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As One Church Closes Members Go on Seven Mile Pilgrimage to New Church

SHAMOKIN — Standing on the corner of East Lincoln Street for more than a century, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Shamokin will finally close its doors, ...

SHAMOKIN -- Standing on the corner of East Lincoln Street for more than a century, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Shamokin will finally close its doors, making way for another church to open seven miles away.

Members along with clergy made their way on foot from Shamokin to Mount Carmel where the new church is located.

“Processions are a big part of the Episcopal church history, so we wanted to mark that history and let people in Mount Carmel and Shamokin know that this is a new mission they are taking some of the history with them,” said Reverend Daniel Morrow of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.

Members walked seven miles carrying gospel books, a processional cross, and a historic veil

“A 9-year-old girl during Easter week was looking up towards the altar and she had a vision of the face of Jesus and she told her mother and grandmother about it,” said Morrow.

Revered Daniel Morrow tells Newswatch 16 Holy Trinity used to be one of the largest Episcopal churches in the area, but now only has a membership of 20 people.

Over time, the cost of repairs became too pricey for the church.

Leaders and members decided to combine with a smaller church in Mount Carmel, naming it the Church of Resurrection Episcopal Mission.

"The building is not the church. The people make up the church, and we are not here to serve the needs of the church. We are here to serve the needs of the community."

With structural damage and a dwindling membership, members at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church thought it best to move seven miles down the road to Mount Carmel.

William Hazzard first saw the cracks right after a Christmas service a few years ago. He showed us cracks in the sanctuary and other ones below, damaging the foundation.

“We simply didn't have the resources to stabilize let alone repair the damage, so we had been in a long two-year struggle of what are we going to do, and this seems to be the best fit,” said Hazzard.

Reverend Sarah Weedon served as the priest in charge at the Episcopal Church for two years before heading to Lewisburg.

“It was two hard years we spent together and I want to honor the decision to start this new entity in this area,” said Reverend Sarah Weedon.

Now, members will have a new home to worship in Mount Carmel.

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