Greenock UM church to welcome bishop for 175th anniversary

For the MVI

Greenock United Methodist Church will welcome Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball to help celebrate the church’s 175th anniversary in Elizabeth Township. Bishop Steiner Ball will offer the message at the 11 a.m. service Sunday.

The bishop leads the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church with 450 churches in 23 counties.

The Rev. Scott Lawrence, pastor, will lead the service with members of the congregation participating. Members Dana Geyer and Kyrstan Darazio will share how the church has helped shape their lives of faith.

The church’s membership, programs and community involvement have grown since Lawrence, his wife Kristi and son Tyler came to Greenock UM almost 18 months ago. They have developed a midweek time for families called Messy Church and a Lunch Bunch with families in the Greenock U. M. Preschool.

This summer, Lawrence was appointed to also serve the Boston U.M. Church, where he created a Kids’ Club on the ballfield there. He is also active with Elizabeth’s Guardian Angels, a nonprofit organization responding to needs in Elizabeth and Forward townships.

Community service while offering worship opportunities continues the long tradition of Greenock U. M. Church since it organized in 1850 as part of the Redstone Circuit. Previously members attended Miller Church on Route 30 and Dravo Church founded in 1827 along the Youghiogheny River.

Starting in 1850, Greenock Methodists met in a schoolhouse located on Greenock Buena Vista Road and Luther Lane.

In 1858, the congregation built its first worship building a block from Old Greenock School near the intersection of Greenock and Twele Roads. In 1905, the building was rededicated.

In 1923, the congregation raised the building, added a basement and constructed a vestibule. Additional reno vations included memorial windows and higher ceiling. They built a cement block addition to the rear. And, electricity was added. Water lines weren’t installed until 1948.

Membership exploded with the housing boom plus baby boom after World War II. Funds were raised to purchase Floyd Peckman’s property at 1215 Greenock Buena Vista Road. Ground breaking ceremonies were held April 28, 1957.

The new building provided space for worship and 15 Sunday School classes as well as social hall and offices.

Through the years, Greenock U. M. Church provided outreach through youth choirs and youth groups, concert, food banks, flood and disaster relief, fundraising dinners for local needs, Puppet Ministry, shawl and blanket ministry, bowling, baseball and shuffle board teams, Red Cross training, blood drives and services to honor emergency response as well as 9/11 remembrances.

Apple dumplings are still one of the legacies of the Dorcas Band, whose members first gathered as young brides after WWII and supported each other through marriage, parenting, grand and great- grand parenting and then the loss of family and friends. Catherine Culberts’ dumpling recipe is still the delicious draw of the Apple Fest held annually in the fall.

Semi-annual household sales like the Rummage and Tag Sale to be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church offer low-priced goods as a community service and fundraising.

Sunday’s service with the bishop continues the 175th anniversary celebration that started with the Apple Fest and homecoming with the Rev. Dr. David Morse in September.

For information, contact the church office at 412-7517726.