was applied when it was used by some Moravian Brethren from Pennsylvania who traveled through the Valley in the 1753.
The Church served as a hospital during the Valley Campaign of the War Between the States. (There are soldiers'inscriptions above the current ceihng.) Shell fire destroyed the rear gable, and the doors and windows were shattered. Patients and benches were moved across the road to a log building, which was used as the Smith Creek Congregational Church until 1881.
On June 18, 1881, with only two of the original trustees surviving, J. B. Smith, Richard Lohr and Michael J. Martz were appointed to join John Cowan and Jackson Martz as trustees. These five, representing the New Bethlehem Christian Congregation, entered an agreement with the Virginia Valley Christian Conference to restore the Old Stone Church. 21 members joined in the project, and it appears that membership almost tripled within the next five years.
In 1942 a new hardwood floor was added to the church and the raised chancel area with divisions for Sunday School classes was constructed- new pews were added shortly thereafter. The stained glass windows were also installed in the 1940's.
National events have local impact, and, on June 27, 1931, in Seattle, Washington, the Christian Church merged with the Congregational Churches to form the Congregational Christian Churches; the Tenth Legion congregation was to become the Bethlehem Congregational Christian Church. In 1932 and 1933 the General Synod of the Reformed Church and the Evangelical Synod of North America voted to unite-, on June 26, 1934, the Evangelical and Reformed Church was bom in Cleveland, Ohio. On June 25, 1957, also in Cleveland, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united to become the United Church of Christ. Three weeks from today is the 38th anniversary of that union, a union which soon resulted in the birth of Bethlehem United Church of Christ.
In 1952, a new church was built beside the Old Stone Church by Tom Good and others. The Old Stone Church was little used for the next three decades. In 1976, church and community members raised funds to make repairs on the building, and in 1981 it was used for a Homecoming service on Pentecost Sunday. Also in that year it was placed on the Virginia Landmarks Register.
Today the Old Stone Church is primarily used for the 'Second Hand Treasures" outreach project of the Bethlehem Women's Fellowship, which sells clothing and household items inexpensively to the surrounding communities. Various individuals and groups ask to see the building from time to time, and the congregation welcomes such community interest.
Today we welcome you to our church, and we hope that you will be aware of God being with you during your time of worship and fellowship with us.