The History of Westminster United Presbyterian Church
The History of Westminster United Presbyterian Churchright3542475left59753500239337248802600Compiled by Pastor Jordan Rimmer to Celebrate 50 Years on Oak Hill.-226060426085000IntroductionWhen we look at the history of Westminster United Presbyterian Church we find a rich history. This church has gone through many changes and adaptations. Our earliest records show that Bible studies that would become our church began as early as 1801. We have worshipped under 7 names and in as many locations. We have had 25 pastors not included supplies that came and went during several periods. We have burned to the ground and we have come up from the ashes. We have impacted our community and one another. And Christ has received glory in our work.This telling of our history grew out of several events. First, 2014 marks the 50 year anniversary of our location on Oak Hill. In celebrating that event I thought it was important to collect some of the history that has been lost or is being lost with our saintly members. This study was propelled forward as I found a combination to a safe that our church had but that no one remembered how to open. While we hoped to find money or stock, we found treasure in its own right in the form of lost historical documents. Later, in reading old session minutes, I discovered that in the late 1960’s the session of Westminster sent its old records to the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia for safe keeping. These records dating all the way back to 1860 were assumed lost in the fire.-10564947129400The world seems to be changing very quickly as we celebrate our 50 year anniversary on Oak Hill. We have a tendency to want to cling to the way things have always been. But what we find in our history is that times have always been changing and so has our church. Perhaps you are new to Westminster. Many who are part of this church today do not have the same last name as someone in these pages of history. While this may not be your family heritage, please understand that this is your spiritual heritage. God has brought you to this community and you are part of God’s work in our church so this is also your history.-154940462280Cover for the 125th anniversary celebration drawn by Clara Dalbey00Cover for the 125th anniversary celebration drawn by Clara DalbeyI would also like to say a word of thanks to those who have captured this history at key points in time such as several of our church anniversaries. Especially valuable was the document prepared for the 125th anniversary, the handwritten history read by Miss Jessie Cuthbertson at the 100th anniversary, the handwritten letter by Mr. Thomas Kennedy that was written for the 100th anniversary when he could not attend in person, and the handwritten history from our oldest membership register. John Hickey also saved a lot of this history. This history would have been lost had those people not captured their memories and stories. Most of their testimony can be read in the Historical Documents section at the back of this history. Also included after the history of the church is a section of Historical Fact that includes a detailed Timeline. Finally, there is a section of memories of current and past church members.As your read this history, I would encourage you to read it as 2 stories. One is the story of a church that changed and adapted, rose to challenges, and persevered to have an impact on its member and on the community. On another level this is also God’s story. It is a story of God’s action to protect, lead, and work through a group of people. It is our church’s history, but it is also His-story.As we begin, it is important to note that the church now known as Westminster United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton was formed from two different churches—the Associate Church and the Associate Reformed Church. These two denominations merged in 1858. Until that point these churches had different histories. While a great deal of history is preserved about our church, some of the details are collected from memories and stories passed down. Some dates and details are recorded with slight differences at different times.The Associate ChurchThe Chartiers Presbytery of the Associate Presbyterian Church received a petition asking for supply preaching for this area in 1801. Records show that The Associate Church first met on the fourth Sunday in November of 1801. In 1803 some of those who were part of that community began meeting in the home of James Kennedy on “a farm adjoining the Warnock Estate to the left of New Castle Road and on the hill across the creek from Homewood.” That congregation met informally and with various supply pastors off and on until a congregation was officially formed about 1825.Records recount the earliest pastor of the Associate Church in New Brighton. David Imbrie is described in this way in the history read at the 100th Anniversary of 1925:It is said that Mr. Imbrie was a very large man, weighing over 300 pound; and when going any distance always took two horses. He would ride up to a house and get the inmates to assist him in changing horses, for if not careful, he would fall off on the other side.Reverend John France settled in this area around 1819 to work with some other churches but began to hold services in the neighborhood. His preaching station began to grow into a congregation. This was problematic because this area was within the bounds of the Ohio Presbytery and he was supposed to be serving closer to Butler in the Chartiers Presbytery. It was considered an “encroachment” on the other Presbytery, but the resistance did not prevail because of the success of the blossoming church. Rev. France remained pastor until 1841.The Associate Church is also sometimes called the “seceder” church. One might assume this to be related to the Civil War until noticing that this term predates the Civil War. It is actually related to the denomination’s connections to its Scottish heritage. In 1732 a fight broke out in the Church of Scotland about nominating pastors. When a minister named Ebenzer Eskine wanted to have his dissent recorded it was not allowed based on a ruling in 1730. When he preached against this action in October of 1733, he was censured. Other pastors came to support him, but the assembly held their ground. In 1733 these pastors and their churches formed a new presbytery later called the Associate Presbytery later called the Associate Synod. The Associate Church in New Brighton was known to be of this tradition and regularly referred to as the “seceder” church. In 1830 a house of worship was built near the brickyard between Grove Cemetery and the New Castle Road. The location is also described as being at the end of Fourth Street overlooking Grove Cemetery. This was the first church of any denomination to be built in New Brighton though the town of New Brighton was not officially formed until 1838. At this time, the church’s name changed to New Bethel, though the name “seceder church” was also commonly used. This church location later became a home. The building is also referred to as “The Church in the Wildwood.”Thomas Kennedy in his letter for the 100th anniversary leaves the best description we have of that worship space:To return to the old meeting house, the furnishings of the interior were of a very primitive character, to be sure there was quite a respectable pulpit at the end opposite the entrance, this was rather high and entered by steps on one side, but as to pews there were none, instead there were rough benches made of plank with holes bored at either end for the insertion of legs, a back made of a couple of slats running lengthwise, fastened to supports and rudely constructed ends. This seating served the purpose all the time that the congregation occupied the old church and was subsequently brought in to the new church on the hill at Tenth St. and was used there until a modern system of pews was installed. The only other furniture was a few chairs in front of the pulpit and the Communion tables and seating which later were stored in the left of the building through a small door above the entrance.Thomas Kennedy also recalls vividly his impressions of Reverend Benjamin Sawyer who pastored 1844-1858:Rev. Sawyer was in many ways a rather odd character, he must have been over six feet in height with strong features, a large frame spare and angular, his movements were somewhat awkward. He was of an exceedingly nervous temperament of a genial disposition with a vein of humor in his composition which some of his older more serious minded parishioners were rather inclined to criticize. In the pulpit, he possessed a good command of language, was a fluent speaker, but not an orator. He made no gestures but with his nervous temperament he seemed to crave some employment for his hands while speaking. I have seen him deliver a long sermon with a little pocket bible grasped in both hands twisting it and turning it over and over until I wondered what held it together, all the while speaking in a straight forward way to his audience. Rev. Sawyer was singular in many ways, but he was a man of no mean attainments. As a boy I only took note of the length of his sermons, but in later years there came into my possession one of his sermons that had been printed for circulation. The text was taken from the 47 chapter of Ezekiel, the swelling waters, etc. and I was surprised beyond measure at the excellence of this exposition of our unusual text, it was far above the ordinary in literary style and originality of thought. I only regret that I had not preserved this copy or that one could not have obtained for the anniversary.31108652062480This is the only known picture of the 10th street location. It is from a panoramic painting of New Brighton in 1883.020000This is the only known picture of the 10th street location. It is from a panoramic painting of New Brighton in 1883.29688318107A second church was built by the Seceders north of Tenth Street at the top of the hill by 1859. At the time it was the corner of Tenth Street and Cherry Alley but it is now the corner of Tenth Street and Eighth Avenue. This church was known as “The White Tower Church” because it had a square white tower on the point of its roof. Started in 1854 and finished in 1858. It was a red brick structure and cost $2,700 to build including the lot.The Associate Reformed ChurchPreaching for the Associate Reformed Church began at the falls of the Beaver under a famous old elm tree that stood until 1880. This was at the foot of Ross Hill close to where the old Patterson Heights incline was located. At first they met in a tent in the summers for Bible study. In the winter they would move to James Patterson’s woolen mill that was located nearby. The church later met in in a school house in New Brighton where the Church of God stands.In 1837 the church began plans to build their own worship space. They completed a building in 1840 on what is now Seventh Avenue and across from what was the Third Ward school house. Today it would be the block of Seventh Avenue between Sixth and Seventh Streets. It was brick and had a round roof so it was often called the “bake oven” church. It was later sold to the Roman Catholic Parish and later burned to the ground. The term “reformed” refers specifically to a tradition of theology (study of God) and ecclesiology (study of the church) that began at the reformation. In 1517 Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, posted his 95 Theses on the door to the church in Wittenberg, Germany. These comments were meant for academic debate, but ended up being a match that began a fire that changed Christianity forever. Luther and the growing group of people that wanted to change the church ended up being forced to begin their own church. There were a great number of reformation churches that would generally be labeled as “protestant.” There was a core group led by Luther and later by John Calvin in Geneva that were theologically called “reformed.” The Reformed tradition is marked by 2 distinctions. First, we would emphasize the sovereignty of God and His choice in our salvation over any concept of free-will or personal choice. Second and related to it, we have a strong emphasis on the sacraments as the church’s way of affirming God’s work in a person’s life. We call baptism and communion each a “sign” or a “seal” of what we believe God is doing in the life of a believer. This also means we tend to like regular communion as a focal point of the worship service and we emphasize infant baptism. The Associate Reformed Church also has its ties back to Scotland as well. Some of them were “seceders” while most were called “covenanters.” In response to conflict in the Church of Scotland, the British House of Commons called for the church to settle their differences. Ministers met at Westminster Abbey and over time created what would be the Westminster Confession of Faith and its accompanying catechisms. After the Westminster Confession was signed in 1643 a number of churches left the Church of Scotland for the New World because they did not want to be forced to swear an oath to the monarch. Since the Associate Church was specifically called the “seceder” church it is quite possible that the Associate Reformed Church was of the covenanter tradition, though there is not record of this designation. If it is true, however, it is quite ironic that a church that was started by people who left Europe to avoid an oath regarding the Westminster Confession of Faith was later renamed Westminster.Churches JoinIn 1858, at a meeting in Old City Hall in Pittburgh, PA, the North branch of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Associate Presbyterian Church joined to form the United Presbyterian Church in North America. The churches had already begun to meet together sometime in the 2 years prior to denominational merger and they themselves merged in that same year. A group from the Associate Congregation rejected the merger and kept up their own gathering. In 1898 they purchased Grace Chapel on 13th Avenue. It may seem to be an abrupt change to suddenly become “Presbyterian,” but in reality both these denomination belonged to the Presbyterian tradition. A man named John Calvin did much in the 1500’s to lead the reformation after Martin Luther. Calvin’s idea for leadership was for it to be led be elders elected from the people. This form of government was called Presbyterian based on the Greek word presbuteros meaning elder. This idea fit within the reformation call for “the priesthood of all believers.” Since all are saved by Christ, all are called to ministry. Therefore the church should not be controlled by the priests or pastors but the leadership should be shared by all. This form of representative government would later be used in the New World by Presbyterians who helped establish the United States of America. A man named John Knox was forced to flee from his native Scotland and ended up spending time at Geneva and studying with John Calvin. He later returned to Scotland to establish a protestant church there called the Church of Scotland. This Scottish protestant church was run using Presbyterian government and reformed theology. As members of the Church of Scotland moved to the New World, they established churches under the term Presbyterian more than the term had been used in Europe. The Presbyterian tradition has sometimes been defined by the 3 C’s of Confessional, Constitutional, and Connectional. Our constitution represents these well. Part I of the Presbyterian Church (USA) constitution is the Book of Confessions. It includes great statements of church history to which we adhere and on which our decisions are to be made. They are considered good interpretation and expressions of the truths of Scripture. Part II of our constitution is the Book of Order. It represents the Constitutional nature of Presbyterians where we are guided by order and discipline. Churches and pastors are to be accountable to one another and to the tradition. Finally, this structure of government is Connection. This means that we are not congregational where each church is independent. It also means that we are not hierarchical where we are controlled by higher governing bodies or a series of bishops or popes. We are intentionally connected to one another for the purpose of serving God’s Kingdom on a larger scale and for strengthening the individual congregations. Worship in the 1800’sWorship looked and sounded very different in the early days of the church.Because communication and travel were so difficult and because church was usually the center of social life, church was an all day affair with morning worship, a lunch break, and more worship in the afternoon. Thomas Kennedy recounts the Sabbath schedule:With a congregation whose members were so widely scattered, and the means of communication so few, it may well be imagined that the Sabbath was an eventful day, not alone as the day for rest and worship but also as a time for social intercourse. The religious exercises consisted of two services each of generous length one in the morning and the other in the afternoon with an intermission of a half or three quarters of an hour between, affording time for a lunch and a season of social intercourse. In times of pleasant weather especially there was always a full turn out and it was truly the best day of the week anticipated and enjoyed by all. Singing was a major part of worship, but functioned very differently. Not only were there no powerpoint slides, there were no hymnals. There were no bulletins and no instruments either. Songs were mainly Psalms with some hymns mixed in as well. A leader would have to stand in front of the congregation to share the lines and lead the tune. Thomas Sawyer remembers how the practice went and the outrageous day that the congregation moved to continuous singing:The congregational singing was conducted by a presenter who took his place before the pulpit when the psalm had been given out. He read out the first two lines immediately starting into the tune the congregation followed with him singing the two lines read. He doled out two lines more and so on until the entire selection had been sung. Of course this custom originated at an early day when there was a scarcity of book but it had a strong hold on the older members and they strenuously opposed any change. The custom of lining out was discontinued in the Associate Presbyterian Church before the union, in Rev. Sawyer’s time, as I recall the event it was a rather unexpected move and created quite a bitter feeling in the congregation.I well remember the Sabbath when the session of the church having held a meeting during the time of intermission decided to abandon the practice of lining out, and to inaugurate the change at the afternoon service that day. Without any notice to the congregation the presenter proceeded to carry the first psalm right through, the effect was almost electrical, one and another of the elderly men of the congregation grabbed their hats and hurried out of the house to return when the singing was concluded. They respected this procedure for some time afterward, but finally became in a measure mollified but some were never fully reconciled to the change. I recall a visit to our home made by a distant relative of my father about this time or perhaps earlier, the sole object of a trip on horseback from Mount Jackson to New Brighton being to consult father in regard to a serious innovation in choir church as they had discontinued lining out the psalm one line at a time and were lining out two.The first organ for our church was placed early in the pastorate of Rev. Robert L. Hay between 1892 and 1911. In those days, organs had to be manually pumped with air while being played. The history from the 125th anniversary recounts the process to run the early organ:As it was necessary in the early days of the instrument to pump compressed air from the bellows, young men in the congregation were engaged as official “pumpers…” As these assistants usually had a chair in back of the organ out of the view of both minister and congregation, on more than one occasion when the time came for the singing of the closing Psalm at the evening service, there would be no response from the bellow and the operator would be found to be safe in the arms of Morpheus. (aka asleep)The sacrament of communion has always been important to Presbyterians. Many churches, including our own, took part in the practice of communion tokens. This practice was suggested in 1560 by John Calvin and Pierre Viret in Geneva under the thought that Christians should be prepared for communion. The fear was that people would profane the table if they partook without being worthy. The practice developed for elders to meet with congregants in the days leading up to communion. If you were found to be in good standing with regards to your faith and conduct, you would be issued a metal token. When you came forward for communion you had to bring your token and give it to an elder. The history from our 125th Anniversary recounts the practice:Preparatory services for Communion were held Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons and on the last named day the tokens, small pieces of metal, were given to those who were considered worthy to come to the Communion table. On Sabbath the members of the congregation, singing a psalm, filed to the tables, made of long boards and placed in front of the church and sometimes down the aisles, handing to the elders the tokens which had been given to them the day before.The practice of communion tokens was discontinued during the pastorate of Rev. A.G. Wallace 1868-1884. During his time a new version of the Psalms was used for the first time. It was not until after 1890 that the communion elements were brought to people in the pews. Until that point communion was always served up front. During prayer, at least in the Sabbath School if not the church services, you remained standing. You would only be allowed to sit in case of illnessMoving to Third AvenueWhen the two churches joined in 1858, they used The Associate Church’s recently finished “White Tower Church” on 10th Street. The church outgrew their 10th Street location, and in 1886 completed a building on what is now 3rd Avenue. At the time, Main Street (now 3rd Avenue) was the happening place to be. The Beaver Canal had followed along the river and eventually hooked up with the Erie Canal. The trade along the canal had pushed the creation and growth of river towns like New Brighton. When the canal opened in New Brighton in 1834 the 3752215131762500town saw a boost in prosperity. The area downtown was where the commerce was and where the paved roads were.39899861669201The church on 3rd Avenue020000The church on 3rd AvenueWhile the church moved in 1886 during the pastorate of Dr. William Barr, the plan to move had begun in 1870. The plot of ground was between what is now Under the Gun Tattoo Parlor (and McNutt’s) and First National Bank and was given by Matthew and Samuel Kennedy and deeded to the church by the Harmonie Society in Ambridge. Total cost of the building was $18,000 which was all pledged in February of 1887. When completed, it was considered one of the most modern and best equipped churches in the entire United Presbyterian denomination.Here is the description as giving in the New Brighton News July 21, 1886The corner stone was laid today, July 21, 1886. The building is to be completed December 15, 1886 at a cost of $13,000. All the contractors are from New Brighton except Robert McClain, of Rochester.The Building will be one of the handsomest and most convenient in the county, a great ornament to Broadway, the fine street on which it is being built. The work being done is first class, and the gentlemen and firms having the contract for the several parts of the work, are a sure guarantee of the best work throughout. The Society is in a very flourishing condition, the best of feeling existing, and every one doing his best to hold up his hands and aid their efficient pastor in his work. The increase of the past year shows the faithful work that is being done by pastor and congregation.The laying of the cornerstone was accomplished quietly, under the most favorable auspices, and every condition exists for a future of prosperity for this church. We trust that its growth may be a continuous one, and that it may be the means of great blessing to our town and community. Several members at the time of this writing have fond memories of the 3rd Avenue location. The building was big for its time, with a sloped floor and individual seats. Early on the church had a big chandelier that was later removed. The prominent feature was the large organ pipes on the wall in the front of the church.The kitchen was in the basement of the church but the parlor where events and dinners were held was upstairs. Food had to be carried up a flight of stairs. At some point the basement was dug out by hand to make the basement into a modern social area with a dining room, kitchen, and class room.02078002611267174Rev. Spotts poses with the choir in front of the prominent organ pipes on 3rd Avenue.020000Rev. Spotts poses with the choir in front of the prominent organ pipes on 3rd Avenue.At a meeting in Pittsburgh, PA the church’s denomination of The United Presbyterian Church of North America joined with The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. The newly formed denomination was called The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Westminster remained United Presbyterian but the denominational name had changed slightly. That same year, the church began looking for a new location. The building that had been so cutting edge in 1886 was now old and in need of updates. There was little parking downtown and the street parking was shared by several churches. The church also wanted to move away from the railroad tracks that had replaced the canal. People can recall Sundays when a train would pass in the middle of the sermon and the pastor had to stop because he could not be heard. 296862513119100033264522303714The brochure cover for the capital campaign to move to Oak Hill.4000020000The brochure cover for the capital campaign to move to Oak Hill.During the research phase, the church also explored the name of the church. No record could be found in state or denominational records of the church officially changing its name to First United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton. Since the church was considering a location change they needed to firm up their legal name for property purposes. They decided to rename the church to Westminster United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton.Westminster is a city in London that had a critical role in the reformation of Britain. In 1643 the English Parliament called together the church leaders to Westminster Abbey in order to develop standards for the Church of England. What came out of those gatherings was a document in 1646 called the Westminster Confession of Faith. This was followed by 2 documents for teaching the Confession called the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. These became the standards for the Church of Scotland from which American Presbyterianism comes.A Church BurnsOctober 20, 1963 was supposed to be an exciting Sunday. A committee had been visiting church members to secure pledges for the new church location and were prepared to share their results. But services were not held that morning. Around 5 am a fire began that soon engulfed Westminster. A Bible study that met on Saturday night worried that they had started the fire, but the fire began in Christner’s Bible Bookstore next door to the church. John and Don Hickey ran in before the flames got too high and grabbed several items including the pulpit Bible, a Bible holder, and the offering plates that we still use to this day. Don Hickey recounts that due to the heat the paint was pealing off the walls and it almost looked like it was snowing inside as it fell to the floor off the ceiling. 321821325240034331321750027Perry Porter snapped this photo of the fire on his polaroid camera.4000020000Perry Porter snapped this photo of the fire on his polaroid camera.The session met on the corner opposite the flaming church and voted to hold worship at the New Brighton High School Auditorium that morning. One of the session members was on the school board and had access to the facility. After the service much of the church joined the rest of the community as much of New Brighton turned out to watch the fire. The fire was announced in all of the churches. Most members who were alive and in town that day can give you a firsthand account of the fire.It took a lot of effort to get the fire put out. Essentially, it burned from the top of the building down. This left rubble in the church to catch fire again. Later that day the fire was restarted and the gas company continually checked the area.In the end, the window prominent at the front of the church stood. Also left standing was a chimney that people had complained was not up to fire code. A sign that honored veterans of World War I was left warped. The church has a safe to this day that survived the fire and was removed from the rubble by a crane. The fire also left the cornerstone of the old building was exposed. Church members got to see a number of newspaper articles from the early church.Perhaps those most harmed by the fire were the pigeons. The newspaper reported this in a section titled “Pigeons Stay on Hot Roost”:Pigeons living in the steeple of the Westminster United Presbyterian Church, which was destroyed by fire early Sunday in New Brighton, were determined not to give up their roost in spite of the fire. Firemen reported seeing some of the birds flying with their wing and tail feathers flaming, and another perched on a TV antenna on the burning Gospel Tabernacle gave up his hot perch at the last minute, only to fly to the church steeple. After the fire was out pigeons were flying back to the steeple, but soon were evicted by the wrecker’s crane, which knocked down their condemned home.The church was well insured for up to $46,000. Unfortunately, the organ which was valued at $20,000 was not under the insurance. Yet the church almost got no insurance money from the fire. A contract was drawn up to sell the 3rd Avenue building to Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church for the sum of $10,000. The document was never signed and the negotiations were never completed. Had the deal been done, it would have been Wayman Chapel to collect the insurance claim and not Westminster.Immediately after the fire both Calvary United Presbyterian Church in Beaver Falls and First Presbyterian Church of New Brighton offered their church buildings as a home for Westminster until the building could be completed. Though Westminster would like to have had their own space, they did accept the offer of First Presbyterian and met there for over a year as the new building was being built.A Church on Oak Hillright63261Plans were already begun for the new building. Armed with the insurance money, the commitments from the campaign, and the motivation of keeping the church alive, the members got to work building on Oak Hill. Westminster originally purchased the property where Christian Assembly is now. Before building began, the property where we are currently located came up for sale. The church broke ground April 4, 1964. The cornerstone was laid July 26. The following items were placed in the cornerstone:List of members and officersNewspaper clippings of the groundbreakingNewspaper picture and story from the firePicture of the old church on 3rd AvenuePicture of the Old Church on 10th StreetProgram from the 100th Anniversary3433445-187325The sanctuary with its familiar cross at the center.4000020000The sanctuary with its familiar cross at the center.Program and history from the 125th AnniversaryBuilding fund brochure from October 13, 1963Bulletins showing reference to the new buildingProgram of the Corner Stone Laying ServiceThe Steeple was put on the church on October 16. Many from town came to see the event. The steeple was built in once piece and had to be lifted by crane onto the 4 bolts that hold it up. The plates can still be seen on the ceiling in the sanctuary. The cross had to be carried by a person sitting on a bosun’s chair. It had to be screwed to the cables that run through the steeple so that it can act as a lightning rod for the church. There is a great newspaper article showing a picture of the raising of the steeple by crane almost a year to the day from another picture of a burnt steeple being taken down by crane.The first service and communion was held December 6, 1964. The building was formally dedicated on February 14, 1965. From then on the church was totally located on Oak Hill with regular services were held in the new building. This is where Westminster is to this day. A special Watchnight Service was held on December 31, 1970. Church members worshipped together until midnight when the mortgage for the new building was burned.The building and its design is expressed well in the Visitor’s Guide that was made soon after the church was finished:The primary purpose of a church building is the worship of God. Good design is directed to this end. In so far as possible, all facets of worship – preaching, teaching, music, stewardship, baptism, communion, informal fellowship, marriage services, funeral services – should be recognized. An attempt must be made to keep all parts of the life of a Christian community in balance. This attempt has been made.This building is far from being a million-dollar structure. For a comparatively small structure, many advantages have been incorporated: no more steps than necessary for the elderly on Sunday morning; sufficient restroom facilities upstairs and down; easy movement in the church – up or down, right to left, front to back; compactness with a feeling of spaciousness. Beauty, simplicity and practicality have been blended.The building is in the form of a “T”. The entrance to the stem of the “T” being the starting point, one comes to the narthex, then the nave, then the chancel. Behind the chancel is a passageway from the wings of the “T”. Between the nave and the chancel is an aisle that leads from wing to wing. The wing to the right has two rooms; one large and one small (a utility room). The wing to the left has a stairway down, two restrooms and the pastor’s study. Returning to the narthex and going down the stairway to the basement, one follows a corridor, flanked by a number of quiet study rooms, and enters an adequate fellowship room. To the right of the fellowship room is a kitchen on the other side of a small hallway marked by a small restroom, a storage room, a furnace room. To the left of the fellowship room is the stairway up to a large study and choir room. A child’s restroom is located in the first study room at the base of the stairway from the narthex. Drinking fountains are found in the fellowship room and near the pastor’s study.Sitting in the nave of the building, you see that the chancel area is a bit different from anything you may have seen. You will notice first that the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper or Communion are not located according to tradition, that they are points of the base of an imaginary triangle that has the central cross as its apex. But let’s begin at the apex to catch a view of the theme of the chancel.The cross speaks of the historical Word, God speaking to men in His Son. The lectern and pulpit speak of the written Word, the historic Word made present in language. The two sacraments at the base points of the triangle speak of the dramatic Word, the historical Word made meaningful in the simplicity of child-like drama and the written word declared in its central theme: God’s coming to man to save Him from his sins and from himself.The baptismal area attempts to catch the consistent flavor of baptism as depicted in the Bible. This particular area attempts to symbolize the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea from sin’s bondage to the salvation of God. With water on each side, they crossed over on dry land. God judged the Egyptians (a figure of Israel’s sins) and delivered the Israelites (a figure of Christ’s salvation).The Communion table is split-level in nature. It is a meaningful attempt to communicate between the chancel and the nave.The large open area in the triangle was developed primarily to increase the beauty of a marriage service and to provide adequate space for a church funeral service. Sunday School educational emphases may be expressed here also. The church property has continued to change as time has passed. The lot next to the church was purchased in 1999. That same year a set of hand bells were purchased. The bell choir was called the “Westminster Memorial Bell Choir” and nicknamed “The Ding-A-Lings.” A maintenance building was built on the property in 2001 to hold the tractor and other objects. The back entrance to the basement, which leaked when it rained, was redone in 2007. The Parlor upstairs was renovated in 2007 and nicknamed “the Westminster room.” Most recently, in 2011, Grace Mikita gave her home to the church so that it could be used as a parsonage. The home on Mercer Avenue just up from the church has been nicknamed “The House of Grace.”Another major denominational change took place in 1983. The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (to which Westminster belonged) joined with the Presbyterian Church in the United States (called the Southern Presbyterians) at a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. The newly formed denomination was called the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. It is to that denomination that Westminster now belongs, though Westminster never took the United out of its name.Ministry Over the Yearsleft41910000Westminster has a rich history of diverse and changing ministries over the years. A great many lives have been touched and changed because of this church. As ministries lost their utility new ones rose up to take their place.left131953000left3714115A Sabbath School program for the Young Men’s Union in 1887.020000A Sabbath School program for the Young Men’s Union in 1887.One of the most important ministries in Westminster’s history was the Sabbath School which started in 1848. When the modern ear hears this, they immediately associate the term with was would later be called Sunday School. The memory that most have of Sunday School is not as intense or organized as Sabbath School was. It was meant to be a school complete with a superintendent, committed teacher, and a developed curriculum. Pastor McLean was the first superintendent. Sabbath School would be a very important part of our church well into the 1900’s, with the officers prominently listed in the 125th anniversary history in 1950.The Fallston Mission School was organized in 1882 and run by this church. There was a chapel building in Fallston on the hillside overlooking the 3 road intersection. This was the chapel for the school but also housed a Sabbath School that we oversaw. On Sunday afternoons kids from the neighborhood would come to this little house of worship called The Fallston Chapel to learn about the Bible. When it was torn down, some of the wood was used to build another building. 31944622303475The Fallston Chapel at the prominent intersection of Fallston.020000The Fallston Chapel at the prominent intersection of Fallston.259748011500The Ladies Aid Society was started in 1870 for the purpose of raising funds for a new church building. This group used to sponsor oyster suppers, strawberry festivals and quilting parties at least once a week. They became a more social and informal group that worked to get the members of the church together. The group was later replaced by The Home Workers in 1899.The Ladies Missionary Society was started 1877. Their purpose was “helping the poor and seeking to bring persons into the church.” They were especially valuable in creating boxes of goods for the freedmen. These were slaves freed after the Civil War who would come North looking for work and education. This society was still going strong at the 100 year anniversary in 1925. They also started Light Bearers which was a group for young children and the Junior Missionary Society for older children.Over the years Westminster did other ministries as well. A prayer meeting was started in 1840. As was the practice, a number of members were split off from our church in order to start other churches in neighboring towns where they lived. Our church gave around 30 members for the start of Calvary Presbyterian Church in Beaver Falls. A group called the Y.P.C.U. was organized in 1885 as a young people’s prayer meeting. One of the most important functions of the church was doing funerals and providing care to families who have had a loss. The death records for our church include some very interesting and sad notations. They tell of a darker time when many people died of accident and fires. Some illnesses such as Diphtheria which killed so many in our church are no longer around today. In the United States, there have only been 2 diagnoses of Diphtheria since 2000. Here is a sampling of entries from the records:January 29-February 2 1872 Elizabeth, Alice, Celicia and Miranda Freed- Children of Wilson and Mary Freed, all burned at one timeFebruary 25 1873 John Knoll=Buckle age 34 Shot through the head at cross roads supposed suicide.January 22 1879 Geraldine Reed Killed by a fall from a sled, when horses were running awayDecember 16 1882 Thomas Sloan aged 47 killed in an elevatorMay 30, 1883 Inarece B. Orr age 46 Paralysis from lead poisoningJanuary 6 1884 Mrs. Elleanor Hindman age 68 Died of PneumoniaJanuary 6 1884 Samuel McGowan age 70 died suddenlyNote: Mr. McGowan was the brother of Mrs. Hindman. He was in usual health; had just finished sending notice of her death, when suddenly he died in his chair. They were buried at the same time- January 8, 1884. Mrs. Hindman died at 2 am and Mr. McGowan at 4 pm.November 27 1890 Miss Eliza Buchanan Age 61 Typhoid FeverJuly 8, 1906 William Magee age 4 DiphtheriaJanuary 4, 1912 Samuel D. Kennedy Killed in millFebruary 20, 1912 Mrs. Jennie McCally Smith Killed of blood poison after operationWestminster’s ministry today includes the typical worship services and Bible studies. Vacation Bible School is always a blast in the summer. Since 1992 the church has had a children’s clothing ministry. Somewhere around 1995 Marilyn Householder led a group from the church began to make Apple Dumplings. These dumplings are a community favorite. Men have met for breakfast on the first Saturday of the month since 2002 for good conversation. In 2010 Westminster went on its first mission trip to Christian Children’ Home of Ohio in Wooster. Westminster has had the opportunity to be light and hope to a great many people over the years. There have been 1,079 recorded child baptisms since 1868 with several known to be missing from the records. There have been countless weddings, funerals, dinners, counselling sessions, parties, and Bible studies. Conclusion: Westminster Today and TomorrowThis history is being written for the 50 year anniversary of Westminster’s Oak Hill location in 2014. The world is changing. Christianity is no longer the dominant voice in the country. There is no longer social pressure to go to church. Many mainline denominations are seeing declining memberships.Westminster today is on a comeback. Church attendance and giving is on the rise. This history is being released just as a campaign is started for some much needed renovations. Whatever the future may hold, God is still mightily at work among the people of Westminster.As we look to the future of the church, we cannot help but be challenged and motivated by our past. Here are a few key insights to carry with us into the future:Westminster has a tradition of being a hard working church.- Westminster was the middle-class and working-person’s church. Whether it was digging out a basement or building a garage, this church has always pulled together to get things done.Westminster has a tradition of financial challenges.-Because this has been a middle-class church it has always had a shaky financial ground. In the 1950’s, for example, the church burned through a good portion of its savings because it had more money going out than was coming in. When the additional lot was purchased in 1999 the church was not making budget every year.Westminster has a tradition of changing and adapting.- This church has had so many names and locations. It has had a number of ministries and responsibilities over the years. The surest way to break with the tradition of this church is to try to keep it the same.Westminster has a tradition of being a strong and close community.- Westminster has always been a tight group of people that enjoyed each other’s company and offer genuine care and support of one another. When something happens like a fire this church body comes together to rise to the challenge.Westminster has a tradition of learning.- This church has run a Sabbath School and a missionary school. The pictures from Sabbath school show large groups of people that cared about learning the Bible. Westminster has a tradition of missions.- This church has a great legacy of involvement with missionaries and with work in the community. We have trained, sent, and supported a number of missionaries over the years.Like any church, Westminster has at times turned more inward and cared more about itself. Like any church, Westminster has at times become stagnant and lost its sense of purpose. Still, underlying everything, God has been at work in and through this body.Perhaps you have not gone to this church your whole life. Perhaps your family name is not found in this history. But if God brought you to Westminster then this is your spiritual history. Live into it!Church FactsTimeline(For perspective some major US and World history events have been added in italics.)1801- The Associate Church meet for the first time in a place called Big Beaver1803- Members of Associate Church start meeting in a home and under a great tree in what is now Beaver Falls 1803- Ohio became the 17th state1812- The War of 1812 begins1825- Associate Congregation is officially formed1830- Associate Church is moved to near a brickyard between Grove Cemetery and New Castle Road and renamed “New Bethel”1836- The Battle of the Alamo1838- Associate Reformed Church built a church on what is now 7th Avenue.1838- The Borough of New Brighton is founded1840- Tradition of a prayer meeting is started1848- Associated Reformed Church starts Sabbath School1848- Geneva College is founded1854- Associate Church began to build a new location at the top of the hill on Tenth Street and took on the name “New Brighton Congregation of the Associate Church”1856 or 1857- Associate Congregation and The Associate Reformed Church begin to worship as one church at the Tenth Street location. 1858- in Pittsburgh, PA- the North branch of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Associate Presbyterian Church joined to form the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America In Old City Hall in Pittsburgh, PA.1858- The newly formed merger is officially called the “United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton”1858- The Associate Reformed Church’s building on 7th Avenue is sold to the Catholic church and later burns1860- The Civil War Begins1863- “Brick Oven” church was sold to St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church for $5,0001867- Beaver Falls Church was organized and took 30 members of the New Brighton congregation (May have been 1869)1870- 10 or 12 members leave the New Brighton congregation to unite with the new Oakland Church1870- Ladies Aid Society was organized 1876- Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone1877- The Woman’s Missionary Society was formed which later began the Junior Missionary Society and the Light Bearers1882- Westminster started The Fallston Mission School1887- Location on Third Avenue as built for $18,000Circa. 1890 a tradition began of passing the communion elements to congregants who remained in the pews1890/1891- The chapel for The Fallston Mission School was builtCirca. 1895 Organ is bought and placed in the south west corner of the Third Avenue Location1903- The Ford Motor Company was formed, The Wright brothers made the first powered flight1912- The Titanic sinksCirca. 1915 New Organ was purchased and placed behind the pulpit1917- The United States enters World War I1925- 100 year anniversary was celebrated1941- Attack on Pearl Harbor, The United States enters World War II1950- 125 year anniversary is celebrated1950- The United States enters the Korean War1955- The United States first begins to lend military support for what would become the Vietnam War (First casualties in 1959)1958 in Pittsburgh PA the United Presbyterian Church of North America joined with the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America to form the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America1960- Session Approved changing the name from First United Presbyterian Church to the Westminster United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton1963- President John F. Kennedy is assassinated1963- July 11- Congregation met to approve plans to relocate the church to Mercer Avenue October 20- A fire broke out that burned the 3rd Ave location down1964- April 11- Ground-breaking on the new buildingJuly 26- Service of the CornerstoneOctober 16- The spire is put on the church with a craneDecember 6- First service held at new location1965- February 14- Formal dedication of the building 1968- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated1970- A Watchnight Service is held on December 31 where the mortgage was burned1969- Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon1975- 150 year anniversary was celebrated1983- The Presbyterian Church in the United States and The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of American Denomination join to form the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 1986- Space Shuttle Challenger explode1991- Operation Desert Storm Begins1992- Children’s Clothing is beginsCirca. 1995- Apple Dumplings begins1999- Lot next to the church is purchasedHandbells are purchased. Called the “Westminster Memorial Bell Choir” and nicknamed “The Ding-A-Lings”2000- Westminster celebrated 175 years2001- September 11 Terrorist attack the United States2001- Maintenance Building is built2002-Men’s breakfast begins on the first Saturday of every month2003- Trustees are dissolved and their work is incorporated into the Session2006- Member Cynthia Majzlik was ordained April 23 at WestminsterNumber of session members changed from 9 to 6 members2007- Back entrance to the church is redone2009- Parlor is renovated and renamed “The Westminster Room.” 2010- First mission trip to Christian Children’ Home of Wooster, Ohio2011- “House of Grace” parsonage given to the church by Grace Mikita2012- Jordan Rimmer is ordained on July 15, 2012Names of the ChurchThe Associate Congregation- 1825-1830The Associate Reformed Church- circa 1830-1858New Bethel 1830-1854Associate Congregation of New Brighton 1854-1858United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton- 1858- circa 1923 (Sometime between 1921 and 1925)First United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton- circa 1923-1960 (Though no legal action of taking on the “First” can be foundWestminster United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton 1958-presentChurch LocationsAssociate ChurchHome of James Kennedy Near the head of Crow’s RunHomes of James Brewer, Mr. Moore and Mr. Sloan “Church in the Wildwood” 1830- -1858Associate Reformed ChurchBig Beaver -Under the large elm treeJames Patterson woolen mill“Bake Oven” Church Circa 1830-1858United Presbyterian ChurchTenth Street- “The White Tower Church” 1859-1886Third Avenue- 1886-1963Oak Hill- 1964- PresentPastorsAssociate Church/New BethelAssociate Reformed ChurchDavid Imbrie 1806-1808Moses Kerr 1828-1830John France 1825-1841Thomas Speer 1840-1843Benjamin Sawyer 1844-1858John McLean 1848-1855Churches Joined in 1856 or 1857Rev. John Glenn 1863-1867Rev. Alexander G. Wallace 1868-1884Dr. William B. Barr 1884-1891Rev. Robert Lamont Hay 1892-1911Dr. Clarence .J. Williamson 1911-1917Dr. William F. Rolzter 1918-1939Dr. E. Joe Vandervort- 1939-1946Rev. Alfred L. Spotts- 1946-1951Rev. T. Milton Scott- 1951-1956Dr. Livingston A. Gordon- 1957-1961Rev. Charles W. Brightwell- 1962-1967Dr. William R. Lane- 1968-1978Rev. Ronald Moslener- 1979-1990Rev. Joseph A Hill- 1990-1991Rev. Judith W. McBride- 1991-2001Rev. Kenneth E. Chorle- 2001-2003Rev. Douglas E. Gebhard- 2003-2005Rev. A. Gary Angleberger- 2005-2009Rev. Jordan S. Rimmer- 2010- Current ................
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