St. John's in Campbell celebrating 100 years next month

CAMPBELL

A century ago, a group of steel-workers and their families started up a collection.

They had bought land at the corner of Gordon Avenue and 14th Street and planned to build a parish house for the newly chartered St. John’s Congregation of East Youngstown.

“When the immigrants came over, the first thing they established was their church,” said Father Andrew Nelko, rector at St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church. “It’s the love of Christ and the church, especially among the ethnic people. They hold that very dear.”

This year the church is celebrating 100 years since its founding charter. St. John’s, now located at 301 Struthers-Liberty Road, belongs to the Orthodox Church in America, which traces its roots to the Russian Orthodox Church, and has parishes in Canada and the U.S.

Past and present parishioners at St. John’s are welcome to share that history from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15 during a celebration to mark the centennial.

Read more about it in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.