It was an ordinary day. Talking on the phone with my friend Jere who lives in State College, PA with his wife Sue. Jere and I grew up together, about a block-and-a-half away from each other near the Lancaster Train Station on the north side of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We met in 1st grade and have been friends ever since. While in high school, one of our classmates was a young girl named Sue whom Jere fell for right off the bat and married her shortly after graduation from high school. She had grown up near State College and moved to Lancaster when she was in 10th grade when her father moved here for his job. A few years ago Jere and Sue moved back to State College and now my wife Carol and I make trips to State College to visit with the two of them. The four of us have been friends for many years and enjoy trips back and forth for visits a few times a year. When Carol and I travel to State College, the four of us usually take a drive around a few of the many small towns near State College to see the scenery and to grab a bite to eat during our travels. One such location is the small town of Bellefonte which has an area of about 1.8 square miles and a population of about 6,000 residents. A recent local LNP newspaper article told of one of the churches in Bellefonte, The Bellefonte First Presbyterian Church, which is nearly as old as the borough itself. The church recently held its final service on Christmas Eve after serving its congregation for nearly two centuries. So sad to see a church with a 221-year history having to close due to declining membership and attendance. A few of the worshippers said that, "There' s just such a love among this congregation. We've all known each other so long and we know each other's foibles. We'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."
The interior of the Bellefonte First Presbyterian Church photo by Abby Drey - Centre Daily Times |
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