When the congregation of the Friendship Presbyterian Church gathers for its dedication celebration next month, members will be commemorating more than just a renovated church building.

The congregation will be marking the end of a long process to merge three Slippery Rock area churches, creating one unified congregation at

870 Franklin Road.

The Oct. 16 celebration will begin with a 10:30 a.m. worship service followed by a luncheon and an open house and concert that will begin at

1 p.m.

“People are very excited and proud for what has happened,” said the Rev.

Donna Yanosy, pastor of the church. “God was in it, it wouldn’t have happened if God wasn’t in it.”

The merger combines three churches, Bethel Presbyterian, Wolf Creek Presbyterian and West Liberty Presbyterian.

The unification was prompted by dwindling congregations at each of the three churches, which shared a pastor under the name Friendship Parish, said Ruth Keith, an elder of the church