First Evangelical Free Church: From Sweden to the Mon Valley

The Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) was born out of a deep desire to follow Jesus faithfully and freely. In the mid-1800s, believers across Scandinavia (especially in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark) began to step away from state-run churches. They longed for congregations centered on the authority of Scripture, personal conversion, and a living relationship with Christ. These churches were called “Free” not as a statement of rebellion, but as a declaration of their freedom to be led by Christ and His Word alone.

When these immigrants came to North America, they brought their vibrant faith with them. Small, grace-filled churches sprang up across the Midwest and Northeast, eventually organizing into Swedish and Norwegian Free Church movements. In 1950, those two streams joined together to form the EFCA as we know it today: a growing family of more than 1,600 churches—rural and urban, large and small, increasingly diverse in ethnicity and background, united around a shared Statement of Faith, the authority of the Bible, and a passion to make disciples of Jesus.

At the heart of the EFCA is a humble conviction: in the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, charity; and in all things, Jesus Christ. We are evangelical in our theology, believing in the good news of salvation by grace through faith, and “free” in our structure, affirming the local church’s autonomy under Christ.

Where We Fit In: First Evangelical Free Church of White Oak and McKeesport, PA

Today, First Free is a gospel-rooted, multigenerational church that exists to love God, love people, and make disciples who make a difference.

Our church was founded in 1882, making us one of the oldest congregations in the EFCA. We were planted by Swedish immigrants who carried with them a deep love for God’s Word, a desire to gather freely under Christ’s leadership, and a longing to see lives changed by the message of Jesus. In our earliest years, services were held in Swedish, and the congregation was led by Swedish-speaking pastors. But in the early 20th century, as the community around us changed, our church made a deliberate and prayerful shift to English-speaking ministry in order to better reach our neighbors.

That spirit of faith-filled adaptability has marked our church ever since. One key turning point came with the calling of Pastor Jack Kelly, our beloved Pastor Emeritus, who became the first non-Swedish pastor in the history of our congregation. His long and faithful service helped shape the heart of our church for a new generation, and his influence continues to be felt today.

While we honor our Swedish roots, we are now a church made up of people from all kinds of backgrounds: young and old, longtime believers and those still exploring faith, single and married, families with children and empty nesters, those new to the area and those who’ve called the Mon Valley home for decades. It’s a beautiful picture of what the church was meant to be: one body, many members, united in Christ.

Over the years, generations have come through our doors to worship, serve, grow, and go out again, equipped to follow Christ wherever He leads. While much has changed over the last 140+ years, our mission remains the same.

On a personal note, I first heard and responded to the gospel at a Christian summer camp about three hours north of Pittsburgh. The camp was founded by another Swedish-influenced denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), whose theological heritage closely mirrors our own. While I’m not Swedish myself, I developed a deep affection for these faithful believers and the gospel they so clearly treasured through this and companion experiences. I was later delighted to learn that one of our senior members also came to faith at that very same camp—decades earlier, when campers still met in tents instead of cabins!

It’s just one small picture of the enduring legacy of those early Swedish founders—ordinary people whose quiet faith and commitment to the gospel continue to bear fruit in lives, families, and churches far beyond what they could have imagined.

An Invitation

At First Free, we don’t claim to have all the answers, but we believe in the One who does. We’re a people in process: learning, growing, repenting, worshiping, and walking together in grace and truth.

Whether you're new to the area, exploring faith for the first time, or looking to reconnect with church after a long time away, we’d be honored to welcome you.

Come see what Jesus is doing. There’s room for you here—and we’d be honored to walk with you.

Originally prepared by Kevin Labby during his vocational service at First Evangelical Free Church of McKeesport. Used with permission. Copyright remains with the church. Please do not reproduce or distribute without written consent from both the church and the author.