Oct 6, 2006 By Patty Yauger 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – The Connellsville Presbyterian Church will celebrate its 175 years of service to the community with a variety of services and activities throughout October. “We are celebrating our past and looking to the future,” said the Rev. Mark L. Juengel, church pastor of the month long celebration.

One of the city’s oldest churches, the South Pittsburgh Street congregation will host a 3 p.m. organ concert and hymn sing on Sunday.

Dr. William Haller, a West Virginia University professor of organ and organ literature, will be the guest organist.

He is presently the organist at the Worthington United Methodist Church in Ohio and is the former organist for the Columbus Symphony and Columbus Symphony Chorus.

Dr. H. Keith Jackson, West Virginia University associate professor of music, will accompany Haller.

Jackson, a trombonist, regularly performs with the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra.

“We are looking forward to their performances,” said Rev. Juengel adding that the Allen Organ Co. has provided one of its renaissance organs for the performance.

While George Washington at Fort Necessity is said to have conducted the first known religious services in Fayette County in 1754, the Connellsville Presbyterian Church traces its beginnings to Oct. 4, 1831 when a “memorial” was received from the people of Connellsville asking the Presbytery of Redstone to be organized into a congregation and also to obtain supplies.

According to church history, the “memorial” was granted and 22 names were inscribed on the charter roll.

For the first seven years, members gathered at the Baptist Church for regular services and at the Methodist Church for communion services until a meeting house was constructed along East Main Street (now Crawford Avenue) in 1839 for the congregation.

The meeting house was occupied until March 29, 1863, when it was destroyed by fire, according to church records. The walls, still standing after the blaze, served as the foundation for the rebuilding of the site.

Two decades later, the building was remodeled and a chapel added at the cost of $15,000.

The Main Street church was razed in 1913 to make way for the F.W. Woolworth Co. and a new place of worship and manse erected at the corner of Green and Pittsburgh streets.

“It would be interesting to know the content of those conversations,” said Rev. Juengel. “Changes for a congregation are often very difficult.”

Like his predecessors, Rev. Juengel said that the current church leadership is looking to make both physical improvements to the church building and internal improvements as they prepare for the future.

The building’s exterior is currently being cleaned and painted, with some rehabilitation work done to the windows while the interior is being renovated with new carpeting, tile flooring and paint. The sound system is also being upgraded, added Rev. Juengel.

As the church begins its 176th year, said Rev. Juengel, the focus will be to address the needs of those that reside in the community.

“It is difficult today,” he said, noting the violence that has recently struck schools in Pennsylvania, Colorado and Wisconsin. “How do we care for the people?

“People are so busy; there are so many options.

“It will be a challenge.”

Other events scheduled to take place at the church include:

– Oct. 15: 40 members of the New Beginning Ministry Baptist Church, located near Mobile, Ala., along with church pastor, the Rev. Don Seward, will participate in the morning worship service.

Last year, the Connellsville church participated in a roof replacement project at the southern church.

– Oct. 22: Designated as the official marking of the 175th anniversary. The Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Holben, executive presbyter of Redstone Presbytery, will be the guest speaker for the 11 a.m. worship service with soloist Todd Reagan providing special music.

At 2:30 p.m., the Calvin Presbyterian Church Bell Choir of Scottdale will perform with various community ministers and Redstone Presbytery officials joining Rev. Juengel for the worship service.

To commemorate the anniversary, stationary cards and church pencil drawings, along with T-shirts are available for purchase.

For more information about the anniversary activities, call 724-628-4401.