from the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era (June 25, 2011) – BY JOAN KERN, Correspondent 

The congregation at Marietta’s English Presbyterian Church will worship in its historic sanctuary for the last time on Sunday.

After the 9 a.m. service, the building at 133 W. Market St. will be “shuttered, mothballed … and probably put up for sale,” the Rev. David Powers said.

For his final sermon at the church, Powers will preach on “He is not here, for he is risen,” a Bible verse on one of the sanctuary’s stained-glass windows.

“The church has risen,” he said. “We’re leaving the building but remaining the church.”

The mostly elderly congregation has about 20 members — some of them for more than 60 years — with 15 attending on a typical Sunday.

English will merge with Columbia Presbyterian Church, 360 Locust St., another small-town historic church, with about 75 members, mostly middle-aged.

“It’s not Columbia swallowing English; it’s a blending of the two,” said Powers, who has served as pastor of Columbia Presbyterian for almost seven years.

Columbia was the first call for the second-career pastor. The church had about 50 members when he began there. The average age was 83.

“We’ve had a lot of funerals,” he said.

In November, Powers began a shared ministry with English, which he said hasn’t had a full-time minister since the mid-1990s.

English Presbyterian began as a Sunday school in 1814 and moved to its current site in 1854.

Columbia Presbyterian was founded in 1807 and worships in a building erected in 1888.

Both churches are members of the Donegal Presbytery, Presbyterian Church (USA). The presbytery approved the merger on Tuesday.

With the merger, Columbia assumes responsibility for English’s assets and property.

Monthly utility bills, Powers said, can run to more than $5,000.

“We know we can’t afford to take it on forever. It’s not meant to just sit here. It’s meant to be a beacon to reach out to people as a symbol of God in their lives. That’s what we hope happens.”

At the final service, the Rev. Michael McDowell, one of two ministers ordained at English, will share his memories of growing up in the church. He is the son of longtime member Jane McDowell.

Members will have a time to share their memories also.

“I think there will be a lot of emotions,” Powers said.

“The service will be similar to the Presbyterian memorial service because to members it feels like the church is passing away.”

In a previous sermon, Powers preached on Matthew 24: “Jesus said heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

The service will include a reaffirmation of the baptismal covenant, and Powers will take a bowl of water from the baptismal font to the font at Columbia.

“It symbolically shows the union of the two congregations,” he said. “It will still be Columbia for now, but they may rename the church later.”

English will hold its final community breakfast from 8 to 10 this morning.

Columbia will hold its monthly “4th Street Cafe,” an outdoor concert, at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Powers said he believes the congregations will blend well.

“We know one another. We’ve been building relationships.

“They have to walk side by side. (Columbia) has to let English grieve the loss of the building, have their memories, get used to living with that hole … get used to the new normal.”

Powers said he admires the members of English Presbyterian for their “bravery and faithfulness.”

“They chose relationship over building.

“Rather than try to go it alone, with resources and numbers dwindling, they decided to give up the building and keep the same pastor.

“They had three options: dissolve; merge with Columbia so I could remain with them; or try to stay open with another temporary supply pastor.

“They did not see the light at the end of the tunnel without a merger.

“They are wonderful people. I love them so much.”