The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF PROVIDENCE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ON ITS 175TH
ANNIVERSARY
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HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Providence United Presbyterian Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania on its 175th anniversary. According to the original charter, it was the first Presbyterian church to be founded in the Lackawanna and Upper Valley. The occasion will be marked with a festive celebration and service on Sunday, October 3, 2021.
On July 27, 1846, residents of Providence village gathered to discuss building a meeting house. A vote determined that the meeting house would be governed by the. Presbyterians. On October 5, 1846, the First Presbyterian Church of Providence, Pennsylvania was organized. The first church building was built on the corner of Church Avenue and Oak Street, and the first meeting of the congregation took place on April 19, 1847. The house was dedicated on July 25, 1849 with Rev. Joseph Barlow as the first pastor. In 1862, a parsonage was added to the grounds, and a lecture and bible classroom was added to the church building in 1869.
In 1882, the congregation purchased land to build a new house of worship. They sold the parsonage to fund the cost of the new church in 1884, and in 1886, the beautiful stone church was completed and dedicated.
The faithful gathered and worshiped at 2020 North Main Avenue for almost a century. In 1971, the Providence Presbyterian Church merged with the Suburban Presbyterian Church to form the Providence United Presbyterian Church (PUPC). The congregations joined together to bear witness to their faith and serve their community.
The PUPC has been a pillar of the strong and supportive faith community of the City of Scranton for nearly two centuries. When the Concord United Church of Christ closed its doors, the PUPC welcomed its members into their fold. From 2004 to 2008, the PUPC shared worship and gathering spaces with many area churches, such as Marywood University, Covenant Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Church of Dunmore, Immanuel Lutheran Church, and Throop United Methodist Church. In 2008, the PUPC dedicated its new church building at 1145 Providence Road in Scranton.
Today, PUPC continues to grow and thrive. The church welcomes the faithful of the City of Scranton to practice their faith, fostering community and fellowship within the congregation.
I am honored to join with the congregation of the Providence United Presbyterian Church to celebrate 175 years of worship and community and the essential role it has played in the growth of Presbyterianism in Scranton. May PUPC continue to be a mainstay in the Scranton faith community and provide a safe and welcoming place to worship for generations to come.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 172
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