Harrisburg ELCA Congregation Gives Building to Coptic Orthodox Church
HARRISBURG, Pa. (ELCA) -- An Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregation here is breathing new life into its church building by moving out and turning its facilities over to a congregation of another denomination.
Following its worship service of carols and a celebration luncheon Dec. 27, Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church gave its building as a gift to St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church.
This Sunday, Jan. 3, Memorial's members will worship at the James E. Morecraft Christian Education Building, owned by the congregation and directly across the street from the Memorial's former sanctuary. The congregation normally worships during the winter months at the Christian education building to conserve energy. However, it won't return to the sanctuary on Palm Sunday, which has been Memorial's practice, said the Rev. Rochelle E. Lewis, pastor.
Faced with declining membership and a large building to maintain, members of Memorial voted in August to begin transition talks with St. Mark Church.
"When we as a congregation began to speak about the choices we would need to make in order to continue doing ministry on the corners of State and 17th Street, we knew we did not have the resources, physical ability or money to keep the sanctuary from becoming an albatross or a dying weight," Lewis said.
Trustees of the congregation explored a number of options, including merging with another Lutheran congregation. Ultimately, however, the decision was made to give the building as a gift to St. Mark Church.
