Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Dwindling membership forces closure of historic church

By CHARITY SMITH

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IRONWOOD - Dwindling membership has resulted in the closure of First Presbyterian Church in Ironwood. The church has been in operation on East Aurora for 115 years this month.

A once thriving church with more than 300 members, in the end, the congregation counted just seven members. Of the remaining seven, two are in nursing homes and two are seasonal - retreating to Florida in the winter, said Pastor Jack Fashbaugh.

"Membership steadily declined. It had to do with the closing of the mines," Fashbaugh said. "When my wife and I first joined the ch...

 
 
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