This page of our church’s history is dedicated to the saints of the past years and those of the present who loved the Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren and believed in the mission of the church as prescribed by God’s Holy Word.

    Thanks be to them for their steadfastness, loyalty, and devotion over the past 150 years and to our glorious Jesus Christ who remained constant as they served the Lord with their time, talent, and substance. 

    Well done good and faithful servants!    

    The Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren had its early roots within the Conemaughers congregation of the German Baptist Brethren. This congregation covered a large geographic area: all of Cambria County, the northern part of Somerset County, and a part of Indiana County. The names of Stutzman, Mineely, Roberts, Benshoff, Goughnour, Hildebrand, Hershberger, Burkhart, Hanawalt, Shaffer, Byers, Brallier as well as others, represent those early ministers and elders who served in the Conemaughers congregation in the 1800s.

    Our first services were held in private homes; those of George Benshoff, Eli Benshoff and George Knavel are mentioned in the records.  The first church in this section of the Conemaughers was the old Horner Church (near Vinco), the second was our church, the third church was built at Giffin Hill (Locust Grove). Land for a meetinghouse and graveyard for what would become the Pleasant Hill church was deeded on December 3, 1852 by Lewis Benshoff and his wife, Christianna, and by Jacob Knable and his wife, Elizabeth to Eli Benshoff, George Knable, and Jacob Stutzman, Jr., who made up the committee for the Congregation of Baptist Brethren of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. 

    The original church building was built that year or the following year. It was known as Benshoof (the original spelling of the name) Hill meetinghouse after one of the families donating land for the building. Following the typical early Brethren pattern of dividing congregations, the Conemaugh congregation divided in 1879. Benshoff Hill became part of the Johnstown congregation. The meetinghouse was remodeled in 1881. The Johnstown congregation divided in 1899, and Benshoff Hill became part of the West Johnstown congregation. By 1908, when J.H. Cassidy was elected pastor, the West Johnstown congregation comprised Roxbury, Westmont, Morrellville and Pleasant Hill. A new meetinghouse was built in 1909. In 1915, the West Johnstown group divided into three congregations: Morrellville, West Johnstown, and Pleasant Hill.

    The records of the official minute books begin in 1910. Council meetings are held quarterly, led by an elected elder. Elders are usually pastors. The meetings begin with scripture reading, prayer and singing. Hymns such as “Take My Life and Let It Be,” “Have Thine Own Way Lord,” “My Faith Looks Up To Thee,” “Take Time to Be Holy”, “I Need Thee Every Hour”, and “For Christ and the Church” are noted in the minutes.