SAXONBURG — A lengthy interview process has ended with the Rev. Doug Dorsey being named senior pastor at Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church, 100 W. Main St. An installation ceremony will be scheduled in the near future.

Dorsey comes to the 380-member congregation from Mount Nebo Presbyterian Church in Sewickly, where he was pastor and head of staff for 16 1/2 years.

Dorsey said he learned of the pastor’s position at Saxonburg Memorial opening up with the retirement of the Rev. David Brewer through a website. After contacting the church and sending in his resumé in December, there began a five-month period where Dorsey sent the Saxonburg Memorial’s pastor nominating committee audio and videos of his sermons at Mount Nebo, and members of the committee attended the Sewickly church to hear him preach.

Dorsey had his first interview in Feb. 17 and gave his audition sermon, called the candidating sermon, April 3.

“They are looking for the style of the sermon, how you are preaching the faithful to the word,” said Dorsey.

The sermon was preceded by a dinner and meet-and-greet event April 1, and another meet and greet April 2 where members of the congregation could ask Dorsey questions.

The congregation voted on his candidacy after the sermon when Dorsey had left the building.

Dorsey has been a pastor for 20 years, also serving as associate pastor of Christian education and youth at Clen-Moore Presbyterian Church in New Castle before taking his position at Mount Nebo.

He was raised in Kennedy Township, Allegheny County, and went to Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri.

Dorsey said, “After graduating I moved to New Jersey in 1986 and went into the insurance and investments industry. I got my call to the ministry in 1991.”

“It was over time. I definitely contemplated and prayed over it,” said Dorsey.

By the time he heeded his call, he had married his wife, Karen. They moved back to Pittsburgh, where he attended the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, graduating in 1996.

The Beaver-Butler Presybtery will schedule a formal installation service soon, Dorsey said, but he has taken over the reins of the church while commuting from Sewickly.

“He will work with our moderator to find a date to be installed,” said Alan Adams, executive presbyter of the Beaver-Butler Presbytery which oversees 64 churches in the two counties.

Adams said, “We interview all the ministers coming into the presbytery.”

“He is highly qualified, and Saxonburg is one of the stellar churches in the presbytery.”

“I haven’t known him very long, but we are very encouraged with is qualities to lead,” said Adams.

In the meantime, Dorsey and his wife are looking for a house in the Saxonburg area.

His oldest son, Peter, 22, is starting his senior year at Penn State majoring in electrical engineering, and his younger son, Matthew, 17 will be starting his junior year of high school.

“It’s a learning curve, that’s probably my best way to put it. I’m learning the people and learning the players,” Dorsey said of his move to the Saxonburg church that was founded in 1830.

Right now, Dorsey said, he wants “to learn the folks, get to know the people. The Gospel is all about relationships. First and foremost is the relationship with Christ and then other relationships with other people.”

“I love it. It is a great little town. I love the people.” Dorsey said of Saxonburg.

“If you don’t know where we are, we are at the end of Main Street, and we’re open on Sundays,” Dorsey said.