Christian Church of Connellsville
(Disciples of Christ)
Christian Church of Connellsville
(Disciples of Christ)
We are a congregationally-governed body eager to respond more effectively to the power of the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
As part of the one Body of Christ, we welcome all to
the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us.
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is one of the oldest and largest denominations founded on American soil, having its beginning in 1832. Today there are more than 3,000 congregations in the United States and Canada committed to sharing the limitless love of God throughout the world.
Within the Christian Church there are four levels of organizations: congregational, district, regional, and national. Individual churches are congregational in policy with the people selecting their own leaders and sharing
in important decisions.
The symbol of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a simple red chalice bearing the Cross of St. Andrew across the left side of the bowl. The color red signifies vitality, spirit, and sacrifice. Long associated with the Disciples of Christ as a symbol, the chalice points to the centrality of the Lord's Supper in the life and worship of the disciple. Thus, a weekly Lord's Supper open to all Christians has been characteristic of the church from its very beginning in the early nineteenth century.
Our Church History
The Christian Church of Connellsville was organized in 1832. For a long time, the homes of church members furnished the meeting places of the congregation. The first building was completed in 1845 on East South Street. The congregation grew steadily and it soon became necessary to have a larger house of worship. The first building was sold to the German Lutherans, who continue to worship in it. A new church was built and dedicated in 1874.
In 1897, this building was sold and the site the church now occupies on Pittsburgh Street was purchased. The current church building, consisting of the sanctuary, tower, and what was originally referred to as the Sunday School room, was dedicated on June 26, 1898. Since that time, a number of improvements have been made to the building, most notably the addition of the educational wing which was built from 1922 through 1923.
The true history of the church, however, is not told by recounting the buildings occupied. Rather, it is a story of people worshiping and working together in fellowship with Christ.
As we face the future, we covet a fellowship where people are spiritually fed and have an enthusiasm to build the Church of Jesus Christ, not for a day, but for always.
Our Beliefs
Jesus Christ is the son of God and the personal Savior of all who accept and obey Him.
The Holy Spirit is sent by God to all followers to provide strength, support, and guidance in our lives.
The Bible is the Word of God and is a guide for Christian thought and action.
The Church is the Body of Christ and includes all who profess faith in Jesus Christ. The Church is the place where followers come to gain support in the faith and guidance in interpreting the Scriptures.
The Lord’s Supper is the center of our worship and is celebrated each Sunday. All Christians are invited to partake in Communion with our Lord.
We believe in and practice baptism by immersion. However, our congregation welcomes all who have been baptized in ways other than immersion.
Each individual has access to God without aid of a priest or minister.
Freedom of individual thought is important and is the right of each Christian in all areas beyond the commands of Scripture. To this end we say, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things charity."
The ethos of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is the marriage of faith and reason.
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is dedicated to Christian unity. Using the New Testament as a guide, we seek union upon this common ground.
We are dedicated to making Christ known. This means that in our worship, fellowship, and outreach we seek to present the claims of Christ so that He may become the Lord of our lives.
Our Minister
Reverend Keith Almond
​Rev. Dr. Keith Almond was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, a small city located in the foothills of central Virginia. He graduated from Lynchburg College, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) school in 1980, and from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond in 1983. He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in 1989 from the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C., with a concentration on Church Revitalization. For 30 full-time and 10 part-time years, he served the Church in both small and large congregations. Rev. Almond joined the Christian Church of Connellsville as part-time minister in November 2023 and became our church's full-time minister in January 2025.