Cross Roads Presbyterian Celebrates its 200th Anniversary with a Fun, Family Festival

By Paula Green

No matter what denomination you are, churchgoers know it’s not the brick and mortar that makes a church, but rather its people. This year, the congregation of Cross Roads Presbyterian Church on Wexford Road in Gibsonia is celebrating a major milestone. Two hundred years ago, Scotch-Irish Presbyterians bought land in Pine Township for just 20 cents an acre.

By 1826, the newly formed church building was called a “meeting house.” Initially referred to as X-Roads, the name was eventually spelled out. Cross Roads Presbyterian was the first church of any denomination within Pine Township. It was the eighth Presbyterian Congregation north of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers.

The church property was deeded for use by the church and the school. The log church and the first brick church were used as a school until 1870, when a separate school building was erected on the church grounds. It was named Cross Roads School. In 1956, the school was remodeled into a four-room Children’s Chapel for use in Sunday School. In 1960, one of the rooms was converted into a church office.

On the evening of May 23, 1971, Cross Roads experienced a tragedy when a fire broke out in the furnace room. The church’s interior was severely damaged, resulting in $50,000 in losses. The Pittsburgh Bible Institute kindly offered their facilities, so church services were held there for the next three years.

Groundbreaking for the new church took place on April 1, 1973, and the first service was held on Palm Sunday, April 7, 1974. Since then, Cross Roads has continued to grow and thrive.

“We may be a small church in terms of membership, but we’re very active in supporting local missions like the Lighthouse food bank, Mars Home for Youth, and Hosanna Industries. North Country Meals on Wheels has been part of our church for decades. We also started a Blessing Box during the pandemic to help anyone who needs extra groceries,” said Patty Baylor, who serves on the Session at Cross Roads on the membership committee.

“We organize social events like progressive dinners, trips and events for our members, women’s tea parties, and special gatherings during church seasons like Lent and Advent. The membership committee takes care of our shut-ins. Stem Steps preschool rents space here. Bakerstown and Gibsonia Presbyterian were mission churches that were planted from Cross Roads,” Patty said.

On Saturday, September 19, Cross Roads Presbyterian Church will celebrate 200 years of faith with a special anniversary festival. The big event will take place from 2 to 6 pm at 3281 Wexford Road in Gibsonia.

The festivities will include game booths, a petting zoo with a petting pig, a balloon artist, and plenty of food trucks. Musical groups and singers will perform all afternoon. There will be a community hymn sing. The 200th anniversary celebration is free, and everyone is welcome! 

Mark your calendars and come celebrate with Cross Roads. For more details, visit www.crossroadsgibsonia.org or call (724) 935-3636.