A Church at the Corner of Grandview and Main
Park United Presbyterian Church sits at 109 East Grandview Avenue in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, at the corner where Grandview meets Main Street. The building, finished in 1897 and dedicated that year by the Rev. John McNaugher of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, has been the spiritual home of a congregation that has gathered on the same block for more than 130 years. Today the church identifies itself with the tagline "Growing Together in Faith and Community," a phrase that reflects its small size, its family-friendly feel, and its commitment to walking alongside neighbors across the Zelienople-Harmony area.
The congregation describes itself as "a small family-friendly church" and "a close and caring community, where you and your loved ones can truly feel at home." Members speak of the church as an extended family, a place where every person matters and where lasting relationships are built across generations. Visitors are welcomed with the simple invitation to "come as you are."
Sunday Morning at Park Church
The weekly rhythm of the church centers on Sunday morning. Worship begins at 9:00 a.m. and runs about an hour, blending the richness of traditional Presbyterian liturgy with the energy of contemporary praise. The chancel choir, the handbell and chime choir, and a small praise band all take part in the music ministry, so a Sunday service may carry the sound of hymns, handbells, or a contemporary praise set depending on the week. Communion is observed at services such as the first Sunday of October for World Communion Sunday and on Memorial Day weekend, and a Maundy Thursday Communion Service is held each spring.
At 10:05 a.m. (10:10 a.m. by some accounts), Sunday School opens for all ages. Classes range from preschool through adult discussion groups, with lively preschool discoveries and adult classes meeting side by side in a relaxed atmosphere of learning and laughter. Coffee Hour regularly follows the service in the hospitality area at the back of the sanctuary, where coffee, tea, and light snacks are served and members and visitors linger for conversation.
Rally Day each September marks the kickoff of the Discipleship or Christian Education season, with face painting, games, food, and fun for the whole family. The year also brings a Combined Church Picnic held with Plains Presbyterian Church of Cranberry Township, a shared ministry partner, along with seasonal fellowship events through the year.
Comforts and Accessibility in the Building
Park Church takes seriously the idea that worship should be accessible to anyone who walks through the door. Handicap parking is available in the lot off Grandview Avenue, and a handicap-accessible ramp along the east side of the building leads to the rear entrance. Inside, the sanctuary is equipped with a hearing loop system; visitors who use a hearing aid or cochlear implant can switch their device to the "T" (Telecoil) setting to pick up the service directly.
A Cry Room is provided for parents and caregivers who want to participate in worship while attending to small children. They can still see and hear the service from there. A separate Nursery Room offers caregivers a place to entrust little ones to volunteers while they join the sanctuary for worship. Restrooms are located downstairs, and an accessible restroom is available in Park Hall, the church's social hall and gathering space.
Growing in Faith Across Every Age
Christian education is one of the defining marks of the church. Sunday School classes for all ages meet each week after worship, and the Discipleship season opens with Rally Day in mid-September. Junior Youth Group is offered for 3rd through 6th graders, meeting on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The group is built around games, crafts, activities, and discussion in a supportive environment.
Men's ministry centers on "Daybreak," an early-morning men's Bible study that meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 a.m. before the workday begins. The group gathers for meaningful discussion and quiet reflection, taking spiritual insights into the rest of their week. Women's ministry brings women together through engaging Bible studies, activities, events, and mission projects that build relationships and serve the wider community.
Vacation Bible School is a summer highlight. Recent programs have used themes such as "Emerald Crossing," where children journey through Ireland and the truths of Psalm 23, exploring God as Shepherd, Guide, Comforter, Provider, and King. The five-day program includes hands-on activities and a focus on apologetics and David’s story.
Music in the Sanctuary
Music is woven into nearly every part of the church’s life. The Chancel Choir, though small in number, brings a sincere harmony to Sunday worship under the direction of Nonie Kirkwood, who also serves as pianist. Rehearsals are held Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. The Handbell and Chime Choir, led by Carol Meeder (who also serves as organist), adds a distinctive ringing layer to services with monthly performances. Rehearsals take place Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Alongside these traditional ensembles, the Praise Band offers a more contemporary sound, with vocals, guitars, keyboards, and a steady search for a drummer or any other willing instrumentalist. Under bandleader Jared Kaiser, the group’s skillful instrumentation and heartfelt vocals aim to enrich every service. Together the three groups give Park Church a blended worship style that ranges from classic hymns to modern praise.
Hands and Hearts at Work
Beyond Sunday worship, the church sponsors a wide range of small groups and hands-on ministries. The Knifty Knitters gather every Tuesday from noon to 2:00 p.m., creating blankets, prayer shawls, hats, scarves, and other items for those in need. The group welcomes anyone who would like to learn, weaving fellowship together with the work of their hands.
The Church Library is a quiet treasure trove of Christian and spiritual reading, with a reading corner in Park Hall where congregants can sit and read or take a book home. Downstairs, a Puzzle Exchange invites members to swap jigsaw puzzles, a simple ministry that engages the mind and the community at the same time. Visitors are welcome to take a puzzle even if they do not have one to swap.
A Heritage of Mission and Outreach
Park Church’s mission support extends well beyond its own walls. The congregation partners with several organizations: The Andrew Effect, which encourages children to explore learning outside the classroom; the Southwest Butler Food Cupboard, which distributes non-perishables, meats, dairy, baked goods, and non-food items to local families; Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), which connects people to Jesus across cultures; Frontier Fellowship, which the church supports through the Darfur School; and Operation Christmas Child, the Samaritan’s Purse shoebox ministry that delivers gifts and the gospel to children around the world.
The church also walks alongside a PC(USA) Mission Co-worker, Ellen Smith, who serves as a regional liaison for Eastern Europe and helps facilitate support for partner programs and Presbyterian World Mission strategy. Through these partnerships, the small congregation takes part in ministry on multiple continents.
Since 1895: A Story of Faith on Grandview Avenue
Park United Presbyterian Church traces its roots to 1894, when the Butler Presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church of North America asked the Rev. J. A. Clark to present the need for a church in the Zelienople-Harmony area. The Rev. R. A. Gilfillin led a committee that returned a favorable report, and in November 1894 the work was placed under the pastoral care of M. A. Eakins, a student at the Theological Seminary in Allegheny (now part of Pittsburgh). On April 19, 1895, the congregation was formally organized with eighteen members received by certificate and one by profession of faith, with J. C. Wright, George W. Dodds, and J. C. Milleman elected and installed as the first Ruling Elders.
The first meeting place was a vacant store room on Main Street. Early services were also held in the Zelienople Reformed Church on Sabbath afternoons. By May 1896 the Session resolved that it was time to look for a building site. With the help of the Board of Home Missions, which arranged a loan of $2,500, and an equal sum subscribed by members and friends, the present church on Grandview Avenue was completed in 1897.
After the United Presbyterian Church of North America merged into what is now the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the congregation continued as Park United Presbyterian Church, a name that reflects both its location on Grandview’s hilltop block and the name of its social hall, Park Hall. In April 2026 the church celebrated its 131st anniversary, marking more than a century of worship, prayer, service, and pastoral care in Zelienople.
A Pastor and a Partnership for the Next Chapter
In August 2026, the Rev. Annie Parker was welcomed as the congregation’s part-time pastor, and her installation service was held on September 27, 2026, with refreshments afterward hosted by Plains Presbyterian Church of Cranberry Township. Pastor Annie’s office hours are Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and she can be reached through the church office.
The shared ministry with Plains Presbyterian Church shapes a good deal of the church’s wider life. The two congregations worship together at the Combined Church Picnic, share in pastoral transitions, and look forward to growing alongside one another in the years ahead. For a small congregation on a tree-lined corner of Zelienople, that sense of partnership is part of what makes Park United Presbyterian Church feel less like a single building and more like an extended family of faith.