The Bridge Church of the Nazarene became a valued part of the Malverne community in 2007, when it established a ministry at a religious sanctuary on Norwood Avenue, which formerly housed the Malverne Jewish Center.
But the church’s history extends long before that time, and members of the congregation marked its 75th anniversary during a gala celebration in November.
“Reaching 75 years, it’s a reminder of all the folks who’ve come through the doors of the church,” the Rev. Humberto Chavez, the church’s lead pastor, said. “So to honor the legacy of the church, which is a loving, welcoming church in our DNA, meant so much.”
The Bridge Church was originally established in 1949 as The Valley Stream Church of the Nazarene, an extension of the thriving East Rockaway Nazarene Church. Outreach by members and leaders quickly grew the membership, and several services were held in a tent every Sunday.
Within a year, a church structure was built on the corner of Hillside Avenue and Clarendon Street in Valley Stream, and the church was officially incorporated in August 1950.
The church’s membership continued to grow under the leadership of Pastor Sam Smith, due to a focus on youth activities and ministry, and the church’s structure underwent expansion.
In the early 1960s, due to social and economic changes, membership began to decline after Smith left for a church in Chicago.
In 1973, Pastor Art Alexander, with his family, moved from Michigan to Valley Stream to lead the church, which had only 17 congregants at the time. With a continued focus on youth ministry, he began holding a Friday night “coffeehouse” in the church’s basement. In between music and band performances, he preached to attendees to join the congregation, inviting their friends and families to become members as well.
“When I started attending in 1978, we only had about 35 people,” the Rev. Christine Paolino, associate pastor, said. “The church has always been on the move, reaching out to young people in the community.”
The church continued to expand, boasting more than 150 members from throughout the New York area, while adding a nursery program and a counseling service.
“From that, the church began to grow,” Paolino added.
The church eventually outgrew the Valley Stream location, and the property was sold in 2004. While church leaders searched for a new permanent sanctuary, they rented an auditorium and classrooms at Molloy College in Rockville Centre. That same year, Alexander was elected to serve as district superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene in the tri-state area, but continued to serve his local congregation until 2007.
Under new leadership, the church was moved to various locations before acquiring the former Malverne Jewish Center, which needed extensive renovations before it became the church’s permanent sanctuary.
In 2020, Chavez became lead pastor of The Bridge Church in Malverne, after serving as senior pastor of The Bridge Church en Espanol, the church’s Spanish congregation.
The church now boasts roughly 700 members and holds three services each Sunday, two in English at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. and one in Spanish at 1:30 p.m.
“I love my church,” Paolino said. “I love the people of the church, the leadership of the church. There’s so much love in our church and so much care. I think that’s what attracts a lot of people when they come. They just feel like they belong.
“The Bridge Church is a multicultural church,” she added. “It’s a welcoming, warm and loving church that I would say is like a taste of heaven.”
The church officially turned 75 years old in August 2025, but celebrations were held in November, with a party at Sand Castle in Franklin Square on Nov. 21 and an anniversary church service on Nov. 23. More than 200 people attended the party, which included dinner, dancing, singing, raffles, and more.
Alexander attended the celebration and spoke about the history of the church. Chavez gave a speech as well, highlighting the present state of the church and the future of the congregation.
The Rev. Jeffrey Barker, district superintendent of the Metro New York District Church of the Nazarene, also addressed the crowd, as well as Malverne Mayor Tim Sullivan.
A highlight of the party was honoring Jerry and Betty Koontz, who joined the church in 1961. Recognized as a stabilizing force in the congregation for 64 years, the Koontzes have contributed to the church in various ways. Betty Koontz served as the church’s organist and keyboardist, providing children in the congregation with piano lessons. Jerry Koontz helped with church renovations and early building extensions.
“Leading the church now, it means even more for me to make sure we reach the next 75 years,” Chavez said, “to make sure we continue to stay focused as a church and continue to expand with vision.”
Some of the church’s members travel from Suffolk County, Brooklyn, Queens, and even Westchester County to attend services. His goal is to expand the church’s presence outside of Malverne, which has already begun with its Suffolk County campus, located in Islip Terrace.
“We want to be able to be a resource, not only in Malverne, but to other communities,” he continued. “It’s a vision for the next 75 years to be able to meet people where they’re at, in their communities.”
