Orchard Hill Church is a non-denominational, multi-site Christian congregation headquartered on Brandt School Road in Wexford, a suburb north of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County. Its mission, in the words of the church itself, is to help people find and follow Jesus Christ, and the congregation now stretches across the greater Pittsburgh region with seven campuses, a weekday ministry for University of Pittsburgh students at Heinz Memorial Chapel, and a long-standing partnership with churches in northern Haiti. The atmosphere the church describes is intentionally welcoming: a contemporary biblical community that is comfortable for people who have never been to church, while remaining anchored in the doctrines of the historic Christian faith.
From 54 Founding Members to a Regionwide Church
Orchard Hill's story began in the 1980s, when a small group of people looked at the many around them who had no church home - people who had concluded that God had no relevance in their world. These founders wanted to start a community that connected with people disillusioned by the church and pointed them to the truth of God's love. On May 6, 1989, more than 400 people gathered for the opening of Orchard Hill Church, the fruit of that commitment.
Today, thousands of people across multiple campuses call Orchard Hill their church home. The congregation has grown alongside the region, adding campuses in Butler, the Strip District, Bridgeville, Beaver Valley, and Mars/Gibsonia, while developing ministries for adults, students, and kids of every stage. The purpose has not changed since 1989: to present the message of Jesus Christ and His grace that brings about transformation from the inside out.
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund has served as Senior Pastor since 2005. Under his leadership the church has expanded the Wexford campus through two significant building projects and launched additional campuses. He holds degrees from Wheaton College, Trinity Divinity School, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Before coming to Orchard Hill, he led a church in Michigan through a decade of growth and served as Director of Outreach and Missions for Trinity International University. His teaching airs weekly on two Pittsburgh television stations, and he has published Prayers For Today with Moody Press.
Seven Campuses Across the Greater Pittsburgh Region
Orchard Hill describes itself as one church in multiple locations. The flagship is the Wexford Campus at 2551 Brandt School Road, with three weekend services in the Worship Center - Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sundays at 9:00 and 10:45 am - plus a liturgical Chapel Service on Sundays at 9:00 am.
The Strip District Campus, housed in a building on Penn Avenue in the heart of Pittsburgh, holds three Sunday services at 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 am. Campus Pastor Dan Irvin describes the feel as a t-shirt and Bible app crowd that skews young in age and in heart. Coffee is served before and after services, and free parking is available along Penn Avenue, at FNB Bank next door, and at the lot on the corner of Penn Avenue and 15th Street.
The Butler Campus, which launched in 2017, meets at 120 Walker Avenue and runs two Sunday services at 9:00 and 10:45 am. Campus Pastor Brady Randall, who joined Orchard Hill in 2014 and has led Butler since its opening, oversees the work alongside a dedicated local team.
Two Community Gatherings - the earliest stage of the church's Campus Pathway - meet in leased venues. Bridgeville worships at the Phoenix Theater on Washington Pike at 10:00 am on Sundays, led by Location Pastor Jake Williams. Mars/Gibsonia meets at the Kean Theatre in Gibsonia at 10:00 am on Sundays, with Mike Chilcoat serving as Location Leader.
The Beaver Valley Campus at 908 Market Street in Bridgewater meets Sundays at 10:00 am under Campus Pastor Jason Scott, who joined the staff in December 2025 after two decades of ministry that included serving as Adult Discipleship Pastor at a church in Indianapolis.
Finally, The Hill at Heinz is a separate ministry of Orchard Hill aimed at Pitt students. Wednesday night worship services are held at 8:00 pm in Heinz Memorial Chapel on the University of Pittsburgh campus during the Fall and Spring semesters. The services are intentionally not aligned with any one denomination, and all are welcome.
Two Styles of Worship at Wexford
The Wexford campus is the only one that runs two distinct services side by side, and it gives a clear picture of the breadth of the church. The Worship Center services - Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sundays at 9:00 and 10:45 am - offer a contemporary experience with lights, special music, and video elements that complement the biblical message. Communion is observed monthly.
The Chapel Service, held Sundays at 9:00 am, takes a markedly different approach. The congregation follows a liturgical structure that includes a Call to Worship, an Affirmation of Faith (the Apostles' Creed), a Prayer of Confession, an Assurance of Pardon, the Passing of the Peace, and a Benediction. Hymns and weekly communion shape the music. The church's own description of this service captures its tone: it embraces the beauty and depth of ancient rhythms while worshiping in the freedom of Christ, providing a deeply meaningful experience for those who want connection to the historical and global Church. Chapel Service Leader Shawn Barrett oversees the service, with Rick Gallagher leading the chapel worship team. Visitors with questions about the Chapel Service can reach out to Russ Brasher.
Across all campuses, weekend services last about an hour and are built around a biblical message that speaks to both followers of Jesus Christ and those still exploring faith. Services at the Strip District, Butler, Bridgeville, Mars/Gibsonia, and Beaver Valley campuses blend live and video elements, and the message is posted online by Sunday afternoon.
Kidzburgh and the Next Generation
Orchard Hill's children's ministry, Kidzburgh, runs at every campus during weekend services for children from newborn through fifth grade. The mission of the ministry is to supplement the family in laying down a spiritual foundation that, in God's timing, will lead a child into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The vision is to be a place where kids build relationships with people who model and teach them how to follow Jesus.
The nursery is intentionally quiet and softly lit, with rockers for babies and younger children not yet steady on their feet, while toddlers have a separate room with space for creative play. Preschoolers begin learning the basics of the Gospel through a mixture of focused play, activities, teaching, song, and dance. Elementary children gather in large groups for games, worship, and creative teaching, then break into small groups to discuss the Bible and apply it to their lives. Director of Kids Ministry Katie Drennen leads the team alongside Early Childhood Ministry Coordinator Lidija Shields, Elementary Ministry Coordinator Brittany Vaught, and KidsFest Director Lyndsay Brasher.
Parents can pre-register children before their first visit to streamline check-in. Kidzburgh runs alongside every service at Wexford, Strip District, Butler, Bridgeville, Beaver Valley, and Mars/Gibsonia.
Two sacraments of childhood are also observed. Baptism and Dedication services let parents choose, based on their own theological convictions, whether to have a child baptized (sprinkled with water as a sign and seal of a covenant relationship) or dedicated (presented before the Lord as an act of worship and parental commitment). Orchard Hill explains its reasoning in a section on baptismal beliefs that distinguishes three historic views and explains why the church practices two of them while rejecting baptism as a means of salvation. First Communion is offered to children in second through fifth grade, with a preparatory season led by the pastoral and Kids Ministry staff.
Student Ministry: Merge, Hang, and Small Groups
Student Ministry at Orchard Hill exists to help students understand who they are by helping them first understand whose they are. The department is led by Director of Student Ministry Mike Fischer, with several student ministry leaders and ministry residents working alongside him.
At the Wexford campus, Middle School Merge gathers sixth through eighth graders during the 9:00 and 10:45 am Sunday services in the Loft/Lounge for a church service designed for middle schoolers, combining worship, learning, and time with friends.
High School Hang meets Sunday nights from 6:00 to 7:30 pm in the Loft/Lounge and runs seasonally (typically from mid-August through early May). The format includes high-energy games, live student-led worship, and teaching aimed at students both inside and outside the church.
Student Small Groups meet Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, divided by grade and gender and led by adult volunteers who invest in students' lives. Many groups also gather for Student Open Gym, with middle schoolers playing in the gym from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Wednesdays and high schoolers playing from 7:30 to 8:30 pm on Sundays.
At the Butler campus, students meet during both Sunday morning services and Sunday nights from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. At the Strip District, students gather every second and fourth Sunday at 12:30 pm. Communication with parents and students is handled through email updates and the Church Center app, with the Instagram account @orchardhillstudents serving as a hub for student life.
Women's, Men's, and Young Adult Communities
Women's Ministry, directed by Emily DeAngelo with Lyndsay Brasher overseeing events, welcomes women of all ages and walks of life and centers on understanding, responding to, and applying the gospel to every aspect of life. Women can join study groups, interest groups, mentor pairings, or the church's signature JOY groups - small groups that meet weekly for two years to draw participants into deeper relationship with Jesus, others, and themselves. A weekly Zoom prayer group meets Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:15 pm, and a Wednesday morning group for moms and caregivers with newborn through kindergarten-aged children runs from 9:30 to 11:00 am in the Wexford gym during the group season.
Men's Ministry is led by Bryce Vaught as Groups Team Leader and Men. The ministry is described as a fellowship of courageous men seeking to live empowered by the light of God's truth and grace. The primary small-group vehicle is Christ Led Communities (CLC), an external ministry that equips men for a lifetime of leadership based on a growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ and sound biblical principles. CLC Director Danny Parker has served Pennsylvania and other regions since 2010. Men's Bible study groups, interest groups, and CLC groups run throughout the year.
Young Adult Ministry, directed by Ben Bjorklund, serves people in their twenties and early thirties with weekly study groups and monthly events. A flagship gathering, Young Adult Connect, meets Mondays from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at the Wexford campus during the Fall and Spring Group season with worship, group time, and activities. The Hill at Heinz provides additional reach into the University of Pittsburgh student community.
Marriage Ministry and re|engage
The Marriage Ministry at Orchard Hill is built around re|engage, a small-group curriculum for couples regardless of how they would rate their marriage. The 14-week program is designed to reconnect, reignite, or resurrect marriage, with the primary goal of fashioning lives and marriages into a better representation of Christ and His love.
Couples meet weekly under the care of an experienced facilitator-couple, beginning with large-group teaching and testimonies from couples whose marriages have been transformed, then breaking into same-group small groups to discuss the workbook, learning to communicate, resolve conflict, and grow in intimacy. The Adult Ministry Director for Married Couples is Shawn Barrett.
Weddings and premarital preparation are coordinated through Cindi Fisher, the Care Ministry and Wedding Coordinator. Engaged and newlywed couples are required to take a premarital seminar that runs multiple times a year and combines biblical and theological teaching with small-group conversation. Weddings take place at Orchard Hill's campuses or off-site, with brochures published for each location.
The church also supports families through funerals and memorial services, walking alongside people through crisis and loss. Cindi Fisher guides families through that process as well.
Groups, Seasonal Studies, and the Discipleship Rhythm
Group life is the primary vehicle for discipleship at Orchard Hill, and the church organizes it around defined seasons. The Fall 2026 Group Season runs from late August through mid-December. Groups fall into five categories:
- Study Groups - small groups intentionally meeting for a season to grow deeper in understanding of God through study and connection.
- Interest Groups - people gathering around a shared interest with opportunity to connect with God and others.
- Seasonal Studies - short-term, non-recurring studies that focus on a particular subject, including the church's Core Studies series of twelve four-week studies designed to be completed in three years and cover the most important aspects of the Christian life.
- Care Groups - groups serving others in need and walking with individuals through difficult circumstances.
- Support Groups - biblically based groups designed to provide help and community during difficult circumstances.
Anyone interested in starting a group is invited to begin with the Discovering Orchard Hill video, become a member, watch the Group Leader Orientation videos, and submit a New Group Request Form. The orientation includes seven Scripture-based videos covering introduction, growth, relationships, opportunity, unity, preparation, and conclusion. A Group Leader Handbook and a clearance packet are available for new leaders.
Serving on Teams
Serving is one of the three membership commitments (show up, grow up, step up) and runs through multiple teams. First Impressions includes the Parking Team, Usher Team, Welcome Desk, and the Eleos Café. The Worship Arts team uses musical and creative gifts to lead services, and the audition process includes an initial conversation, a recorded video, and an in-person audition. The Tech Team supports weekend services behind the scenes and welcomes people with no prior experience. Student Ministry and Kids Ministry are also major serving environments, as are care support, church office administration, and security.
High school students can apply to the Student Serve Team, a leadership development track for grades ten through twelve that lets students shape the Sunday night ministry.
Worship Arts
The Worship Arts department, directed by Dan Shields, exists to help people find and follow Jesus Christ through music by leading them in excellent, sincere, and passionate worship using songs that communicate accurate theology and glorify God. Music Director Joe Feick oversees the broader music ministry, while David Bowens and Josh Hunt serve as Worship Leaders and Rick Gallagher leads the Chapel Worship team.
The department supports the Orchard Hill Music YouTube channel and a Spotify playlist library. Technical Director John Cornelius, Assistant Technical Director Sara Robinson, and a video production team of Josh Thomas and Thomas Wicker handle production needs across all campuses.
Orchard Hill Counseling
Orchard Hill Counseling is a Christian counseling service located inside the Wexford campus, combining professional therapy with biblical principles. The department is led by Counseling Director Ben Harrington and staffed by five counselors: Amethyst (Amy) Celuch, LCSW; Stacy Gallagher, MEd; Amy Madia, MS; Jamie Mehok, MA, NCC, LPC; and Mackenzie Westfield, MS. Counseling Coordinators Victoria Kroh and Amanda Mattone handle scheduling.
The office is open by appointment, Monday through Thursday. Monday hours run 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and Tuesday through Thursday hours run 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. The fee for a 55-minute session is $85 for individuals, couples, or families. Orchard Hill Counseling is a self-pay practice and does not bill insurance; a receipt can be provided for FSA or HSA reimbursement. A 24-hour cancellation policy applies.
The counseling team works with individuals, couples, and families on a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, addiction, anger, PTSD and trauma, identity issues, sexual abuse and addiction, marriage, parenting, blended families, grief, and life transitions. For clinical emergencies, the church directs people to 911, the resolve Crisis Network at 1-888-796-8226, the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-784-2433 or 1-800-273-8255, and several local crisis lines.
Orchard Hill Beyond: Outreach Locally and in Haiti
Outreach ministry at Orchard Hill is called Beyond and is built around the conviction that God has uniquely positioned the church to impact the greater Pittsburgh region and the world. Locally, Beyond partners with organizations such as Light of Life Rescue Mission and North Hills Community Outreach, both of which serve people experiencing homelessness, hunger, and hardship in the region. Individual missionaries and ministry workers who call Orchard Hill home serve with these and other para-church organizations throughout Pittsburgh.
Community events include a yearly Food Drive, Back to School Drive, Amen to Action meal packing, Giving Tree, and Car Show, each designed to raise awareness for local needs. Beyond also supports strategic media outreach through broadcast, online, and social media platforms.
Internationally, Orchard Hill's deepest partnership is with Hope Baptist Church in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, which it has supported since 2015. From that relationship, the church planted EBECA (Eglise Baptiste d'Elus Caoracol) in Caracol in 2016. EBECA continues to host church services, evangelical events, and a children's Bible camp that rebranded as Kids Camp and BibleFest. Medical mission trips through Dr. Wislyn Avenard, a Haitian partner, treat 400 or more patients per clinic in remote areas of northern Haiti. Orchard Hill also helped fund a four-stage water treatment plant in Caracol through the Haiti In for Thirty campaign, providing 10,000 gallons of clean water per day.
Mercy Assistance is the church's internal benevolence ministry, offering short-term financial relief for people who regularly attend Orchard Hill and are involved in the church but face unexpected hardship such as job loss, medical emergencies, or housing instability. Applications are reviewed through a process of prayer and discernment.
Ministry Partners
Beyond its local and international partnerships, Orchard Hill supports several individuals serving with para-church organizations. Brian Cook works with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as the All-Abilities Area Representative for Southwest Pennsylvania and runs a unique FCA Deaf Camp in partnership with Eden Christian Academy. Krista Frederick moved from Pittsburgh to the Czech Republic in 2023 to help build new ministries through SIM, with a focus on discipleship groups, outreach, and trauma healing among survivors of human trafficking. Todd Harris serves with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA, leading a Spring Break Rural Program in West Virginia and supporting global engagement. Lorenze Jefferson leads instrumental programs for Urban Impact Foundation on the North Side of Pittsburgh, using music as a tool to share the gospel with students and families in the community where he grew up.
The Residency Program
The Orchard Hill Church Residency is an 11-month, paid, full-time program designed to invest in young adults who believe God is calling them into full-time vocational ministry. Residents are assigned to one of six ministry areas - Adult, Students, Kids, Worship Arts, Tech, or Communications - and grow in five core areas: Devotion, Beliefs, Relationships, Vision, and Gifting. Residents earn six seminary credits, and housing and benefits are provided. Applications open in October, with preliminary interviews running November through February and final interviews in March; offers are extended in April. Residents must be at least 20 years old at the beginning of the program.
Beliefs and Statement of Faith
Orchard Hill's full Statement of Faith spells out the church's doctrinal commitments in detail. The church teaches that the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the full and final authority in matters of faith and practice, with Scripture as the infallible rule for interpreting itself. There is one true God, infinite and self-existent, in whose unity there are eternally three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - of one substance and inseparable. God sovereignly determines whatever comes to pass and has freely chosen the saints whom He wills to save in Christ.
Humanity was created in God's image, but our first parents fell into sin, and the guilt, death, and corruption of that sin are conveyed to all their posterity. The church teaches the historic covenants of works and grace, the full deity and full humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His sinless life, atoning death, burial, bodily resurrection, ascension, and present intercession at the right hand of the Father. Justification is by faith alone in Christ, and sanctification is the continuous work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The justified are assured of perseverance to the end through the continuous operation of the Holy Spirit.
Two ordinances are recognized as ordained by Christ: baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are signs and seals of the covenant of grace. The church teaches the return of bodies to dust and souls to God after death, the conscious rest of the righteous in heaven and the wicked in hell, the bodily return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and final judgment. All believers are called to observe the ordinances of the Christian faith, contribute their prayers, gifts, and personal efforts to the advancement of the Kingdom, and preach good news to the poor, release to the captives, liberty to the oppressed, and the acceptable year of the Lord.
Weekend Messages, Broadcasts, and the Plus Podcast
Weekend messages are taught primarily by Senior Pastor Kurt Bjorklund and are livestreamed every weekend from the Wexford campus. Messages are also distributed through a podcast feed available on major platforms. A 30-minute broadcast of a weekend message airs Sundays at 8:30 am on FOX 53 WPGH-TV, and a 60-minute broadcast of an entire service airs on Pittsburgh Faith and Family (WPCB Channel 40.2, plus Armstrong Cable 95 and 413) on Tuesdays at 6:00 am, Thursdays at 9:00 am, and Sundays at 9:00 pm.
Orchard Hill Plus is the church's companion podcast feed for material beyond the weekend message. It includes Perspectives, long-form discussions on culturally relevant topics from a Christian worldview; Five Good Minutes, a short daily devotional; and Best Books, a series on Christian reading. Message notes and study guides are posted weekly, with current series running through the fall.
Governance
Orchard Hill is governed by a board of elders chaired by Steve Jones, with Gerry Hickly serving as Vice Chair. The elders are Senior Pastor Kurt Bjorklund, Rob Blankemeyer, Leigh Gerstenberger, Steve Jones, Gerry Hickly, Pete Mendes, Joe Tomaro, and Anthony Webster, Sr. A Servant Leaders team supports the work of the board, with Mary Barbour serving as Secretary.
Giving and Getting Involved
Gifts to Orchard Hill support ministries across Western Pennsylvania, Haiti, and beyond. Giving is available online through Church Center, by mail or in person (offering boxes are located at the back of the Wexford Worship Center during services), through stock or asset transfer, and through free will planning in partnership with FreeWill. The Church Center app handles online giving, registrations, and group communication across every campus.
Visitors and newcomers can take a first step by attending a weekend service at any campus, joining a group during the next season, or signing up for the Friday email list through the Get Connected form. Pastoral staff are available after each weekend service at the Connect Center for questions about faith, baptism, or membership. Membership itself follows a six-step path: watch the Discovering Orchard Hill video, submit the form, watch the Next Steps Membership video, review the Statement of Faith, submit the Membership Commitment Form, and connect with a staff member to finalize the process.
Coming to a Service
Visitors are welcome at every campus. At the Strip District, expect a t-shirt and Bible app crowd, coffee before and after the service, and free parking on Penn Avenue or at FNB Bank next to the building. Services last about an hour, and a Host team is available after each service to answer questions, help with groups, or pray. Children's ministry runs alongside every service at every campus. There is no dress code beyond what feels comfortable; weekend attire is common but anything from jeans to a sport coat will fit in.