The Third congregation formed within the Southwest Central Pennsylvania General Parish of ELCM. Faith Lutheran began in a rental facility. Worship was held in the rental facility for four years following the leave taking from the ELCA by 40 souls and Pastor Roy A. Steward in January 1992. While still in a rental facility and in the first year of life, Faith Lutheran launched a first Mission effort and successfully planted a daughter congregation. The daughter congregation, Barley Evangelical Lutheran Church, became the 2nd congregation within the General Parish. Faith Lutheran at the end of 4 years in a rental facility acquired a Block warehouse building in Duncansville, PA (just south of Altoona, PA) and remodeled the Interior into a beautiful Worship facility. The congregation then acquired ownership of the property of a former WELS mission that had been unsuccessful. The former WELS mission property was located in Hollidayburg, PA (to the East of Altoona, PA). In 2005 Faith Lutheran acquired a well maintained Church building from the Allegheny Township of Pennsylvania. The building had been the worship center for a Jehovah Witness congregation. The building was free to the Faith Lutheran congregation if it could be moved in a one month period of time. The building was successfully raised from its foundation and moved to the location of the former WELS Mission property and Faith Lutheran proceeded to excavate a basement and construct a foundation and to then move the Facility obtained from the Allegheny Township into the foundation area, jack up the facility and attach it to the first unit building that had been constructed during the time of the WELS mission effort. A large segment of the former WELS mission facility was then renovated and the interior of the new attached building was renovated into a beautiful Lutheran Worship Sanctuary. The basement area currently remains to be completed but the The Church Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, Kitchen and restroom areas have all been completed and thus provide considerable space for Worship and Ministry events.
The Faith Lutheran Congregation which had worshipped with two worship Service times (7:45 A.M. and 11:00 A.M.) at the Duncansville, PA location then divided in order to establish a Mission congregation core at the new Hollidaysburg site (known as Faith Lutheran, Frankstown). The 7:45 A.M. Worship Core continued at the Duncansville location and the 11:00 A.M. Worship core made the move to the Faith Lutheran, Frankstown Road, Hollidaysburg location. Wednesday worship services are held at both locations. A 10:00 A.M. Service of Matins with the Sacrament is held at the Duncansville Congregation and a 7:00 P.M. Vesper Service with the Sacrament is held at the Hollidaysburg congregation location.
Thus the original one congregation meeting in a rental facility from 1992 - 1996 has expanded into 3 congregations on three properties with three established Worship and Ministry facilities. Our little ELCM began with no outside help from any source and now has established in Southwest Central Pennsylvania three congregations in a 14 year period and successfully obtained three properties.
A vision is currently unfolding of launching yet a 4th congregation within the General ELCM Parish of Southwest Central Pennsylvania. The slogan or Motto of The Father of American Lutheranism, The Rev. Dr. H. M. Muhlenberg, is our motto: "Ecclesia Plantanda." The motto means "The Church must be planted." We actually would add to the Motto and emphasized "Ecclesian Replantanda," namely, "The Church must be replanted!"
The Southwest Central PA ELCM congregations are traditional Lutheran and use the 1958 Red Service Book and Hymnal or SBH for worship. The older language forms in our worship do not appear to prevent young families from worshipping with us. The Immutable and unchange Word of God to man and the Sacraments instituted by Jesus are the center of our life (Word and Sacramet). We understand the Holy Scriptures of Old and New Testaments to be God's Word to man. This is in contrast to others who view Scripture as "Mans attempt to say something about God."
Visitors are welcome at our Services and those who believe as we do that Christ is truly present in the Sacrament and gives us his very own body and blood to eat and to drink are welcome to receive.
Our orignial facility which is now the Fellowship Hall is now attached the facility pictured above (but is obscured by the the frontal photo of the above pictured front of our facility. The former WELS first Unit building is pictured below.
An Interior view of he Sanctuary and nave of the Church concludes are pictorial display for the Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church. This location has been the site of an ELCM Ordination as well as the site of two (soon to be 3) Triennial General Conference (Synod) gatherins of the "Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium of North America."
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Several Pictures of the Triennial General Conferences follow. ELCM is now composed not only of a General Synod in the USA but also of 4 small Synods in India and one small Synod in Kenya. Presidents of the Global ELCM Synods have been in attendance at the General Conferences held at Faith Ev. Lutheran Church, Frankstown Road, Hollidaysburg, PA. In the picture that follows, The Rev. Dr. D. C. M. Benerjee, President of one of our South India Synods makes a special presentation in the Faith Frankstown Road Fellowship Hall to The Rev. Russel N. Burr (to Dr. Benerjee's left) and to Thke Rev. Roy A. Steward (with collar). Pastor Burr is the ELCM Ministerium Dean and Pastor Steward is the President of ELCM and also the Senior Pastor of the Southwest Central PA General Parish which now includes Faith Ev. Lutheran, Frankstown Road, Hollidaysburg.
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The first Ordination held in the new Sanctuary of Faith, Frankstown. The Rev. Frederick Banquer is pictured on the front right following his ordination as a pastor of ELCM. The date was Reformation Sunday 2006. Pastor of The Central Pa. General parish of ELCM and President of ELCM, Pastor Roy A. Steward is pictured in the black robe to the left of the Altar and the ELCM Minsterium Dean is pictured in the the White alb to the Right of the Altar.
