New Wilmington Alliance Church - New Wilmington PA

In about 1938 a series of inter-denominational meetings, organized by the Reverend J. Henry Boon of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) Church in New Castle and Frank Lehman of the Nazarene Church of New Castle, was held in New Wilmington. In April 1940 a group of attendees officially organized the People’s Gospel Tabernacle, associated with the national Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) Church. They held services in a former auto garage (shown above) on High Street and the Reverend Paul Sankey DeHaven served as the first regular pastor. Years later, in 1954, the building was sold for $4,000 to George Huff and the congregation relocated to the local fire hall. (c1940)

In about 1952 the congregation purchased two lots on New Castle Street (and Landon Avenue) and began plans to construct a small stone church – to be known as the New Wilmington Alliance Church. Progress was slow and the first services were held in the partially completed building (shown above) on Sunday, August 5, 1956. The Reverend H. Thomas Lindsey, pastor from 1953-1958, worked tirelessly to ensure the $70,000 church building was completed by late 1957. He and his father, stone mason H. K. Lindsey, supervised the building of the church. The church was not officially dedicated until Sunday, April 3, 1960, when the Reverend Melvin C. Allison was pastor. (1957)

In October 1965 the Reverend William W. Peoples took over as pastor and served the congregation for the next twenty-three years. Under his leadership the church was greatly remodeled and improved, a new parsonage was acquired, and additional property to the rear of the church was acquired. In April 1990 and the congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary. (c1990)

The Reverend Paul Sankey DeHaven (1912-2007), a native of Greensburg, was the first pastor and served the congregation from 1940-1942. (1990)

The Reverend Melvin C. Allison served as pastor from 1958-1961. It was under his tutelage that the new church was dedicated in April 1960. (1960)

The Reverend H. Thomas Lindsey (1927-2015), a native of Clearfield County and pastor from 1953-1958, built the church with his father – a skilled stone mason named H. K. Lindsey. (1958)

The Reverend William W. Peoples, a U.S. Navy veteran, was the longtime pastor from 1965-1988. During his long tenure the church was expanded and greatly improved. (1990)

The church, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2015, is still in active service today. (Aug 2013) Full Size

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