Niles Christian Assembly

It was during this time that one of Nicolene Reigle’s eight sons – Carmine Reigle – a teenager at that time, began leading the song service. The Lord divinely moved upon his life with a call to the ministry that he strongly felt. This was corroborated by two brethren of the Christian Churches of North America. First, Pastor Luigi Fortunato approached him and said he felt God was calling him to lead this body of believers. He sensed the hand of God upon his life. Secondly, at a revival meeting that was held in Youngstown Christian Assembly East, the Reverend Frank Fortunato stopped during the course of his message and said to the audience that were on his right-hand side that there were two people being called by God into the ministry. Two people responded that day to the Holy Spirit’s beckoning. Naomi Varanelli Sundberg, who along with her husband went to South America as Missionaries for approximately twenty years, and Brother Carmine Reigle, who responded affirmatively to three moves of God in his life calling him to the ministry. He willingly accepted God’s call on his life and was placed in charge of this handful of believers in September of 1949 where he then continued to function as the very first Full-Time Pastor of Niles Christian Assembly. He became ordained in 1950 by the Christian Churches of North America at their annual convention that was held in Washington, D.C. He continued serving God in this capacity for over forty (40) years preaching and teaching God’s word as the Holy Spirit directed him. From these humble beginnings, God used Pastor Reigle in ways never conceived by man. His wife Sister Eleanor was by his side from the beginning and was a major contributor to all that was accomplished in Niles. She assembled and taught the first Sunday school class; was the first youth leader; organized and ran the Dorcas Fellowship; setup many of the Children’s programs; and played the piano extremely well. Her propensity for learning songs without any music allowed her to pick up new choruses along with the precious hymns already being sung, which she would then teach the congregation. Their son Ronald also became actively involved and was the youth leader for several years; played accordion initially and then the organ for 20 years; setup softball and basketball teams which he coached/played on and used this vehicle as an outreach for young people to attend church. Several came to know the Lord because of getting initially involved in the sports areas of the church. Ron was always ready when needed to keep an area of ministry going.

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