Sign of the times
JEFFERSON TWP — St. Luke Lutheran Church of Cabot hasn't expanded its physical church campus in eight years, but church leaders say it continues to grow the faithful.
"I see a growing spirituality," said Karen Driscoll, director of discipleship.
She said because of terrorism, the economy and other worldly events, people want spiritual answers.
"People are looking for answers and are turning to God," Driscoll said.
She names current events as the reason the church has seen a jump in membership during the past two years. Ninety adult members have been added.
Much of that growth is people who have never been associated with a church, rather than people simply transferring from another church, she said.
Today, the church averages 500 attendees at its four services each weekend; has a worshipping body of about 800; and has 1,300 on its roster.
The church uses its mission of fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism to guide its activities.
For example, the church is one of the prime sponsors of the Pittsburgh Marathon and has organized a team.
The money raised by its runners will benefit Sonshine Kitchen, a Lutheran food pantry in McKeesport, and Food For The Poor, an international Christian relief organization, said church assistant Pat Neubert.
Driscoll said the church tries to identify the gifts new members have and direct them to the appropriate activities.
"People respond well when we're using the gifts God gave them, and not just using them," she said.
That philosophy has led to a list of church opportunities from adult choir to vacation Bible school.
One of the most popular fellowship activities is a relatively new group called "4X4." This group matches four families who agree to meet once a month for four months for socialization. The process creates connections between families in the parish that last beyond the program, she said.
The popularity of mission group work has also boomed in the past five year, she said. The church now offers three or four trips each year. Most of those are domestic missions, but some are international. For example, the pastors made a trip to Tanzania.The school has also grown.Principal Mark Wilt, who has been at the helm of the pre-kindergarten to eighth grade school since 1979, said the school is lucky to be supported by the parish."The school is a mission of the church," Wilt said. "Tuition is only half of the budget."Because of that, he said, the school can focus on its 200 students.With the growth, the school is now adding activities such as flag football and cheerleading.Additionally, there is a renewed concentration on service projects. For example, to help the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti, students collected essentials from toilet paper to peanut butter.And in the fall, the students go to farms and pick vegetables to take to the Salvation Army.Not all of the school's generosity is tangible, though. The students of the school also spend time volunteering with people at nearby Concordia Lutheran Services.At the same time the school is nurturing the spirituality of the students, it also is ensuring that students get a quality all-around education, Wilt said.To aid that, the school recently gave all teachers a laptop to use, and it is installing projectors in each classroom. A computer lab was added and wireless Internet is in the works, he said.A key move was adding a three-story educational wing several years ago, he said. Before that, classroom space was so cramped that groups were meeting in the basement, in trailers, and at the old one-room school."Now we have the proper space," he said.
That construction was the latest at the church that began more than 160 years ago.The congregation got it's start when German and English settlers in 1839 bought land and built a church. In 1845, the congregation divided into the two Lutheran churches, one German and one English.The English started a church in Saxonburg and the Germans continued at St. Luke. A larger church had to be built after the congregation grew, and that church was dedicated Oct. 1, 1847. The bell dedicated that day is still used.A parsonage was built in 1877 for $875, and it is used now for small group meetings.The pastor in the 1890s led the congregation to join the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and to build the one-room schoolhouse. The old school, which is used now for youth group, was finished for $560.At the turn of the century, the number of English services grew while the number of German services declined.A third church was finished Aug. 14, 1927, and was paid for by members selling extra crops. A parish house was added in 1957.The educational wing was dedicated Feb. 10, 2002.
<B>NAME:</B> St. Luke Lutheran Church and School<B>ADDRESS:</B> 330 Hannahstown Road, Cabot<B>PHONE NUMBERS:</B> church, 724-352-2777; school, 724-352-2221<B>MINISTERS:</B> The Rev. Barry J. Keurulainen, pastor, and the Rev. Jason Hoerth, associate pastor<B>MEMBERS:</B> 1,300<B>SPECIAL PROGRAMS:</B> "Will Run for Food," charity sponsor of the Pittsburgh Marathon; 4X4 Fellowship; day school for pre-kindergarten to eighth grade.<B>QUOTE:</B> "We really help people to seek fulfilledness."— Karen Driscoll, director of discipleship
