Keokee Chapel United Methodist Church traces its roots back to evangelistic meetings conducted in Paradise beginning in 1838. By 1851, the congregation decided to build a church. The meeting place, which cost about $400, stood on the site now occupied by Keokee Chapel's Sunday school extension.
Keokee was then part of the Lehigh Circuit with a traveling minister who preached at seven churches. Over the years several large-scale revivals and evangelistic efforts took place in Paradise and the congregation continued to grow.
Mary E. Monroe of Cleveland, Ohio, and her secretary, Miriam J. Carse, were attracted to the little church, and Monroe made numerous donations to the church, supplying it with a Sunday school library, carpet, upholstery, organ and pulpit Bible.
Then in 1866, Monroe's daughter, Mary Keokee Monroe, died. To preserve her daughter's memory, Monroe donated $10,000 to erect a new church for the Paradise congregation, to be called Keokee Memorial Chapel. The congregation received a debt-free, completely furnished church and cemetery.
Keokee, whose name means "our daughter" in the Lenni Lenape Indian language, lives on through the congregation's gratefulness for such a generous gift.
Keokee Chapel United Methodist Church's mission statement reads: "It is our mission as Christians to love God and God's people, grow in faith, serve the local and global community and lead people to Christ."
Questions or comments?
Pastor -E-Mail
Church - E-Mail
