March – 100 years ago
March 23, 1919, the Carlisle United Brethren Church, at their 1894 church building in the first block of West South Street, observed a New Church Day resulting in subscriptions of $3720 toward a new building at their recently acquired site at West and Pomfret streets. The Sunday School portion of that structure was completed in 1921, at which time the congregation relocated. The sanctuary there was completed in 1930 and a large educational complex was added in 1967. In 2012 that congregation, then known as Grace, united with the Allison (former Methodist) and First (former Evangelical) congregations to form the present Carlisle United Methodist Church and begin construction of a new facility on Spring Garden Street. After 100 years, United Methodism in Carlisle still has a vision of new facilities for ministry.
April – 50 years ago
A Consecration Service and Open House were observed in the Tunkhannock Manor on Sunday afternoon, April 13, 1969. While several hundred visitors were anticipated, more than 1400 persons turned out to celebrate the formal opening of the fourth Home sponsored by the Wyoming Conference, and the first one in the Wilkes-Barre District. Rev. Dr. Alfred Crayton, Wilkes-Barre District Superintendent delivered the address, and ladies of the Firwood Church, Wilkes-Barre, provided the refreshments.
The Tunkhannock PA facility continues to be operated by United Methodist Homes, a non-profit corporation originally formed in 1951 as The Methodist Homes for the Aged of the Wyoming Conference. Now headquartered in Binghamton NY, the corporation also operates Wesley Village in Pittston PA and two facilities in New York.
