A brief history of the assembly of believers

Based upon a circular1 published by the Washington Avenue (Plainfield, NJ) assembly, signed by several of the men in fellowship there and dated December, 1923, it is well established that the origins of the Cedarcroft fellowship are in the Independent Brethren movement of the 1890's. This movement was in response to the division that existed between the Open and Exclusive Brethren. Desiring to neither favor one side of the dispute over the other and to keep fellowship with both, a number of churches and believers in New Jersey began to identify themselves as "Independent". Some believers in the Plainfield area who shared these convictions began to meet in a building on Liberty Street in 1896. As the congregation grew, the assembly moved to Washington Avenue in the first years of this century and then on to Grove Street in North Plainfield in 1927. Desiring to have a greater impact upon its surrounding community and outgrowing the facility on Grove Street, the Gospel Truth Association (as it was incorporated then), began to consider relocation to a more residential area. Though many sites in the Plainfields were considered, the fellowship settled upon a large open lot on Kenyon Avenue in South Plainfield. This move occurred in September of 1965. Cedarcroft Bible Chapel since the mid-sixties has served the Lord and the Cedarbrook community by offering regular Sunday morning and evening services, children's Sunday School, weekday Bible studies, and extensive youth programs for all ages. It now seeks to expand its building to better serve its community, its youth programs and its Lord.

1 Circular content reprinted in F.W. Grant: His Life, Ministry and Legacy by John Reid published by the John Reid Book Fund, Plainfield, NJ.

A Brief History Of The Building At 18-22 Grove Street, North Plainfield

Throughout its hundred year history, this house of God alongside the Green Brook has faithfully served its inhabitants from a variety of religions, denominations and organizations, though not all have been worshipers. The Christians at Grove Street occupied the building from March 28, 1927 to October 6, 1965. This organization, called the Gospel Truth Hall Association, purchased it from the Temple Sholem of Plainfield who in turn acquired it from the Young Men's Hebrew Association of Plainfield in 1915. Prior to these exchanges, the building was used by the First Church of Christ of Plainfield (from 1906) and the American Christian Missionary Society of Ohio (1892-1906). The land was originally purchased from Henrietta and Daniel Berey for $500 on July 5, 1892. Since the Grove Street Chapel years, the building was used by the Electrical Workers Building Association as a union hall before passing to its present occupants, the Community Baptist Church.