Churches in the borough of Forest City
Centennial United Methodist Church located at 631 Main St.
Christ's Episcopal Church located at 700 Delaware St.
First Presbyterian Church located on Main St.
Forest City United Methodist Church located at 61 Dundaff St.
Sacred Heart of Jesus located at 612 Hudson St.
St. Michael the Archangel located at 701 Delaware St.
St. Agnes Catholic Church located at 7l5 Delaware St.
St. Joseph's Slovenian Church located at 471 Delaware St.
St. John Byzantine Church located at 306 Susquehanna St.
St. Anthony located at 612 Lackawanna St.
The following is taken fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_City,_Pennsylvania
At its height, Forest City, had many churches built in town due to the influx of immigrants. Each successive ethnic minority would build their own church.
Up until recent years, Forest City's overwhelmingly Roman Catholic population boasted five churches: St. Anthony, St. Michael, St. Agnes, St. Joseph, and Sacred Heart. Each of these churches were ethnic, St. Agnes being Irish, St. Anthony's was Lithuanian; St. Michael's was Slovakian; St. Joseph's was Slovenian; and Sacred Heart was Polish. As of 2010, only St. Joseph and Sacred Heart remains- the rest were reduced to rubble.
Forest City is also home to an Episcopal, a Methodist (closed in 2013), a Byzantine Catholic Church and a non-denominational community Bible church each with its own following - a testament to the diverse faiths in the coal region.
The following is taken from Highlights of Forest City Borough History, 1938
The first church to be erected in Forest City was the Methodist Episcopal, incorp. Jan.17, 1885 and dedicated Nov. 17, 1886. Further improvements were made in 1906.
The Welsh Congregational Church parishioners met in 1883 in the old school and next Higgins Hall. The church was erected in 1892
The first Catholic parish was St. Agnes, started in 1888 and completed and dedicated on September 18, 1892. This church was destroyed by fire December 27, 1917 and on March 30, 1919 the edifice was dedicated.
The Baptist church was started in 1888; the corner stone was laid Jan. 24, 1889 and the dedication took place January 15, 1895.
Ground was broken for the Christ Episcopal Church on Aug. 6, 1891. The cornerstone was laid on Sept. 18, 1891 and the first services were held in the church on June 5, 1892.
The second Catholic parish (Lithuanian) to be formed in the Borough was that of St. Anthony's on Aug. 16, 1894. Ground was broken Sept. 3, 1894 and the church was destroyed by fire on Feb. 21, 1899. A new edifice was started June 22, 1899, and the cornerstone laying and dedication of the bells took place Nov. 22, 1899. The church was dedicated Oct. 8, 1905.
June 26, 1896 marked the dedication of the Presbyterian Church but as early as Nov. 9, 1890 a Presbyterian missionary preached a sermon in the Maxey Hall, and on Feb. 4, 1891 the First Presbyterian Church of Forest City was constituted and a church was started in the spring of 1894.
November 11, 1897 St. John's Greek Catholic Church was started and the cornerstone laid Dec. 19, 1897.
St. Joseph's Slovenian Church was started on May 19, 1904 with a groundbreaking; the cornerstone laying service was held on Aug. 4, 1904. The dedication of the church took place March 19, 1905.
The Sacred Heart Congregation was started Oct. 13, 1904 and the temporary chapel was destroyed by fire on Feb. 17, 1905. The dedication of the new church took place on May 30, 1908
St. Michaels Slovak Church was organized in 1913 and soon after they purchased the Baptist Church on Jan. 5, 1914. On July 4, 1917 St. Michaels cornerstone was laid and the dedication also took place at that time.
Christ's Episcopal Church located at 700 Delaware St.
First Presbyterian Church located on Main St.
Forest City United Methodist Church located at 61 Dundaff St.
Sacred Heart of Jesus located at 612 Hudson St.
St. Michael the Archangel located at 701 Delaware St.
St. Agnes Catholic Church located at 7l5 Delaware St.
St. Joseph's Slovenian Church located at 471 Delaware St.
St. John Byzantine Church located at 306 Susquehanna St.
St. Anthony located at 612 Lackawanna St.
The following is taken from
At its height, Forest City, had many churches built in town due to the influx of immigrants. Each successive ethnic minority would build their own church.
Up until recent years, Forest City's overwhelmingly Roman Catholic population boasted five churches: St. Anthony, St. Michael, St. Agnes, St. Joseph, and Sacred Heart. Each of these churches were ethnic, St. Agnes being Irish, St. Anthony's was Lithuanian; St. Michael's was Slovakian; St. Joseph's was Slovenian; and Sacred Heart was Polish. As of 2010, only St. Joseph and Sacred Heart remains- the rest were reduced to rubble.
Forest City is also home to an Episcopal, a Methodist (closed in 2013), a Byzantine Catholic Church and a non-denominational community Bible church each with its own following - a testament to the diverse faiths in the coal region.
The following is taken from Highlights of Forest City Borough History, 1938
The first church to be erected in Forest City was the Methodist Episcopal, incorp. Jan.17, 1885 and dedicated Nov. 17, 1886. Further improvements were made in 1906.
The Welsh Congregational Church parishioners met in 1883 in the old school and next Higgins Hall. The church was erected in 1892
The first Catholic parish was St. Agnes, started in 1888 and completed and dedicated on September 18, 1892. This church was destroyed by fire December 27, 1917 and on March 30, 1919 the edifice was dedicated.
The Baptist church was started in 1888; the corner stone was laid Jan. 24, 1889 and the dedication took place January 15, 1895.
Ground was broken for the Christ Episcopal Church on Aug. 6, 1891. The cornerstone was laid on Sept. 18, 1891 and the first services were held in the church on June 5, 1892.
The second Catholic parish (Lithuanian) to be formed in the Borough was that of St. Anthony's on Aug. 16, 1894. Ground was broken Sept. 3, 1894 and the church was destroyed by fire on Feb. 21, 1899. A new edifice was started June 22, 1899, and the cornerstone laying and dedication of the bells took place Nov. 22, 1899. The church was dedicated Oct. 8, 1905.
June 26, 1896 marked the dedication of the Presbyterian Church but as early as Nov. 9, 1890 a Presbyterian missionary preached a sermon in the Maxey Hall, and on Feb. 4, 1891 the First Presbyterian Church of Forest City was constituted and a church was started in the spring of 1894.
November 11, 1897 St. John's Greek Catholic Church was started and the cornerstone laid Dec. 19, 1897.
St. Joseph's Slovenian Church was started on May 19, 1904 with a groundbreaking; the cornerstone laying service was held on Aug. 4, 1904. The dedication of the church took place March 19, 1905.
The Sacred Heart Congregation was started Oct. 13, 1904 and the temporary chapel was destroyed by fire on Feb. 17, 1905. The dedication of the new church took place on May 30, 1908
St. Michaels Slovak Church was organized in 1913 and soon after they purchased the Baptist Church on Jan. 5, 1914. On July 4, 1917 St. Michaels cornerstone was laid and the dedication also took place at that time.
Methodist Episcopal Church
The first church to be erected in Forest City was the Methodist Episcopal, incorp. Jan.17, 1885 and dedicated Nov. 17, 1886. Further improvements were made in 1906 enlarging the church along with adding the basement. This was the church of Forest City founder William Pentecost. Later it was known as the Centennial Methodist Church. Until its recent closure it was part of the United Methodist Church.
It is a beautiful church with stained glass windows, semi-circular pews, and lots of history. It is located on the corner of Main St and Dundaff. See the pictures below. Also see pictures of the church the bottom of our events page.
It is a beautiful church with stained glass windows, semi-circular pews, and lots of history. It is located on the corner of Main St and Dundaff. See the pictures below. Also see pictures of the church the bottom of our events page.
