EVANS CITY — Instead of isolating themselves from one another, four churches partner together in several activities and projects.

The Evans City Ministerium is made up of St. John’s United Church of Christ, St. Peter’s Lutheran, Westminster United Presbyterian and Crestview Community United Presbyterian, although the latter is a few miles away in Callery.

The ministerium’s main projects include holding vacation Bible school together each summer, a Cross Walk each Good Friday in which a group from the churches carries a cross around the borough at noon, a Thanksgiving worship service, the closing worship service each year at Oktoberfest, and a community music festival each summer.

“Christ makes us one, so it is our duty to work together,” said the Rev. David Saylor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

He said the ministerium is particularly gratifying because his entire calling, ministry and mission has been to work with pastors of all denominations.

Saylor said the ministers from the four churches meet for breakfast in Evans City on the second Thursday of each month.

“It’s a public witness where we get out of our buildings,” Saylor said. “They are getting used to seeing us hanging out at our table.”

He said the four pastors have built friendships, socialized together, and prayed with and for one another during times of difficulty.

“If we have a difference of theological opinion, we put all that aside,” Saylor said.

Bob Goossen of the Crestview Community United Presbyterian Church said while Christians may be in differing denominations, they all have the same goal of glorifying God.

“It’s very important to work together with our brothers and sisters in Christ,” Goossen said.

Goossen appreciates the Cross Walk each Good Friday.

He said there are no portrayals, and those in the group volunteer to carry the cross for short distances. The group stops at each church and a handful of public buildings for a prayer before ending the event at another of the churches in the ministerium.

“It makes people aware of the churches’ Christian witness in the community,” Goosen said.

The Rev. Tom Harmon of the Westminster United Presbyterian Church, who began his pastorship there in February, likened the ministerium to sections of Paul and First Corinthians in the Bible that talk about the parts of the body working together.

“Even if we have a difference of opinion, we put energy and time in to understand ourselves as one Body of Christ, not splintered,” Harmon said. “I have a real heart for doing work among colleagues in ministry and Christians doing work together.”

Harmon also enjoyed the Cross Walk in the small borough he is delighted to call home.

“We sang songs and prayed for Evans City,” he said.