A Church on the Corner of Lock and 10th
First United Presbyterian Church of Tarentum sits on the corner of Lock Street and 10th Avenue in Tarentum, Pennsylvania, right next to Grandview Elementary. A parking lot stretches directly across the street from the building, making Sunday mornings straightforward for anyone driving in. The church is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Pittsburgh Presbytery, and its members describe it as a place built around one commitment: all are welcome at the table.
Radical Welcome at the Heart of Everything
Across the congregation's own pages, the same phrase comes up again and again: radical welcome. First United practices full inclusion in every part of church life - worship, membership, governance, service, the sacraments, and weddings - regardless of race, gender identity, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or marital status. The church grounds this commitment in the words of Galatians 3:27-29, reading Paul's declaration that in Christ there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. First United understands itself as a community sent into the world, where the strength of a congregation is measured by how its most marginalized member is treated. That conviction shapes not only who can walk through the doors, but who can be baptized, married, ordained, or seated on the session.
The Sunday Rhythm
Sunday mornings follow a pattern that gives space for both study and worship. During the program year, Sunday School classes for all ages meet at 10:00 a.m. and worship begins at 11:00 a.m. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, the schedule shifts to a single 10:00 a.m. worship service, with no Sunday School during the summer. Most Sundays, an Adult Bell Choir rehearses at 8:45 a.m. and a Coffee Hour gathers at 9:30 a.m. for light refreshments and conversation.
Worship itself follows the PCUSA Directory for Worship and includes a short, interactive Children's Sermon each week. Children in kindergarten through third grade are invited to a junior church session following the sermon, and a staffed nursery is available every Sunday for younger children. For parents who want to keep little ones close, a family room with a speaker lets them follow the service while still stepping away.
Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, and a fellowship hour follows most Sunday services during the program year.
Music That Rings Through the Building
Music has a visible place in the life of First United. Abby George serves as Director of Music and leads the congregation's choir, which welcomes anyone interested in singing to join. George Spencer is the church's organist, accompanying services and also coordinating the Adult Bell Choir. The handbell choir is open to both adults and children and rehearses Sunday mornings at 8:45 a.m. Members of the congregation who have musical gifts are invited to share them during worship as well.
Children, Youth, and Summer Programs
Sunday School classes are organized for nursery, grade school, middle school, and high school students, all taught by volunteers with current state clearances. An intergenerational class lets parents learn alongside their children, and adult classes run at the same time.
For older students, the church offers a combined Junior/Senior Youth Group for teens in grades 6 through 12, meeting Sunday afternoons for fellowship, learning, mission work, and outings. Each summer, youth in grades 6 through 12 are invited to attend the Trinity Youth Conference (TYC), a week-long event held in Schellsburg, Pennsylvania, focused on spiritual growth, leadership development, and discipleship through daily worship, small groups, and workshops.
Vacation Bible School runs for four evenings in mid-June, typically from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and is open to children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The program is taught by volunteers, ministry leaders, and teachers with current clearances, with activities that include Bible lessons, arts and crafts, games, and music. Children five and under need to stay with a parent; those six and up may be dropped off and picked up. VBS is held both outdoors and indoors at the church.
Missions Close to Home and Further Afield
Mission work is woven into the congregation's identity. Twice a year, Rev. Phil Beck and a team from First United travel to West Virginia to assist communities around Summersville. Past projects have included repairing roofs and making homes wheelchair accessible.
Closer to home, the church hosts the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) four times a year, coordinated through the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches. IHN provides homeless families in the area with a meal, fellowship, and a warm overnight place to stay, and the congregation welcomes volunteers for hosting weeks.
Children take part in a tradition called Quarter Sunday, held the second Sunday of each month. During the second hymn, the children of the church pass through the pews collecting quarters and other coins, with a monthly goal of raising $100 and gathering 100 non-perishable food items for the local food bank.
The Tarentum Friendship Garden, located next to Dreshar Stadium, is a community garden partnership through which the church helps plant and harvest produce for volunteers and for the benefit of local food banks. The congregation also runs an AVAC Food Focus program with a different collection theme every month of the year - from soup and canned beans in March to baking mixes in December - supporting the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches food bank. The church participates in the Souper Bowl of Caring in January and February and in the annual AVAC Walk for Hunger.
Becoming a Member, Baptism, and Weddings
Those interested in joining First United Presbyterian Church are asked to begin by attending worship regularly. From there, the pastor leads new members through a series of classes, after which the session, the church's ruling body, approves the membership. New members are then welcomed during a worship service by affirmation of faith, reaffirmation of faith, or transfer from another congregation. There are no fees for membership, though the church asks each member to contribute time, talents, and financial support, including a per-capita gift of about $39 per member that supports the wider ministries of the PCUSA.
Baptism is open to infants, children, and adults, with membership typically required for those presenting children for baptism. The session approves each baptism, ordinarily at its meeting on the third Tuesday of the month. Water is applied by pouring, sprinkling, or immersion at the parent's choice, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, during a regular worship service.
Weddings are also part of the church's ministry. The PCUSA Directory for Worship describes marriage as both a covenant and a gift from God, and the church welcomes couples to use its building. Wedding forms are available through the church office.
What the Church Believes
First United's statement of faith draws directly from PCUSA confessional documents. On Jesus, the church affirms that Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord, and that redemption is found solely through him. On Scripture, it holds that the Bible is the one sufficient revelation of God in Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate, and the unique and authoritative witness to which the Holy Spirit bears witness. On the Trinity, it confesses that God is eternally Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that this confession is foundational to everything the church says about God, humanity, and the world. The congregation takes seriously the Great Commission, hearing in it the call to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Staying Connected
Worship services are livestreamed on the church's Facebook page, and giving can be done online through the church's secure giving portal. Visitors are invited to share their contact information so the congregation can follow up, and the church publishes a regular bulletin and newsletter. The church office can be reached by phone at 724-224-2550 or by email at office@fupct.org.