News

INTRODUCING REV. BRIAN HAUSER

Posted August 17, 2021

Rev. Brian Hauser is the newly called pastor at the Mars United Presbyterian Church. This is Rev. Hauser’s second call after serving yoked churches in the Kiskiminetas Presbytery, our eastern neighbors, for the past seven years. A native of western Pennsylvania, Brian returned to PA after graduating from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2014. He is an ’08 graduate of Clarion University with a B.S. in Elementary Education.

THE FAITHFUL MINISTRY OF REV. DR. MARY KITCHEN

By Kerry Michelle Dowdy

Elder/Children’s Ministry, East Butler Presbyterian Church

M.Div. Student, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Posted July 28, 2021

Rev. Dr. Mary Kitchen is a pastor, counselor, leader, mentor, and friend. She preached one of her favorite Bible Scriptures of Mary Magdalene from John 20 shortly before her retirement from East/North Butler Presbyterian Churches. In verses 16-18 we hear: “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (Which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.” Rev. Mary marveled at how a woman was the first to proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ is alive! These verses inspired her to become a pastor.

THE FORCE WAS WITH CAMP LAMBEC

By Diana Mermon Spencer, Youth Leadership Connection Director

Posted July 20, 2021

Jedi Training Camp was a success with the campers at Lambec for the “Wet and Wild” and “Wetter and Wilder” sessions! As campers arrived at the camp, they were greeted by R2D2, a large death star, Millennium Falcon and “May the LORD be with you” signs. If you have not guessed it yet, our theme for the week was “Star Wars.”

IN MEMORIAM—REV. DR. JAMES E. BOOS

1936-2021

Posted July 13, 2021

With sorrow at our loss, but joy in the assurance of glory, we must announce that on July 4 The Reverend Dr. James E. Boos went home to be with his Lord and Savior.

FINAL PHASES OF BUILDING’S NEW FACE

By Bob Goossen, Chair of Administrative Committee

Posted July 13, 2021

Our Presbytery Center building is now in the final phases of a multi-year facelift and maintenance upgrade. In 2019 the facade of the building was repainted and the front entry was trimmed out as a start at being a more pleasant part of the historic Zelienople downtown scene. Next we put infill shutters on the upper window spaces which had been blocked in years ago. At the end of the year the north side of the building and the rear were painted and a new roof was put on the building. Now, in 2021, we will repoint and paint the south side.

PROVIDING CLEAN WATER FOR TEN YEARS

Posted June 15, 2021

For the past ten years, Water for Woodlands, a ministry of the White Oak Springs Presbyterian Church, has been providing clean drinking water for the Butler County residents of The Woodlands in Connoquenessing Township. Every Monday volunteers gather at a side entrance to the church near the town of Connoquenessing to distribute water to families whose well water has been contaminated by hydraulic fracturing.

HELP FOR MT. PLEASANT CHURCH AFTER FIRE

Posted June 8, 2021

Early on the morning of May 24, a fire destroyed Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church in Darlington. Fire crews from more than eight companies responded. No one was in the building and none of the first responders were hurt. The fire had a devastating effect on the building.

MISSION CO-WORKER JOINS US LIVE FROM GHANA

Posted May 25, 2021

We are pleased to welcome Josh Heikkila, mission co-worker in Ghana since 2009, who serves as World Mission’s regional liaison for West Africa for the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Josh will join Beaver Butler Presbytery live by Zoom from Ghana during Tuesday’s May Presbytery meeting. 

BUTLER AREA PRESBYTERIANS ARE STRONGER TOGETHER

Part Two of Two: Advice for Collaborating Churches

Posted May 25, 2021

Last week’s article explored how seven of the PC(USA) Churches in Butler came together for a virtual Ash Wednesday service. The service was the result of a collaboration with some history as well as growing edges. Let’s explore this unique partnership further.

The “Butler Area Presbyterians,” or BAP for short, has worked on much more than just this Ash Wednesday service that was covered in Part One of this series. Other joint worship services have included a Blue Christmas service and an annual Good Friday service.

JOINT ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE GOES VIRTUAL

Part One of Two: Butler Area Presbyterians Work Together

Posted May 18, 2021

Recently seven of the PC(USA) Churches in Butler came together for a virtual Ash Wednesday service. Intrigued, we decided to explore this unique partnership further.

The “Butler Area Presbyterians,” or BAP for short, is a group of pastors and lay leaders that come together to explore ways to join in mutual ministry, worship, programming, and fellowship. This collaboration gives congregations a bigger sense of call and belonging as part of the larger church.

TAKING STEPS OF FAITH

New Beginnings for United Presbyterian Church in Ambridge

By The Rev. Beth Wierman

Posted March 30, 2021

In 2019, the United Presbyterian Church in Ambridge (UP) placed the church building on the market. After much prayer, conversation and discernment, the Session decided to continue as a community believing they were (still) called by God to serve together. Like many congregations, the aging physical facility of the church had become cumbersome and a financial burden preventing resources to flow toward mission and growth.

Introducing The Rev. Mark Allio

Posted March 25, 2021

Mark Allio, who will begin his ministry this summer at Jefferson Center in Saxonburg, sends greetings to Beaver-Butler Presbytery. He goes by Mark but claims to having been baptized as Meatball. There’s a sermon illustration in that!

A Message From Our New Executive Presbyter,

Rev. Dr. Thomas Harmon

Posted February 10, 2021

Growing Together

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5 NRSV

Dear Beaver-Butler Presbytery,

Grace and peace to you during the winter season as we turn our gaze toward brighter days ahead.

I am beginning my new role in ministry as your Executive Presbyter. It is a calling that God has placed on my heart for nearly two decades, as I feel the confirmation of your call to prepare, equip, and nurture the congregations of Beaver-Butler Presbytery.

Introducing Our New Executive Presbyter

Posted January 19, 2021

The Rev. Dr. Thomas Harmon was elected to the position of Executive Presbyter of Beaver-Butler Presbytery on Thursday, January 14, 2021 during a Special Meeting of the Presbytery. You may consider Tom to be “one of us” as he has been a pastor in this presbytery since 2014.

Concluding Letter from Temporary Part Time Executive Presbyter, Rev. Dr. David Oyler

Posted December 15, 2020 

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to observe—and participate—in the work of the Kingdom of God through Beaver-Butler Presbytery. I have learned a great deal from you. It is wonderfully evident that you have a passion for the Gospel and a desire to live out Kingdom principles in your daily lives.

In Memoriam 

Rev. James Michael Moran

1950—2020

Posted October 19, 2020

James Michael Moran, 69, of Powell, OH, passed away on October 13, 2020 after courageously battling autoimmune interstitial lung disease. 

Jim has served Presbyterian churches in Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania in forty-one years of ministry. He retired from the ministry on September 30, 2020 having served the last 13 years as the Senior Pastor of the Cranberry Community United Presbyterian Church in Cranberry Township, PA.

Jim was active in the Beaver-Butler Presbytery serving as chairperson of the Ministry and Vocation Committee.

Children Can Be A Part of Giving!

Posted October 19, 2020

Recently a guest post was published on the new Stewardship Blog hosted by PC(USA) Special Offerings. It was written by Karen Keller, a member of Ohio  Church in Aliquippa.

Karen’s piece serves to inspire others to involve children in raising money for mission. Well done, Karen and Ohio Church!