Seventy-five years before Verona became a separate borough, staunch Methodists had worshipped in homes such as Lucas Baldwin’s (in the winter of 1831-1832, according to Images of America - Old Verona by Robert L. Williams) and at the White Rock.
In 1832, they finally planned to organize the first church in Verona. On February 16, 1833, the Methodist-Episcopal Church in Vernon (as Verona was known until they established a post office and found that Vernon had already been taken as a name) was incorporated, after they decided they needed to start a subscription drive to build a church. On March 11, 1833, Dr. Christian Bone and his wife, Hester, deeded property at the intersection of what is now Bloomfield Avenue and Grove Street, then Old Road and Peckmantown Road, to the Vernon Methodist Episcopal Church for the town’s first church. The first Methodist-Episcopal church building was completed in the spring of 1834 by Anthone Brown of Spring Garden at a cost of $1,200. The building was dedicated by Bishop James. Renovations in 1873 amounted to more than the original cost of the building - $6,450.
The White Rock – from the Hilltop Conservancy site.
Methodist Episcopal Church
This photo, from Robert L. Williams’ Images of America Old Verona, dates to somewhere around 1890 and shows the church after its renovation around 1873.

The church grew steadily over the years, so that by 1901, church members realized the need for a new building. The church wanted to sell its former building to the township of Verona and relocate with the proceeds of the sale. Dr. Bone’s family took the church to court, claiming that the bequest to them had been with the understanding that the church would always remain a Methodist church at that location. The family lost the case and the church that the family had hoped would stand as a memorial to the good doctor became Borough Hall, Fire Department and Library. That building was lost to fire January 7, 1923. Robert L. Williams says, in his history of the Verona Library, that “it was about 3:30 a.m. when police Lieutenant Rowland, who was trying doors in the business section, spotted flames leaping from the roof adjoining the chimney of the building. The fire truck, recently purchased police car, and a car used by the Water and Sewer Department, were taken out of the building. Only a police motorcycle burned. The fire spread so quickly that just as the last car was being taken through the doors, a part of the roof and two steel cells on a balcony over the door plummeted, blocking further entrance to the front of the building. Despite assistance from Montclair and Overbrook Fire Departments, the building, with the exception of a rear annex, was completely destroyed.”

The new church building was dedicated on June 6, 1909 and was located at the present site of Montrose Avenue and Hill Street. It was completed on March 20, 1910 at a cost of $32,000. The builder, W.H. Kientz, was the father of current member, Miss Dorothy Kientz. Its windows are Tiffany–style and were donated by various families of the church.

The above picture is one from Images of America- Old Verona
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This window is in memory of Duane Beach – it is in a back hallway.

William Duane Beach, from Livingston, had been converted at a camp meeting near what would come to be Verona. He got a license to preach and led the meetings at Lucas Baldwin’s home.


This window, in the coffee room, is in memory of Joanna Beach Gould and Stephen J. Gould.

Stephen J Gould, John D. Baldwin, Cornelius Gould, Mathias Wheaton and Issac Dobbin were members of the original Board of Trustees under whom the church was incorporated.


This window, also in the coffee room, is in memory of Ezra F. Condit.

Filmore Condit gave to the church in memory of his son, Everett, and the hall in the church’s basement is named after Everett, as is a baseball field in the eastern end of Verona.

This large window, in the sanctuary, is in memory of Marshall Baldwin and Catherine S. Baldwin.

Other windows, also with memorial panes, are in memory of: John B. Baldwin (owner of the first general store in Verona), Mathias Wheaton, Cornelius Gould, and Issac Dobbin, some of the first Trustees of the church; John Mead; Alfred Ougheltree; Lemuel Jacobus and Elenor Jacobus (they owned and ran the brush company that was once in Verona); John Hayes; Newton Dobbins; William L. Scott and Martha M. Scott (their window is the other large window in the sanctuary which shows Jesus as a shepherd); and Lucas Baldwin, in whose home the church had its original meetings.
The church at large became the United Methodist Church in 1968, when the Methodists joined with the United Brethren Church (German speaking Methodists).
The new updated and more timely (or "politically correct" – to use a phrase commonly attached to modern translations or changes, especially in church usage) United Methodist hymnals, which were introduced in the 1980s, also have memories of some congregation members no longer in the Verona Church – like Noll, Trimmer, Gibbs, Kientz, Fairrock, Grebe, Fee, Benjamin and Leatherman.


This picture shows the church building as it is today.

The church building has had extensive renovations since it was first built. A Sunday School wing was remodeled, doors have been replaced, painted and changed, landscaping done, some steps made to make the sanctuary more accessible, air conditioning and some renovations in the basement kitchen and signs were placed, both at the church and throughout the town to make the church noticed and to give some information about it to the community. The church is currently going renovations to keep it in shape for more service in and around Verona