Southside Alliance Church
530 Pennsylvania Ave
Elmira, NY 14904
607-732-6580
Pastor John McConnell
Pastor John & Susanne
John McConnell came to Christ in 1972 as a high school freshman in Redwood City, California. Five years later he joined the staff of Youth for Christ in San Diego and continued with the same ministry in Ventura County where he met his wife, Susanne. After getting married, he became Youth Pastor at the American Baptist Church in Menlo Park, CA. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education through Simpson College in San Francisco and later received his ordination while ministering at an Alliance church in Rancho Cordova. He also served as associate pastor of C&MA churches in Glendale, Arizona and Coudersport, Pennsylvania. After twenty years of involvement as a youth and associate pastor, John followed God's leading to Elmira, New York where he became the senior pastor of Southside Alliance Church in 1998.
Pastor John is known in his congregation as a down-to-earth, servant-leader whose strength is connecting with people through every day experiences. He has a passion for impacting the community for Christ through uniting local churches and pastors in prayer and outreach. He and Susanne have two grown sons, Joshua and Nathan.
Kitty has spent the majority of her life in Elmira. This has given her a great advantage to see the state of our youth. The youth of her day and youth of today. Although she has a college degree in secretarial science, she knew of an opportunity to bring fulfillment to her life by ministering to teenagers. She has used life experiences to document the need to encourage and offer hope to teenagers. Twelve years ago she was drawn to volunteer by helping a youth pastor at a non-denominational church. She began serving at Southside Alliance Church in April 2001 and came on staff as Youth Leader in June 2007.
Kitty has been able to utilize administrative skills by co-partnering with other student services in the Elmira area YMCA Youth Services, SPOT of Chemung County, Elmira City School District, Southside High School Prom Dress Swap, Elmira City Youth Court, Food Bank of the Southern Tier and Juvenile Diabetes). “Outreach is a big deal to me. The hurt and lonely don’t know you care unless you reach out to them and show them you are genuine. I love to listen and notice kids need someone to hear them without having an agenda to judge them.” Youth Group is not only about fun and games it is also about purpose. I often ask myself “Why do we do this? And who does it benefit?” It if benefits others – count me in!
Besides youth ministry Kitty works at Southside High School as a Parent Partner and works per-diem at St. Joseph’s in the outpatient drug and alcohol rehab unit.