Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church, 100 Main Street, Saxonburg, PA 16056, 724.352.2888, www.saxmem.org, Rev. Dr. Dave Brewer, Pastor.


Bob’s thoughts:

This was a contemporary worship service held in the lower level fellowship hall. Aside from the restroom signs above the respective doorways I saw no signage and was disappointed not to see a cross.

There was a generous table of donuts and fruit offered with the coffee. There seemed to be some problem with the audio early on; the voices of two young women overcame the others with a very tinny sound. It seemed much better during the very well-done offertory. Late in the service there was an annoying mechanical bass noise on the right speaker. Even with the audio problems, the contemporary worship songs were good and two that I hadn’t heard before.

The sermon was on Galatians 6:7, that God is not mocked, that what man sows, so shall he reap. It was presented as a series of stories, but I realized that the congregation really got the message from this presentation. This minister seems an excellent fit for this congregation.

Had I not read the reports from Session I would not have known that there was any mission activity beyond a mission trip. I enjoyed this insight of the church.

We were warmly greeted by some of the church officers, and probably the first time that someone had heard of our blog and came to meet us. There was a healthy mix of young children and “gray hairs” along with quite a few young adults. I thought this service was well attended till the pastor mentioned that the attendance was off a bit. Don’t know if the other services were affected.

After the service we looked upstairs at the main Sanctuary and were impressed. The Narthex area is open and bright and is unrestricted into the Sanctuary. There is a large cross over a round window with a butterfly. May need to go back just to experience worship there.


Jan’s thoughts:

This church has a traditional service at 8 in the “Little Church” across the street, a contemporary service at 9 in the fellowship hall of the main building, and another traditional service at 10:30 in the main Sanctuary of the main building; a unique solution to several issues they must have faced when planning for three services each Sunday.

We attended the contemporary service, so the atmosphere was almost boisterous as we entered. We were grateful for the well-placed signage which allowed us to locate the restrooms quickly.

Seating was plentiful, but it definitely filled up. I particularly enjoyed the icicle lights hanging from the ceiling, giving such a pretty, festive look. The bulletins for this service did not include an Order of Worship (which is standard for a contemporary service) but did contain a plethora of information, as well as a full page insert (front and back) of “Session News.”

The people were quite friendly, several greeting us even before worship began, and even more during the service. The general feel was relaxed, comfortable, friendly, enthusiastic, and very welcoming. We were given a gift bag with a folder full of information about the church along some small gifts.

There were lots of children and an encouraging mix of ages in the congregation. We observed to the pastor that most of the seats were filled and some folks stood in back. He stated that this service is only about 16 months old, and attendance was light this morning.

After the service we wandered up to the Sanctuary and were stunned to find a most beautiful worship space. The colors and designs were light, spacious, and well coordinated. On the rear wall of the Chancel is a large cross in front of a circular window, and painted on the window is a butterfly, one of my favorite symbols of new life. We may return to experience worship in this space in a traditional format.

This morning’s message centered on Galatians 6:7 in which we’re told that we reap what we sow. He spoke of how we remember others and how they remember us, of our internal scars about which others may have no clue, and of God’s intention for us to build others up.

He contrasted the stories of two very different men: John Wooden, whom even those of us who don’t follow basketball have gotten to know some since his recent death, and Reinhard Heydrich, second in command in the Nazi SS organization and nicknamed “The Blond Beast.” These stories included the childhoods of these men and the events and influences that made them the adults they became, but especially the personal choices that affected the outcome of their lives and legacies. I found it quite fascinating and educational, and it reinforced some things God has recently taught me.