According to a longtime member of the Fairview Evangelical Presbyterian Church, at 109 Petrolia St., the church is parting ways with the national church in February.

According to Glenda Miller, the church wasn’t “viable” due to its small congregation.

Attendance dropped to 7 in 2020 amid the pandemic, Miller said, and though recently about 30 people gathered for a Sunday service, it’s not enough to cover the costs associated with the church’s current affiliation.

As the church navigates this transition, its members have taken up a mission of collecting new clothing, hats and blankets for the Kid’s Closet charity.

Piles of clothing poured into the church of Fairview Township — proving that sometimes a small group can be mighty, too.

Miller told the Butler Eagle that part of the issue was not being able to afford the administrative fees that pay for the minister’s salary and health insurance for him and his wife.

A conversation about that led the church to amicably part ways with its pastor. A formal transition is set for February 2023.

Though the church isn’t able to maintain those national fees, we hope the church — and its mission — will be able to continue in new form.

Transition is never easy, but we commend the group for taking action and hope their mission will live on.

Even small places can have a mighty impact. Gathering — even in a small number — can be powerful. As it says in Matthew 18:20: “When two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

— TL