Zum Schifflein Christi

The first German congregation in Cleveland was Zum Schifflein Christi, Little Ship of Christ, by 1834. It had numerous splits, mergers, and buildings. It's impressive building was began in 1924 in Glenville. It has merged out of existence. This stone remains.

Below the rose window, and above the door arch reads, "First Evangelical Church". Generally, the German word for Protestant is Evangelical. To the left is a stone, in which the lettering is unclear except for the name "Ebenezer", with the name of one of the merged congregations. To the right is the Schiflein Christi stone. Most German churches, prior to World War I, had German inscriptions. Schiflein Christi [yes, two different spellings] is the only German wording here. [yes, two different spellings] Notes found on internet suggest the building became in 1957, First United Church of Christ. Since 1967 Greater Friendship Baptist has made it their home. There is a stone plaque, that lettering does not photograph well at all, for the mortgage burning in 1983. First time, i saw such.

 

 a peak through a screened door window in the time of the virus

 [viewed from the outside] would like to know the story of this scene

There is no outside protective windows. Some damage came from outside, and tape covers the missing glass in the windows.