http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/oct/27/bethlehem-lutheran-church-background/ (http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/oct/27/bethlehem-lutheran-church-background/)
This church was founded in 1812. This congregation was established 16 years after the founding of Youngstown.
http://wkbn.com/2014/12/22/longtime-youngstown-church-to-close/ (http://wkbn.com/2014/12/22/longtime-youngstown-church-to-close/)
It is always sad to see a church close its doors.
So goes the decline of our country's spiritual and moral fiber.
Especially one that has historic ties to our area as one of the oldest - established just 16 years after the arrival of John Young.
This will continue to happen as long as we refuse to support our own neighborhood businesses and institutions (including churches).
The sad fact of life is that all of our churches, Protestant, Catholic, Nondenominational are seeing declines in attendance and support on the part of today's young adults nationwide. Mahoning United Methodist Church on the West Side at one time had over 1000 active members, it's pews were full every Sunday, it was one of the most important churches on the West Side, yet when it finally closed it's weekly attendance had declined to the point where they couldn't afford to keep it open.
The secularization of our youth will see even more local churches close their doors.
On the other hand, the television super churches are stealing members away from the local churches as well as funding, and the sad part is that these so-called superchurches have no local outreach outside their corporate headquarters, and a result the local churches are left to fend for themselves.