A Lutheran Presence on West Liberty Avenue
Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church has stood on West Liberty Avenue in Dormont, a small borough tucked into Pittsburgh's South Hills, for more than a hundred years. The congregation describes itself as a Christian family called through Jesus to minister to neighbors in the South Hills and the wider world, seeking to be faithful to God's word through baptism and to let the Spirit work through worship, education, fellowship, and service. Visitors are invited to come expecting that God's spirit will touch them, because the gift of love is, in Bethany's own words, manifest and abundant.
Worship at Bethany and with PLUM
Sunday morning worship at Bethany takes place in person at 9:15 a.m. The service follows the liturgical pattern common to ELCA Lutheran congregations, centered on the proclamation of the gospel and the celebration of the sacraments.
In addition to its own Sunday gathering, Bethany participates in Pittsburgh Lutheran United Ministries (PLUM), a cooperative ministry of ten ELCA congregations in the Pittsburgh area. A joint PLUM worship service is held on Sundays at 3 p.m. via the Zoom platform. Anyone wishing to join the online service can connect through the Zoom meeting link shared by the congregation. The PLUM partnership means that Bethany's worship life extends beyond its own building and into a wider network of Lutheran parishes working together.
Pittsburgh Lutheran United Ministries (PLUM)
Bethany is one of ten ELCA congregations that make up Pittsburgh Lutheran United Ministries. The cooperative was formed as Pittsburgh Lutherans began responding to a renewed call for transformation in the first decades of the twenty-first century. The member congregations found that the most faithful way to live into that calling was through intentional cooperation rather than working alone.
The members of PLUM have committed to moving out of the confinement of their own buildings and unbinding the restrictions of traditionalism. They see this shared work as a renewed commitment to the Great Commission of Jesus in Matthew 28, to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching. The PLUM partnership shapes much of Bethany's outward-facing life, from the shared online service to cooperative events such as the Fall Craft and Vendor Show hosted at Bethany.
The Community Cupboard
One of the most visible expressions of Bethany's ministry to its neighbors is the Community Cupboard. The cupboard holds food stuffs, household items, clothing, books, and many other goods, and is open to anyone who stops by to browse what is available.
The Community Cupboard is staffed Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. The church office can be contacted for more information about the cupboard and how to access it or contribute to it.
Kids' Korner
Bethany offers a children's ministry known as Kids' Korner. The ministry includes children's lessons written to engage young hearts with the biblical story in language they can understand. Recent lessons have walked children through the story of Abraham and Isaac under the title "The God Who Provides," helping them see how the ram offered in place of Isaac points forward to God giving His own Son, Jesus, in the place of sinners. A children's message also introduces young readers to themes from Revelation, framing Jesus as the one who has already overcome the world's darkest powers and inviting children to follow Him in love.
More Than a Century in Dormont
In November 2017 the congregation marked a milestone of more than one hundred years of ministry on West Liberty Avenue. The anniversary gathering invited neighbors to learn more about Bethany and its mission and to visit the Community Cupboard that has become one of the church's best-known outreaches. The longevity of the congregation - more than a century in the same neighborhood - is part of what shapes Bethany's identity as a stable, locally rooted presence in Dormont.
Seasonal Outreach: Easter and Christmas Dinners
Bethany has traditionally held fish fry dinners, but now offers a complete Easter Dinner instead. The meals must be reserved by calling the church office two weeks before Palm Sunday.
At Thanksgiving, Bethany provides Thanksgiving Dinner Baskets, with orders opening each November and baskets distributed on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The congregation has historically partnered with First Presbyterian Church of Castle Shannon to offer Christmas Dinners at the Presbyterian church's Poplar Avenue location.
What to Know Before You Visit
Bethany's church office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon, and is closed Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The office can be reached by phone at 412-531-9363 or by email at bethany-dormont@verizon.net.
The church building sits at 3104 West Liberty Avenue, Dormont, PA 15216 (the same address is sometimes given with a Pittsburgh mailing designation). Sunday worship begins at 9:15 a.m., and the PLUM joint service follows on Zoom at 3 p.m. The Community Cupboard welcomes visitors Monday through Friday mornings (closed Wednesday) from 8 a.m. to noon, offering food, clothing, household items, and books to those who can use them.
Bethany's faith is summarized in its own mission tagline: Sharing the Life Changing Good News of Jesus Christ.