Covenant News

Two Dreams, Two Extremes, One Vision

PITTSBURGH, PA (May 4, 2005) - A mutual friend introduced pastors John DeLancey and Tim Smith. As a result, the churches they pastor – from very different neighborhoods – are working together.

Keystone (Center of Life) Covenant Church is located in the inner city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was received into the Great Lakes Conference at its recent Conference Annual Meeting. The church that DeLancey pastors, Stoneridge Covenant Church, is much older - formed in 1886 and located in the middle class Pittsburgh suburb of Allison Park. The accompanying photo shows DeLancey (left) and Smith.

DeLancey's congregation was looking to plant a church, while Smith was interested in affiliating with a larger ministry. "I didn't want it to be an independent church," Smith says. When the mutual friend (who worked alongside Smith in the pastor's other job and attended Stoneridge) brought the two together, they began to explore the possibility of doing ministry together.

"As clear as clear can be, this developed," DeLancey says. "It was different from what we were thinking," he adds about his congregation's original plans. Stoneridge already had investigated the possibility of planting a church in an upscale neighborhood, but abandoned the idea when it became apparent that the area already had plenty of churches.

Smith says he was impressed with the Evangelical Covenant Church. "For the Covenant to go after diversity no matter the challenge - that said a lot to me," Smith noted. Keystone already is involved in a number of outreach ministries in its community, and Smith desires that the congregation be multi-ethnic.

The two have grown closer to each other, which has been a model for the two congregations. "I consider John my friend," Smith says. "Nothing is as contagious as an example." The congregations have worshipped together and social outings are planned. Members of both churches still are learning about each other's culture, the pastors say, adding that it is a process for everyone to feel comfortable.

But both congregations also are excited about the partnership. Stoneridge started in an urban community, so even our older members were excited," says DeLancey. "We almost didn't even have to work on the vision."

DeLancey and Smith each emphasize the ministry between congregations flows both ways. Stoneridge and Keystone have a lot of offer and learn from each other, they say.

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