Spotlight

Wales Church Closes after 162 Years

On May 22, 2011 the doors of the East Greene Presbyterian Church, locally known as the Wales Church, closed its doors for the last time. While the church was not in Harborcreek Township, it was the primary spiritual and social center for many South Harborcreek families.

The church was founded May 2, 1849 by the Reverend George W. Cleaveland as a satellite of the Harborcreek Presbyterian Church. Reverend Cleaveland, while still the pastor of the Waterford Presbyterian Church, was making fairly regular trips to Harborcreek to help Reverend William Smith conduct communion services there. Henry Davies approached him about offering pastoral services, such as baptisms, marriages, etc., to the several Welch families who were meeting in a "school house on the hill." Reverend Cleveland agreed. When he was subsequently hired as the pastor of the Harborcreek Presbyterian Church, he stipulated that he wanted to preach there three times a month and then preach to the group of Welshmen on the remaining Sunday. The church agreed to that arrangement, and for over forty years Reverend Cleaveland was the pastor of both churches.

In recent years the Wales Church, which was never a large one, had declined in enrollment as members died, grown children moved away and efforts to recruit new members proved fruitless. This past spring it was decided that with the current membership and revenue, it would be best to close. The last service was held with the small church filled to capacity. Several former pastors spoke, including the Rev. Stephen Stelle, who entered the ministry from this church. The Harborcreek Presbyterian Choir sang and attendees were given the opportunity to share their special memories; thus ending 162 years of Presbyterian ministry in our area.

It should be noted that the Wales Cemetery is remaining an active cemetery. At present there is not a chosen purpose for the closed church building shown in the photo. Wales Road runs south from the intersection of Depot Road with Route 430, Station Road to Route 8, Wattsburg Road.

Information from Nancy Brown, HHS Researcher


Photo courtesy of Dennis Cass.

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