the corner of 11th Street and 16th Avenue and construction started on February 3, 1929. Until the building was completed the church met in the local theater building at 1125 8th Avenue. The new church building was completed in June 1929 and was dedicated to Rev. Senft the founder of the Altoona Alliance Church. Late 20th century Rev. Gene Bartmas became the pastor of the Altoona Alliance Church in 1969. Under his leadership the Alliance Hour radio program reached an impressive goal for such a small broadcast. The church aired its one-thousandth broadcast January 18, 1970. Under Rev. Bartmas the church also saw many revisions and expansions to meet the needs of the growing congregation. In 1980 Rev Bartmas and the church family realized that the church building at 16th Avenue and 17th Street was no longer meeting the churches needs and a building committee was formed. On August 23, 1982, the Altoona Alliance Church held a dedication service at the new property located at 1319 South Jaggard Street. The new church building was completed the next year and the first service held on June 26, 1983. Rev. Bartmas remained the pastor of the Altoona Alliance Church until he retired in 1992. Upon Bartmas' retirement Rev. Charles Stump pastored the church until 1997 and Scott Maganella finished out the 1997 year as an interim pastor. In March 1998 Rev. Timothy McGarvey became the pastor of the church. In 1999 Rev. McGarvey with the approval of the church board hired the church's first youth pastor. 21st century In January, 2002, Rev. Tim McGarvey hired Rev. James Cameron to replace the prior youth pastor. Rev. James Cameron served as youth pastor at Altoona Alliance Church until August, 2008. Ministries Offered As a member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance the Altoona Alliance Church offers a variety of ministries to those in the church and the community around them while also maintaining a heart for foreign missions. Altoona Alliance Youth (AAC) The AAC is a ministry available for youth ranging from 13–18 years of age. The majority of this group is made up of members of the church and those who attend the church on a regular basis, but also contains youth who are not associated with the church in any other way. The goal of this ministry is to provide a place where youth can come learn about the Christian faith, develop