This past weekend, I had memorable times of worship with two thriving churches in the Sewickley area. Since moving my family to the village of Sewickley three months ago, I had determined that I wanted to take a weekend and visit churches that I was hearing wonderful things about. Knowing that North Way Sewickley Valley is going to be doing the work of the Kingdom along- side other churches in the community, I purposed to be able to speak first hand of these other churches in my conversations to come.

I worshiped during the first service at St. Stephens and was immediately inspired by the visiting and the buzz of community going on before the worship service. It was apparent immediately that this church enjoys being together. The singing was vibrant and represented well St. Stephen’s heritage of faith that reaches well into the 19th Century. Geoff’s message from the Gospel of Luke was evangelical and pointed consistently over and over to Jesus. I fell in love with the community of worshipers at St. Stephens.

I worshiped during the second service at Christ Church at Grove Farm. The church was also an inviting flurry of people visiting and conversing when I arrived fifteen minutes before the service. As the Choir and orchestra led, I sang familiar songs and my heart and mind engaged in the prayers and scripture readings weaved throughout. John Guest, in his seventies, proved in his preaching, that he is as ever fervent in his passion and love for Jesus . I fell in love with the community of worshipers at Christ Church.

When I met with my wife at home that afternoon, she was quite ecstatic about the service that she had just come from at North Way. She preached half of Jay’s message to me right there in our kitchen. Being eight months pregnant, she ran out of wind before she could expound on the rest of the inspiring morning.

We then ‘sat’ and shared about our mornings in worship. We are thrilled that there are thriving moves of God in the Sewickley Valley. It stirs us even the more to be committed to bringing North Way’s different expression of worship to ‘The Village’ when we launch this September. We have great hopes that those who have not connected with one of the great churches in this community, will be drawn to North Way in Sewickley Valley. We have hopes that North Way Sewickley Valley, being true to the vision, mission and style of North Way, will be a great compliment to what God is doing in this area.