The Albright United Methodist Church, in the Tanneryville section of Johnstown, is celebrating a milestone that is a testament to its founders and the faith of its members to persevere for the past 100 years.
The church, located at 608 Cooper Ave., is conducting a yearlong celebration in honor of the centennial.
Members and friends of the little church with a big mission will gather today at 1 p.m. for a covered dish picnic at the Bowserdale United Methodist Church picnic pavilion, 894 Cooper Ave., to welcome as many as six former pastors, listen to music and enjoy an afternoon of fellowship.
“Each pastor will take a moment to speak to the crowd,” said Carol Hickman, Albright’s senior pastor.
Among those returning are the Rev. Kenneth Rippen, who serve the church from 1965-67, and the Rev. James McGinnis, who was pastor during the 1977 flood.
A centennial worship service will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church.
Pastor Alyce Weaver Dunn, district superintendent of the Johnstown District of the United Methodist Church, will preach.
Music will be provided by the cooperative parish choir.
Throughout its history, Albright United Methodist Church has survived a number of obstacles, including the Great Depression in 1932-33, the disastrous St. Patrick’s Day Flood of 1936, and the 1977 flood.
“We praise God for all members, past and present, who have helped in reaching our 100th anniversary,” Hickman said. “Most of all, we thank and praise the Lord for the privilege of serving him for 100 years and pray that God will allow us to serve for the next 100 years.”
The church traces its roots to a gathering at the home of George Adams on July 9, 1912.
The church was formed by founding members Mary Rager, David Phillips, John Phillips, Mable Ribblett, George Conner and Frederick Ribblett and chartered at the annual conference in September 1912.
“The site of the new church was actually an old tannery,” Hickman said.
Two lots were purchased for $1,000 in Tanneryville.
“The church was designed in a fashion that it could be added onto, which was done,” Hickman said. “They had a vision of growing, which they did.”
A chapel was completed and dedicated February 1913 by the Rev. J.W. Domer, the presiding elder, and the Rev. H.B. Seese, the church's first pastor.
The congregation was known as the Olive Branch of the Johnstown Mission of the Evangelical Church. Other branches were Garfield Street, Ferndale, Calvary (Bowserdale UMC) and Daisytown.
In 1919, the church was renamed the Cooper Avenue Mission. In 1924, it was removed from the mission status and became a self-supporting station church, renamed Cooper Avenue Evangelical Church.
In 1946, when the Evangelical Association and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ joined to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the name was changed to Cooper Avenue Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968, when the Evangelical United Brethrens joined with the Methodists to form the United Methodist denomination, the name was changed to Albright United Methodist Church.
Also in 1968, Albright was linked with Garfield Street United Methodist Church. In 2000, Albright joined the United for God Cooperative parish with Cooper Avenue, Bowserdale, Garfield Street, Cramer and Mount Olive-Jackson United Methodist churches.
When Cooper Avenue United Methodist Church closed in 2003, its membership was transferred to Albright.
The church operates the Albright Kids Childcare Center, which opened its doors in March 2004 as an outreach in the community to provide nurturing care for children, helping them to grow in faith while reaching out to children and their families.
Other programs include Changing Expectation Mission, which works with preschool children through high school youth, and a prayer shawl ministry.
The shawls have gone to at least seven countries and nearly every state.
Shawls also are distributed at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center’s Main and Lee campuses, Windber Hospice and nursing homes.
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