African-American Churches

St. James A. M. E. Church

This church for Franklin County blacks was first noted in 1811, as the St. James Methodist Episcopal Church. The following year, the church moved into a log building (previously occupied by the Catholic church) on South Main Street, the area known as Kerrstown. The two-room building was furnished simply, with backless benches and kerosene lamps. In 1839, Augusta and Rebecca Greene purchased land from George and Sarah Chambers, and founded the St. James A. M. E. Church. Six years later the congregation split, with the separatists forming the John Wesley A. M. E. Church. The original log building was remodeled in 1865, and eventually replaced by a brick structure in 1872.

John Wesley A. M. E. Church

The John Wesley Church was formed in 1845 when for “unknown reasons,” a group left the Methodist Church of Kerrstown (later the St. James A. M. E. Church). They too met in a log cabin, located on West German Street. Before 1864, the only pastors were circuit riders. In 1872, the church had outgrown their log building, and erected a new church on the same site.

Mt. Moriah Baptist Church

In 1863 the Mt. Moriah Baptist church was founded. Known initially as the “Old School Baptist Church,” it was first located in a log building at the corner of Liberty and Water streets.

List of Churches in the County

(Taken from McCauley, I. H. Historical Sketch of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, prepared for the Centennial Celebration. 2nd edition, enlarged. Harrisburg: Patriot Publishing Company, 1878.)

McCauley also includes pastors, circa 1876.

Presbyterian

• Mercersburg
• Chambersburg: Falling Spring, Central Church, St. Thomas, Rocky Spring
• Fayetteville
• Fannetsburg: Lower Path Valley, Burnt Cabins
• Dry Run: Upper Path Valley
• Greencastle
• Welsh Run

Lutheran

• Chambersburg: 1st Church, 2nd Church (Germ.), Grindstone Hill
• Greencastle
• Waynesboro
• Upper Strasburg
• Mercersburg
• Shippensburg: Greenvillage
• McConnellsburg: Loudon
• Clearspring, Md.: Sylvan

Reformed

• Chambersburg: Chambersburg, St. John’s (Germ.), Grindstone Hill
• Waynesboro: Waynesboro and Mont Alto
• Greencastle
• Mercersburg: Loudon, Mercersburg, College Church
• St. Thomas

Methodist Episcopal

• Chambersburg: 1st Church, King Street
• Waynesboro
• Greencastle
• Mercersburg
• Loudon
• Greenvillage
• Mont Alto

United Brethren In Christ

• Chambersburg: Chambersburg, Rocky Spring
• Greencastle
• Orrstown
• Funkstown
• Loudon
• Spring Run

Local Preachers

• Chambersburg
• Orrstown

Protestant Episcopal

• Chambersburg

Roman Catholic

• Chambersburg

Church of God

• Chambersburg: Chambersburg, Orrstown & Fayetteville

Mennonite Church

• Letterkenny
• Greene
• near Mercersburg

Reformed Mennonites

• Guilford
• Montgomery
• Washington
• Waynesboro

River Brethren

• Guilford
• Antrim
• Southhampton
• Washington
• Lurgan
• Greene
• Letterkenny
• Peters
• Montgomery
• Waynesboro
• Hamilton

Tunkers

• Guilford
• Quincy
• Antrim
• Washington
• St. Thomas
• Peters
• Hamilton
• Waynesboro
• Greene

Seventh Day Baptists

• Quincy