Two Congregations: One in Christ
Image from Synod of the Trinity, PCUSA
Pastor Beth Wierman
One in Christ Congregation, Ambridge
bawierman@comcast.net | 724-266-8378
“I did not know what love was until I encountered one that kept opening and opening and opening. And until I acknowledged that what that love was opening onto, and into, was God… In any true love… there is an excess energy that always wants to be in motion. Moreover, it seems to move not simply from one person to another but through them, toward something else… It wants to be more than it is; it cries out inside of us to make it more than it is. And what it is crying out for, finally, is its essence and origin: God.”
— Christian Wiman
Love crosses boundaries we tend to think are closed, fixed, or simply too hard to traverse. We trust that this is true and that it is inherent in the work of the Holy Spirit and foundational to the mission of Jesus the Christ. However, it is astonishing when you witness and experience it.
About seven years ago, the United Presbyterian Church in Ambridge reached out to the neighboring Lutheran and Methodist churches to inquire about the possibility of exploring a collaboration. The congregation received no real interest. The large and beautiful sandstone building with a congregation of about 40 active members had found themselves overwhelmed by the upkeep and maintenance. When the congregation was queried as to whether they wanted to close or continue without the building, the vote was unanimous to continue as a worshipping community.
The building on Maplewood Avenue in Ambridge was sold to Trinity Seminary in 2019. (The building had been home to what was Calvary Presbyterian until a merger with Grace Presbyterian saw the congregation become “United” in the 1970’s.)
The United Presbyterian Church continued worshipping at the Maplewood building (at the kindness of Trinity Seminary) until the congregation of Zion’s First Lutheran expressed interest in a combined ministry. Following numerous conversations, led by the leaders of both denominations, the Presbyterians joined the Lutherans for worship and ministry in their building at 798 Park Road in Ambridge in February 2021.
Zion’s First Lutheran had been without a pastor since the fall of 2018, and while they were few in number, they felt called to continue together. As uncertain as the future was they carried a hope for something new. Their building is located a mere block away from the former U.P. Maplewood Avenue property, and it is adjacent to the Center for Hope—a community nonprofit serving area residents with a food pantry and a wide variety of other assistance.
One congregation had a pastor and the other a building but both were open to something new. From the beginning—the hope was for joint ministry rather than parallel efforts. Worship, mission, study —would be done together with only the building and the finances kept separate. The initial period was one of experimentation and getting acquainted—just seeing how things went. It was never tense, but there was, of course, the give and take in learning the ways of the two congregations and finding a path forward.
The differences between Lutheran and Presbyterian polity has not been a stumbling block, and the theological and practical distinctions have been points of learning. The praxis of faith has accommodated the variations in denominations. It is possible to find common purpose in mission while holding concepts and understandings in tension and harmony. The goal is to acknowledge the unique aspects of each faith history while finding that we are all grounded in God’s saving love. The congregation believes in the promise that God is doing a new thing in our midst. Surely what has been is passing away in many congregations, but the future holds fresh possibilities when Christians work together.
After a year, members began asking for a concrete commitment to shared ministry. Thus, the congregations agreed to become a federated congregation in early 2023. There were concrete reasons to become federated, but after more time passed, there were compelling reasons to move toward a union where all resources are held in common. Deliberately and cautiously choosing to not rush this process has made the undertaking more thorough and positive.
We have frequently been unsure what we were doing or how to do it. It has been a challenge to engage in a process in which the people involved have no experience and little knowledge. However, a diligent task force guided the efforts, with support from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod and Beaver-Butler Presbytery, and has led to a union congregation. All resources have or are being moved into one common account, and the physical facility has become the responsibility of all members. “Union” clearly and fully represents the intentions of the congregation to move forward as one body in Christ.
The legal work for creating a new congregation is complete. The work of determining the time ahead and presence of the newly named One in Christ Congregation in the Ambridge community is just beginning. We know how to be small and strong congregations. We know how to do what has been done before. (Both original congregations were founded in 1904 and celebrate a common anniversary this year.)
We are less versed in what can be and how we can share love—love that opens more and more. But we are well positioned to discover how to be more curious and innovative. Experimenting with mission efforts and worship opportunities along with building relationships in the community have given us good work to do. The dedicated leaders and a caring congregation are joyful as they face an unfamiliar but exciting time ahead.
“God’s love does not move simply from one person to another but through them, toward something else…” There is energy in God’s love which propels us forwards and also leads us deeper into the relationship we share with God. It wants to be more than it is; more than what is. In God’s love the community of One in Christ is carried forward into a future God is preparing.