A Lighthouse on College Avenue
Otterbein United Methodist Church stands at 111 College Avenue in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, with a simple greeting posted at the door: "Open Hearts, Open Doors, God's Love for All." The church has long described itself as a safe and inclusive place, and that self-description now carries an official weight as well. The Western PA Conference of the United Methodist Church has named Otterbein a Lighthouse Congregation - one of several churches in the conference equipped to welcome anyone whose home church closed because of disaffiliation and who wishes to remain United Methodist. The role is to offer a calm, caring place where visitors can worship, be heard, and discern their next steps, rather than to build membership.
College Avenue places Otterbein within walking distance of Seton Hill University, where the church maintains an active partnership. The building and its annex serve the congregation and the wider community in a number of ways: two weekly worship services, Bible study and prayer meetings, children's programs, free meals to the public, support for people without housing, and a music program anchored by a Rodgers organ dedicated in 2009.
Saturday and Sunday Worship
Worship at Otterbein happens twice each week. A Saturday service is held at 4:00 PM and the Sunday service at 9:30 AM. Both follow what the congregation calls a "traditional with a splash of casual" style: familiar liturgical rhythms kept friendly and accessible, with a praise team that enjoys trying new ways to express praise.
Children of any age are welcome in worship. Activity bags sit on the welcome tables at the back of the sanctuary, a rocking chair is tucked in the back right-hand corner, and a changing table is available in the room to the right off the narthex. Communion is celebrated on the first weekend of every month, and Otterbein sets no minimum age or requirement before a child may take communion. The decision rests with the parents.
Sunday messages work through the lectionary and the day's Scripture. A recent message, for example, walked through the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) and asked the congregation to wrestle with the wideness of God's grace. The Worship Committee, chaired by Susan Murphy, works to keep services meaningful, spiritually enriching, and inclusive for all who come.
Music, Praise, and the Rodgers Organ
Music is a defining part of Otterbein's worship life. The praise team leads the congregation each Sunday in music, and the church counts the program as more than a complement to worship; it is, in the church's own words, a way to praise God. Choirs, soloists, and instrumentalists take part in services and perform in the community throughout the year.
The current organ is a Rodgers electronic organ dedicated in November 2009 by world-renowned organist Dan Miller, after the congregation raised funds to replace the aging Allen electronic organ that had served the church for many years. The Rodgers is used every Sunday for worship and includes Swell, Great, Choir, Solo, and Pedal divisions, with stops ranging from a 32-foot Contre Bombarde to chimes, a Harp, Carillon, and an electronic Zimbelstern. A Midi Sound Extender adds over one hundred additional organ and orchestral voices.
A Place for Children
Children's Ministries is led by Children's Ministries Director Linda Shaffer. Children's Church is held every Saturday and Sunday during the regular worship service, offering an age-appropriate time of Bible stories, discussion, music, prayer, and hands-on activities. Each class includes a Bible lesson and a craft, game, or interactive activity that reinforces the lesson. The Children's Committee also organizes events through the year, including Parents' Night Out, an Easter Egg Hunt, and Vacation Bible School.
Amanda Shaffer directs Vacation Bible School. The recent program, "Snowball Mountain Challenge," ran over three evenings from 6:00 to 8:30 PM and welcomed children ages 4 through 12 with dinner included. A complementary Adult Bible Study ran alongside the program, giving parents and caregivers a chance to grow in their own faith while children participated.
Feeding the Spirit and the Wider Outreach
Outreach sits at the center of Otterbein's life beyond the sanctuary walls. The Outreach Ministry is devoted to an ongoing mission of sharing love and heartfelt support in Greensburg and beyond, and several commitments run year-round.
Feeding the Spirit provides free to-go meals to those in need. Meals are available for pickup between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM at the OUMC annex and parking lot, with no reservation required. The program depends on volunteers who prepare, package, and hand out the meals.
Each Thanksgiving the church provides free Thanksgiving meals to the community. Reservations are required, and many volunteer slots open up for publicity, packing, kitchen work, parking, and distribution.
The church also partners with Carpenters Builders, Inc., a Wrapped-in-Love Prison Ministry, providing Christian ministry to prisoners and their children, including Christmas gifts, fun outings, and ongoing support. Other commitments include fun activities at the Greensburg Care Center, military donations and care packages, donations to the Salvation Army, Campus Crusade, and Union Mission in Latrobe, and "goody" bags supplied to Seton Hill University students during final exams.
On the missions side, the church has supported disaster relief and gone on out-of-state mission trips, with Red Bird Mission in southeastern Kentucky among the long-supported efforts. The motto of the Outreach team comes from scripture: "Be gentle and give comfort to the weak. Serve with joy and gladness to help the poor, the hungry, and the sick."
The Unsheltered Ministry
Otterbein's Unsheltered Ministry focuses specifically on people experiencing housing insecurity. The program works to match the needs of unsheltered neighbors with the resources the church can offer, and is built on the conviction that every person carries inherent dignity and worth. The ministry is chaired by Kim Colisimo.
Bible Study, Prayer, and Spiritual Growth
Adult Bible Study is held throughout the year as a regular opportunity to engage Scripture together through reflection and conversation. Evenings of prayer and Bible study take place in the Pershing conference room at the church. A Wednesday-night Prayer Meeting brings the congregation together to pray for the church, the community, families, and the world. Seasonal studies through the year have focused on themes such as the power of prayer, the faith and courage of Daniel, and quiet reflection on the condition of the soul. No previous Bible study experience is needed, and all are welcome.
United Women in Faith and United Men in Faith
United Women in Faith meets on the first Monday of every month at Eat 'n Park in Greensburg, working through devotions and group business together. The group's activities have included an "Attic Treasures" indoor yard sale, fundraising dinners at local restaurants, Christmas goodie bags delivered to members no longer able to attend in person, support of children's ministry, and a "day apart" held in September at either Camp Allegheny or Jumonville.
United Methodist Men is a fellowship of men committed to spiritual growth, service, and leadership within the church and community. Its mission is to help men grow as disciples of Jesus Christ, encouraging them to live out their faith through worship, service, and fellowship. The group is chaired by John Colisimo.
A Partnership with Seton Hill University
Otterbein partners with Seton Hill University's Stepp Forward Entrepreneurship Program, led by church member Lyz Marshall. The program empowers underserved and rural entrepreneurs in southwestern Pennsylvania with the training, mentorship, and resources they need to start, grow, and strengthen their businesses. The church helps publicize the program and connect interested participants.
Pastoral Leadership and a Word of Welcome
The church is led by Senior Pastor Debra Mason, who joined Otterbein as her first newsletter submission reflected on Matthew 6:33 - "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Ben Zimmerman serves as Associate Pastor and Prayer Champion. Together with Director of Music Chris Loughran, Children's Ministries Director Linda Shaffer, and Vacation Bible School Director Amanda Shaffer, they form the pastoral and program staff.
Visitors who arrive expecting a polished, performative congregation may be surprised by Otterbein's honesty. The church's own About page reads: "We aren't perfect. ... We are an imperfect church. We are learning. We are still growing. We are trying to be the body of Christ." That openness - paired with the practical commitment of two weekly services, a community meal each evening, a Wednesday prayer meeting, a children's ministry, a Lighthouse designation, and a Rodgers organ - is what defines Otterbein on College Avenue.