Pastor Wil Hough

Allegheny Valley Baptist Church celebrated its 50th anniversary last year and is looking to the next 50 years. The congregation built the present day church, located at 2855 Freeport Road in Natrona Heights, entirely by volunteer labor. This fortitude, dedication and labor of love demonstrates the spirit of the church.

Pastor Wil Hough said the goal of the church is to “glorify Christ, spiritual maturity of its members and reach out to the community”. Part of that goal is being met with a Sunday night study that is currently focusing on “The Purpose Driven Life”. Pastor Hough said that the study has drawn a large number of church members and has facilitated increased interactive biblical discussions among those attending.

The church, according to Pastor Hough, has also a strong interest in missions. One mission the church has focused on is Voice of the Martyrs (www.persecution.com). The organization goals are to aid Christians around the world that are being persecuted for their faith in Christ and educate the world about the ongoing persecution of Christians. The church dedicates one Wednesday prayer meeting a month to pray for persecuted Christians. Recently Mrs. Laura McDonald of the Voice of Martyrs spoke at a Sunday church service.

The church also started a puppet ministry last fall and presently ministers to the children of the church. Potentially the puppet ministry will be an outreach of the church.

Allegheny Valley Baptist Church

As many churches, Allegheny Valley Baptist Church is a very “committed group of believers” according to Pastor Hough. The men hold a monthly fellowship breakfast and the women recently started doing the same. The church also has Family Fun nights that involve games and fellowship. Other activities that are popular are church picnics and attending Pirate games.

Wil Hough was pastor in Millinocket, Maine when he learned that Allegheny Baptist Church was looking for a pastor. Although born, raised and educated in Massachusetts, his wife Annette is a native of Monongahela. They decided, although over 865 miles away, to look into answering the call for Allegheny Baptist Church. The rest is history and they moved here in August of 2003, just before the 50th year anniversary of the church, and he was installed as pastor in October of that year. They live in Sarver with their daughter Ruth who is seven. Their older daughter Rebecca, 10, passed away last fall.

Allegheny Baptist Church holds Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. and Worship at 11 a.m. Evening Bible Study is at 7 p.m. and on Wednesdays there is Prayer and Bible Study at 7 p.m. You can call the church at 724-226-0362. The office hours and Monday, Wednesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Watch the video interview with Pastor Hough at http://www.alle-kiskitoday.com/webcasts/1356