WORTH TWP — Just over a year ago the Friendship Presbyterian Church of Slippery Rock celebrated its beginning.

The new church was a result of a merger of the Bethel and Wolf Creek Presbyterian churches. They, along with West Liberty Presbyterian Church, had formed the Friendship Parish. The West Liberty church had already closed, but several of its members joined in the formation of Friendship Presbyterian.

When the churches joined, members decided the Bethel building would become the worship and education center, and the Wolf Creek building at 886 New Castle Road would be converted into an outreach center.

The Outreach Center Task Force was formed to oversee this project. Cochaired by Paul Yanosy and Ruth Keith, the task force was divided into two subgroups.

The vision group, headed by Keith with members Phyllis Cooper, Wendi Vukson, Evelyn Vargo and Jessie Myers, developed a vision of how the center would be used and what it might look like. Church members were surveyed to get their comments.

The vision group saw the building as an open, multipurpose space that could be used for many church functions (kids' club, meetings, potlucks, programs, etc.) and also for community functions (support groups, educational programs, social events, etc.).

This group also determined what the building needed to facilitate its use (kitchenette, audio-visual system, handicapped restrooms, etc.)

Keith said the renovation “presented no major problems. The contractor said the building had 'good bones.'”

She said work began in August and is almost finished, barring some cabinet work in the kitchenette.

The facilities group headed by Yanosy with members Bill Kreuzer, Lilburn Cooper and Nancy Natili, had the job of designing a space to fit the vision.

They started by calling in a building inspector to determine the current condition of the building, and in summer and fall of 2016 some repairs and improvements were made.

They determined architectural drawings were needed. Then bids were resubmitted. A contractor, C&T Carpentry of Butler, was hired.

Renovation began Aug. 7, 2016. The remodeled building features a great room with kitchenette and two handicapped-accessible rest rooms.

New plumbing and electrical wiring was installed to accommodate the kitchenette, rest rooms, lighting, and additional electrical outlets.

Paul Yanosky said, “My group really came up with the conceptual design of the room.”

“The wall between the vestibule and the worship area was redesigned,” he said. “The original rest room in the vestibule was demolished and reconfigured to make two ADA (Americans with Disability Act) compliant rest rooms.”

In fact, he said, all of the former Wolf Creek Church was redesigned to be ADA-compliant including the addition of ramps and handicapped parking.

A lot of the cost was covered by a gift to the merged church.

The pastor of the 60-member congregation, the Rev. Donna Yanosky, said, “We had received a gift. We spent over $100,000. We had a gift, it wasn't as if we had fundraisers.”

The Friendship Presbyterian Church celebrated the opening of the Friendship Presbyterian Community Center with a worship service Oct. 1.

The celebration continues from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday with an open house at the community center.

There will be music by the Rock Jazz Trio, refreshments and children's activities.

“We are hoping it will be used for our own special celebrations, as well as by people in the community for baby showers, wedding showers and community events,” said the pastor.

“And the center will serve as the Operation Christmas Child drop-off center for the region. That's a big thing,” said Yanosky.

“We feel like our hope, our prayer is the center will be a blessing to our community and the surrounding community,” she said.

WHAT: Friendship Presbyterian Community Center open house with music by the Rock Jazz Trio, refreshments and children's activitiesWHEN: 2 to 4 p.m. SaturdayWHERE: 886 New Castle Road, Worth Township