A Presentation of Eastern Christian College

Mid-Atlantic Christian University Gospel Rally – March 18, 2011

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1 [Opening Slide]

2 To most of the alumni of Eastern Christian College, this picture of “Old Main” is probably one of the first things that comes to their mind. But that is not where the college began.

3 Eastern Christian Institute

1946-1958

The western migration during the 19th century took with it many of the leaders of the Restoration Movement. With the passing of years the greatest frontier for evangelism in the United States became the historic and intellectual East.

4 No area in America had so few churches of the Restoration Movement nor such a vast population concentrated in so many large cities. The East is the political, economic, and intellectual heart of our nation.

5 In that region there were no New Testament churches in 400 cities of 5,000 to 500,000 in population. There were eight state capitals with no New Testament Church within 200 miles of ECI.

6 In 1945 church rallies in Eastern Pennsylvania and in East Orange, New Jersey passed resolutions recommending the formation of a founding committee which first met in March 1946. Eastern Christian Institute formally opened in September 1946

7 M. S. Kitchen was chairman of the Board of Trustees as the Institute was formed. At the time he was serving as Minister of Central Christian Church in East Orange, NJ and served as Acting President of the Institute. In September 1950 he was also installed as the first president of the Institute.

8 Murhl Rogers was another of the individuals who was instrumental in the formation of Eastern Christian Institute. He was Acting Dean of the Institute from its beginning until his resignation in 1952 to accept a ministry in Barberton, OH.

9 In the beginning ECI was located in Central Christian Church, East Orange, NJ. By 1950 some property was bought in Seven Oaks Park, Orange, NJ. It was a beautiful property, located on four acres of land.

10 Originally it was the old Colgate Mansion – a huge brick building with 32 large rooms, 16 large bathrooms, a laundry, a large kitchen, library, and a large ballroom. It was an ideal place. It was beautiful and well maintained. The school did not have any paid help to maintain that huge property and to do the cooking. Everything was done by students. There was an unwritten rule, originated within the student body, that each student would give two hours free labor to the school each week in appreciation for being a part of the school.

11 Paul Bajko was a student at ECI and then taught missions at ECI & ECC for 24 years. During that time he established the college’s Department of Missions and what has become known as Polish Christian Ministries.

12 Paul wrote: “When I arrived at the Institute I got a free scholarship for everything. I was so thankful to everyone. I volunteered to do the general cleaning of all the steps and hallways every Saturday. The job required four to six hours and I was doing it gladly. However, each Saturday there were a few girls and boys who would not let me do the work alone. They helped me and we worked together. We cleaned, washed windows, talked, and sang some more. Everything was done in a Christian spirit. After the work was done inside, we would clean the grounds outside. The work united us into a great student body, developed a sense of responsibility, expressed our appreciation, and gave much joy to all of us.”

13 Ken Meade wrote: “My first impression of ECI came in September 1952. Great kindness was shown to me financially which made it possible for me to remain in college. The individual attention given to each pupil in his class work helped me to progress rapidly and questions could be answered in greater detail giving me a broader picture of each situation which arose.

14 “Many of the classes were far above what I had expected. The opportunity afforded me to preach while in school provided a priceless education to be gained only while actually working on the field. It has been said, ‘A college can make or break a young man for the ministry of Christ.’ I can thank the Almighty Father above that ECI did much in many ways to make my life more Christ-like.”

15 In May 1956 the Board of Trustees of Eastern Christian Institute extended a unanimous call to Mr. Rolland A. Steever to serve as Vice President. His primary responsibilities were in Public Relations and Publicity.

16 The College was hampered by zoning restrictions and heavy financial requirements for accreditation in New Jersey.

17 These and other factors necessitated relocation, and in October, 1958, property was purchased in Maryland.

18 Eastern Christian College

1959-2006

Eastern Christian College was incorporated on May 1, 1959, at Bel Air Maryland with Rolland Steever as acting president. Extensive repairs and numerous improvements on the property were conducted under his leadership.

19 Students helped change the appearance of the campus.

20 A carriage house was converted.

21 The first floor became a kitchen and cafeteria with the girls’ dorm on the second floor.

22 A chicken house was converted into four spacious apartments for faculty living.

23 In September 1960, J. Thomas Segroves accepted the invitation of the trustees to become president of the College.

24 The College opened in September of 1961 with a full four-year program and a faculty of nine.

25 Many improvements in the physical property, both buildings and grounds, and in the program of the College were made and continued to be made. It was a “work of faith” depending on the support of those who believed in its cause.

26 It was a pioneer effort in the sense that there were few preachers and few strong supporting churches in the area.

27 The purpose of the College was to train men and women for various types of Christian service.

28 There were just a few students in those early years but several of them became preachers and preacher wives.

29 The spring house was a popular place for couples courting. It is said that many guys proposed to their sweethearts here. Or, if the guys tell the story, the girls proposed to them.

30 There were also some foreign students in those early years from Poland and Argentina.

31 There were even some foreign students from Virginia.

32 One of the early quartets was a combination of US and foreign students.

33 One of the great features of being a student at Eastern Christian College was the opportunity for students to not only benefit from classroom learning but have the opportunities to be involved in churches in teaching, preaching, leading singing, and providing special music.

34 At one point in the 1960s students were involved in weekend ministries in at least five states.

35 Ensembles were a regular part of college activities.

36 Groups traveled at least two weekends a month.

37 It brought people together who became close friends.

38 It allowed them to travel places they would never have been otherwise.

39 Some groups were of such a quality they traveled on their own at times.

40 Some were special select groups.

41 Choirs and choir tours provided many opportunities for students.

42 They allowed students to get to know the churches in the region.

43 Sometimes they demanded student labor – when the bus wouldn’t run!

44 Basketball teams were a highlight.

45 Even when they got stuck on the road in the snow.

46 Girls enjoyed playing on volleyball teams.

47 High School Days were always a joyful, even though busy, time on campus.

48 High school students came from many churches

49 Individuals from all over the East and notable preachers throughout the US were invited to speak at High School Days.

50 Names like Wayne Smith, Jack Ballard, Doug Dickey, and Paul Williams were among them.

51 For many years a feature of High School days was a parade down Main Street in Bel Air. Churches often brought floats to enter the parade.

52 In the 1960s the college administration worked towards receiving approval from the State of Maryland to grant a degree. It was a formidable task.

53 For a number of years students could not obtain a degree. Because of that, many students transferred to other schools prior to their graduation at ECC in order to graduate with a degree.

54 Finally, in 1979 Eastern Christian College was granted degree-granting status. Students were able to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies degree.

55 What would college be without a little fun and lots of pranks?

56 Surely no one would sleep in and miss classes!

57 A little fun made college life more enjoyable.

58 Was she studying as she traveled or sleeping?

59 Maryland experienced lots of snow some winters but classes were seldom cancelled.

60 After serving 17 years as President, Dr. J. Thomas Segroves became Chancellor of the College and Jeffrey E. Bullock was named President. Jeff had been serving as Academic Dean.

61 Some students received an education beyond the classroom and campus.

62 Pennsylvania girls saw cotton grow for the first time . . .

63 . . . and peanuts, right here in Eastern North Carolina.

64 Student teams and college representatives served in numerous church camps in New England and every Mid-Atlantic state as an aid to the recruitment of students.

65 Upon Jeff Bullock’s departure to serve as Senior Minister in Ohio, Dean Mills of Hillsboro, OH served as President from 1985 to 1987.

66 Clifford Smith, formerly minister in Havre de Grace, MD became the next President, serving from 1987 to 1992.

67 Frank Harris served the college in almost every position over the years. He came as a student and stayed as a staff member – working in maintenance, public relations, student areas, the business area, and served a year as Chief Executive Officer when the College was without a President.

68

Robin Underhill came from a ministry in Northeast Ohio to serve as President in 1994.

69 Lincoln Christian College

East Coast, 1996-2005

Under President Underhill’s leadership with concurrence by the Board of Trustees, ECC entered an arrangement with Lincoln Christian College to provide the academic program for the college.

70 Students often enjoyed getting together.

71 Dr. Kevin Larsen led groups of students on mission trips – one took them to Poland where they worked with a church in teaching English for week.

72 Of course, even on mission trips, there was time to relax and eat.

73 In 2000, the campus of ECC, still owned by the corporate body of ECC, was sold to a partnership of local Christian businessmen who leased back to the college what facilities were needed to operate the college.

74 Other facilities were leased to other entities such as Polish Christian Ministries who continues to maintain its offices on the campus.

75 Upon the dissolution of the agreement with Lincoln Christian College, the Board of Trustees voted to close the College.

76 It was not an easy decision but seemed the proper one. Some students transferred to Lincoln Christian College; others to Roanoke Bible College.

77 The net assets of Eastern Christian College were transferred to Roanoke Bible College, the closest sister college with a determination to serve the Northeast.

78 Let me close with a personal note: No other family sent more students to ECC than the Murphy Family of Montpelier, VA. Six of the seven children in the family were students. Four grandchildren were students. From those came three preachers who served churches for a total of 95 years and then have served in missionary-related ministries now for a total of 40 years. That’s 135 years of ministry. Eastern Christian College provided the foundation for these three preachers and the opportunity to serve the Lord in various ways. ECC may have closed but her influence in the lives of the countless numbers of families lives on!