Pathweavers

09/07/2026

A lifetime lived during times of tremendous spiritual movement. See what it looked like to live and minister amidst national revival.

Follow Christian Newcomer, circuit rider and bishop of America's 1st homegrown denomination across nine states and even into Canada from his home in Western Maryland. There was barely a day that he was not on the road spreading the Gospel and encouraging growth and transformation during the peak years of the 2nd Great Awakening. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD3S1LXG

07/04/2026

AN EXPLOSIVE WEEKEND

207 years ago this holiday weekend, Bishop Christian Newcomer of the United Brethren in Christ visited Ohio from his home in Hagerstown, MD. While there, he attended a Methodist camp meeting somewhere near Urbana, OH. The fireworks and celebration were of a different sort than what we might imagine as the nearly forgotten, half-century-long juggernaut known as the 2nd Great Awakening, continued on in full force.

Newcomer's Journal, recorded between 1795 and 1830, is a near daily report of those times. His entries span both the mundane and mighty — all the while, providing a glimpse into a mostly-ignored period in our history, but one worth revisiting.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD3S1LXG

06/09/2026

Incidents, similar to that shown below, are not unique to Christian Newcomer's Journal. As noted, they confounded people in his day, just as they might confound many of us today. Yet, they took place for decades and across the country. While Newcomer's constituency consisted predominately of Mennonites, German Reformed, Lutherans, no person or people group were immune to the workings of God during those days, now forgotten and ignored. But while the events themselves are noteworthy, it is the measurable and the long-term, multi-generational impact which substantiates their worth.

05/27/2026

While Newcomer travelled far, regional sites include: Baltimore, Boonsboro, Chewsville, Emmitsburg, Frederick, Hagerstown, Hancock, Keedysville, Libertytown, Middletown, New Market, Sharpsburg, Thurmont, Westminster, Williamsport, Bedford, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Gettysburg, Greencastle, Hanover, Harrisburg, Lancaster, McConnellsburg, Mercersburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Shippensburg, Charles Town, Berkeley Springs, Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, Leesburg, Harrisonburg, New Market, Wi******er, Woodstock...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD3S1LXG

05/19/2026

The spread and depth of the and Great Awakening is best measured by its ongoing effect upon individuals and communities, rather than frequency of large, highly attended camp meetings.

In this example, circuit rider and bishop Christian Newcomer notes the expanse of the revival and awakening movement among the German people as they migrated west. This conference took place near Lancaster, Ohio and hosted 28 delegates from three separate conferences, including the Hagerstown Conference. Together, these ministers and circuit riders represented thousands from three different states. All road travel at that time was driven by horse.

In his 81st year, this was Newcomer's final conference appearance.

04/10/2026

5 DAYS OF A CIRCUIT RIDER'S CIRCUIT

April 8 - (Friday) Two days before recording the journal entry below, Christian Newcomer travelled 18 miles from his home in Beavercreek, MD and stayed for the night at his friend's, Yost Harbaugh, near Sabillasville, MD.

April 9 - (Saturday) The next morning, he rode 40 miles to arrive at John Spangler's in Thomasville, halfway between Abbottstown and York, PA.

April 10 - (Sunday) That morning, he rode less than 2 miles in order to preach at Roth's Church, a German Reformed congregation. As noted, in the afternoon, he rode 16 miles to Phillip Bishop's house in Littlestown, about 10 miles Southeast of Gettysburg, PA.

April 11 - (Monday) Newcomer likely stayed for a while at Phillip Bishop's before travelling to stay the evening at the home of a man named Kreb.

April 12 - (Tuesday) Newcomer's circuit ended after arriving back home in Beavercreek, 6 miles from downtown Hagerstown, MD.

Today in Thomasville, PA (halfway between Abbottstown and York), the high will be around 75 degrees — far from the temperatures alluded to by Christian Newcomer 218 years ago.

That day, Newcomer preached at Roth's in Thomasville, and Phillip Bishop's in Littlestown, PA.

01/21/2026

“Christian Newcomer, near Hagerstown in Maryland, has labored and traveled many years. His heart’s desire has always been to effect a union between his German brethren and the Methodists. Are there many that fear God who have passed by his house and have not heard of or witnessed the piety and hospitality of these Newcomers? Worthy people!”

~ Francis Asbury

UPDATED & EXPANDED REVIVAL JOURNAL (1795-1830) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD3S1LXG

Christian Newcomer lived in MD, but traveled into 8 other states and even into Canada as a circuit rider. His journal spans 35 of his 53 years in ministry as a "German Methodist" preacher. He was a circuit rider, a founding member, and later a bishop in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, the nation's first home-grown denomination.

12/28/2025

Samuel Huber held the first camp meetings within his denomination, The United Brethren in Christ, near Chambersburg, PA - a mere 26 miles from our home.

The story recounted here is of an unusual nature for sure, but not wholly unique. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD3S1LXG Such encounters were reported throughout the 2nd Great Awakening and harken back to New Testament reports. They are best examined in conjunction with, and in context of times of revival, measuring the long-term, positive growth of the culture during that era.

12/03/2025

Forgotten Stories of the 2nd Great Awakening, Volumes 1 & 2, are works resurrected and revived from near obscurity. When Volume 2 was first published in 1834, it saw a limited release of 300 copies. While some reprints have been available over the years, no one has attempted to format and expand these 1st-hand accounts until now.

As the Church struggles to understand its identity today, we need only return to the times where God moved powerfully among us, transforming individuals, Churches, communities, and regions with a living gospel.

Download sample pages of Christian Newcomer's Journal: https://tinyurl.com/NewcomerSample

History glosses over the revivals which swept through our nation in its early years. Fortunately, a few people recorded what they experienced. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD3S1LXG

Sample in Comments

11/30/2025

NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN

What God has done among us should never be forgotten to history. Rev. Samuel Huber understood that. Huber had been drawn into the revival movement taking place in his region during the early 1800s. Not long after, he began preaching for the United Brethren in Christ, the first U.S. denomination - a group sometimes referred to as the "German Methodists."

In 1858 he published his experiences and those collected from his close friends and associates so that the testimony of God's goodness and miraculous exploits would not be forgotten. After 165 years, they are again being republished for a modern generation that is barely are of the transformation God brought about during the 2nd Great Awakening.

This volume, as well as its companion book, a 35-year day-to-day account of times of revival, have been fully-edited and updated with maps, illustrations, contextual insets, and mini-biographies - adding much-needed context for today's audience.

What God has done before should not be forgotten so that we can prepare a way for him to come and do it again.

What if someone wrote down those things that God did in their life and ministry during the 2nd Great Awakening... Someone did! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD3S1LXG