The history of Germantown Brick Church of the Brethren is the history of the early Brethren in Franklin County, since the church is the oldest congregation of the Church of the Brethren in the county.

Jacob Miller moved from Franklin County, Pennsylvania to Franklin County, Virginia in 1765. He was the first Brethren minister in the County and was joined by William Smith, who came to America with the British at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, but refused to fight.

Miller and Smith found their views were similar on baptism and opposition to war. Smith was baptized, united with the church and elected to the ministry. Miller and Smith spoke German and English, respectively, which enabled them to reach many people through their preaching. These pioneer preachers were so active in this section of Virginia that the 1797 Annual Meeting was held in Franklin County, near the present location of the church.

Early services and love feasts were conducted in the homes and barns of members. Expanding membership required the construction of a meeting house in 1848. The building measured 40 by 100 feet and was built with 18 inch bricks made in a nearby field. At the time, this was the oldest brick building in the area and became known as the "Old Brick Church." It remained the only Brethren meeting house in Franklin County until the 1870s.

In 1903, George Barnhart traveled to Germantown, Pennsylvania to secure floor plans of the original Brethren meeting house. Based on these plans, a new Brick church was built in 1904, using some bricks from the old structure. In 1929, eight Sunday School rooms and a partial basement were added. Further additions and remodeling in 1948 included a full basement under the sanctuary, a kitchen, a vestibule, a new floor in the sanctuary and new pews. In 1958, a parsonage was constructed across the street from the church.

Since 1960 major renovation of the building have included the addition of an educational wing and fellowship hall with classrooms, kitchen, library, secretary's office and restrooms. Modern improvements have included air conditioning and an elevator, which makes the building almost completely accessible. A renovation of the chancel are in the sanctuary, including new choir chairs and video projection system, was completed in the early 2000s.

1960

1998

By 1893, the first Sunday School was organized at Germantown. The Ladies Aid, which was the first such group in the Church of the Brethren in Southern Virginia, was formed in 1910 with Lizzie Peters as President.

Before 1930, Germantown Brick was served by unpaid or a "free" ministry. Elders who served included: Lee Angle, Henry Ikenberry, Riley Peters, George B. Flora, John Barnhart, J. Bunyan Peters, Henry Woodie, George Barnhart and Wilford Peters. Germantown Brick helped establish churches at Antioch, Bethlehem, Piedmont, Ninevah, Mount Hermon, Bassett, New Bethel, Jones Chapel, and Eden, North Carolina.

In 1930, Allan Hoover was called as the first part-time pastor, preaching two Sundays and month. He was followed by Kermit Flora (1936-42), G.W. Bowman (1942-47) and Frank B. Layman, Sr. (1947-57). In 1953, a decision was made to extend preaching services to every Sunday.

Eugene Lenker and his family moved into the new parsonage in 1958 He served a joint pastorate with the Rocky Mount Church until 1960 when he became the first full-time pastor.
Other full-time pastors who have served:
     Alton McDaniel        1964-1970
     James Weaver          1970-1972
     Sylvus D. Flora          1972-1978
     Bruce Flora                1978-1979
     Timothy Jones          1979-1983
     Fred Driver                1983-1994
     Bruce Huffman        1994-2017
     Greg Broyles             2018-

In 1998, the congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary with special services and the planting of an anniversary tree on the church lawn.