MERCER

Salvation Army Mercer Corps moved to town in July, holding church services since then in its new location at 133 S. Erie St. in Mercer.

"Before that we were located at 790 N. Perry Highway in Pine Grove Mobile Home Park (in Coolspring Township)," said Envoy Maria Bandzak, who is in charge of the Mercer church's ministry with her husband, Envoy Joseph Bandzak. "We wanted to move to a location in town where we could be better seen."

The Mercer congregation has between 25 and 30 members. "We are praying that we grow," she said. "There are many churches in Mercer and, although they are very good churches, some people need more. Maybe, for some, other churches are too big."

Community residents may be under the misconception the Mercer location is a Salvation Army store. "Many people associate the Salvation Army with the thrift stores, so that could be why there was confusion that the Mercer site wasn't a church," said Capt. Bill Bamford, general and personnel secretary with the Western Pennsylvania Division of the Salvation Army in Pittsburgh.

"If we feel there's a need for a Salvation Army church, that spiritual presence, we open the work in a town or community," he said.

Many people are more familiar with the Salvation Army for its social services.

"We don't do social services here. We are a church ministry," said Bandzak. "We sometimes minister to those who won't go to other churches."

The Bandzaks are training to become Salvation Army lieutenants. "We're envoys and are not actually called officers, but we do everything officers do," Mrs. Bandzak said.

Mrs. Bandzak began attending the Salvation Army Shenango Valley Corps in Sharon when she was 18 years old. "My husband, before we were married, started coming a few years later," she said. "We attended there for several years."

Before becoming envoys April 1, 2001, Mrs. Bandzak said they did volunteer ministry for the Salvation Army in the Mercer area.

Sunday school for children is 10 a.m. with holiness meeting services at 11 a.m. Sundays in Salvation Army Mercer Corps, 133 S. Erie St. in Mercer. The church can be contacted at (724) 662-9704.