In response to the National Christian and Missionary Alliance church planting effort, a core group of families who were attending the C&MA church in Shalersville began Friendship Alliance in September of 1988. Below is history of the church.

3/10/88
A core group of people attending the Ravenna C&MA Church in Shalersville, met at the home of Rosanne and Dennis Sharrone to begin the preparations to start a new church. The National C&MA challenged the mother church to develop an extension church in the Auburn-Bainbridge area to be pastored by Rev. Lee T. King. This meeting was heavily set in prayer.

3/21/88
After exploring several options, Troy Elementary School is chosen as the new church location.

3/24/88
The core group met weekly, developing a philosophy of ministry with a “Family Ministry” emphasis.

6/16/88
The new extension church is now called Friendship Alliance Church. During the preparation months the “mother” church was kept aware of the needs and progress through an information board which was updated weekly. A telephone campaign called “The Phone’s For You” contacted many people in the Auburn – Bainbridge area, sharing the Gospel Message, praying with them and informing them that we would soon be opening a new church in their area.

9/11/88
The Friendship Alliance Church receives its commission and a “baby shower” follows the service where gifts are received, including a trailer to house all of our belongings. A pulpit and communion table were built by Robin Lance and Dave Cline.

9/18/88
The first service at Troy Elementary has approx. 50 adults and children in attendance. This was an exciting morning, filled with much anticipation. There was joy in unloading all of our equipment and setting up all the chairs. God had truly blessed us.

12/8/90
Friendship holds its first “Friend Day”

2/1/91
Friendship Alliance Church becomes self-supporting, no longer relying on the District for financial support.

“Project 50,000”, a phone campaign, begins in order to reach those families in our area and share the Gospel with them.

6/13/91
The Governing Board approves the ministry of having small groups meeting in designated homes, otherwise known as Care Groups.

12/2/91
Rev. Mark Reitinger begins as our Assistant Pastor

6/1/94
Friendship Alliance Church moves to the Auburn Elementary School.

Pastor King leaves for Nyack, NY to return to school for his Masters and Ph.D.

3/26/95
We adopt a church in Rosie, Haiti and commit $3,000 to help build a new church.

7/16/95
Rev. Stephen Sickel is installed as our new Senior Pastor.

12/1/97
We purchase over 10 acres of land on SR 44 just north of Crackle Rd.

3/1/98
Pastor Sickel leaves and takes a pastoral position at Willard Alliance Church.

8/1/98
The search for a new Senior Pastor begins.

2/1/99
Senior Pastor, Rev. A. Warren Gentry is hired.

9/1/99
Rev. Mark Reitinger resigns as Assistant Pastor to begin a new church west of Cleveland. The search for a youth pastor begins.

2/15/2000
Rob James is hired as our new Youth Pastor.

4/4/00
We go to Rosie, Haiti for the last time to help them lay their church floor.

2003
We form a building committee to begin the process of preparing for a new church building

07/14/2007
We had our ground breaking ceremony on the property where the new church will be built.

07/23/2007
On the week of 07/23, excavation begun on the church property.