The Bethel Evangelical Church was built between 1865 and 1870 on a lot donated by Samuel Rigal at the corner of Walnut and Harlem roads. In 1877 Mr. Rigal also donated land on the corner of Winter and Vine streets, where the Salem Evangelical Church was erected in 1877. The last service was held in the old church on Walnut and Harlem in 1928.
   By 1925 many other members of the Bethel Evangelical Church moved to Westerville and transferred their membership to the Salem Evangelical Church. This led to the sale of the old church at Walnut and Harlem. The building is still standing but is no longer used as a church.
   The Evangelical Church and the United Brethren Church merged at a conference Nov. 16, 1946, in Johnstown, Pa. At that time trustees of Westerville’s United Brethren Church and Salem Evangelical Church met and decided to rename each. Salem Evangelical Church thus became Second Evangelical United Brethren Church.
   By that time the building on Winter and Vine had become inadequate for the needs of the growing congregation, and plans were considered for remodeling. The Rev. J.R. Dallas had been assigned to the church in the fall of 1946, and in 1947 plans for a new building were made under his direction.
   The groundbreaking service for the new building of Second Evangelical United Brethren Church was held on South State Street, Westerville, on Sept. 19, 1948.
   The cornerstone of the Second Evangelical United Brethren Church on South State Street in Westerville, was celebrated on March 27, 1949. The cornerstone contained:

	A history of the church and a copy of the local Westerville newspaper
	A conference journal
	A list of current members and officers
	A hymnal of the denomination
	One each of the coins of the United States of America, symbolizing the tithe
	Copies of The Book of Discipline and denominational periodicals
	A copy of The Holy Bible, "The Light of the World"

    The building was dedicated on Feb. 5, 1950. In August 1950 the Rev. Woodrow W. Bell was assigned to the leadership of Second Evangelical United Brethren Church, which then had a membership of 146. Under the new pastor’s guidance, the congregation continued its progressive outreach of service to the community. In 1951 the Vine Street parsonage was exchanged for one on South State Street.
   The emphasis on Christian education brought about a rapid growth in the Children’s Department of the Sunday School. In 1956 an educational unit providing classrooms for primary, kindergarten and nursery departments was built.
   In 1963 the church completed the second phase of its educational annex with the construction of two more floors for the young people and adult departments.
   On April 23, 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church merged. Second Evangelical United Brethren Church became Church of the Saviour.
   In 1968, under Pastor Dale Riggs, a new parsonage was built at 532 Allview Court, and the parsonage at 15 W. Plum St. was sold. The church purchased three properties on West Walnut Street for expansion purposes. A new parking lot was constructed, and the church sanctuary and educational unit were modernized, including the installation of new windows. The service of consecration was held May 1, 1977.
   In 1987, under the guidance of Pastor Gary Campbell an elevator was installed to assist persons in getting to and from all three levels of the building.
   Decades of growth in Westerville by 2000 left the State Street building inadequate for congregational and community needs. In April 2002 the congregation voted to sell the building and to construct a new worship home. The building that had served the congregation well for more than fifty years was decommissioned on Jan. 16, 2005, to prepare for the construction of a new church on 24 acres of land at 11239 Fancher Rd. in Delaware County just east of the Hoover Reservoir.

Construction of the Fancher Road building was completed late in 2005.
Final coats of exterior paint and asphalt will be completed as the weather permits.

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