NILES — Canfield resident Kim Lisowski, who grew up in Niles, said three generations of her family attended the First Presbyterian Church of Niles, so it was bittersweet that she and her parents, Tom and Janice Semple of Niles, would all be there together for the final service at the church building Sunday evening.

More than 50 people, including former members and people from other area Presbyterian churches, gathered Sunday for the final service at the church. The congregation voted in June to dissolve and officials are in the process of selling the building.

The Rev. Rusty Cowden, retired minister from Warren Presbyterian Church, led the final worship.

“Tonight we are honoring, celebrating and remembering the church and the many people who have worshiped and served here. We are saying goodbye to this wonderful building” he said.

Cowden said the previous Presbyterian church was located in downtown Niles. The congregation, which was growing in number, saw a need for a new building and moved to the current site off Robbins Avenue in the late 1950s.

“They built this magnificent church building, which is a half block long with the large tower and sanctuary and the stained glass windows,” he said.

Cowden said before the service, he walked the grounds and saw the patio area with the fountain and gardens.

He said members will always have memories of the music by the choir and organist, the sermons, the dinners and the many programs.

The final song the congregation sang before the benediction was “Amazing Grace.”

Following the service was a small reception with refreshments and a table set up with photo albums and other memorabilia of the church.

David Snyder, chairman of the board of elders, said church officials are in talks with a potential buyer. He said members are planning to transfer to other Presbyterian churches in Warren and Mineral Ridge.

Anne Townley, a longtime member from Niles, said she remembers when the church had so many people in attendance that folding chairs had to be put up in the aisles since the pews were filled to capacity.

“There were hundreds of people here. The parking lot was filled and other cars were parked on Robbins Avenue and other streets. There were so many people here the fire chief, who was a member, was worried since we lit candles on Christmas Eve,” Townley said.

She said being able to be at the last service was wonderful for her.

“The more things change, the more they really stay the same,” she said of seeing many familiar faces at the service that she remembered from years past.

Townley and her late husband James moved to their home in 1956 across the street from the church and first attended the former church before the new church was built in 1958.

Townley said the church’s women’s association was very active in the church, the community and with mission work. The women also each week served the Niles Rotary Club members lunch at their meetings at the church.

She said the church dinners, including the popular annual pork and sauerkraut dinner held each fall, often had more than 300 people attending, which she said also worried the fire chief.

David Paulik of Cincinnati, formerly of Niles and a past member, said it was the church he started attending as boy that eventually led to him entering the ministry.

“The first church I preached at was here. My earliest memories of the church was when I was on the school bus and we drove by and I saw the huge church tower and wondered about the church so one Sunday I rode my bike here. I was welcomed that Sunday, which was a family day, with lunch and activities. I am forever grateful to this church,” Paulik said.

He said he will always remember a sign at the one corner of the church that says “Enter to Worship. Leave to Serve.”

Tom Semple of Niles said his mother was the one who brought he and his siblings to church faithfully. Later, he and his wife, Janice, did with their own children.

“The church has been a wonderful place for us. The choir is fantastic. It is hard to believe that the church is closing. It hurts,” he said.

Niles resident Al Latil said Diane Yazvac of Boardman has served the congregation for 30 years as organist, often accompanied by her husband Thomas and their three daughters as singers and instrumentalists. He said the music made the church popular to those who enjoyed attending choir concerts.