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New old church grows in Wheatfield by Susan Mikula Campbell
Now that the dust has settled on the construction and the merger, Niagara Alliance Church took time this month to celebrate. The church at 7041 Witmer Road, Wheatfield, held its grand opening celebration on June 14, welcoming the public in to its new, dome-shaped church and showing off its programs. The church actually has been in Wheatfield for many years, known as Wheatfield Neighborhood Church. It originated as a home Bible study group in North Tonawanda some 75 years ago and moved to Wheatfield in 1980. Last September, the Wheatfield church merged with 60-year-old Niagara Falls Alliance Church, previously located on 22nd Street in Niagara Falls. The blending has gone well, according to the Rev. Mark Patterson, pastor since 2000. “So many people comment about the friendliness here,” he said. Head Elder and Bergholz resident William L. Brumfield, a member of the Niagara Falls church for more than 10 years, is enthusiastic about the merger. “I continue to be excited about all the things happening here,” he said. “Usually, it takes a year at least (to get used to a merger) before you can say anything positive. It’s just gone great!”
Brian D. Shiah, elder and chief building steward, said merging churches is always a complicated process, like merging families. “Now, we are very much one,” he said, citing “a lot of activity, a lot of energy, a lot of promise in the community” as the fruits of their labor. “It’s a good place to be if you want to make a difference within your family, the community and for the kingdom of God.” The old church at 22nd Street and Linwood Avenue hasn’t been abandoned. It’s now the Niagara Gospel Rescue Mission, with a goal of reaching out to help those in need. “The church is here to serve the community; especially in these times, people need help, they need support, they need hope,” Shiah said. As pastor, Patterson’s unusual background makes him the epitome of understanding for his flock. “I did not grow up in a church background whatsoever,” he said. Patterson, who grew up in Canada, was a high school dropout and had problems with drugs and alcohol. Now 50, he went back to school when he was 30. Along the way, he worked in jobs ranging from construction to manager at a telephone company. “I finally got my life turned around, and now I’m a pastor,” he said. His experience “helps me apply what the Bible says to life today ... applied practically to today’s issues and challenges,” he said. Part of the excitement at the new Niagara Alliance Church is the completion of the new church building. The building program actually began in 1994, but came to a standstill, until restarting in 2006.
The modern, dome-shaped building, behind the old church and connected by a hallway, seats about 400 people in a semi-circle. There are wireless hearing devices for those with hearing problems. Music ranges from traditional to contemporary and words for the songs and the outline of Patterson’s sermon are available in print form and are projected on the wall. Sermons also are available on CD. The old church serves as a fellowship hall and a place for classrooms and offices. The church offers a Family Bible Hour for nursery school age through adult on Sundays at 9:15 a.m., prior to the 10:30 service. There’s also a youth group and a children’s ministry program. The vacation Bible school for first- through sixth-graders, scheduled for July 20-24, will be held from 7 to 8:45 p.m. In a community like Wheatfield, people aren’t around to bring their kids during the day, Patterson explained. “Merging together made us a larger, stronger church,” he said. But they’re not closing the doors. “We’re always open to have new people come to our church.” For more information on Niagara Alliance Church, check it’s Web site at niagaraalliance.com.
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