Three Sunday Mornings on Washington Road
Westminster Presbyterian Church sits on Washington Road in Upper St. Clair, a quiet South Hills suburb south of Pittsburgh where the church has lived since the late 1940s. From its sprawling building on the hill, the congregation serves about 1,300 members and a wider circle of neighbors through three Sunday morning services, a busy Wednesday evening schedule, an early-childhood school, and a recreation center that anchors much of the church's outreach to the community.
Sunday is the center of life at Westminster. Three services give the congregation room to choose a style of worship that fits a particular week. At 8:30 a.m., a smaller traditional service gathers in the Sanctuary, with the same order of worship that runs at the later service, minus the full choir. June through August, weather permitting, the 8:30 gathering moves outdoors into the north courtyard. At 9:30 a.m., the contemporary service called The Bridge fills the WROC gymnasium with a praise band, more casual dress, and a children's message woven into the liturgy. At 11:00 a.m., the second traditional service fills the Sanctuary again, with the Chancel Choir in full voice. The 11:00 service and the Bridge are both livestreamed on YouTube, and bulletins and sermon manuscripts from every Sunday are archived on the church's sermons page.
A Congregation Rooted in Upper St. Clair
Westminster's story began in the summer of 1946, when its founding pastor, Dr. John H. Galbreath, a Marine Corps chaplain who had served at Iwo Jima during World War II, began knocking on doors in the growing suburb of Upper St. Clair. The first worship service drew 118 people on September 22 of that year. Ground was broken in August 1948, and the southern wing of the present building was dedicated on October 2, 1949. The church grew quickly through the 1950s, and the current Sanctuary was dedicated on November 1, 1959. A new north wing followed in 1991, and the last major addition came in 1995 with the opening of the WROC, the Westminster Recreation and Outreach Center.
From the start, Westminster has been active beyond its own walls. The congregation helped to found South Hills Interfaith Ministries and has hosted or sponsored a wide range of community groups over the decades. Mission outreach has reached into the South Hills, the City of Pittsburgh, and several countries, including Haiti, Malawi, and India. The Westminster Endowment and Special Gifts Fund, established in 1995, has grown from about $217,000 in 1994 to more than $4 million in 2024, providing a steady stream of support for mission, property, and special projects.
Westminster is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is a member congregation of Pittsburgh Presbytery. Each year, the church pays a per capita apportionment for every active member to the presbytery; the 2026 amount is set at $40.00 per member.
What to Expect When You Visit
Visitors are welcomed with a single, repeated line across the church's introduction: "Whoever you are and whoever you are becoming, you are not only welcome here, but invited to be a part of this community and share your God-given gifts." The Sunday morning routine is designed to make a first-time visit as straightforward as possible.
Parking and entrances are well signed. For the 8:30 and 11:00 Sanctuary services, worshippers can enter through Door 1 or Door 2 (both with steps), Door 13 (no steps), Door 10 with ramp access to the Sanctuary, or Door 20 with an elevator that reaches the upper levels and the Sanctuary. For The Bridge at 9:30, the easiest entrance is Door 23, a flat entrance that opens directly into the WROC. Door 6 leads to the Gallery Entrance, the church offices, and Galbreath Chapel; those needing step-free access to the offices can use Door 3 in the south breezeway. Door 15 serves the preschool with a flat entrance, and Door 20 reaches Fellowship Hall and the elevator.
Dress at Westminster is up to the visitor. The Bridge tends toward casual, ranging from shorts and sandals to business casual, while the traditional services at 8:30 and 11:00 typically draw business casual attire. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month. At the 8:30 and 9:30 services, worshippers come forward for intinction, taking a piece of bread and dipping it into the cup. At 11:00, servers pass trays of bread and cups through the pews. The cup holds grape juice, and gluten-free bread is available in white paper cups at every service. Anyone who claims Jesus as Lord and Savior is welcome to receive the elements.
Accessibility runs deep at Westminster. Accessible parking spaces are available outside Doors 6, 10, 15, 20, and 23. Large print bulletins and hymnals sit on a credenza in the narthex at the back of the Sanctuary, where ushers will help locate them. In-ear audio devices that amplify the sanctuary sound system are also kept in a basket on the same credenza. Children are always welcome in any service, and a Wiggle Room is available for the youngest worshippers.
Coffee and snacks are part of the morning. For the Sanctuary services, the snack and coffee station sits just inside Door 10 at the north entry. The Bridge service keeps a table of coffee, lemonade, and treats along the back wall near the AV cart.
Pastors and Staff
The Rev. Jason A. Freyer began serving as Westminster's Senior Pastor and Head of Staff in the spring of 2026, after a long and personal road back to the congregation where he first served as a youth ministry intern in 2005. A graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, ordained in 2016, Jason came home to Westminster after pastorates at Laboratory Presbyterian Church and Beulah Presbyterian. He is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Ministry program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the University of Edinburgh, with a focus on Reformed Theology. He lives in Bethel Park with his wife Sarah, their twin sons Joshua and Julian, and their dog Kona.
The Rev. Laura Bentley serves as Associate Pastor, a role she began in 2024. A graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary ordained in 2017, Laura previously pastored a new worshipping community in Pittsburgh Presbytery and served as associate pastor at Southminster Presbyterian Church. She lives in Mount Lebanon with her husband Ed, their two children, and two dogs.
Richard Norris III serves the congregation as a seminary intern. Jo Forrest, the previous Senior Pastor, preached her final sermon at Westminster on Easter Sunday 2026, with her last day in the role on April 30.
Around the pastors, the staff team includes Faith Kemmler as Director of Christian Formation, who oversees children's and family ministry and holds a Master's of Arts in Christian Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary. Debb Egli, a Westminster member since 1984 and a veteran of twenty-six years working with children at the church, serves as Assistant Director of Children's and Family Ministry. Valerie Marraccini joined the staff in 2026 as Membership and Formation Coordinator, teaching the Kids' Connection PreK-2 class on Wednesday evenings and supporting baptisms, weddings, and Realm records. Laura Baumann Ecklin serves as Director of Youth Ministry, and Harrison Burgess, a Westminster member since 2008, is the Youth Ministry Coordinator and also serves as a contemporary worship leader at The Bridge.
The music program is led by Christine Hestwood, who joined Westminster as Assistant Director and Youth Choir Director in 1996 before stepping into the director role. She holds degrees from Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University. Lorraine Milovac is Assistant Director, Jim Burns is the organist, and Lauren Moore coordinates the music for The Bridge. Emily Shubilla directs volunteer engagement and hands-on mission projects. Kathy Long directs the WROC. Jack Kelly is Director of Finance and Operations. Liz Heslin has been part of WROC's early childhood programs for more than forty years.
Children, Youth, and Confirmation
Westminster's Children and Family Ministry exists to help families nurture their children's faith in Jesus Christ from birth through sixth grade. The teaching happens through Bible lessons, scripture, activities, worship, songs, outreach, prayer, and Christian example. On Sunday mornings, the Nursery cares for the youngest children, Sunday School meets during worship hours, and the Wiggle Room gives wiggly preschoolers a place to settle in during the service. On Wednesday evenings, Kids' Connection gathers PreK-2nd graders, and JAM, Jesus and Me, gathers 3rd through 6th graders.
Each summer, Barefoot School VBS transforms the church into a one-week Bible school for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade. In recent summers, the program has used the Snowball Mountain Challenge curriculum, where kids become Challengers in a winter sports event complete with frosty games, snowy surprises, and the lovable Ollie the Arctic Seal puppet. The week is paired with a mission project, often the Food 2 Go effort that packs weekend food bags for food-insecure children during the summer.
Youth ministry at Westminster centers on Veritas, the high school youth group that meets Wednesday evenings during the school year from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Families are welcome to come early for dinner at 5:15 for $10 a plate. The name Veritas comes from the Latin word for truth, drawn from John 8:31b-32: "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." The evening mixes games, worship, prayer, and discussion about what it means to follow Jesus in the world today. Annual registration is required.
Confirmation marks the moment when students make their faith their own. At Westminster, students in 10th through 12th grade are invited to participate in a series of classes held in the fall and spring. After four sessions, students are presented to the Session with their statement of faith and confirmed during Sunday worship.
Adult Spiritual Development
A long list of adult groups meets throughout the week, both at the church and online. The Westminster Seminars meet Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. in Galbreath Chapel, with a Zoom option for those at home. Each series focuses on a thoughtful Christian conversation led by an expert in the field. Recent topics have included a recap of the PC(USA) General Assembly in Milwaukee, oral histories of wives of Vietnam servicemen, the Barmen Declaration and Belhar Confession as landmarks of prophetic witness, and the work of restoring Westminster's pipe organ. Sessions are recorded and made available on the church website.
Two monthly book groups meet on the church library's calendar. The WPC Book Group meets from 12:00 to 1:15 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month from January through May and September through November, choosing books that speak to the spiritual journey. The Tuesday Evening Book Group meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Memorial Parlor. The Tuesday Reading Group meets monthly at 7:00 p.m. in the Memorial Parlor, and books are drawn from a wide range of genres.
Several Bible study and prayer groups meet weekly. The Men's Small Group Bible Study gathers Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. in Room 231, working through one book of the Bible at a time. The Tuesday Morning Men's Group meets Tuesdays at 7:00 a.m. in Room 238 and rotates leadership around a wide variety of discussion topics. Fishers of Men meets Fridays at 6:30 a.m. in Room 231, having worked its way through more than forty books on social issues, trends, and personal faith since the late 1990s. Centering Prayer, a silent prayer practice, gathers Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom.
Women have several regular touchpoints. LIFT, Ladies in Fellowship Together, meets Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Memorial Parlor and works through books that apply faith to daily life. Women 2 Women meets biweekly on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon in Room 238. The Westminster Single Women's Group meets monthly on the last Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. for a happy hour and dinner, with other fellowship activities throughout the year.
Two short-format discussion series draw a wider crowd. One Hit Wonders gathers on occasional Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m. in Fellowship Hall for a meal and a one-evening conversation on a topic that doesn't lend itself to easy answers. Wired Word meets at 6:00 p.m. in the Memorial Parlor on a rotating schedule, pairing current events with Scripture.
The Labyrinth, located in the South Courtyard near the Columbarium, is open year-round for prayer, centering, problem solving, walking meditation, reflection, and inspiration. Two canvas labyrinths are also available for indoor programs. The church library, filled with books and other resources for all ages, includes a children's section and a place for the book groups to gather.
Music and the Arts
Music is one of Westminster's calling cards. The Chancel Choir sings at the 11:00 traditional service, with younger voices joining through the Junior Choir and the Cherub Choir. Christine Hestwood, who holds a Bachelor of Music from Duquesne University and an MFA in Conducting from Carnegie Mellon University, has built and grown the program since taking over from her mentor Bill Evans. She has served as Music Director of the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and Assistant Conductor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, collaborating with the Grammy award-winning conductor Robert Page. Lorraine Milovac, now in her twentieth year as Assistant Director of Music, is also the Director of the University of Pittsburgh Treble Choral Ensemble and Artistic Director of Belle Voci, an adult community choir. Jim Burns has played the organ at Westminster since 2004, having first played a church service at age 12.
The Bridge Contemporary Service is staffed by Lauren Moore, who chooses the songs together with Associate Pastor Laura Bentley and Youth Ministry Coordinator Harrison Burgess, who also serves as a contemporary worship leader. The music at The Bridge ranges across contemporary praise and worship, with a praise band that often includes family members of the staff.
Westminster's grand pipe organ is the subject of a two-phase restoration campaign called Sustain the Sound. The project reached its fundraising goal, and work is underway to restore the instrument for the next generation of worship.
Care and Support
Care at Westminster is rooted in the verse from John 13:34 that opens the Care and Support page: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." The Deacons, a lay ministry team, organize many of the church's caring ministries.
Grief Care is a faith-based grief support group facilitated by the Deacons and held in the spring and fall. The fall session meets on Wednesdays from 6:45 to 8:00 p.m. in the Memorial Parlor. Sessions include help for navigating the emotions and questions of grief, Scriptures and biblical support, and an opportunity for personal reflection through sharing experiences with others. Grief Care is free and open to members and non-members alike.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry, called Knit in His Spirit, gathers on the first and third Wednesdays of every month from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Mt. Lebanon Galleria outside of Panera. Volunteers knit or crochet shawls and lap robes that are given to persons who are ill, have suffered a loss, or are amid a life crisis. Baby blankets made by the group are given to children at their baptism at Westminster. Beginners and experienced needle workers are welcome.
The Prayer Ministry Team meets every other Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to noon in the Memorial Parlor, praying for the church's ministry, the community, the nation, and the world, and for those in hospitals or facing other concerns. The Deacons also lead Meal and Card Ministries, reaching out with support, encouragement, and practical care when members of the community face illness, surgery, grief, or other needs. Three blood drives are organized each year with Vitalant in February, May, and September.
Counseling is available on site through the Samaritan Counseling Center, an ecumenical non-profit that provides one-on-one counseling for adults, children, adolescents, couples, and families, along with spiritual direction, grief support services, group seminars, and retreats. The center is fully accredited by the Samaritan Institute in Denver and accepts most major insurance plans, with fees adjusted based on gross income. To schedule an appointment, call 412-741-7430.
Worship at Home provides printed worship materials, including the written sermon and bulletin, to those who cannot be present. Pastoral support is available through the church office, with three simple online forms for prayer requests, hospital visits, and a request for a pastor to call.
Mission and Outreach in the South Hills and Beyond
Westminster's mission work is shaped by the priority on its Who We Are page: "Seek justice, without exception." The church's work in mission and outreach is motivated by the desire to salve the wounds where people hurt and driven to courageously seek the change that will make the community stronger.
The South Hills Interfaith Movement, SHIM, is one of Westminster's longest-standing partners. SHIM operates food pantries serving neighbors in Baldwin-Whitehall, Bethel Park, South Park, Keystone Oaks, Mt. Lebanon, and Upper St. Clair. Westminster accepts food donations year round in SHIM boxes in the Gallery, Welcome Center, WECEP, Fellowship Hall lobby, and WROC. Each fall, the youth sponsor a SHIM food drive, and volunteers can also package food at SHIM, garden at Gilfillan Farm through the Gilfillan Garden for SHIM, or support the Make-A-Meal Ministry for Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church.
The QuicKits project, designed by Westminster's youth, fills reusable bags with essential items for people experiencing homelessness: toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, travel-size soap and shampoo, mini bottles of water, new gloves and socks, and hand warmers. Assembled kits sit in the Narthex and the WROC, ready to be handed out. Westminster has assembled more than 500 QuicKits to date.
Food 2 Go fills the gap for children who depend on school breakfast and lunch when school is out for the summer. The church's goal is to give one take-home bag each week to almost 200 food-insecure children through their local churches, schools, libraries, and day cares for eight weeks, totaling nearly 1,700 bags. Donations of tuna or chicken foil packages, Pop Tarts, cereal, individual serving packages, Fruit-by-the-Foot, applesauce pouches, and Easy Mac cups are collected throughout the summer.
Other partnerships include Rise Against Hunger, with 300 Westminster volunteers packaging 40,000 meals in a single morning for distribution through schools and orphanages around the world; Living Stones, which serves dinner on Sundays in neighborhoods with limited access to food; Street MOMs, supporting women experiencing homelessness in Wheeling, West Virginia; Meals on Wheels at the Crossroads, where volunteers bake treats, decorate Easter eggs, and prepare blizzard bags for seniors; and the Washington County City Mission, supported through clothing and shoe donations and volunteer trips. Since 2011, the Bair Foundation Gift Drive has provided Christmas presents for more than 300 foster children served by the Bair Foundation in the local area.
The Refugee Resettlement Team welcomes refugee families to the community, offering help with housing and furnishings, assisting adults in securing employment, and helping children enroll in school. The team supports new arrivals through their transition and integration.
WROC: Recreation and Outreach
The Westminster Recreation and Outreach Center, the WROC, opened in 1995 as the last major expansion of the church's facilities. Kathy Long directs the WROC, drawing on a background in social work and corporate employee assistance. The WROC's programming extends Westminster's reach into physical, mental, and spiritual health, with group exercise classes, a Parkinson's fitness program that incorporates non-contact boxing drills and balance training, and a Christian-based cardio fitness class that combines movement with contemporary Christian music and prayer. The Bridge Contemporary Worship Service uses the WROC gymnasium for its 9:30 gathering.
Westminster Early Childhood Education Programs
Westminster Early Childhood Education Programs, WECEP, has been part of the church's ministry for more than forty years. Liz Heslin, who has served WECEP as a teacher, education director, and now office manager, anchors the program. WECEP serves young families in the community through early childhood education and connects Westminster's life to many families whose children attend the preschool.
Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals
Baptism at Westminster is one of the two sacraments celebrated by the church, along with the Lord's Supper. The church baptizes infants and young children as well as adults. When parents present their children for baptism, they profess their own faith in Christ and promise to raise their children in the faith until they are old enough to make their own profession. Adults who have not been baptized receive the sacrament upon making their profession of faith. Baptisms typically take place on the third Sunday of the month.
A Christian wedding at Westminster is understood as a worship service growing out of a community of believers. At least one member of the couple will profess faith in Christ and participate in the life of the congregation. Couples begin the process with a Wedding Information Form, after which a date is held temporarily on the church calendar and finalized once the couple has met with one of the pastors.
At funerals and memorial services, Westminster gives thanks and praise to God for the gift of life, seeks God's help in time of need, witnesses to the hope of the gospel anchored in the resurrection of Christ, remembers the life of the deceased, and offers support and comfort to the grieving. Families connect with the Rev. Laura Bentley for information and support.
Becoming a Member
Anyone curious about joining Westminster is invited to an Inquirers' Gathering, held periodically in the Yahweh Café. The session covers what it means to be a member, how to join, and answers questions about Westminster and the Presbyterian Church. The next gathering can be registered on Realm, the church's online community platform.
Westminster Recreation and Outreach Center
Beyond its fitness programs, the WROC hosts community events and serves as a gathering space for the church's ministry to the wider Upper St. Clair community. The center's work complements the church's mission of physical, mental, and spiritual health for people of all ages.
Giving, Realm, and Staying Connected
Members and friends can give online, by text message, or by mail. Online giving is processed through MyWPC/Realm Connect, the church's online community powered by ACS Technologies. Recurring gifts can be set up online, and the church office accepts checks made payable to Westminster Presbyterian Church. The church's finance office also accepts designated gifts for the per capita apportionment, special projects, and the Westminster Endowment and Special Gifts Fund.
MyWPC/Realm Connect keeps everyone in the loop. Members have a personal profile, can join small groups, RSVP to events, track giving, update contact information, change family details, and set notification preferences. The free Connect - Our Church Community app is available for iPhone and Android. Privacy settings are managed through the profile, and the church no longer prints a member directory due to high costs.
Those who prefer to stay connected by phone can text alerts through a short-link sign-up, and a weekly email newsletter keeps subscribers current on what is happening at the church. The Facebook group for the congregation and the Instagram feed for @wpc_pgh offer two more ways to follow Westminster's life. The Veritas youth ministry also maintains its own Instagram at @veritasyouth.
Westminster's Pillars of Identity
Four priorities guide the congregation's life. Accept everyone with love: witness the deep affection among members and the sense of belonging to one another and God through Westminster. Inspire wonder and meaning, from the vibrant music offered in worship to hearing Jesus' stories with an open heart, the tender children's message during The Bridge, to packing food bags together for someone who is hungry. Seek justice, without exception, motivated by the desire to salve the wounds where people hurt and driven to courageously seek the change that will make the community stronger. Energize the next generation through honest conversations, silly games, and constant care that encourage a little one's imagination to feel Jesus' love.
Westminster Presbyterian Church on Washington Road is at its heart a community shaped by these priorities: a 1946 congregation that has grown into a 1,300-member church, a preschool, a recreation center, a robust music program, and a web of mission partnerships reaching across the South Hills of Pittsburgh and around the world.