Mount Chestnut Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Mount Chestnut Presbyterian Church, 727 West Old Route 422, Butler, PA 16001, 724.287.7601, www.mcpresby.com, Rev. Ron Schermerhorn, Pastor.


Scripture – Revelation 3:7-13 NIV

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”


Bob’s thoughts:

We were warmly welcomed and a gentleman pointed out the restrooms.

The sanctuary ceiling is a low-rise arch that frames the cross in the stained-glass panel. I found some of the projection screen offerings useless with white lettering over a light background, though some of the projections later were readable.

I was pleased that there was a Prayer of Illumination before the Scripture and message and I liked the interpretation that John’s letters to the churches were dictated by Christ. Also, the reference to losing flavor or saltiness, as I have been placed on a salt-free diet.

We appreciated the time the pastor gave us after the service. I was also glad to get a prayer list.

I sense Christ has good things planned for His church.


Jan’s thoughts:

We took advantage of this beautiful morning for a drive and were welcomed warmly by many folks throughout our visit.

The music unexpectedly leaned a bit toward the contemporary. The song Soon and Very Soon was an uplifting reminder of Malawi, and His Eye is on the Sparrow refers to a verse I read just this morning and was another welcome reminder.

The large sanctuary had great acoustics and ideal volume.

It’s not unusual for one person to act as liturgist for part of a service, but today several others took leadership roles. It’s always encouraging to see leaders stepping up.

The current sermon series revolves around the churches in the Book of Revelation and today’s message was entitled Patient Endurance – The Church at Philadelphia. The pastor began by stating that Christ dictated this document, which I believe is clear from the text. Christ has nothing against this church because of their strong love for each other.

The pastor stated the secret of their strong love was three-fold:
1 – Persistence – they held on to the truth of the Gospel;
2 – Power – they had little strength, but with God they were powerful;
3 – Patience – they had the ability to look beyond the circumstances of oppression from the regime of the empire of Rome…and stayed teaching and living out the Gospel message.

And Jesus would reward them for their faithfulness.

I appreciated this reminder of the value of patient endurance in Jesus’ eyes. This trait is severely undervalued in our world.

We enjoyed delightful conversations with the Music Director and then with the Pastor and appreciated their time today.


Our prayer for this church:
Lord, we pray Your blessing on Your church. May You continue to guide and grow them as they know You more and more. Amen.

Mt. Chestnut Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Mt. Chestnut Presbyterian Church, 727 West Old Route 422, Butler, PA 16001, 724.287.7601, www.mtchestnutchurch.com, Rev. Jeff Curtis, Pastor.

Bob’s thoughts:

The church is in a pastoral setting in Butler County, and the ambiance carried on inside in the pleasant Sanctuary. We were warmly welcomed, which is somewhat unusual for a church with two services. When I saw the cross in stained glass I realized what was missing last week: I need the cross in worship. The Sanctuary has a center and side aisles, which must make it adaptable for most uses. The harmony of the praise group and instruments was enjoyable.

After sharing the Joys and Concerns, there was a short, impromptu prayer during which he used the phrase “where we can do little.” What an appropriate expression. When we can do, we don’t need God.

I appreciated the Pastor’s vocal inflections when reading the Scripture and preaching; to me it makes a real difference.

The Sermon was directed to what we do when facing difficulties ahead: we try to ignore, or try to control everything, or face the situation with courage and trust. God wants us to live now and not worry about the future. We are better served to look back at the blessings He has heaped upon us and how He has brought us through every strife.

We can live our lives without any fear. We are loved and well cared for, it is an important part of our witness to those who don’t yet know Christ.

I liked that the Pastor was served by the Elders but was sorry that Communion was served silently.

This church seems to be moving toward being missional; I pray they go fearlessly.

Jan’s thoughts:

Having arrived very early for the 11 a.m. service, we had plenty of time to look around and chat with people. The facility is well cared for, and much thought went into the decorating. The signage was excellent throughout, and the kitchen space is well organized and labeled.

We located several bulletin boards: one with photos and information about those serving in the military, one with all sorts of information about local, national, and international missions, and one about activities involving the seniors who meet here, as well as several others.

In spite of the fact that this is a two-service congregation, some of the members and the pastor were friendly and kind enough to take time to chat and tell us about the church.

The Sanctuary is well coordinated with green carpet, matching green on the pew cushions and backs, accented by a medium wood on the pew ends and Chancel woodwork with white elsewhere.

I enjoyed singing the contemporary music, and the three vocalists harmonized beautifully. Also the piano/organ pairing was very pleasant.

The Children’s Sermon was different, as the children stayed in the pews. Consequently the message seemed aimed at the entire congregation, which is not only a fine thing but reflects the way it actually is anyway.

The Sermon was based on Acts 21:1-19, “What To Do When Difficulties Lie Ahead.” He spoke about when we “see tell-tale signs of what’s coming we have the option of taking the ostrich approach, we can attempt to control or manipulate circumstances, or we can find the courage to trust God’s handling of it.” He further pointed out that “the past does not hold us down – it’s past. We can choose to live in the present even without knowing how things will be worked out. Our future is based on God’s Presence and power. We may be shaken, but our faith will be proven. God DOES prepare us – we just can’t see it.”

Having just finished reading Max Lucado’s book “Fearless,” this sermon struck a chord with me. It felt like God brought us here to hear this message in order to reinforce these very points. These are significant truths and I’m encouraged to know He cares that I/we internalize them. (By the way, “Fearless” was a blessing.)