The posting
Thank you for considering whether God may be calling you to serve among us. Brockway Alliance Church is a loving, close-knit congregation of young and old, families and singles, with a significant and growing number of youth. We are praying for a full-time lead pastor to guide us into our next season.
The Opportunity Before Our Next Pastor
Our next pastor will inherit a loving, unified congregation with strong youth involvement, a vibrant Bible school ministry, and a deep desire to grow spiritually and reach the community. Brockway is a family-friendly town with excellent schools, and our church has a small but strong and devoted volunteer base. God is opening a door for renewed outreach, deeper discipleship, and expanded ministry to families, special-needs households, and the broader community.
What Kind of Pastor We Are Praying For
Our congregation is praying for a pastor who deeply loves God, teaches Scripture faithfully, and leads under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We desire someone compassionate, approachable, and invested in people of all ages, especially youth and young families. We seek a shepherd who listens well, models Christlike character, and helps us grow in unity, discipleship, and mission.
Our Story
Brockway Alliance Church began as a small gathering of believers committed to Bible teaching, prayer, and community outreach. Early leaders established a foundation of missions, youth ministry, and strong congregational care. Over the years, the church has grown through faithful pastoral leadership and a deep commitment to serving Brockway and the surrounding communities.
Today the church is made up of young and old, families, singles, and a significant and growing number of youth. We have an active culture of children's and youth ministry, including a Bible quizzing team.
Our Community and Congregation
Brockway is a close-knit borough of about 2,200 people in the Little Toby Creek valley of northeastern Jefferson County, with more than 5,000 living in the wider Brockway area. Settled in 1822 by Alonzo and John Brockway, the town grew on lumbering and later on glass: the Brockway Glass Company, founded here in 1907, became a major glass manufacturer before Owens-Illinois acquired it in 1987.
Today Brockway is known for its small-town warmth, its Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration, and the Brockway Area School District, home of the Rovers. The borough has its own pool, library, museum, and volunteer fire company. Homes are affordable, with a median value of about $134,000, and the average commute is under 20 minutes.
The setting is beautiful. Brockway sits at the doorstep of the Pennsylvania Wilds, a region of more than two million acres of public land, state parks, and forests. The Clarion–Little Toby Trail begins right in town at Taylor Memorial Park and follows Little Toby Creek and the Clarion River for 18 miles through wooded valleys to Ridgway.
Our Ministry
Our Mission
To be a warmhearted church where people encounter Jesus, grow in God's Word, care for one another, and find a place to belong.
Together, we worship, serve, encourage, and share the love of Christ with our community. Over the next five years, we want to grow further in God's truth and love by internalizing God's Word and reaching our community outside our building.
An Honest Look at Where We Are
Strengths
- Warm, welcoming, friendly congregation
- Strong youth and children's ministries
- Loving, caring, praying church family
- Community-reaching ministries
- Accepting people as they are
- Informal atmosphere
Weaknesses
- Limited discipleship for new believers
- Need for greater community visibility
- Small volunteer base
- Limited men's and women's ministries
Opportunities
- Youth and young adult involvement
- Outreach to families and special-needs households
- Community events and service projects
- Expanding small groups and fellowship
- Local and global missions
Threats
- Lack of community visibility
- Limited volunteers
- Cultural pressures
- Discouragement due to the pastoral vacancy
In This Next Season
We Want to Achieve
- Greater community involvement
- More ministry opportunities
- Improved facilities
- Increased fellowship
- Strong discipleship
- Increased youth involvement
We Want to Preserve
- Youth involvement
- Welcoming family atmosphere
- Friendly culture
- Bible-based preaching
- Casual, relational services
We Want to Avoid
- Divisiveness
- Worldly views shaping ministry
- Overburdening volunteers
- Premature leadership placement
- Hindering newcomers
A Typical Sunday
Sunday school begins at 9:00 a.m., followed by worship at 10:00 a.m. Our order of service is fairly traditional, with a worship team leading a mix of hymns and choruses and youth taking part. Various preaching styles have been used over the years. Prayer meeting is Wednesday evenings at 6:00.
What We Hold Loosely and What We Hold Firmly
Preferences: Open to Discussion
We prefer an informal, family-oriented pastor. The church is open to new ideas.
Absolutes: Non-Negotiables
- The C&MA Statement of Faith
- The authority and inerrancy of Scripture
- The deity of Christ
- The sanctity of life
- Traditional marriage
Current Ministries
- Youth group (City on a Hill)
- Bible quizzing team
- Vacation Bible School
- Sunday school
- Children's church
- Nursery
- Potlucks and fellowship
- Concerts
- Wednesday prayer meeting
These ministries are carried by a small but strong and devoted volunteer base, with 35 to 40 people serving on a regular basis.
An Open Door: Discipleship
We do not yet have a defined discipleship pathway for moving people from first visit to mature faith. Our congregation has named strong discipleship as something we want to achieve, and we see it as one of the clearest opportunities for our next pastor to shape.
Leadership
Our elders lead the church and serve on the governing board, which makes all major decisions on church matters.
Reaching Our Community
Our outreach centers on events that open our doors to neighbors and families throughout the year:
- Trunk or Treat
- Vacation Bible School
- Friends Day
- Paint classes
- National Night Out
- Mahaffey Camp
Property and Facilities
Church Building
- Sanctuary seating for 200
- Fellowship hall seating over 75, with a full kitchen
- Six classrooms and a nursery
- Pastoral office and small library
- Parking for 45 cars, plus street parking
- No debt on any church property
Parsonage
The church owns a three-bedroom, two-bathroom parsonage with a two-car garage on more than an acre of ground. The parsonage is available to our next pastor as a housing option.
How We Handle Disagreement
In the last five years, the board has not had to intervene in any disagreement. Differences of opinion have been settled through open dialogue and discussion, including questions about building renovations, Sunday school arrangements, and volunteer matters.
Pastoral Expectations
Why the Position Is Open - Our prior pastor, Rev. Thomas Henretty, retired after 26 years of ministry at Brockway Alliance Church.
Personality and Leadership Style
We are looking for a pastor who brings:
- Strong biblical preaching and teaching, with a strong prayer life
- Compassionate pastoral care and discipleship
- Community engagement and outreach leadership
Experience We Are Looking For
Years of experience are a secondary consideration to God's leading. Whether a pastor is young with limited experience, in the prime of his career, or older with fewer years of ministry ahead, we will seriously consider him as a candidate.
For Our Next Pastor's First Year
- Brockway is a small town, and our congregation is fairly private. It will take some time to get to know us.
- You can be completely candid with the board. We are not easily offended, and we expect open dialogue.
- We welcome your recommendations.
- The board does not review, approve, or dictate the content or message of your sermons.
Staff and Support
This is a full-time position. Our next pastor will serve as the church's only staff member, working alongside our elders and governing board.
Finances
Financial decisions are made by the governing board. Total income has ranged from about $93,000 to $101,000 a year over the past five years, and the church carries no debt.
Pastoral Compensation
Compensation will be discussed in the interview process.
What We Need Most in Our Next Pastor
- Strong biblical preaching and teaching, with a strong prayer life
- Compassionate pastoral care and discipleship
- Community engagement and outreach leadership
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To be considered for this position, please complete the application to include your testimony, resume and other background information related to the position.
If the district office has reviewed your application and they think you may be a potential match for the position, that the hiring manager will reach out to you for next steps.
This position requires licensing with The Christian & Missionary Alliance. To learn more about The Alliance and requirements for licensing, please visit our website
Please do not contact the church directly.
