Monroe County church artifact tracked down

MT. POCONO, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A blast from the past one church in Monroe County is taking a deep dive into history after a century-old bell was returned to its congregation.

After 113 years the ringing of a bell echoes throughout the Mt. Pocono United Methodist Church.

In March of 1911, a fire broke out inside. The church bell was melted into small ones to raise money to rebuild.

Only knowing of two bells in the area, one with the historical society and the other with a local family Pastor Jennifer Miller made it her mission to track a third down.. Until she was gifted it.

“I have been given mine as a Mother’s Day gift from my husband. He found it online through eBay through an antique stealer who found it I believe at a flea market.”

Now the artifact joins other pieces of the church’s history like a cross recovered from a second fire in 1979.

Reflecting on the church’s history the now-restored bell shines inside its sanctuary a sound representing perseverance.

“The turmoils, the issues that they’ve gone through, we’re still having today so if they can find the hope in a small little bell, we can find hope in the things we see around today too.”

In addition to bringing the bell back to the church Pastor Jennifer Miller also made history of her own by being the first female pastor of the congregation.

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