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The History of Westminster United Presbyterian ChurchCompiled by Pastor Jordan Rimmer to Celebrate 50 Years on Oak Hill.
Introduction
When 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own right in the form of lost historical documents.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.
The 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.
I 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
Cover for the 125th anniversary celebration drawn by Clara Dalbey
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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 Church
The 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:
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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
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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.
A 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.
This is the only known picture of the 10th street location. It is from a panoramic painting of New Brighton in 1883.
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The Associate Reformed Church
Preaching 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
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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 Join
In 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
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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’s
Worship 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
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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
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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
illness
Moving to Third Avenue
When 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 town saw a boost in
prosperity. The area downtown was where the commerce
was and where the paved roads were.
While 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, 1886
The church on 3rd Avenue
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The 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.
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.
Rev. Spotts poses with the choir in front of the prominent organ pipes on 3rd Avenue.
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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.
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 Burns
October 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.
The brochure cover for the capital campaign to move to Oak Hill.
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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.
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
Perry Porter snapped this photo of the fire on his polaroid camera.
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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 Hill
Plans 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 officers Newspaper clippings of the groundbreaking Newspaper picture and story from the fire Picture of the old church on 3rd Avenue Picture of the Old Church on 10th Street Program from the 100th Anniversary Program and history from the 125th
Anniversary Building fund brochure from October 13, 1963 Bulletins showing reference to the new building Program of the Corner Stone Laying Service
The sanctuary with its familiar cross at the center.
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The 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
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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.
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Ministry Over the Years
Westminster 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.
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
A Sabbath School program for the Young Men’s Union in 1887.
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Chapel to learn about the Bible. When it was torn down, some of the wood was used to build
another building.
The 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:
The Fallston Chapel at the prominent intersection of Fallston.
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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 suddenly
Note: 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 operation
Westminster’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 Tomorrow
This 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.
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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.
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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!
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Church Facts
Timeline
(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 Beaver
1803- 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 state
1812- The War of 1812 begins
1825- Associate Congregation is officially formed
1830- Associate Church is moved to near a brickyard between Grove Cemetery and New Castle
Road and renamed “New Bethel”
1836- The Battle of the Alamo
1838- Associate Reformed Church built a church on what is now 7th Avenue.
1838- The Borough of New Brighton is founded
1840- Tradition of a prayer meeting is started
1848- Associated Reformed Church starts Sabbath School
1848- Geneva College is founded
1854- 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 burns
1860- The Civil War Begins
1863- “Brick Oven” church was sold to St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church for $5,000
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1867- 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
Church
1870- Ladies Aid Society was organized
1876- Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone
1877- The Woman’s Missionary Society was formed which later began the Junior Missionary
Society and the Light Bearers
1882- Westminster started The Fallston Mission School
1887- Location on Third Avenue as built for $18,000
Circa. 1890 a tradition began of passing the communion elements to congregants who remained
in the pews
1890/1891- The chapel for The Fallston Mission School was built
Circa. 1895 Organ is bought and placed in the south west corner of the Third Avenue Location
1903- The Ford Motor Company was formed, The Wright brothers made the first powered flight
1912- The Titanic sinks
Circa. 1915 New Organ was purchased and placed behind the pulpit
1917- The United States enters World War I
1925- 100 year anniversary was celebrated
1941- Attack on Pearl Harbor, The United States enters World War II
1950- 125 year anniversary is celebrated
1950- The United States enters the Korean War
1955- 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 America
1960- Session Approved changing the name from First United Presbyterian Church to the
Westminster United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton
1963- President John F. Kennedy is assassinated
1963- July 11- Congregation met to approve plans to relocate the church to Mercer Avenue
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October 20- A fire broke out that burned the 3rd Ave location down
1964- April 11- Ground-breaking on the new building
July 26- Service of the Cornerstone
October 16- The spire is put on the church with a crane
December 6- First service held at new location
1965- February 14- Formal dedication of the building
1968- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated
1970- A Watchnight Service is held on December 31 where the mortgage was burned
1969- Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon
1975- 150 year anniversary was celebrated
1983- 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 explode
1991- Operation Desert Storm Begins
1992- Children’s Clothing is begins
Circa. 1995- Apple Dumplings begins
1999- Lot next to the church is purchased
Handbells are purchased. Called the “Westminster Memorial Bell Choir”
and nicknamed “The Ding-A-Lings”
2000- Westminster celebrated 175 years
2001- September 11 Terrorist attack the United States
2001- Maintenance Building is built
2002- Men’s breakfast begins on the first Saturday of every month
2003- Trustees are dissolved and their work is incorporated into the Session
2006- Member Cynthia Majzlik was ordained April 23 at Westminster
Number of session members changed from 9 to 6 members
2007- Back entrance to the church is redone
2009- Parlor is renovated and renamed “The Westminster Room.”
2010- First mission trip to Christian Children’ Home of Wooster, Ohio
2011- “House of Grace” parsonage given to the church by Grace Mikita
2012- Jordan Rimmer is ordained on July 15, 2012
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Names of the Church
The Associate Congregation- 1825-1830
The Associate Reformed Church- circa 1830-1858
New Bethel 1830-1854
Associate Congregation of New Brighton 1854-1858
United 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 found
Westminster United Presbyterian Church of New Brighton 1958-present
Church Locations
Associate Church
Home of James Kennedy
Near the head of Crow’s Run
Homes of James Brewer, Mr. Moore and Mr. Sloan
“Church in the Wildwood” 1830- -1858
Associate Reformed Church
Big Beaver -Under the large elm tree
James Patterson woolen mill
“Bake Oven” Church Circa 1830-1858
United Presbyterian Church
Tenth Street- “The White Tower Church” 1859-1886
Third Avenue- 1886-1963
Oak Hill- 1964- Present
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Pastors
Associate Church/New Bethel Associate Reformed Church
David Imbrie 1806-1808 Moses Kerr 1828-1830
John France 1825-1841 Thomas Speer 1840-1843
Benjamin Sawyer 1844-1858 John McLean 1848-1855
Churches Joined in 1856 or 1857
Rev. John Glenn 1863-1867
Rev. Alexander G. Wallace 1868-1884
Dr. William B. Barr 1884-1891
Rev. Robert Lamont Hay 1892-1911
Dr. Clarence .J. Williamson 1911-1917
Dr. William F. Rolzter 1918-1939
Dr. E. Joe Vandervort- 1939-1946
Rev. Alfred L. Spotts- 1946-1951
Rev. T. Milton Scott- 1951-1956
Dr. Livingston A. Gordon- 1957-1961
Rev. Charles W. Brightwell- 1962-1967
Dr. William R. Lane- 1968-1978
Rev. Ronald Moslener- 1979-1990
Rev. Joseph A Hill- 1990-1991
Rev. Judith W. McBride- 1991-2001
Rev. Kenneth E. Chorle- 2001-2003
Rev. Douglas E. Gebhard- 2003-2005
Rev. A. Gary Angleberger- 2005-2009
Rev. Jordan S. Rimmer- 2010- Current
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