The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Pennsylvania. Joseph and Emma Smith lived in Northern Pennsylvania near the Susquehanna River just prior to the organization of the Church of Christ. Much of the translation of the Book of Mormon and revelation of the priesthood occurred here during that time.
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 A meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oakland Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. | |
| Area | NA Northeast |
| Members | 53,025 (2023)[1] |
| Stakes | 13 |
| Wards | 80 |
| Branches | 27 |
| Total Congregations | 107 |
| Missions | 2 |
| Temples | 1 Operating 1 Under Construction 1 Announced 3 Total |
| Family History Centers | 46[2] |
Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 0.41% in 2019.[3] According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, less than 1% of Pennsylvanians self-identify themselves most closely with the LDS Church.[4] The church is the 13th largest denomination in Pennsylvania.[5]
History
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1940 | 900 |
| 1960 | 4,600 |
| 1979 | 18,146 |
| 1989* | 28,000 |
| 1999 | 37,749 |
| 2009 | 48,477 |
| 2019 | 52,290 |
| *Membership was published as a rounded number. Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Pennsylvania[1] | |
Joseph Smith and other future members of the Church of Christ, the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Smith, were baptized in the Susquehanna River in May 1829.[6][7]
A total of 12 congregations were organized in Pennsylvania in the 1830s, before members gathered to Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois.[8]
In 2016 Inga Saffron, architecture critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer, called the new Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple "the most radical work of architecture built in Philadelphia in a half-century ... because it dares to be so out of step with today's design sensibilities and our bottom-line culture." Estimating its cost as more than $100 million, she wrote that the temple was "the real classical deal" and "a bold incursion into the hierarchical fabric of Philadelphia".[9]
Stakes
As of January 2024, Pennsylvania had the following stakes:[10][11][12]
| Stake | Mission | Temple District |
|---|---|---|
| Altoona Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Washington D.C. |
| Gettysburg Pennsylvania | Maryland Baltimore | Washington D.C. |
| Hagerstown Maryland[a] | Maryland Baltimore | Washington D.C. |
| Harrisburg Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Jamestown New York[a] | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Palmyra New York |
| Lancaster Pennsylvania | Maryland Baltimore | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Philadelphia Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Washington D.C. |
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania North | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Columbus Ohio |
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania West | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Columbus Ohio |
| Reading Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Scranton Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Valley Forge Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Williamsport Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Philadelphia Pennsylvania |
| Youngstown Ohio[a] | Ohio Columbus | Columbus Ohio |
Missions
- Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission
- Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission
Temples
= Operating
= Under construction
= Announced
= Temporarily Closed
 | edit | ||
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Notes: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. October 4, 2008 by Thomas S. Monson[13] September 17, 2011 by Henry B. Eyring September 18, 2016 by Henry B. Eyring[14] 61,466 sq ft (5,710.4 m2) on a 1.6-acre (0.65 ha) site Announced at the 178th Semiannual General Conference.[13] | ||
 |
| edit | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Open House: Dedicated: Size: | Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States 5 April 2020 by Russell M. Nelson[15] 21 August 2021 by Randall K. Bennett 15-31 August 2024 scheduled for 15 September 2024 32,000 sq ft (3,000 m2) on a 5.8-acre (2.3 ha) site | ||
 |
| edit | |
| Location: Announced: Size: | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States 2 April 2023 by Russell M. Nelson[17][18] 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) on a 5.36-acre (2.17 ha) site | ||
References
Further reading
- "Highlights of Church history in Pennsylvania", Church News, September 24, 2011, retrieved 2012-11-05
External links
- Newsroom (Pennsylvania)
- ComeUntoChrist.org Latter-day Saints Visitor site
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official site