Several churches, the largest concentration of any county across New York's Southern Tier, will be focusing Saturday and Sunday, September 15-16, on an end-of-summer and beginning of fall church connection or re-connection to individuals and families within their service areas.
Back to Church Sunday congregations include Almond Union of Churches, 11 South Main Street; Knights Creek Church, 2987 Knights Creek Road (County Road 9), Scio; and the Salvation Army, 25 East Pearl Street, The Presbyterian Church, 68 North Main Street, and Brookside Wesleyan, 3456 Andover Road (State Route 417 East), all of Wellsville.
Other neighboring churches outside the county include the Epic Church of Olean and the First Presbyterian Church of Canisteo.
Over 13,000 churches are expected to participate nationally in this year's event which encourages people "to come together at church where they will find a gathering of people who are growing together spiritually, who are applying their faith to everyday challenges and who help and support one another, as well as the community at large.
"From the very beginning, the church has been a place for all kinds of people," national event organizers say, noting "the church was born on a Sunday in Jerusalem when thousands of Jews from around the world gathered for one of the major yearly festivals (called the Feast of Weeks). That was the occasion God chose to send his Holy Spirit to fill Jesus’ first followers and enable them to speak to people from every part of the known world."
As the second decade of Back to Church Sunday occurs this year, they add that "the church is not a building. It's a gathering of people brought together to experience God's love and purpose," which re-enforces the focus of "Together."
Knights Creek Church will be highlighting the observance with its 9:45 a.m. study of "Experiencing God - Knowing and Doing the Will of God" international series by Henry Blackaby, a free weekly Community Dinner following its 11 a.m. Sunday worship services, and the church's music lessons ministry for children and adults, also free by appointment, conducted by David Peralta, its world-class music missionary who is a member of the Simon Bolivar Venezuelan National Symphony Orchestra.
Further information about participating Allegany County churches is available from Almond Union of Churches at (607) 276-6151; Knights Creek Church at www.facebook.com/
Details about the Back to Church Sunday connections and a locator for participating churches throughout the nation are available at www.findachurchnow.com.
