First Christian Church celebrates new home
First Christian Church of New Salem will celebrate the opening of its new home with special services and events this Saturday and Sunday. “We’ve had a lot of people put a lot of effort into this weekend and we’re trying to make it the best we can,’ said the Rev. Andy Miles, pastor.
The congregation has moved into a new one-story, handicapped accessible, air-conditioned structure, located at 800 New Salem Road in Menallen Township. The building is about 1.5 miles from New Salem and 3.4 miles from the Sheetz service station on Route 40 in Uniontown. There are signs marking the church at the property.
Miles recently offered a tour of the new building and announced the schedule for this weekend. The celebration begins Saturday with a service at 6 p.m., followed by cake and ice cream. Miles explained that people who had been involved in special ministries at First Christian in the past – such as youth ministry – will participate in the service. There will also be special music.
“It will include people over the years who have been touched by the church,’ said Miles. “The focus on Saturday will be how God brought us to this point and Sunday it will be looking to the future.’
On Sunday, the church will offer fellowship at 9:30 a.m. with coffee and doughnuts. Worship will begin at 10:30 a.m. instead of the normal 10:45 a.m. start. A number of youths will participate in the service, offering skits.
“The youths are such an important part of our church that we are trying to highlight them,’ said Miles.
Worship will be followed by a light luncheon. There will be a dedication service at 1:30 p.m. The rest of the afternoon until 4 p.m. will be a family fun time with games, such as volleyball, and food, such as hot dogs.
The congregation is making the move in order to meet its growing needs. First Christian was formerly located at 40 N. Mill St. in New Salem in a gray stucco building that was purchased in 1896 and previously used as a Methodist church.
First Christian can trace its roots back to 1874 when a group of people began meeting in New Salem for Bible study and to listen to preachers who came from Central Christian Church in Uniontown.
Through the years, the congregation added classrooms and office space to the building as well as a parsonage next door. But the need for more space prompted the congregation to plan for a new building. The former buildings are now for sale.
First Christian purchased 13 acres of property on New Salem Road and hired New Belle Construction Co. of Belle Vernon to build the church. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Sunday, Aug. 29, 2004. Many members of the church have also volunteered their time and talents to help with the project, allowing the new building to be constructed for $800,000.
The beautiful facility is constructed of decorative concrete block called “tangerine’ with a brown roof and trim, and white steeple. A new entrance also features a covered drop-off area that will prove beneficial in inclement weather.
Inside, the entrance includes an information area for people as they enter the building as well as several chairs and a television monitor that broadcasts worship services. The restrooms are located here as well.
The sanctuary is situated at one end of the building and composed of 4,200 square feet. It is set up to seat 300 in padded green chairs that can be moved to accommodate activities here. Miles believes the sanctuary can hold as many as 350. The walls are white and include eight clear windows. The stage is 50 feet wide and 12 feet deep and holds a pulpit as well as a variety of instruments, such as drums and a keyboard. The church also uses a piano and organ. The stage also has choir microphones that hang from ceiling wire and 26 microphone jacks.
Members of the congregation created a lovely stained-glass window on the wall behind the stage that features a cross with a purple stole and a dove.
The sanctuary is also used as a multi-purpose area so that chairs can be moved and tables set up. A kitchen is located just off the sanctuary.
The hallway of the new building provides access to several more rooms, including a classroom/library located just outside the sanctuary that can also be used as a crying room. There is a television monitor here that will allow parents to watch the service.
There are offices for Miles and the secretary, the latter opens on one side to the information counter at the entrance of the building. The building also contains supply and storage rooms as well as baby and toddler rooms.
And this is the first phase of building planned for First Christian. In the future, the church would like to construct a separate recreation facility that can be used by youths and eventually construct a new sanctuary on the opposite end of the building, allowing the current sanctuary to be used as a fellowship hall. “But we have to fill this first,’ said Miles.
, referring to the current sanctuary.