The Church of the Brethren originated in Schwarzenau, Germany in the year 1708, when eight persons agreed together to establish a covenant of good conscience with God, by accepting all the teachings of Jesus Christ, and to follow in His footsteps which are written in His word the Bible. Therefore engaging in the rite of Trine immersion baptism in the Eder River (In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) being baptized by their teacher, and leader of only 29 years old, Alexander Mack. These new believers moved forward in their New Testament faith only to face the bitter persecution and possible death from their King, Henrich Albrecht. After encountering so much hostility in Europe they rose to the challenge and opportunities of the New World, America. With Peter Becker as their leader, a group of 120 persons endured the horrors of an ocean voyage and landed in Germantown, Pennsylvania (near Philidelphia) in the year 1719. This was the very first church of the Brethren, and still standing today. This group of the Brethren were known as the Schwarzenau Brethren. In 1871 the German Baptist Brethren name was officially adopted.
In September, 1901, the General Board of the German Baptist Brethren invited J. Kurtz Miller to assume pastoral care among the Italian Protestant Christians in Brooklyn, New York. He accepted, and on November 29, 1901, he preached his first sermon, baptized two young sisters, and officiated Holy Communion to fifteen folks. In May, 1902, Brother Miller and the mission purchased a lot in Brooklyn to build a house of worship. It took Brother Miller six years to raise the funds for a suitable church and parsonage. On January 10, 1905, a plot of ground 66 X 100 feet, at 358 Sixtieth Street, was purchased at the cost of $4,300.00. Ground was broken on April 29, 1908 the German Baptist Brethren was renamed Church of the Brethren, Brooklyn, New York. The membership grew to thirty members. Since 1908, the changing nature of Sunset Park, and Brooklyn has created an ethnically, and culturally diverse congregation that thrives in serving the community in the love of Jesus Christ.
