wedgewood park evangelical church Through the years

Wedgewood Park Evanglical Church, 1944 S. Meridian Road, Austintown, will celebrate its 50th year at its current location during a service at 10:30 a.m. April 1. Speaker will be Bishop Bruce Hill of the Evangelical Congregational Church. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of church. A catered dinner will follow in the Family Life Center. At 2 p.m., Chris Mowery, a Christian musician and youth minister at Four Mile Run Christian Church in Austintown, will perform.

The beginning: The Rev. Jackie Burrows, evangelist, had the first religious service Jan. 15, 1931, at the tabernacle at 45 Ridge Ave., Youngstown. Services were nearly daily for 161/2 months. In June 1932, the Rev. Harry James took over the helm and also held services daily until October 1932. The need for an organized congregation was apparent; Rev. James suggested the Evangelical Congregational Church. Bishop E.S. Woodring presented the creed, doctrine and policy of the denomination to the congregation, which unanimously voted to join the denomination with the name, First Evangelical Congregational Church of Youngstown. The congregation worshipped in a building on Falls Avenue, then on Glenwood near Ridge Avenue.

Church building: The congregation built a church on Braeden Street that seated 500 and cost $7,000. The Rev. N.J. Broadway was pastor; a dedication service was June 6, 1937. From 1953-58, the church was renovated under the Rev. C.L. LeBaron and the Rev. Fred Fink.

New church: In response to changing needs of the community and to expand the church ministry, the congregation approved a relocation and building project. Construction on a new church at the current site began Sept. 16, 1961. The first service, led by the Rev. Robert W. Zetterberg, was Easter Sunday, April 22, 1962. A dedication day service was June 1, 1962, with speakers Dr. Harold H. Scanlin, bishop of the Evangelical Congregational Church of America, and Rev. Paul D. Dunn, district superintendent of the Eastern District of the Western Conference of the church.

Renovations and new building: The church was renovated in 2004. A Family Life Center was built in 2008. Its multipurpose room serves as a meeting area, fellowship hall and gym; there is a youth and game room, kitchen and restrooms.