Churches featured in the "Spiritual Heritage of theTremont Community" Open House, May 22-29, 1966.
- Trinity United Church of Christ, 3525 West 25th Street -- Formed in 1911 by a group of members from Zion United Church of Christ (then Zion
Evangelical Church) who wished worship services in English rather than the traditional German. The first building on Scranton Road, was built by members and was dedicated in 1914. The present building was dedicated in 1926. An educational wing was added in 1948. Additional property was bought in 1954. In 1966, The Rev. H. Richard Bucey was pastor and Rev. Karl H. Steckmann was the assistant minister.
- Mother of God of Zyrovicy--Byelorussion Church, 3517 West 25th Street -- Established in 1951, the church was established by Byelorussion
immigrants from Europe in 1951, and the first services were held in a rented building on West 14th Street. Land and a parish house was bought in 1957, in July 1958 a new church building was started and in September 1959, the Archbishop Vasily of New York consecrated the new church. (The address of the purchased land was 3518/3520 Scranton Road) In 1966, the Very Rev. A. Kryt is pastor, K. Savicki, deacon and K. Kisly, the choir director.
- Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 3166 Scranton Road --The first services of this church were held in 1952 in a rented store building on
Jefferson Avenue. The church moved to a larger building on West 14th Street in 1954 and in 1962 purchased from St. Elias the present church building. 1966, the Very Rev. Stephen Posakiwsky is pastor.
- St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 3526 Scranton Road -- Organized in 1884, as a German Lutheran Church, it was founded by several hundred
families from Immanuel Lutheran Church, located farther north on Scranton Road. The original building, located across Meyer Avenue from the present structure, was vacated some years ago. The site is now used as a parking lot. The present brick building was built in 1900 and the Parish Hall in the rear was added about six years later. A Sunday School was started in the 1920's. About 1950, a branch of the Sunday School was begun in a storefront building at Professor and Starkweather Avenues. This building was destroyed by fire in January 1964. The children were transported to the main church for classes until July when the Sunday School was reopened in another storefront on the corner of West 7th and Jefferson Avenue. In 1966, the pastor was The Rev. Ronald A. Mueller.
- St. Michael (German) Catholic Church, 3114 Scranton Road at Clark Avenue -- Established in 1881, in a two-room frame school house, the first
Mass celebrated for parishioners was conducted at a temporary altar in one of the rooms. Within a year a two-story frame building was erected, the lower floor being used for school classes. The Rev. Joseph M. Koudelka was the first pastor and he placed the parish under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel. In 1883, a small frame house was built for the pastor and the Bishop dedicated the temporary church. In 1884, a larger property on the southwest corner of Scranton and Clark was bought and ground was broken for a new church in 1888. In 1890, the exterior of the church was completed including the two main spires. The first Mass was given in 1891, in an uncompleted church after a fire almost entirely destroyed the frame church and school. The present church was dedicated in 1892, the convent (now the rectory) built in 1905 and the large school completed in 1906. In 1966, the pastor was the Rev. John F. Gruss.
- Scranton Road Baptist Church, Scranton Road and Clark Avenue -- Started in 1916, by a Slovak minister from Chicago and a group of 40 believers,
the church was received into the Cleveland Baptist Association as a mission church known as the West Side Czechoslovak Baptist Church in 1917. In 1920, the present church building was purchased and in 1925 a Slovak church of the South Side merged with the congregation. The Slovak Congregational Church united with the West Side Church in 1926 and the combined congregations became known as the Scranton Road Baptist Church. The Rev. William Malanowski was pastor in 1966.
- Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2928 Scranton Road at Seymour Avenue -- Organized in January 1880 and dedicated in July 1880, the church began
its mission by operating a parochial school in 1874. The school continued until 1957. Two bells were installed in its towers in 1904, each weighing a total of 5,500 pounds and a 38 rank 26 stop German built tracker action piper organ was installed in 1964. The church and parish house, built in 1911, were completely remodeled in 1955 and 1965. In 1966, the Rev. Horst Hoyer was pastor.
- Zion United Church of Christ, West 14th Street and Branch Avenue. See Churches.
- St. George Syrian Orthodox Church, 2587 West 14th Street -- In 1920 the congregation of this church purchased the building at 2592 West 14th
Street. The building had originally been built as a Protestant church. Domes were added and the interior was done over to reflect Byzantine art. Services are preached in Arabic and English. In 1966, the Rev. Father Philip Saliba was pastor.
- Emanuel Evangelical United Brethren Church, West 14th and Starkweather Avenue -- Organized in 1863-1865 by a group of German people who
lived west of the Cuyahoga River, its first services were held under trees. Land was obtained at the corner of Jennings (West 14th) and Starkweather, where the first frame church was built in 1865 and dedicated as a mission, serving in connection with Salem Church, East 9th and Eagle Avenues. It was known as the Emanuel Church of the Evangelical Association. A parsonage was built in 1870 and in 1874, a new frame building in Gothic style with a tall spire was completed and dedicated. In 1890-1893 a branch mission, Tabor, was established on the Southwest Side. The congregation grew and services were moved to another church while a new structure was built. The corner for this new church was laid in 1909 and the church, known by its present name was dedicated in 1910. A Home Mission to assist Ukrainians was started in 1941 and in 1961 another mission was organized to assisted families from Puerto Rico. In 1966, the Rev. Virgil Springer was the pastor.
- Sacred Heart of Jesus-Polish National Catholic Church, 2310 West 14th Street -- The first meeting to organize this church was held on November
25, 1914, in a hall at the corner of Fairfield and West 11th Street. Three buildings were acquired on the east side of West 14th and on January 24, 1915, the first Mass was celebrated. Financial obligations were too great for the parish and its was necessary to relinquish the title and seek a new site. In November 1916, two lots and a building to be used as the rectory were purchased on the west side of West 14th Street and the present church building was erected. In 1957, the old rectory was razed and a building, formerly a rectory owned by the Lutheran Church, was purchased from the city of Cleveland. That building was moved to the present site and blessed in 1958. Rev. Father Charles Kawalkowski was the pastor in 1966.
- Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, 2187 West 14th Street at Fairfield Avenue -- The first Divine Liturgy celebrated by Greek immigrants
coming to Cleveland was in a rented house on Bolivar Road in November 1912. As the need grew, an older home located at West 14th and Fairfield was purchased and in 1919 the present edifice was erected. The church, built in Byzantine style with basilica and dome, is the Mother Church of the American Hellenic Community of Greater Cleveland. In 1966, the Rev. Peter Kyriakos was pastor and Dr. Leo Anastos the choir director.
- The Russian-Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church, 2071 West 11 Street at Pelton Court -- This church was organized in 1950 by the Rev. Gabriel
Boltniew and the first services took place in a private home on West 14th Street. Several years later the congregation moved to the Scranton Road Baptist Church and from 1959-1962, services were held at Pilgrim Congregational Church. The present church was erected in 1963. Rev. Valery Copan was pastor in 1966.
- St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2280 West 11 Street -- The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated on October 26, 1924. The pastor in 1966,
was the Rev. Steve Hanjavich.
- St. John Cantius Roman Catholic Church, College and Professor Avenue -- Organized in 1898, by a large Polish community, this parish met in a
remodeled car barn at the corner of Professor and College Streets and the first Mass was celebrated on March 26, 1899. A part of a two-story building at the rear of the property was remodeled into a school, opening its doors on September 11, 1899, under the care of the Sisters of St. Joseph. A combination church and school was built in 1913 and the present church was built and consecrated in 1925-1926. The church part of the school building was made into a spacious parish hall. A high school building and recreation hall were built in 1949 and dedicated on the 50th anniversary of the church. Rev. Francis A. Szudarek was the pastor in 1966.
- Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 2280 West 7th Street -- This church was built in 1910 and is a Catholic church of the Byzantine Rite,
united with the Holy See in Rome. 40 families started the parish. In 1966, Msgr. D. Gresko was pastor.
- The Holy Gospel Church of God, 2202 West 6th Street and Literary Avenue -- This church was founded in 1961, starting as a storefront, serving
persons who had moved to the area from the southern states. The Rev. Sanford Pierce was the pastor in 1966.
- Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 2425 West 11 Street -- Serving the Slovak community, this Roman Catholic church received its first pastor on
February 1, 1922. In 1949, the present church was built. An elementary school is in the rear of the church. In 1966, the pastor was the Rev. Andrew Laheta.
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