The Cooptown revivals began in western Harford County in 1888. Many good years for the area's Methodists followed. In 1894, "about 600 carriages and buggies" brought worshipers to the annual religious celebrations. During the 1897 revival, 72 conversions were recorded.
As a village, rural Cooptown has been absorbed by growing suburban communities, but neighboring United Methodist churches that have survived keep the memories and the faith alive with their yearly Cooptown Reunions.
At one time, the revivals continued for two weeks. Recent reunions were scheduled throughout a weekend. This year, the celebration will be confined to a single morning and afternoon, said Harriett Cox, one of the organizers.
On Sunday, members of six Harford County congregations will converge on a grove behind William Watters Memorial United Methodist Church, at 1452 W. Jarrettsville Road in Jarrettsville, for hymns and other music, prayers, preaching and refreshments.
The theme of the day's events is "Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow." The public is invited.
The reunion begins at 10:30 a.m. with a worship service. The Rev. Olin Herndon, former William Watters pastor, is the guest speaker.
A covered-dish lunch is to be served at 12:30 p.m., and children from various churches are to provide musical entertainment at ,, 1:30. A concert by the Walt Michael & Company musical group is scheduled at 2 p.m. The day's events conclude with refreshments at 3 p.m.
Besides William Watters Memorial, sponsoring United Methodist churches are Jarrettsville and Centre, both in Forest Hill; Fallston and Ebenezer, both in Fallston; and Ayres Chapel in Norrisville.
Information: 692-5227 or 692-6728.
Bavarian memories
Emmy Mogilensky, program director of the Jewish Historical Society of Baltimore and a Holocaust survivor, will discuss a 1993 visit to her native Bavaria in a slide lecture at 7 p.m. Sunday at Randallstown Synagogue Center, 8729 Church Lane in Randallstown.
Rabbi Leonard H. Oberstein said Mrs. Mogilensky will recall her experiences before and after escaping from Nazi Germany to England as a child in May 1939. Her return to Bavaria 54 years later was with her adult son and daughter.
Information: 358-0431.
Director named
Brian Float, who conducts a ministry to teen-agers at Central Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa, has been hired as director of ministries to students and families at Grace Fellowship Church in Timonium.
Mr. Float's appointment by the large, nondenominational congregation, which worships at 9505 Deereco Road, was the result of a 10-month national search.
Information: 561-8424.
Legal hardball
A lawyer representing the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church has denounced as "frivolous" another attorney's complaint that the Rev. St. George I. B. Crosse III was defrocked unjustly and illegally by the denomination in June.
Mr. Crosse's lawyer, Sheila Brooks-Tahir, had told Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel and other Methodist officials that her client was denied due process and "suffered grievous harm to his reputation and general well-being." Mr. Crosse was removed from the United Methodist ministry after he was alleged to have started a congregation without required church approvals.
Replying to Ms. Brooks-Tahir's statement that the responsible Methodist boards, committees and individuals could be held financially responsible "for the injuries and damages suffered by" Mr. Crosse, conference attorney John H. Ditto Jr. wrote that "the allegations in your letter are without merit."
Mr. Ditto added, "We will assume any suit brought by you . . . to be frivolous and we reserve our right to seek sanctions against counsel as well as any other remedies available to the conference."
Mr. Crosse's request for a church trial in which to appeal his dismissal was denied by conference leaders.
Musical tribute
The Sanctuary Choir of Shiloh Christian Community Church, 2500 W. Lombard St., will celebrate its 38th year with a concert, "Tribute to Black Gospel Music," at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Information: 945-8730.
