BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania church with a 221-year history held its final service and is scheduled to close at the end of the year because of declining membership and attendance.

The First Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, which is nearly as old as the borough itself, held the final scheduled service on Christmas Eve after having welcomed generations of families over the course of more than two centuries.

“There’s just such a love among this congregation. We’ve all known each other so long and we know each other’s foibles,” church elder Candace Dannaker told the Centre Daily Times. “I’ll miss our personality, our laughter and our joy in just being together. And, of course, the faith aspect of sharing that with other like-minded people.”

A tree full of ornaments made by the congregation is shown in the sanctuary of the Bellefonte First Presbyterian Church on Dec. 22. 2021 in Bellefonte, Pa. The church which is nearly as old as the borough itself, held the final scheduled service on Christmas Eve after having welcomed generations of families over the course of more than two centuries. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times via AP)© Provided by Associated Press - Sports A tree full of ornaments made by the congregation is shown in the sanctuary of the Bellefonte First Presbyterian Church on Dec. 22. 2021 in Bellefonte, Pa. The church which is nearly as old as the borough itself, held the final scheduled service on Christmas Eve after having welcomed generations of families over the course of more than two centuries. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times via AP)
The church was established in 1800 by the same men who founded Bellefonte in 1795 at a time when there were only 16 states and counted among its members two former Pennsylvania governors. The church met at the courthouse for almost two decades and then in a stone edifice; the current structure was built shortly after the Civil War.

Dannaker estimated the church had about 40 members before the pandemic, a number that is down to about 25, and had no in-person worship from March 2020 until Easter Sunday. When Dannaker joined 34 years ago, she said, there were about 200 people in attendance then.

Pam Benson, 77, a member for 73 years, said that when she was born during World War II, many businesses were closed Sunday and few events were scheduled. She also believes that fewer parents have insisted that their children attend services and that churches haven't always been competitive in recruiting new members.

“It was so different. It was just what you did. Unless you were really sick, it was just what you did,” Benson said. “It’s just change, it’s progression. It’s what happens. Not that I like it, but it is what it is.”

The 15,000-square-foot church is scheduled to close for the last time Dec. 31. Dannaker said the future of the building hasn't been determined.

Video of the final service posted on the church's Facebook site included references to “the pain of saying goodbye to one another" but a reminder that “challenges aren’t anything new to humanity" and saying the Christmas message of hope “is just as timely and essential today as it was 2,000 years ago.”

Before the final hymn, members lit and raised candles to these words: “And the light has splintered the darkness. And hope is ours once more. And this light does call us forward, remembering the past, and walking confidently into the future. And now go in the peace of Christ.”

Miracood2:
For those that will be too lazy to read the whole write up, the church is closing down due to low members.

Sandle:
They should rebrand and return

doggedfighter:
Close quietly,here they would have been fighting everyone in their neighbourhood for


declining membership and conducting fire services to fight imaginary enemies causing members to backslide.

Ahmback:
i think the low membership turnup is because of the covid19

doggedfighter:
Close quietly,here they would have been fighting everyone in their neighbourhood for


declining membership and conducting fire services to fight imaginary enemies causing members to backslide.

seunny4lif:

Location maybe another reason
Many people have moved to the city

Ahmback:

“There’s just such a love among this congregation. We’ve all known each other so long and we know each other’s foibles,” church elder Candace Dannaker told the Centre Daily Times. “I’ll miss our personality, our laughter and our joy in just being together. And, of course, the faith aspect of sharing that with other like-minded people.”

compton11:
Why won't members declined when they have realised that Christianity is a scam!

Ahmback:
So which religion is the right one

compton11:
Islam my nigga!
Believe in oneness of God Be good to your both parents Be good to orphans, widow, travellers Pay zakat to the poor Don't talk human as God
And so on

Ahmback:
jihadists!

Ahmback:

So which religion is the right one

MaxInDHouse:

When Jesus commissioned the movement he never called some lazy 'sit at home' people "friends" It was a call to service {Matthew 10:6; 28:19-20} they were given a duty that they must engage fully {Luke 9:62} each of his friends must prove their love for him by going to meet their neighbours (uninvited) for the purpose of preaching zealously and industriously teaching what they've learned from Jesus. Matthew 10:11-13

So what later happened that led to all these "sit at home" religionists who only visit a gathering during weekends to start claiming Christians?

Well Jesus didn't leave us in the dark. He told a parable to illustrate how the movement will be attacked subtly when Satan (God's enemy) will initiate his own agents and plant them right in the movement Jesus commissioned {Matthew 13:25; 39} this will be in addition to Satan's normal attack which is frontal! Matthew 10:22-26

After Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension to heaven Satan immediately began the frontal attack {Act 4:18; 5:28; 7:1,2, 54-60; 12:1-3} despite all these Satan noticed that Jesus' friends weren't surrendering to intimidation and persecution so he went for plan B sowing his own agents right in their midst {1John 2:18} these ones made themselves available for those trying to track down the frontiers of the movement! 2Corinthians 11:26; Galatians 2:4 compare to Matthew 24:10

Gradually the first set of diehard friends of Jesus died off just as Jesus prophesied and Satan now had all the opportunity to hijack Jesus' group when Jesus' first century Jewish disciples are all dead (sleeping in death) {Matthew 13:25} easily those who loved the movement but never knew Jesus or his apostles gave in to intimidation, that's how Satan used the world power of the time (Rome) to fully established his own agents, they are known till today as the Roman Catholic Church! This religion turned everything Jesus laid upside down: members participate in politics and military services opening up a way for professed Christians to carry weapons against one another, something that was a taboo during the time of the first century Jewish disciples who heard Jesus said:

"Little children, I am with you a little longer. You will look for me; and just as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ I now say it also to you. I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.” John 13:33-35

Of course Jesus' friends mustn't even think of raising weapons against their enemies talkless their own fellow believers {Matthew 5:43-48} but with Satan's agents claiming Christians having the backing of the most powerful nation in the dark ages (Rome) professed Christians do not only carry weapons to attack and intimidate other people they also often kill one another due to politics and racism!

The Roman Catholic began bearing children (different sects also claiming Christians protested against the Catholic Church) after so much struggling and killings they all agreed to call themselves denominations in Christ.
But none of them can bear the FRUIT expected of Jesus' group {Matthew 7:16-18} WHY? Because they were all following Satan's system which is looking for ways to gain the friendship of the world! James 4:4

If you want to know how Jesus restructured his group today i'll oblige, it all started in the year 1914 when Jesus returned to the earth as a mighty spirit King to reorganize his group.
As a mighty spirit King Jesus called out saying "get out of her my people" {Revelations 18:4} and gradually people throughout the world are coming out of Satan's system to join Jesus' group.
Well most people began treating them just as they were treating Jesus' friends in the first century {John 15:19} but everyone throughout the world knows that JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES have LOVE among themselves! John 13:34-35

God bless you and may you have PEACE!

Ahmback:
wow...