Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church sits on eighty-five acres of donated land in Valencia, a quiet corner of Butler County northwest of Pittsburgh. The Presbyterian Church in America congregation, known locally as Gospel Fellowship or simply GFPC, is best known for two things: its commitment to historic Reformed worship and the Christian Recreation Program, a free summer outreach for children that has run on the church grounds since 1958.
Born in 1975 Out of Concern for the Gospel
Gospel Fellowship was formed in 1975 by a group of believers who were troubled by what they saw as increasing theological liberalism in the mainline Presbyterian Church (USA). The founders sought admission into the Presbyterian Church in America, an evangelical denomination committed to the historic Reformed faith. For their name, they chose Gospel Fellowship, borrowing language from Philippians 1:3-5: "I thank my God … for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now."
The church's first pastor, Walter Kenyon, brought with him the Christian Recreation Program he had begun in Gibsonia in the late 1950s. Members and friends sacrificed to complete the first church building in 1979, and it has since been expanded several times with a gymnasium, additional meeting rooms, and a larger sanctuary. Senior Pastor Nick Protos served the congregation for twenty-six years until his retirement in 2019, when Matthew Everhard became the current pastor.
Sunday Mornings on McFann Road
The congregation gathers for worship at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM on Sundays. About ten minutes before the later service, Praise and Preparation begins in the sanctuary with a handful of contemporary worship songs, giving worshipers a chance to quiet their hearts before the formal service.
Inside the service, an elder or pastor leads the congregation through the order of worship printed in the bulletin, accompanied by hymns played by organist John Cannon III. A pastor then preaches, working through books of the Bible for most of the year. On the first Sunday of every month, the church celebrates the Lord's Supper immediately after the sermon.
At 9:50 AM, Sunday School meets in classes for everyone from two-year-olds through adults. Children in the primary grades gather first in the fellowship hall for a time of singing, Scripture memorization, and announcements before moving to their own classrooms. Junior and senior high students head straight to their classes.
Children, Youth, and the Christian Recreation Program
The children's and youth ministries at Gospel Fellowship are woven through every part of the week. The nursery, staffed by trained caregivers who have all passed state background checks, is open during both worship services for children from six months through three years of age. Pre-registration is available through an online form so the team can prepare for any allergies or special needs. The church also welcomes families who would rather keep their children in the pew. Wiggles and whispers are described as part of the joyful sound of a church family at worship.
On Wednesday evenings from September through April, two parallel programs run at 6:30 PM. Kids Club welcomes children in kindergarten through fifth grade for games, songs, hands-on activities, and age-appropriate Bible lessons. Youth Group, for sixth through twelfth graders, gathers the same evening for open discussions, biblical teaching, singing, and plenty of time for fun. Both programs are designed to build friendships and root young people in the basics of the Christian faith.
For several weeks each summer, the Christian Recreation Program takes over the church's eighty-five acres. CRP runs Monday through Thursday mornings from 9:00 AM to noon, offering children ages five through thirteen a free mix of athletic games, arts and crafts, fishing, archery, board games, and a daily Bible message. Campers choose their own activities each day, which is part of what makes the program distinctive. Generations of directors, hundreds of volunteers, and thousands of children have been part of CRP since its founding in 1958.
Adult Fellowship, Widows, and Women's Bible Studies
Fellowship groups are at the heart of adult ministry. These small groups meet periodically in members' homes on Sunday evenings for Bible study and the kind of relaxed community the church considers one of its most distinctive gifts. The name Gospel Fellowship was chosen partly because of the importance the founders placed on this kind of relationship.
The men's ministry supports men in their walk with Christ through regular Bible studies and periodic outings such as bowling, cornhole tournaments, golf, paintball, and sporting clays. The women's ministry coordinates several weekly Bible studies, plus shared reading plans, the annual King's Daughters' Tea, an Advent celebration late in the year, and ministries such as Heart-to-Heart and Secret Pals that pair older and younger women or girls.
A separate Widows' Ministry, founded in 2008 as an arm of the deacons' work, reaches out to women grieving the loss of a spouse. Volunteers offer monthly visits and activities, send cards, help find professional services, and look for ways to serve the wider community. Other groups meet regularly for knitting and crocheting or for exercise.
Meals, Missions, and Sports Outreach
The Compassion Project, organized by members, prepares and delivers meals several times a month to people in a local neighborhood who would benefit from them, working out of the church's reading of Matthew 25. The church also supports about twenty-five missionaries around the world and sends its own members on short-term trips to places like Chile, Peru, and West Virginia. Members have also partnered with organizations serving people with disabilities, including Jill's House and Joni and Friends in Ohio. An annual missions conference in the spring keeps the congregation aware of needs around the world.
On Monday nights, the gym fills with players of Power Volleyball, an outreach league for ages fourteen and up that includes a short gospel-oriented devotional alongside the games. There is an open tournament in February for other area leagues. In the summer, angleball takes over on Monday evenings for adults and Tuesday evenings for families with children.
Visiting Gospel Fellowship
Dress is comfortable: members wear everything from suits to jeans, with business casual being common. Worshipers with hearing aids can take advantage of a sound system that feeds directly to their devices through a T-Coil loop. Large-print bulletins are available, the sanctuary is wheelchair accessible, and gluten-free communion bread is offered on the first Sundays of the month. The 8:30 AM service is livestreamed each Sunday for those unable to attend in person.
Reformed Beliefs and Presbyterian Identity
As a church in the Presbyterian Church in America, Gospel Fellowship describes itself as Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission. Its beliefs follow the Westminster Standards.
The Bible is held to be the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The church confesses the Holy Trinity, one God eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaches that salvation is by God's grace alone. Members are also taught that all of life is to be lived under the lordship of Jesus Christ and that Christ will return bodily and visibly to judge all mankind and receive his people to himself.
The congregation is governed by a session of ruling elders, divided into four flocks (North, South, East, and West) under the senior pastor, supported by a board of deacons and a staff that includes the assistant pastor and youth director, children's director, organist, administrative assistant, and custodial team.