Pastor at Ligonier Alliance Church

Ligonier Alliance Church Pastor Position

Ligonier Alliance Church took its present form in 1985, when two Christian & Missionary Alliance congregations — Reed's Community Church and Hillsview — united and completed a church building raised over five years by the hands of its own members. Its Alliance roots in the valley run deeper still: both congregations were served, for decades, by one pastor, Rev. L.

C. McDonnell, whose ministry among this people has spanned 66 years. Forty years united and far longer in spirit, it remains a close, faithful, family-like congregation.

About 40 people gather each week. This is a church that knows itself well: it names faithfulness, the steady preaching of the Word, unity, and a warm welcome as its strengths — and it is honest about a membership that has grown older and longs to reach youth and young families in its next season.

The congregation is praying for a new pastor as Rev. L.

C. McDonnell retires after 66 years of ministry among them. What follows is the church's own profile — its history, its people, its convictions, its facilities, and the door it senses God opening — prepared prayerfully by the board.

Quick facts:

• Alliance roots - c. 1960s
  · Reed's & Hillsview
• Church united - 1985
• Affiliation - C&MA
  · WPA District
• Location
  - Ligonier, PA
• Congregation ~40
• Worship attendance ~58–64
• Position open
  - Pastor
• Previous pastor
  - Rev. L.
  
  C. McDonnell (66 yrs)

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats:

Strengths:

• Faithfulness
• Preaching the Word
• Unity in the church
• A welcoming, family atmosphere

Weaknesses:

• Outreach
• Little visitation
• Few young people

Opportunities:

• Starting a youth ministry
• Building up staffing — ushers, nursery
• Community outreach

Threats:

• Decline in attendance
• An aging congregation

Achieve
· Preserve
· Avoid:

Achieve:

• Growth in attendance
• Caring for those in need
• Reaching the community

Preserve:

• Holding firmly to the Word of God
• Communion
• Giving to missions

Avoid:

• Staying the same
• Radical, disruptive change

Our worship service & preaching:

A typical Sunday begins at 10:45, built around traditional hymns and a roughly 30-minute sermon that relates the Scriptures to the needs of the people. Communion is observed on the first Sunday of each month, and services close with an altar call. Recent sermons have included the Prodigal Son, a Father's Day message, "The Good Soldier," a Mother's Day message from Proverbs, and "A Strange Fishing Journey."

Preferences, convictions & absolutes:

Preferences:

• Casual dress
• Traditional hymns
• Open to praise & worship songs
• Fellowship

Convictions:

• Preaching God's Word
• Openness to various translations — NLT, KJV, NIV, Living Bible

Absolutes:

• Preaching God's Word
• Music in worship
• Marriage between a man and a woman
• Communion
• Baptism

Discipleship & ministry involvement:

The church nurtures growth through Sunday school, Sunday worship, and a Wednesday night service, with roughly 25–30% of adults actively involved in ministry. Current ministries include Junior Church, preaching, and Sunday School.

Elders, board & the pastor:

Shared leadership works through a mutual relationship — the board and pastor sharing input and ideas together.

Outreach:

How we connect with our community — honestly told.

The congregation is candid here: formal evangelism and outreach programs are limited  is an area the church has named plainly — both as a weakness and as an opportunity — and one it hopes its next pastor will help it grow into, beginning with youth and young families.

Visitor patterns:

Why visitors come:

• They know someone who attends

Why visitors return:

• They feel welcome

Why people stop attending:

• A lack of ministry for children

Property & facilities:

A member-built church well maintained and fully accessible.

The church building Built by the congregation in 1985, the church has a 2,880 sq. ft. sanctuary seating 200, with a fellowship hall seating 100, seven classrooms, and office space. There is ample parking on a recently sealed lot. Recent improvements include new air conditioning, a new water pump, and new LED lighting. The building is 100% handicap accessible and equipped with video surveillance.

Parsonage & property:

The church has no parsonage.

Attitude toward change:

An honest read on where…