Grape Vine Chapel

A Parchment Valley replica of the HOPEVALE CHAPEL of Iloilo, Panay Island, Philippines

Situated in a secluded area of the woods behind Warren Moyer Lake, the Grapevine Chapel is an open-air chapel replicating as closely as possible the actual Hopevale Chapel.

To visit the chapel, take the access road for the picnic/swimming pool area. At the fork in the road, continue on the left fork along the edge of the lake. A sign along the road will point out the trail leading into the chapel area.

The isolated location of the chapel was determined to reproduce the place chosen by the missionaries and Filipinos so they would be hidden from the Japanese troops that had invaded the Philippines in 1941. The stones for this replica were carried from the Little Horse Creek bed and placed to form the chapel outline, the altar, and the lectern. The project was done by volunteer American Baptist Youth under the supervision of Dr. Donald Loudermilk, Rev. Bryan Sweeney, and Monty Foster. The cross and the benches were constructed by Dr. Loudermilk and Kevin Hanna, resident site manager for Parchment Valley.

This replica is dedicated to the memory of Miss Jennie Clare Adams, RN, the Rev. James Howard and Mrs. Charma Moore Covell, Miss Dorothy Antoniette Dowell, Miss Segne Amelia Erickson, Dr. Fredrick Willer Howard and Mrs. Ruth Schacht Meyer, the Rev. Francis Howard and Mrs. Gertrude Coombs Rose, the Rev. Erle Frederick and Mrs. Louise Cummings Round and their young son, Erle Douglas Rounds. These missionaries were martyred on December 20, 1943 near Iloilo on the island of Panay in the central Philippines.

The purpose of the chapel is a reminder of the missionaries who sacrifice a life with their families and friends in this country to commit their very lives to the service of our Lord, wherever that may lead them.