First Posted: 4/10/2013
Hope Church, 4951 Birney Ave. (Cee Kay Plaza), Moosic will mark its 20th year on Sunday, April 21. H
Hope is one of 1700 churches and missions of the Presbyterian Church in America. The denomination was founded in 1973.
Hope Church was established in 1993 led by co-pastors Glen Riexinger and Dr. David Wallover. Riexinger had been the minister of an independent Reformed Baptist congregation and Wallover was a Presbyterian Church USA pastor.
An early meeting place for the newly-formed congregation was a motel ballroom in Moosic. Within days of signing the lease for the warehouse space where services are currently held, a load of snow caused the roof of the ballroom to collapse.
Members of the congregation, under the guidance of Riexinger, a former contractor, began renovation of the 6,000 square foot facility on Birney Avenue. Work, including a worship hall that seats 200 as well as kitchen, office and classrooms was completed in about nine months.
In October 2000, Steven Wilson, a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary and ordained in the PCA, became pastor of Hope Church. While preparing for a career in health and physical education, Wilson directed training for Christian camp counselors and then went into full-time youth ministry.
Pastor Steve has served on the staff of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Ursinus, Haverford, Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore colleges as well as West Chester University. He and his wife, Cheryl, have three grown children and two grandchildren.
The anniversary celebration will be held at the church beginning at 9:25 a.m. with Sunday School afollowed by morning worship at 10:45 a.m.. Dr. Wallover, organizing pastor, will speak at the morning worship service. Now serving as pastor of Harvest Presbyterian Church, Dr. Wallover and his family reside in Medina, Ohio.
A buffet style dinner will follow morning worship.