A Lutheran Church on Irwin Street with a Feeding Ministry at Its Heart
House of Prayer Lutheran Church sits at 2100 Irwin Street in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, a few blocks west of the Ohio River in Beaver County. The congregation sums up its purpose in four words - gathering, teaching, nourishing, and sending people to follow Jesus - and the order of those words reflects what visitors quickly notice. Sunday worship comes first, but a steady stream of food programs runs through the week, anchored by a Tuesday community meal, an open-access pantry, and a small food truck that drives food out to neighbors who cannot easily make it to the church.
The congregation has been part of the Aliquippa area for decades, running a food pantry and a monthly Clothes Cupboard since long before the current pastor arrived. Pastor Michael Sourwine came with his wife Stacey in 2008, and under his leadership the food work has expanded into a coordinated effort now known by a name of its own: Healing Hunger Beaver County. Between two and three tons of food pass through the church courtyard each year.
Liturgical Worship That Speaks to the Present
Worship at House of Prayer is liturgical, and the congregation explains what that means plainly: the pastor and worship leaders are not worshipping on anyone's behalf. Each person in the room is charged with worshipping. Prayers, music, scripture readings, and the words spoken from the front draw on traditions that are centuries old, and the service is full of colors, images, symbols, and pageantry meant to inspire and challenge.
At the same time, the church calls its worship contemporary because it speaks to present-day realities. Director of Music Ben Brosche, a freelance pianist and accompanist who has worked across the Pittsburgh theater and jazz scenes, shapes the musical life of the congregation. Worship is offered in person each Sunday and streamed on Facebook.
Fifteen Years of Manna
Every Tuesday at 5:30 PM, House of Prayer opens its doors for Manna, a free community meal that has run for fifteen years. There are no requirements and no restrictions - anyone who walks in is welcome. The program runs on partnerships with other area churches and community groups, and volunteers come alongside staff each week to set up, serve, and clean up.
Manna sits inside the broader Healing Hunger Beaver County effort. Stephanie Murdoch, the Director of Outreach, leads that work. She began volunteering with Manna in 2011 and joined House of Prayer as a member in 2019.
The Little Free Pantry and the Little Free Food Truck
On the church property sits a wooden Little Free Pantry, commissioned in 2017, where neighbors can take food or leave food with no questions asked. Over time the pantry has grown onto the church porch, where additional shelves and a commercial refrigerator (in the warm months) hold more donations.
The Little Free Food Truck is the newest outreach tool, and it exists for one specific reason. The church realized that Manna and the courtyard pantry only reach people who can get to the property. The food truck takes food directly to where people are. Early partners include the Aliquippa School District, the local housing authority, BF Jones Memorial Library, and Baden Academy, and the routes continue to grow through relationship and listening rather than a fixed schedule.
A long-running monthly Clothes Cupboard rounds out the direct-service work, and giving to the food ministry is available online through Vanco, as well as through PayPal, Venmo, and Givebutter.
Children, Youth, and Family
House of Prayer's Children's Ministry, coordinated by Deacon Amy, serves toddlers through seventh grade. Children are welcomed in worship and also invited into a full slate of programming: a bi-weekly Sunday School held before the service, monthly Church Play Days, Family Fun Nights, an annual Nativity Play, and Little Free Church Camp. The congregation emphasizes intergenerational relationships, encouraging children to share their gifts - creativity, advocacy, and service - across the life of the church.
Volunteers working with children complete PA Act 33/34 clearances, a Pennsylvania criminal background check, FBI fingerprinting or a waiver, and sign the church's Code of Conduct.
Sunday Mornings, Wednesday Evenings, and a Sister Church
Worship gathers at 10:45 AM on Sundays, in person and streamed on Facebook. Bible study meets twice during the week: on Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM and on Wednesdays at 6:31 PM, a deliberately memorable time. Office hours at the church are Thursdays by appointment.
Across the river in Monaca, Van Kirk Lutheran Church is a sister congregation of House of Prayer. Van Kirk offers an intimate Sunday morning worship service at 9:00 AM at 106 Van Kirk Road, next to the Center Township Volunteer Fire Department, and friends of either congregation are welcome at both.
A Staff Rooted in Western Pennsylvania
Pastor Mike Sourwine grew up in the rural area around Creekside, Pennsylvania, north of Indiana, studied psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, and went on to seminary in Columbus, Ohio before returning to western Pennsylvania with Stacey. They have three children and are well known as Pittsburgh Pirates fans; Mike is also an avid biker and golfer.
Stephanie Murdoch grew up in Beaver County, studied business administration at Robert Morris University, and spent fifteen years in healthcare before stepping into the outreach role. She and her husband Adam welcomed their son Oliver in 2022.
Ben Brosche, the Director of Music, holds a Bachelor of Music from James Madison University and a Master of Music from Duquesne University. He has performed nationally and internationally, including at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York City, and is active in the Pittsburgh theater and jazz scenes.