“The term evangelical is not understood within mainstream culture,” said the Rev. Art Pavelski, pastor.

What’s in a name?

A lot, especially when the name is combined with the real estate adage about location, location, location.

The Evangelical Free Church of Vestal (in South Central New York State) will change its name next Sunday to Pierce Hill Christian Fellowship to pinpoint its location and rid itself of a potentially negative religious and political connotation.

“The term evangelical is not understood within mainstream culture,” said the Rev. Art Pavelski, pastor.

“It’s sometimes connected with an extreme political and moral agenda. I don’t make a lot of political statements from the pulpit.”

The change is an anomaly in the local religious community…Essentially only the name will change, said Pavelski.

The congregation is not upset or withdrawing from the Evangelical Free Church of America, which is a largely autonomous Protestant denomination with roughly 1,500 individual churches in the United States and other countries.

“The words ‘Pierce Hill’ are an obvious attempt to identify use with the community,” said Pavelski. “The word ‘fellowship’ is to identify us as a friendly family.”

Read More: http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20101011/NEWS01/10110338/Evangelical+church+in+Vestal+seeks+to+shed+negative+connotations+with+name+change

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