The Rev. Denny Krajacic, senior pastor at Community Alliance Church, will preside over the church's 110th anniversary celebration Sunday. Krajacic says the congregation is still growing with more than 1,000 people attending one of the two Sunday services at the church.

Early last century, A.B. Simpson journeyed to Butler to start a branch of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.

On Sunday, that denomination, Community Alliance Church, will celebrate its 110th anniversary.

“One hundred and ten (years) out of 127 and still growing strong,” said the Rev. Denny Krajacic, senior pastor at the church. “It’s something to celebrate.”

The services will feature a special speaker, the Rev. John Stumbo, president of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, who will give the morning’s message.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance Church was founded on the principle of taking the news of Jesus to every nation. The denomination has nearly 10,000 churches overseas and 2,500 in the United States.

The first services at Community Alliance Church were on Sept. 5, 1905, on Mercer Street in downtown Butler.

The congregation stayed at its downtown Mercer Street location for more than 60 years before moving to a facility on North Main Street.

The church moved to its current location at the corner of Mercer and Duffy roads in 1975 and has undergone many changes in the past 40 years, including the construction of a new, larger sanctuary and a children’s wing.

Today, more than 1,000 people attend one of two Sunday services at the church, Krajacic said.

The Sunday celebration will kick off a slate of activities including a women’s conference and a Christian music concert.

Sunday also marks the first service for the church’s new worship pastor, Dave Prentice.

Prentice, a Butler High School graduate, will lead the church’s music and technology arm.

“We’re excited. Excited to come home to family and friends,” Prentice said from his home in Florida, where he and his wife, Pam, and their children have spent the last seven years.

Prentice said he is eager to start his ministry at the church during such an important milestone.

“We can get a hold of the heartbeat of the church right away,” he said.

On Sept. 12, Beth Moore, a best-selling author of women-centered devotional books, will do a live simulcast at the church.

The celebration will continue Oct. 3, when the Every Child Is Beautiful Tour comes to the church.

The tour, which features nationally known Christian groups, includes a trio of Butler brothers who got their start playing for the youth group at Community Alliance Church.

Adam, Luke and Levi Klutinoty, who make up the group About a Mile, recently completed their first Nashville recording.

They will join other performers including Kutless, Mark Schultz, Rush of Fools, David Dunn and Natasha Owens.

“There’s going to be so much good music,” said Jean Garrett, an administrative assistant at the church, who helped bring the concert to the venue. “The groups that are coming are amazing.”

Tickets for the concert are available at www.iTickets.com or by calling 800-965-9324. Tickets for the simulcast are available at the church.