Oct 25, 2002 3 min read

The Cove Run Free Methodist Church, located at 345 Yauger Hollow Road in Lemont Furnace, will celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month with a Burn the Mortgage Service on Sunday. The Rev. Roger L. Yeager was appointed to Cove Run in June 1995, after the retirement of the Rev. Eugene Iaquinto.

Services for this Sunday include: 9:30 a.m., combined service with The Riffles; noon, dinner will be served in fellowship hall; 2 p.m., Burn the Mortgage service with the Rev. Kelley, superintendent of the Pittsburgh conference; and 6 p.m., Back on Track.

In spring 1994, the church experienced a growth in membership that made a remodeling of the church necessary. The remodeling began in 1995 and included switching the interior so that the original back of the church became the front of the sanctuary, which includes two offices and a library. The original front was enlarged for seating capacity with a balcony, split entry, bathrooms and a nursery.

All of the work was done by members of the church and volunteers from the community. Church services were never interrupted or canceled due to the work. The interior of the building was completely gutted.

On Saturdays, workers would have to use shovels and brooms to clean the sanctuary, then proceed to put the pews in place for Sunday services.

On Monday, the pews would be stacked out of the way and the work would continue. The basement of the church was completely redone with larger Sunday school rooms and a chapel room.

The church was finished and dedicated in September 1996.

The church has a very extensive prayer chain network of emergencies and immediate concerns. When the prayer chain is activated, more than 30 people are contacted within minutes to pray. The church is very active in its children and youth groups.

The Christian Life Club, directed by Laureen Livingston, has more than 70 children attending on Tuesday evenings. Quintin Simpson, director of the youth group, meets with the youths in fellowship hall on Tuesdays.

The Bible quizzing team, led by Becky Wadsworth, has been competing in quizzing for more than two years. They have won many team and individual trophies and were able to travel to Seattle, Wash., in June for competition.

Cove Run is the home church of Back on Track gospel group. The group includes Mark Crossland, Dave Fuller, Cliff Bryner and Bob Miller. It was formed shortly after the revival started that led to Cove Run’s growth. The group has traveled to many places locally and out of state.

Don Crossland, youth director, announced in 1997 that he was called to ministry. Along with his wife, Eleanor, Crossland started the Tucker Run Church in Dunbar.

Cove Run produced the drama “Jesus, His Life, His Death, His Return,’ written by Julie Miller. Fifty people from Cove Run and Tucker Run churches took part in the drama.

It drew more than 400 people each night during the weekend it was first presented, before moving to the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown.

Next year, the church will celebrate its 110th anniversary.

For more information, phone 724-437-1050 or 724-439-4439.