On May 1, 1933, Rev. D.E Higgs, superintendent of the Washington-Philadelphia District (now the Mid-Atlantic District), met with a handful of people in an empty store room on the first block of York Street for the purpose of organizing a Church of the Nazarene. The 5 charter members of that meeting were Anna Mary Barnhart, Maggie Albin, Ruth Albin, Mildred Albin and Muriel Albin. Rev. E.E. Patzsch was installed as the first lead pastor, and the Hanover Church of the Nazarene was born. The Church continued to serve out of the store building until it rented and then purchased the Slagle Mission building on Charles Street. This united the congregation of the Slagle Mission with the Church of the Nazarene in 1935. A few years later, the church purchased a building lot at East Middle and Fulton Streets and began construction of the present church building. The church building was completed and dedicated on July 18, 1948. Interestingly during this time, Rev. E. E. Grosse was elected superintendent of the Washington-Philadelphia District and moved to Hanover, where he and his family became members of the congregation. The 50th Anniversary of the Hanover Church was celebrated on May 1, 1983. The 75th Anniversary was in 2008. The Church just celebrated 90 years in 2023. Our Pastors Over the Years 1933-1934 - E. E. Patzsch 1934-1936 - Murray L. Morford 1936-1939 - R. O. Parry 1939-1942 - Victor Edgar 1942-1945 - S. R. Maybury 1945-1951 - Thomas S. Fowler 1951-1963 - John L. Parry 1963-1971 - D. Ward Albright 1971-1998 - Allen G. Ray 1999-2019 - Gerald R. Dunlap 2020-present - David Breedlove |