Coolspring United Methodist invites community to join
This holiday season – a time when many people come back to church – members of Coolspring United Methodist Church in North Union Township are hoping that people will decide to visit, and perhaps join, their congregation. “It’s Christmastime and our door is always open,’ said Jill Rush, who joined the church this past year.
Members of the church, located on Coolspring-Jumonville Road, feel an urgency this year to speak out to the public. Their congregation has declined significantly in size through the years.
Brian Van Sickle, board chairman, noted there are 30-some members who belong to Coolspring United Methodist, which is 110 years old. About 17 of them attend weekly services on Sundays at 11 a.m.
Members range from young adults to Lamorne Pluto, who is 85 years old. The church lost three older members since summer, two within the last month.
“I’ve been here 44 years and this used to be packed full. I remember them putting chairs in the aisles. The Sunday school room was full. I taught Sunday school for 25 years. Now we have no children,’ said Ruth Pluto, church secretary.
Coolspring United Methodist Church belongs to the Uniontown Larger Parish, a four-church charge. The Rev. Roger Howard and the Rev. Daniel Brant are pastors. The charge churches join together for services on special occasions. For example, Coolspring hosts a Maundy Thursday service for the charge.
Most of the membership at Coolspring comes from the area surrounding the church, which has always been located on Coolspring-Jumonville Road. The congregation comes from Coolspring, Pine Ridge and Lemont Furnace.
Judy Humphreys, a member of the board of trustees, has been a lifelong member of the church. The original property for the church was donated by her grandfather, Charles Sullivan.
“It’s been close to my heart all these years because it’s so important to my family,’ said Humphreys, who continues to ring the church’s 110-year-old bell for services. “I can remember when I came as a kid with my grandmother and grandfather. You had to come early or you couldn’t get a seat. We filled the church up at that time.’
Van Sickle began coming to the church in 1981-82, when he met his wife, who had been going to Coolspring since she was young. Van Sickle had previously attended two other churches in the charge.
“Looking back, I wished I had become involved a little earlier with the board and the business of the church,’ he said.
Having more members would also help the congregation keep up with expenses. Van Sickle noted that since he began attending Coolspring, the size of the membership had been cut in half, but the expenses have doubled.
In order to save money, the church watches its pennies, finding ways to save such as keeping the heat down during the week.
“Anyway we can save money, we try,’ noted Pluto.
Van Sickle, who has attended the annual Western Pennsylvania conference, finds other churches are in Coolspring’s situation.
“It’s a common problem,’ he said. “Smaller churches can’t keep up with the finances.’
The members believe the answer lies in finding new members who can fill the pews and the coffers.
But their request for others to join is not about money. They want new members because they believe in their church.
“This is my life,’ said Pluto.
“This church is so unique,’ said Rush. “Once you walk in the door, you know each other.’
The members also believe that people who join the church will find a kind and caring congregation who really know and take care of each other.
“We really and truly love each other,’ said Pluto. “We are concerned about one another. People have prayed for me, come to see me. I don’t know what I would do without them. If you can keep love in church, you know God is in church because God is love.’
Donations can be sent in care of Coolspring United Methodist Church to Uniontown Larger Parish at 1264 W. Penn Blvd., Uniontown 15401. For more information about joining the church, phone the charge office at 724-437-4740.