Category: Religion

CLEVELAND LUTHERAN SCHOOLS began at the elementary level in the 1850s when individual parishes established schools to teach the doctrines of the faith and to maintain the heritage of the German immigrant members of the parishes. Instruction until the turn of the century was in German. ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, under the direction of its pastor, Rev.

The CLEVELAND MEETING OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS), while not the original Friends organization in Cleveland (an orthodox Quaker meeting was formed in 1871, known later as First Friends Church), began in the early 1920s.

The CLEVELAND MESSENGER was a religious weekly founded to promote the principles of Sabbatarianism. Published by the music firm of Breck & Tuttle, it first appeared in May 1836 and lasted about a year. It was edited by Harmon Kingsbury, who was joined and then superseded by Rev. Stephen J. Bradstreet in 1837.

COLLINWOOD MISSION. See IMMANUEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

CONGREGATIONALISTS. Congregationalist churches, part of the United Church of Christ (UCC) since 1957, were among Cleveland's first and most influential religious institutions. The UCC was the first major denomination to place its national headquarters in Cleveland (1990).

CORY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, one of the oldest AFRICAN AMERICAN churches in Cleveland, grew from 15 members at its founding on 25 March 1875 to an important institutional church by the 1960s. Rev.

COZZENS, FATHER DONALD (May 17, 1939-December 9, 2021) was a priest, professor, and author who wrote about contemporary issues in the Catholic Church. He was the oldest of four children born to Bernard and Florence (Gaye) Cozzens.

DAVIS, ALAN (10 March 1925 - 18 Sept. 1999) was the executive director of the CITY CLUB OF CLEVELAND and an activist preacher who devoted his life to fighting for the oppressed and serving the poor. Davis was born in Shelby, Ohio, to Dorthy (Judkins) and Thoburn Davis.

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. Although small in number and of limited public influence, Cleveland Disciples of Christ can claim a national prominence not shared by other local denominations. For a brief stretch in 1857, JAMES A.

DR. MARTIN LUTHER EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, LCA was founded by Slovak (see SLOVAKS) immigrants on the near west side in 1910. Pastored from 1929-58 by Rev. Matthew Benko, president of the Slovak Zion Synod of the United Lutheran Church in America, the church at 2139 W. 14th St. was an area landmark until it was razed to make way for the Innerbelt.

The EAST CLEVELAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (United Church of Christ) existed from 1931-77 at 1813 Page Ave., at Euclid Ave. in EAST CLEVELAND.

EAST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, located at the corner of EUCLID AVE. and Prospect (Shaw) Ave. in EAST CLEVELAND, organized in April 1900 from the merger of the Congregational Union of Cleveland, the Congregational City Missionary Society (1892), and the Free Congregational Church of Euclid.

EAST MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH was the first AFRICAN AMERICAN church to hold services on EUCLID AVENUE. Known as the "Green Stone Church," it is a Cleveland landmark. Alexander Roberson, who came to Cleveland about 1890 from South Carolina, is credited with organizing the church.

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES. There are many parallels between the beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox church and those of the Roman Catholic church, but there are also fundamental differences. Some of the beliefs and traditions unique to Eastern Orthodoxy help to explain both the role of the church in the life of Cleveland's Orthodox immigrants and the impact of American society on the churches.

EMMANUEL CHURCH (EPISCOPAL) dated from 1871, when ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL at Euclid and Case (E. 40th) St. opened Emmanuel Chapel at Prospect and Hayward (E. 36th) streets. Still under the supervision of St. Paul's, a new Emmanuel Chapel was built in 1874 on EUCLID AVE. east of Glen Park Place (E.

EPISCOPALIANS. As the WESTERN RESERVE opened up as part of the new frontier, the Episcopal church found that reliance on its hierarchy meant difficulties in keeping up with a restless population marching continually westward.

The EPWORTH LEAGUE, which set a pattern for church youth organizations, was founded at Cleveland's Central Methodist Church on 14 and 15 May 1889. Within 10 years it claimed over 1.75 million members in 19,500 chapters internationally.

The EPWORTH-EUCLID UNITED METHODIST CHURCH is descended from Cleveland's earliest Methodist societies, having been formed in 1919 from 2 historic congregations: Euclid Ave. Methodist Episcopal and Epworth Memorial Church. For over 60 years the congregation has occupied a UNIV. CIRCLE landmark, nicknamed the "Holy Oil Can" because of its tall copper spire. The Euclid Ave.

The EUCLID AVE. BAPTIST CHURCH (1846-1957), called "Mr. Rockefeller's church," originated in the spring of 1846 when a group of teachers from the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH and several other churches organized the Cleveland Union Sabbath School. Miss Frances Twitt, one of the teachers, is considered the founder. The school first met in a building at Eagle St.

The EUCLID AVE. CHRISTIAN CHURCH, begun on 4 July 1843, became one of the city's largest DISCIPLES OF CHRIST congregations.

The EUCLID AVE. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, part of the United Church of Christ, organized as the First Presbyterian Church of EAST CLEVELAND in Nov. 1843 (a different entity than FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF EAST CLEVELAND, organized in 1807) and incorporated in 1847 with 62 members.

FAIRMOUNT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in CLEVELAND HEIGHTS was chartered in October 1916 and incorporated on 7 December 1917. One of the largest Presbyterian churches in Cleveland, it grew out of Sunday school classes organized by Dr. PAUL F. SUTPHEN , of Second Presbyterian Church and his assistant, Rev. Edward C. Young.