A Brief Church

The Christian & Missionary Alliance Church in Clearfield first came into being in 1919. John Richards (1873-1968), a very dedicated Christian, held a prayer meeting in his home at 219 Turnpike Ave., Clearfield, Pa. When the prayer meeting was over, enough money had been left by the people attending to pay the first week's rent on a building, which was the Susquehanna Col­lege of Music. This building is still standing today.

Services were held on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 and again Sunday evening.

After leaving the Susquehanna College of Music, the congregation rented a small building near Kurtz Brothers factory. There were no morning services until the church moved to the Merrill Street location in 1932. This building had previously been used by another group.

Mr. Richards was the first Sunday school superintendent and also served as the teacher of the adult class. Mary Giles was Sunday school secretary and Elizabeth Richards served as the assistant sec­retary. Some of the early members are with us today in our present congregation. They are: Elizabeth Richards, Dorothy Carson, Mrs. Minnie Sipe, Mrs. Carla Haley, Bessie Irwin, Harold Williams, Francis Carter, Margaret Haines, Mabel Nelson and Bernice Mayhew.

Rev. A. N. Salvie was the first minister of the Clearfield C. & M. A. Church, which is also known as The Gospel Tabernacle. During his ministry, he held Saturday night meetings in the Courthouse Square. In addition, tent meetings were held along the river. Among the visiting evangelists who ministered were the well-known Bosworth Brothers. Cottage prayer meetings were conducted weekly.

The pastors who served in our church were Rev. Frank Miller, Rev. Donald McKaig, Rev. Henry T. Roe, Rev. W. F. Lias, Rev. J. Henry Boon and Rev. Earl Freeland. During Rev. Freeland's ministry, the church enlarged by building walls around the existing building and then tearing down the old church when the new was completed. Services were held regularly during this time. The Sunday School Annex Building was also purchased. Pastors who served following this were Rev. Vernon Orner, Rev. Grant Cornelius and Rev. Duane A. White.

In the past three years, God has blessed us richly with increased growth. An outreach into the com­munity is maintained through the bus ministry, visitation and summer tent meetings. Competing against our own records, our Sunday school has taken first place in its category for the past three years in the annual nationwide Sunday school campaign of all C. & M. A. Churches.

As a result of the growth, it was necessary to provide adequate facilities. The congregation was un­able to be contained in the church building and found it necessary to use two other buildings for Sunday school and Junior Church. After much prayer and consideration, God led us to purchase 35 acres of land in August, 1974 and groundbreaking was held the following March 30 in 1975. As a result of many mir­acles and God's provision, the congregation was able to hold its first Sunday services in this lovely new building on Easter Sunday, April 18, 1976.

It is the desire and prayer of the pastor and congregation that this new building will be used greatly of God in evangelism and missions to bring further glory and honor to His Name. "This is the Lord's do­ing; it is marvelous in our eyes: ... we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:23, 24.

Taken from the “Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Dedicated to the glory of God—June 6, 1976.