Johnstown —
Members of Christ United Methodist Church in the Moxham section of Johnstown will celebrate not one, but three, anniversaries.
The 50th anniversary of the church’s chapel will be celebrated Sunday with a worship service at 9:30 a.m. in the chapel, which was dedicated Oct. 14, 1962.
The Rev. Kathleen Schoeneck will speak on “Responsible,” based on Mark 10:17-31.
Helen MacDowell is the greeter. Beverly Rager will be the worship leader. Harriet Miller is pianist.
Fellowship will follow the service. Sunday school will begin at 10:45.
The 90th anniversary of the church building and the 120th anniversary of the church’s founding will be celebrated during a morning worship service at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 21.
On Oct. 21, the Rev. Deborah Ackley-Killian, pastor of the church from 1992 to 1997, will speak.
There will be displays showing the history of the church and pictures of former and current members in the Sunday school assembly room.
The congregation of what is now Christ United Methodist Church had its beginning in 1892 when the Rev. J.Q.A. Curry, pastor of Morris Street Evangelical Church in downtown Johnstown saw a need for a mission church in the fast-growing Moxham area.
Morris Street Evangelical is now Franklin Street United Methodist Church.
The resulting group met in a store room on Linden Avenue, with Curry preaching to 23 members.
The congregation’s continued growth forced members to move into the basement of the Stutzman Building on Central Avenue, then Saylor’s Furniture Store on Coleman Avenue and Steward’s Hall on Grove Avenue and Bond Street.
When membership grew to more than 100, the congregation decided to construct a church building.
A lot was purchased on Village Street in 1884, and a sanctuary was constructed for $3,755.65.
The church was known as Moxham Calvary Evangelical Church.
When the congregation outgrew the one-story building, plans to build another church were made.
In 1917, three lots were purchased near Ohio Street and Cypress Avenue for $7,200.
The church’s name was recorded as Ohio Street United Evangelical Church.
The cornerstone was laid June 18, 1922, and the building was dedicated Nov. 25, 1923, and was finished at a cost of $120,000.
The old building on Village Street was sold to Moxham Church of the Brethren, and was eventually bought by St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church.
The merger of the Ohio Street United Evangelical and German Evangelical congregations was completed June 25, 1935.
In 1969, the church became Christ United Methodist Church, located at Ohio Street and Cypress Avenue.
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