Smithville

US Congregations

Smithville Ohio Apostolic Christian Church of America.
Branches:	ACCA
Date Founded:	1985
Attendance 2024:	535
Address:	8530 Fulton Road, Sterling
Website:	Smithvilleacchurch.org

History

Early in the 1980s, there was concern about providing more room for church services at the Rittman, Ohio, church. After much discussion, a questionnaire was passed out to all members to find out if they favored a second church building at a different location or an addition to the current church.

Following worship services on Wednesday evening, July 27, 1983, a meeting was held to present the results of the questionnaire. The results favored building a second church. Different sites were examined, and a vote was taken by the church. One location carried by a good majority. It was located on Fulton Road (County Road 27). It was a nice, quiet country setting approximately two miles north of the northeast edge of Smithville, Ohio. It was only 3.5 miles from the Rittman church.

On Wednesday evening, July 11, 1984, a groundbreaking ceremony was held. Minister Ben Hartzler spoke on church progress in his lifetime. Elder Joseph Ramsier had a prayer asking God for His blessing and protection in this undertaking. A good-size group was present and concluded with the song "Unity" (page 237, Zion's Harp Hymnal).

The goal was that about 30 percent of the Rittman congregation would attend the new church at Smithville. It turned out that this occurred on a voluntary basis. The division was largely by families, but not altogether. Smithville seemed to have a slightly younger congregation. The cost of the new church was approximately $850,000. Much of the labor was donated by members and friends of the Rittman church and from the emerging Smithville congregation.

First services were held on August 4, 1985. Open House was on August 18, 1985. The church was dedicated on August 25, 1985, with Elder Gene Marti, Kansas City, Missouri, conducting the service.

On October 2, 1988, Andrew Stoller was ordained as Elder of the Smithville congregation. Upon his retirement, he was succeeded by Victor Bauman on February 23, 2014, who served until 2022. Smithville’s current Elder, Adam Uhler, was ordained on March 20, 2022.

• Historical accounts adapted from Marching to Zion.

Klopfenstein, Perry A. Marching to Zion: a History of the Apostolic Christian Church of America, 1847-2007. 2nd ed., Apostolic Christian Church of America, 2008.

Ministers

Ministers

Name	Born	Baptized	Minister	Deacon	Elder	Retired	Wife	Notes
Gary Maibach	10/24/1944	6/9/1963	1/3/1971			1/1/2022	Mary Graf
Andrew Stoller	1/25/1943	9/29/1963	5/26/1985		10/2/1988	2/13/2015	Roberta Beery
Victor Bauman	12/28/1952	4/8/1973	7/14/1985	9/2/2012	2/23/2014	3/20/2022	Brenda Winkler
Benjamin Hartzler	12/28/1904	1/13/1924	8/1/1985			5/30/1989	Clara Ingold
Glenn Riggenbach	5/3/1942	10/21/1962	3/19/1987			11/25/2001	Louise Graf
Mark R. Steiner	11/20/1948	7/15/1973	6/9/1991			11/25/2018	Sue Ramsier
Ted Luginbuhl	1/4/1969	3/20/1988	6/12/2002				Stephanie Baltic
Michael Walder	11/19/1966	12/19/1984	4/14/2010			12/31/2013	Susan Grawunder
Marvin Zollinger	11/12/1961	8/7/1988	4/14/2010				Pamela Christian
Adam Uhler	9/18/1972	11/27/1994	6/18/2014		3/20/2022		Ann Maibach
Andy Fetzer	3/23/1959	10/23/1977	9/4/2016				Elizabeth Art
David Maibach	3/20/1974	3/31/1991	9/4/2016			8/4/2024	Larisa Wenninger
Aaron Beery	3/24/1966	9/23/1984	10/20/2021	9/1/2024			Lynne Uhler
Danny Andrej	11/15/1982	4/2/2006	12/8/2024				Carolyn Bodjanac

Attendance

Attendance

Year	Total	Members	Sunday School		Year	Total	Members	Sunday School
1986	-	154	140		2008	434	247	128
1989	-	171	162		2010	439	244	128
1992	431	188	186		2012	446	245	130
1994	443	188	195		2014	345	193	104
1996	445	197	225		2016	373	227	104
1998	476	206	193		2018	433	251	121
2000	480	228	196		2020	453	262	124
2002	499	241	154		2022	500	280	139
2004	469	245	132		2024	535	300	156
2006	472	238	131