Our History
For more than two centuries, Morrow Church has stood at the heart of Maplewood as a place of faith, service, and community. From its earliest days as a small gathering of neighbors to its role today as a vibrant, welcoming congregation, Morrow’s story reflects both the growth of our town and the enduring spirit of its people. What follows is the rich history of how this church came to be—and the many ways it has shaped, and been shaped by, the community around it.
The Old Meetinghouse
1805 - 1848
With no local church, the early settlers in the community of Jefferson Village (Maplewood) would walk miles to the established churches in Northfield (Livingston), Lyon’s Farms (Hillside), Orange, and Springfield. Around 1805, a group of Baptists began meeting in the home of Elder Gildersleeve at 57 Jefferson Avenue which still stands today. The group of 16 members formed the Jefferson Village Baptist Society and in 1811 they built a simple one room meetinghouse on the north corner of Ridgewood Road and Bear Lane (Now Claremont Avenue) on land donated by Caleb Durand.
The meetinghouse was referred to as “Babel Chapel” and was a rectangular wood clad building surrounded by a wooden fence with a graveyard at the rear. The Baptist Society met regularly and never exceeded 25 people. Long-time pastor Elder Gildersleeve died in 1846 and after his death, members began to disperse. Also around this time, Universalist meetings began taking place locally and their message attracted some from the Baptist Society. By 1848, there were only a few members left so the Society disbanded and the meetinghouse was left abandoned. For eight years the meetinghouse sat unused. Eventually a tree fell and damaged the roof and the building became the home to many animals as it quickly decayed.
The Early Methodist Movement
1850s
In the early 1850’s Methodists began to hold meetings in the area. They formed “praying bands” which were small groups who would worship together, study the bible, and hold each other accountable. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, felt that you could only grow spiritually when in a group environment and early Methodists really took to this sentiment. The praying bands were smaller subgroups who came out of the camp revival meetings taking place in Irvington. These revivals were similar to the popular ones held regularly in Ocean Grove. Outdoor camp meetings would sometimes last over a week and have much singing, preaching, and sharing of meals, bible study, and deep discussion. There was a fierce collective energy, and revivals were transformational for people who had never been a part of something so big. Entire families would travel far to attend and set up camp for the duration. People were encouraged to come, be engaged, and leave changed.
Our local praying band formed out of the South Orange Methodist Society and would meet weekly along the Crooked Brook (Rahway River where it meets Jefferson Avenue). As the group grew, so did the need for a physical meeting space and the abandoned Baptist meetinghouse at Claremont Avenue looked to be a perfect option.