Other Places of Worship
Updated 02/26/2021
"Other Places of Worship" is the category which captures any conventional church-like structure or building once used for religious purposes which were not provided their own designated web-page. While Auburn had several well-known churches and denominational congregations, certain other structures or congregations didn't enjoy the same degree of popularity or longevity.
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The Apostolic Church of God - The Apostolic Church of God is believed to possibly have once existed in the building located at 113 Market Street of Auburn. This structure housed numerous other enterprises throughout the decades to include C. A. Geesaman's "Auburn Keystone (Grocery) Store", a pool hall, and a second-hand store owned by Claude "Bush" Collins. Virtually no information is available about this Auburn church. However, another structure located in the 100 block of Washington Street was tentatively identified by the name of the "Church of Apostolic Faith" so whether either name or location is accurate has yet to be determined.
Church of Nazarene - Auburn resident and author of "Things I Remember of Auburn" Verna Geesaman recalls Auburn having "4 churches - Reformed and Lutheran (St. John's), Church of God (Auburn Church of God), Apostolic Church (see above), Church of Nazarene (our mystery congregation) and Camp Meeting in July". Whether the "Church of Nazarene" was the congregation established on Third Street near the VFW, or one of the two "unidentified churches" listed below, or even another congregation entirely is uncertain. If you have any information clarifying the matter, please let us know using the "Visitor Input" button found on this website.
Heavenly Recruit Chapel - A Reading Eagle newspaper dated February, 1896 mentions the "Heavenly Recruit chapel" in Auburn. Whether this is an independent church not yet identified, or a congregational name for one of the churches mentioned here within, is uncertain at this time.
Independent Church of God - An undated and non-sourced news snippet reads "Miss Lizzie Shroeder, an estimable woman and a sister of Mrs. Jacob Borkey, with whom she resided the last twenty years, died of congestion of the brain, brought on by fever and convulsions. Deceased was about 35 years of age and a member of the Independent Church of God, of Auburn. Funeral Saturday, September 6th, at 10 a.m. Rev. Joseph Fahl, of Auburn, will preach the sermon. Mr. Jacob Borkey, brother-in-law of deceased, who was ill with malaria fever, is able to be about again." Although unconfirmed at this time, it is believed that the Independent Church of God was another name for the prior "Church of God" and current "Auburn Church of God" congregation as all four individuals mentioned within this article are also interred within the Auburn Church of God cemetery (Lizzie Schroeder, Mrs. Jacob Borkey, Rev. Joseph Fahl and Jacob Borkey).
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Unidentified Church #1 - A church once existed in the low brick structure located at the eastern end of Orchard Street. This structure has also housed a stocking factory and is presently a private residence. The exact name of the church is uncertain, but some of the residents remember referring to it as "the Healing Church" because incidents of "faith healing" were alleged to have occurred within the structure. While the practice of "faith healing" isn't being defended or disputed on this web-page, one particular incident regarding this location questions the integrity of the individual who was "healed".
According to local folklore, a woman was observed casually walking down the street toward the church carrying a pair of crutches in one hand. When she came within close proximity of the building, she placed the crutches beneath her armpits and piteously hobbled into the church to be "healed". After the process was completed, the woman "miraculously" walked from the church carrying her crutches...much in the same manner in which she had initially approached the church earlier that same day! In later years, subsequent to being a church, the interior ceiling was lowered; but in the attic a religious statement can still be seen painted on the inside surface of the exterior wall.
According to local folklore, a woman was observed casually walking down the street toward the church carrying a pair of crutches in one hand. When she came within close proximity of the building, she placed the crutches beneath her armpits and piteously hobbled into the church to be "healed". After the process was completed, the woman "miraculously" walked from the church carrying her crutches...much in the same manner in which she had initially approached the church earlier that same day! In later years, subsequent to being a church, the interior ceiling was lowered; but in the attic a religious statement can still be seen painted on the inside surface of the exterior wall.
Unidentified Church #2 - A church once existed on the northern side of the 100 block of Washington Street in a small, one story structure which is now a private residence. Although the name of this church is uncertain, some residents recall referring to this church as the "Praying Church" because the congregants were very devout and seemed to "constantly" be praying. An unconfirmed rumor is that this church was once called the "Church of Apostolic Faith" which may be related to the aforementioned "Apostolic Church of God".