Your Pennies At Work: Betterton Beach Church Project

Choptank Trust contribution brings hope to community hub.

Located in Kent County, Betterton Beach is an idyllic town, nestled in the Chesapeake Bay. Still known as the “Jewel of the Chesapeake Bay,” Betterton Beach used to be a thriving fishing and tourist community in the 1800s and 1900s where boats from Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore would port regularly. Now, with no commercial fishermen left, the town is better known as a sleepy small town with a few locals but also many seasonal and vacation homes. There on Main Street, you will find Betterton United Methodist Church, sitting atop a hill where you can see the Bay just down the street. Yet, amidst the beautiful setting, the church needs some major repairs.  
Artillery and machine-gun fire from the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, just across the Bay, boom in the distance as Dick Story, Chair of the Fundraising Committee and parishioner of the church, points to the huge holes in the original siding. “The stucco siding is crumbling, and we even have a few birds living in the walls.” 
Because of all this damage, the church began a fundraising project that would span several years. As part of their efforts, they applied to the Choptank Electric Trust in 2018, and were awarded some funds to repair their 23 stained-glass windows. 
In March, the Trust pledged to donate $5,000 to the restoration project, which Pastor Bill Carroll says will be a huge help. “There used to be three churches in this town, and now we are the last standing. This is so much more than just a preservation project. We want to be here to support this community for many years to come,” said Carroll. “Where do people go when they are in their own personal 9/11? We want this church to be a haven for hope in the community.” 
The parish was founded in 1874, with the church built in 1913. The church is one of the few original buildings still standing in Betterton Beach. 
The Methodist Church provides much-needed community services to its residents, in addition to holding weekly services. During Lent, they held a popular “Meal and Message” program, where they served up meals and a few words of encouragement to drive-up vehicles at the local fire department parking lot. All donations went to the fire department to raise funds for much-needed equipment. 
Before COVID struck, they hosted a youth group every Friday night in their basement community room.  Upstairs, the former Sunday School room was turned into a learning hub for the Kent County Public School System by making upgrades to the electrical system and installing new internet service for students who do not have access to fast, reliable internet. COVID also created an opportunity for church members to call in to hear the morning message each Sunday.
The church’s fundraising committee has applied for other grants as well, but the donation from the Choptank Electric Trust will go a long way to help repair this beloved community church. “We have already raised $70,000 for this $150,000 project,” said Mr. Story. “If it weren’t for organizations like yours we would have no hope of reaching our goal. We have tried calling on local businesses, but they are hurting just as much as we are.”
“We plan on using the money provided by Choptank Electric Trust to redo the front half and bell tower so that it’s seen, and hopefully encourages more people to get involved,” said Mr. Carroll. 
The Choptank Electric Trust is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation funded by Operation Round Up donations from members of Choptank Electric. Funds from the Trust are distributed in all nine counties of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
For more information about the Betterton Beach Church Restoration Project and its historical town, visit www.stillbetterchurch.org. To learn more about the Choptank Electric Trust and its program, Operation Round Up, please visit https://choptankelectric.coop/operation-round-trust-fund.