Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church celebrates 240 years
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Longtime Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church parishioners Bonnie Roskov, left, and Mary Ann LoPresti feel the church is a place of love and worship.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church’s original pulpit, built in 1831
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
A sign displays the welcoming nature of Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church, celebrating its 240th anniversary.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church is celebrating its 240th anniversary with a community picnic Oct. 9.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Mingo Church Presbyterian Church holds a weekly service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
The current mans sits at the site of the Old Meeting House, erected in 1788 and used as a house of worship.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Part of the sanctuary at Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church in Finleyville
It’s time for a celebration at Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church.
The Finleyville parish at 561 Mingo Church Road is celebrating its 240th anniversary with a community picnic from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 9. The event will feature free food, a concert from 3 to 4 p.m. and a chance to look at the church’s history through displays and photos.
“We have photographs of things folks may be interested in,” said the Rev. Matt Campion, pastor. “It’s an opportunity for people to come in, meet members, see the place. Our hope is always that people just get familiar with it and understand who we are.”
Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church is listed on the National Registry for Historic Places, so it does have quite a history.
Settlers gathered near the site of the present-day church as early as 1774. In 1788, the Old Meeting House was erected on the site of the present-day manse. It was built of logs, nearly 50 feet each way.
“The Old Meeting House is where people would gather for services,” explained Frank Roskov, a parishioner since 1964. “It also was a meeting place for individuals involved in the Whiskey Rebellion.”
A historic marker does indeed identify this location as a place for the protesters known as the Mingo Creek Democratic Society in the Whiskey Rebellion.
The current sanctuary was built in 1831. There have been some alterations over the years, but the front of the church is basically the same as it was in the beginning. Curved walls were added in 1903. The floor was replaced in recent years.
The church has hosted many speakers over the years, including former President Harry S. Truman.
It also is known for many activities, such as Election Day spaghetti dinners that typically serve about 500 people.
Mary Ann LoPresti has had the chance to be a part of the church’s history, as family members have been parishioners for many years. Her brother, Dr. John Garvin, was one of the sons of the church, a group that went on to become ministers at various churches.
LoPresti’s grandmother raised chickens and sold the eggs, donating $1 a month toward the building of the manse. She served as the church’s clerk of sessions for more than four decades.
“I’ve been coming here off and on for 87 years,” she said. “I always have a place to come and be thankful for what I have. Mingo has been carrying the torch for a long time.”
Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church currently has an average of 65 to 75 parishioners at its weekly 9:30 a.m. Sunday service.
While some churches did not hold services during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mingo Creek soldiered on and continued to offer worship services.
“When that started to not be able to happen, the church did a pivot and started meeting in the parking lot,” Campion recalled. “Folks stayed in their cars and the minister at the time, Glenn McClelland, would preach from the back of a pickup truck.”
Only one Sunday of worship was missed: when rain did not permit an outside service to take place.
“When you come into the church, you just feel a feeling of love, of peace and the love of God,” said Bonnie Roskov, a member of for about 60 years. “It’s just a closeness that we all have. We all work together and get along well. The years have been good.”
Bonnie’s father, Robert Oates, was a former Sunday school teacher at the church.
Campion accepted the call to serve as interim pastor in October 2021 and as pastor in August.
“It’s been a joy to come alongside of them and serve them as pastor in these recent months,” he said. “I’m thrilled to be a part of a place that has such a history in the county and the region,” he said. “It’s been a place for years that people can come in and find friendship, find comfort, find the love of God, hear the scriptures and worship.
“It’s pretty awesome to think the church has served that function for that long. Our prayer is that it goes for another 240 years.”