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In His Time
Epworth’s history is in God’s time

Flowers are in bloom, rain visits us regularly, and the days are getting warmer. It is time to dream of things that we do on beautiful days in the Spring and Summer. It is time to think of picnics. We’d like to tell you about a brief but wonderful era of Epworth’s Sunday School picnics.
These picnics were joyous excursions that filled the day with fun. The day would begin with a crowd of adults and children descending on the pier at the Riverton Yacht Club to board a paddle-wheel boat that would ferry them to Burlington Island. Once there they would spend the day enjoying games with prizes, the beaches, swimming, and the circle swing. Before long there were a carousel and roller coaster to ride. Of course picnic lunches had been packed and could be enjoyed in the shade. As the day drew to a close the revelers would once again board a boat that would return them home.
Although our earliest Sunday School records begin in 1904, we have found reference to these picnics in papers from 1902 and we believe that the picnics had been held for at least a few years before then. Although instigated and coordinated by Epworth’s Sunday School, these picnics were really community events. Beginning in 1908 the Presbyterian, Baptist, Moravian, and Delair Methodist Sunday Schools were invited to join in the fun. In 1910 the picnic was attended by 384 adults and 110 children including 162 adults and 50 children from Epworth.  Tickets were $0.30 for adults and $0.15 for children. The boat company was paid $79.02 and the remainder was spent on supplies or added to the Sunday School’s treasury.
The Great War began in 1914 and we begin to see changes in the picnic. In 1915 the Sunday

School chose to cover the cost of tickets for students in the Junior Department, easing some of the burden on their parents. We have not completed reviewing the records, but 1916 was probably the final year of the picnics on Burlington Island. That year the Sunday School showed the ultimate level of bureaucracy by appointing a “committee to appoint a Picnic Committee.” Attendance was down with 92 adults and 40 children. For the first time the money collected did not quite cover the expenses and the Sunday School covered a deficit of $5.98.

In 1917 the Picnic Committee explored picnicking at different locations including Knight’s Park in Collingswood, Atlantic City, and Ocean Grove. Unfortunately, after much deliberation the picnic was cancelled for the year because of unspecified circumstances, the lateness of the season, and the condition of the Sunday School’s finances. Although holding a picnic was discussed each year, it was not until 1923 that the tradition was brought out of retirement with a picnic in Neshaminy Falls, Pa. In just 13 years expenses had tripled and attendance dropped to a total of 85 people. Unfortunately, the grand era of the Burlington Island picnics was never returned to.

With God’s love, The History Committee

The History Committee is collecting stories and would like to hear yours:
Why did you start coming to Epworth? Why did you stay?

Please share your answers with us by dropping a written note in the office, or posting them on the church’s Facebook page, emailing the church office, or emailing Joy Malessa. Thank you.