John G. McEllhenney

The Reverend John G. McEllhenney died on March 7th, 2026, at the Health Center of Cornwall Manor. He was 91.

Reverend McEllhenney served United Methodist churches in Charlestown, Allentown, Gladwyne, Philadelphia, Ardmore, and West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was acting chief executive officer of Methodist Hospital, Philadelphia from 1984 to 1986. He was also an adjunct professor at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Theological School of Drew University for many years.

John McEllhenney was the author of “Cutting the Monkey-Rope” (1973) and “A Masterwork of Doubting-Belief: R.S. Thomas and His Poetry” (2013). He was the editor of “Proclaiming Grace & Freedom: The Story of United Methodism in America” (1982) and an author with Charles Yrigoyen Jr. and Kenneth Rowe of “United Methodism at Forty: Looking Back, Looking Forward” (2008).

Reverend McEllhenney published numerous articles, was a religion columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, and was the editor of The United Methodist Reporter for Eastern Pennsylvania. He co-founded the R.S. Thomas & M.E. Eldridge Society.

He earned a Bachelor of Divinity from Drew University and received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Albright College.

John McEllhenney is survived by his partner Susan Fogarty; his son and daughter-in-law Peter McEllhenney and Suzanne Metz McEllhenney; six grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Wolf McEllhenney, and his daughter, Lianne Cardenas.

A memorial service for Reverend McEllhenney will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 11:00 am in Zerr Chapel on the grounds of Cornwall Manor, Cornwall, Pennsylvania.