Grace RPC

Location: Gibsonia, Pa.

Presbytery: Alleghenies

Organized: January 2009

Membership: 67 communicant; 28 baptized

Pastor: Jeff Stivason

Wesbsite: www.gracerp.org

In July 2007, the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North Hills (RPCNH) called Pastor Jeff Stivason to be the church planter for the purpose of establishing a daughter congregation in the Gibsonia, Pa., area. By Sept. 2007, Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church began Lord’s Day morning worship services led by Pastor Stivason and three ruling elders: Wayne Spear, Calvin Troup, and Bernie Zimmovan. In Jan. 2009, the church organized as a particular congregation of the RPCNA.

Our First Big Project

About five years prior to the beginning of the Grace RPC church plant, RPCNH received 11 acres of land as a gift from Grace Evangelical Free Church when it was not able to continue as a congregation. The property included a house that is now the manse, and a “church house” with a small auditorium or chapel attached. A third building—a dilapidated industrial garage—was located toward the rear of the property. We hoped to plant a church on the site. To our delight, some households from the Evangelical Free Church are now active members of Grace RPC.

When morning worship began in 2007, attendance was about 50, including the group sent by RPCNH. Over four years, God steadily added to our number, which created a wonderful problem: we ran out of room! The auditorium of the church house, though lovely, seated 100. With the assistance of committees, the session proposed renovating the garage behind our existing worship area. The congregation worked diligently to support the proposal by formal vote and gave generous gifts of time, money, and service.

Over a three-month period, the Lord provided $50,000 in gifts from the congregation before we officially sought financing for the project. Then God used a member skilled in negotiation to secure an ambitious yet conservative financial package. The RPCNA Trustees of Synod also provided substantial support at a favorable interest rate. The chairman of our building committee leads a major contracting firm in Pittsburgh, and his firm donated the labor costs for the project. His skill in leading meetings with the township planning and zoning boards involved such thorough preparation that a councilperson remarked that the plans were the best the boards had ever seen.

With the support of a hardworking building committee, the project started in May and was completed in Nov. 2010. The Lord used the outstanding reputation of our chairman to lead contractors to donate many in-kind gifts and to bring the project to completion early. The donated labor costs, in-kind gifts, and efficiency of the work saved the congregation over $150,000. We praise God for an auditorium that seats 225 and for a beautiful fellowship hall.

A Grace-Oriented Ministry

The ministry at Grace exists to see men, women, and children rooted in Christ, established in the faith, and bearing fruit for the kingdom (Col. 2:6). Relying on an organic ministry pattern given in the Scriptures, the session works to provide oversight and support for members’ efforts to serve in the congregation and to be salt and light in the community. For example, several women in the congregation wanted to make hand-crafted quilts to donate to local pregnancy care centers. Through their initiative, the congregation is now providing annual financial support for our quilters and the local pregnancy care centers. We participate annually in the centers’ “baby bottle” fundraising campaign. We also are pleased to see ongoing work in an evening women’s Bible study, “Ironman” partnerships between men for prayer, encouragement, and accountability and a variety of outreach activities.

The primary ministry at Grace is biblical worship of the Lord with an emphasis on the faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word.

Prayer Requests

Please pray that the Lord will continue to bless the session with unity of mind in the Lord.

Pray that Grace will be a gospel light to the community.

Give thanks with us for all that the Lord has done in our midst.