First Reformed Church (Apollo, PA)

The Congregation was organized July 23, 1892 with 40 members. The property at the corner of warren avenue and South 2nd St. was bought for $4000 from Rev. R. A. Jamison. Ground was broken for the new church in September 1893. The corner stone was laid Oct. 26, 1893 and dedicated March 11, 1894. A borough of fewer than 2,000 people (2010 Census) located 35 miles northwest of Pittsburg, Apollo was settled on the banks of the Kiskiminetas River in 1790 in what was becoming a booming coal-mining region. It was incorporated as a borough in 1848. Lancaster Theological Seminary student John N. Naly was sent to the area in 1892 to gauge support for the establishment of a mission church which he quickly found; the First Reformed congregation was organized on June 12, 1892. Upon his ordination on June 1, 1893, Naly became the first pastor of the church. Built on the corner of S. Second St. and Warren Ave. that same year, it was dedicated on March 11, 1894 and remained a mission church until July 1, 1911 when it was declared a self-supporting church. The church building was declared unsafe in February of 1931 and the congregation agreed with plans to build a new church. The basement of the new church was built and dedicated in 1932 but unfortunately the Great Depression hit the church heavily and the rest of the building was not completed and dedicated on October 23, 1960. Church membership topped at around 400 people during its height in the mid-century and dropping to fewer than 100 by 2006. The last service was conducted August 25, 2019 and the church building was donated to Apollo Borough to be used for new borough offices. Pastors: Rev. John N. Naly, 1893-1900. Rev. D.E. Master, 1901-1905. Rev. David W. Kerr, 1905-1914. Rev. David J. Wolf, 1915-1921. Rev. Lee O. Carbaugh, 1922-1930. Rev. Albert J. Knoll, 1930-1932. Rev. Joseph J. Gilbert, 1932-1951. Rev. Oberkircher, 1952-1957. Rev. John L. Koert, 1958-1961. Rev. Dr. Joseph B. Hennessey, 1962-1967, No records found from 1967-1973. Rev. Neil L. Kettering, 1970-1975. Rev. Chris Currier, 1976-1978. Rev. Sterling A. Schell, 1979-1984. Rev. Duane Brown, 1985-1987 (Student minister) Rev. Neil Siefert, 1987-1992. Rev. Dr. Robert E. Lee, 1993-1995. Rev. Peter P. Bortz, 1999-2003. Rev. Ray Hines, 2004-2009. Rev. Arduino Cineri, 2010-2013. Rev. Ryan Lucas, 2013-2015. Rev. J.T. Lucas, 2016-2019.