History
Our Church History
Irvin J. Knieriem, a young man with a vision, saw the need and felt the call to bring Truth to Somerset. Born and reared in the Pocahontas area of Somerset County, educated at the Bethany Seminary in Chicago, baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Ghost in 1954; this man was equipped and ready to spread the Word of Truth to the community of Somerset.
The Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic in Somerset, Pennsylvania was born under a tent during an eight week revival that was located on Plank Road. The year was 1959.
After eight weeks of preaching every night and working every day, a harvest of souls began. The small congregation of twenty saints rented a Church of God building in Shawleytown at the southern end of Somerset. The arrangements did not work out as planned, so a different location was sought. On the 700 block of South Center Ave a Baptist Church building was secured, rent-free. The Church grew and thrived to a congregation of about forty saints in a two-year period.
With another tent revival in 1960 their came a new wave of saints that were full of faith and ambition. The decision was made to search for property and build a new Church building to house the growing congregation. Knieriem purchased two lots on which the Church would be built from a sister in the congregation. With a lot of faith, hard work and a little money – the building project began and through the miraculous Hand of God, a building was erected at 141 Forward Blvd. for The Kingdom of God.
In 1973 the Sunday School building was built next to the Church. The original purpose of the building was to provide a venue for fellowship. Due to growth in the Sunday School Department the building was converted in 1989 for use as Sunday School Classes.
In 1995 The Apostolic Christian Academy was founded. Acting on the God given, mutually shared, burden of Biblically based education, Knieriem and a former elder started the development of the Christian school, which began with the 1995-1996 academic year.
On May 20, 2014, Bishop Irvin James Knieriem, 83, went on to be with the Lord at his home. Born June 24, 1930, in Meyersdale, He presided as the Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic organization for 39 years and pastored the Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic in Somerset for nearly 55 years. He dedicated his life to the work of the Lord and ministering to others’ needs.