Built in 1895 for the Broad Avenue Presbyterian Congregation the church has seen the merger with other Presbyterian congregations as memberships decline. The church is a contributing building of the Broad Avenue Historic District.
From their website:
"Providence Presbyterian Church in Altoona, Pennsylvania is the result of a 2007 merger between the former Broad Avenue and First Presbyterian Churches. Additionally, the Second United Presbyterian Church in Altoona merged with Broad Avenue in 1981. Providence Presbyterian is located on the corner of Broad Avenue and 24th Street in the structure that was the Broad Avenue building."
"Summer Worship Service:
Providence Presbyterian Church will hcange the time of its morning worship service to 9:30 AM from Sunday, June 6, through Sunday, Sept. 5. Our summer communion will be observed on Sunday, July 25. There will be no Sunday School or Junior Church during the summer schedule, but the Nursery will be open and staffed."
"The butterfly has a special meaning to Providence Presbyterian Church. Not only is it pictured here on our website but we also have a beautiful stained-glass butterfly sitting at the front of our chancel. The symbol of a butterfly is commonly known as one for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, but here at Providence, we use it as a symbol of our own resurrection.
Welcome to the ministry of the butterfly! As you look through this website, you will see in each ministry the resurrection for which our butterfly is a symbol.
We all know that a butterfly is first a caterpillar, then, at an appointed time known only to God, the caterpillar begins to build a cocoon around itself until it is completely encapsulated within it. While inside that dead-looking thing, something miraculous is taking place. Then, at another time known only to God, the caterpillar – now – butterfly emerges from the cocoon fully transformed into a thing of beauty, spreading its wings out to dry in the bright sunlight. It cannot fly until it spreads its wings. Now its life no longer consists of eating leaves, but of pollinating plants.
This life cycle is why we use the butterfly as our symbol. We began as something else that looks very different – two separate churches. Those two churches lived a certain way for many years, until, at an appointed time known only to God and the movement of the Holy Spirit, a time of “cocooning” was undertaken: talks about working together, talks about merging together, talks about how this would be done, as to whether this was God’s call to an “appointed time”. Many changes took place. And now, a few years after that first cocoon-building, the butterfly has emerged, and we are learning to fly.
We are still learning to fly, but are doing so boldly and with a new strength shown in our beautiful new wings created only by God. Come join us if you would like to praise God, trust in our Lord Jesus Christ and the winds of the Holy Spirit and fly all at the same time!"