News
119th New Wilmington Mission Conference
Posted August 13, 2024
By Kerry Michelle Dowdy, Member East Butler Church and Candidate for Ministry
The 119th New Wilmington Mission Conference (NWMC) ran from July 19 to July 24, 2024. As a Pittsburgh Theological Seminary student, I had seen emails about the conference but did not make plans to attend. When COVID happened, NWMC offered free online only access and that is when I thought I should see what this is all about. For the next couple of years I opted for the online only and noticed there were parts of the conference I was missing. That included not just speakers that needed their identity protected, but the worship and songs.
REFLECTIONS ON GA
Posted July 30, 2024
Ruling Elder Kerry Dowdy of East Butler Church was one of our commissioners to the 226th General Assembly that was held in Salt Lake City this past July. She has put together a short journal of her experiences that is illustrated with photos.
THE LAST SERMON—THE REV. BOB GOOSSEN RETIRES
Posted July 30, 2024
The Reverend Bob Goossen gave his last sermon on Sunday, July 14. Ohio United Church in Aliquippa gave him a fond farewell while looking forward to welcoming their new permanent pastor in August. This was Bob’s third time serving a church as a transitional pastor and its conclusion signaled his time to retire.
PEACEMAKER TO VISIT
Posted July 2, 2024
Dumitru Roibu of Moldova will be visiting our presbytery as our peacemaker. He will arrive on Thursday, September 19 and depart on Wednesday, September 25. This will allow us to welcome Dumitru to our September Presbytery Meeting.
SECRETARIES HONORED AT LUNCHEON
Posted April 30, 2024
The presbytery’s annual Secretaries Luncheon was held on Administrative Professionals Day, Wednesday, April 24, at the Presbytery Center. Tables were decorated in bright colors using flowers and gifts of quilted mug rugs and jars filled with M&Ms. The guests would soon see that the colors of the M&Ms were to represent the different Fruits of the Spirit.
IN MEMORIAM—JAMES A. GRAY
Posted April 16, 2024
James A. Gray of Mars, passed away on Wednesday morning, February 7, 2024 in the comfort of his home. Jim was a member and deacon at Old Union Presbyterian Church in Mars. He also served Beaver-Butler Presbytery as treasurer between November of 2007 and October of 2016.
THE REVEREND ROBERT EDMUNDSON RETIRES
Posted December 18, 2023
The Reverend Bob Edmundson was recognized at the November Presbytery on the occasion of his retirement from actively serving in ministry. Bob was the pastor of North Washington Church in North Washington and Concord Church in Hooker since early 2017.
JOSH HEIKKILA TO BE OUR GUEST
Posted November 7, 2023
What are the least developed countries in the world? According to the United Nations Development Program, they are located in Africa. The U.N. developed an index that considers health, education, income, and living conditions to rank countries from the most developed to the least developed. The three that rank at the bottom of this index are Niger 189, Chad 190 and South Sudan at 191. Ghana is ranked 133.
The Rev. Joshua Heikkila, Presbyterian Church (USA) Regional Liaison for West Africa, will be attending our November presbytery meeting. Josh has a wide variety of overseas experience. He served as a Young Adult Volunteer for the PC(USA) in a one-year term (2002-2003) in Ghana, where he learned the Ewe language. He has been a mission coworker in West Africa, based in Ghana, since 2009.
BLESSING OF THE PET PHOTOS AND PET ROCKS
By Candidate Kerry Dowdy
Posted October 31, 2023
October 4 was St. Francis of Assisi feast day and a common time where many churches of various denominations hold a scared blessing of animals. PC(USA) has liturgy for a blessing of animals included in the Book of Common Worship. East Butler Presbyterian Church took this traditional blessing and broadened the practice to include pet photos and pet rocks. In addition, this was our first Christian Education “intergenerational” evening event where activities were geared toward adult and children alike.
UNITY IN WORSHIP
Churches Worshipping Together
By The Reverend Mark Allio, Jefferson Center Church
Posted October 17, 2023
Jefferson Center and Clinton Churches have been getting together for various services this past year. This October, we at Jefferson Center had our Tailgate Sunday planned as an outdoor worship—a tailgate party in the parking lot and watching the game together. Though the weather sent us inside, we still enjoyed the event. Clinton Church in Saxonburg had joined us last year and helped us with sound and music for the service. So we scheduled it again for this past October.
During Christmas and New Year’s Day Sunday worship, Clinton Church invited us to join them, and it was great worshipping together on Sundays that traditionally have lower numbers. Then this July, Clinton Church joined us for our Christmas in July worship service. And they returned the favor by hosting us for an Outdoor worship service and picnic, complete with a Cowboy themed everything!
NORTH BUTLER CHURCH CELEBRATES 175 YEARS
1848–2023
Posted October 3, 2023
The congregation of North Butler Church in Chicora celebrated their 175th Anniversary on September 24.
A look into their history appears in the minutes of The Redstone Presbytery. They mention on April 10, 1798 that Thorn’s Tent was among the many vacancies making “supplication for supplies.” This location was about a half mile from the location of the present North Butler Presbyterian Church. By 1803, the place of preaching had been moved and most of the attendants combined with those of Salt Springs in the Lick Hill area and became the Harmony Congregation. However, some Presbyterian families remained in the vicinity of Thorn’s Tent which was in the bounds of the Concord and Butler churches during the pastorate of the Rev. John McPherrin. After his death in February 1822, these scattered families would meet at the home of Fergus Hutchison.
INTRODUCING THE REV. DR. REBECCA A. COLLINS KAHNT
Posted September 26, 2023
The Reverend Doctor Rebecca Anne Collins Kahnt officially began her call as the pastor at North Sewickley Presbyterian Church in Ellwood City on July 1 of this year. She led worship the very next day and has been serving the Lord along with her brothers and sisters in Christ at North Sewickley ever since with energy, intelligence, imagination and love.
INTRODUCING THE REV. LAUREN BOSSERMAN
Posted September 12, 2023
The Reverend Lauren Bosserman officially began her call as pastor to Westminster United Church in Evans City on April 1 of this year. She led worship the next Sunday on Easter. Just a month earlier on March 19, she was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament back in her hometown. She married her husband, Dylan, a week later and he moved with her to Evans City. “He’s a gem!” Lauren says of Dylan’s support of her ministry.
Hymnals Available…
The Hymnbook (red) — Presbyterian Denominations, 1955
If you are interested in them, contact ChrisAnn Goossen at the office at 724-452-7515, X112.
