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.
AreaNA Northeast
Members52,193 (2022)[1]
Stakes13
Wards78
Branches28
Total Congregations106
Missions2
Temples1 Operating
1 Under Construction
1 Announced
3 Total
Family History Centers46[2]

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.

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

Membership in Pennsylvania
YearMembership
1940900
19604,600
197918,146
1989*28,000
199937,749
200948,477
201952,290
*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

A meetinghouse of the LDS Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

As of February 2023, Pennsylvania had the following stakes (with the stake center in Pennsylvania):[10][11][12]

Stake Mission Temple District
Altoona Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PittsburghWashington D.C.
Chambersburg Pennsylvania StakeMaryland BaltimoreWashington D.C.
Gettysburg Pennsylvania StakeMaryland BaltimoreWashington D.C.
Harrisburg Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PittsburghPhiladelphia Pennsylvania
Lancaster Pennsylvania StakeMaryland BaltimorePhiladelphia Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PittsburghWashington D.C.
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania North StakePennsylvania PittsburghColumbus Ohio
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania West StakePennsylvania PittsburghColumbus Ohio
Reading Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Pennsylvania
Scranton Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Pennsylvania
Valley Forge Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Pennsylvania
Williamsport Pennsylvania StakePennsylvania PittsburghPhiladelphia Pennsylvania

Missions

Temples

Temples in Pennsylvania
  • = Operating
  • = Under construction
  • = Announced
  • = Temporarily Closed
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]
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Size:		 Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States
5 April 2020 by Russell M. Nelson[15]
21 August 2021 by Randall K. Bennett
32,000 sq ft (3,000 m2) on a 5.8-acre (2.3 ha) site
Location:
Announced:
Size:		 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States
2 April 2023 by Russell M. Nelson[16][17]
20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) on a 5.36-acre (2.17 ha) site

References

  1. 1 2 "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State:Pennsylvania", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 29 May 2023
  2. ↑ Category:Pennsylvania Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved April 11, 2022
  3. ↑ "Country Resources". Cumorah Foundation. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  4. ↑ "Adults in Pennsylvania: Religious composition of adults in Pennsylvania". Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021. Note:While it's the thirteenth largest denomination in Pennsylvania, it's the fourteenth largest denomination when "nondenominational" is considered as a denomination.
  6. ↑ Quinn, D. Michael (1994). The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power. Salt Lake City: Signature Books. pp. 5–6, 15–20. ISBN 1-56085-056-6.
  7. ↑ Bushman, Richard Lyman (2005). Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 74–75. ISBN 1-4000-4270-4.
  8. ↑ "Facts and Statistics", Church News, 2020. Retrieved on 3 April 2020.
  9. ↑ Saffron, Inga (August 2, 2016). "Changing Skyline: Mormon Temple: Radical conservative upstart". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple District", churchofjesuschristtemples.org, retrieved June 20, 2021
  11. ↑ "Washington D.C. Temple District", churchofjesuschristtemples.org, retrieved June 20, 2021
  12. ↑ "Columbus Ohio Temple District", churchofjesuschristtemples.org, retrieved June 20, 2021
  13. 1 2 Mikita, Carole (October 4, 2008). "LDS Church plans temples in Rome, 4 other locations". KSL.com. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  14. ↑ Weaver, Sarah Jane (September 18, 2016). "President Eyring dedicates temple in Philadelphia, the place 'where so much began'". Deseret News.
  15. ↑ "Prophet Announces Eight New Temples at General Conference: The Church will build its first temple in the Middle East", Newsroom, LDS Church, 5 April 2020
  16. ↑ Full summary of Sunday’s LDS General Conference: Nelson urges members to be peacemakers, announces 15 new temples, Salt Lake Tribune, 2 April 2023
  17. ↑ "The Church of Jesus Christ Will Build 15 New Houses of the Lord", Newsroom, LDS Church, 2 April 2023

Further reading


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