Where Have We Been?

As one of the oldest Methodist churches in this area, the Elm Park United Methodist Church traces its history to 1839, when a Methodist Class was organized in Slocum Hollow, now Scranton. The membership grew quickly. In 1841 the Village Chapel was built facing Lackawanna Avenue on what is now Adams Avenue.

The church was incorporated on September 8, 1859. After outgrowing several buildings, the congregation broke ground for the new church home on September 8, 1891. The site was a triangular piece of land known as Elm Park. After two major fires and reconstruction, a dedication service was held on December 17, 1893. In 1927, the parsonage was moved from the Linden Street side of the Sanctuary Building to Jefferson Avenue. The Church House (Elm Park House) was built on the Linden Street property which is bordered by Madison Avenue; completing the triangle where the entire complex is now located.

For over 150 years, Elm Park Church has been a major and powerful voice of Methodist Protestantism in the greater Scranton area.