Hebron Community Center


By Doug Rehberg

Nearly two years ago Hebron launched the “Say Yes” commitment. “Say Yes” was the fruition of months of leadership prayer and work in seeking to set before the congregation a vision for ministry that would take us beyond all that had already been accomplished. Included in “Say Yes” was the restructuring of Hebron’s Session into ministry teams, the hiring of a co-pastor, the renovation of the Barclay Building, and the support of new local ministry initiatives.

At the time it was this last vision objective, support of new local ministry initiatives, that was the most difficult to describe in any meaningful detail; because we were not certain what opportunities the Lord might bring our way. All we knew was that, in the previous seven years, the Lord had enabled us to launch The Blessing Board, Lost and Found Pharmacy, and substantially enhance the ministry of PitCare through a sizable financial gift. With pressing social and spiritual needs all around us, the Session believed that it would be prudent to position Hebron financially to seize any God-given local mission opportunities that might arise beyond its walls through “Say Yes”. Therefore, in addition to setting aside $750,000 for the Barclay Building and $150,000 for the co-pastor, $150,000 of “Say Yes” contributions was earmarked for local ministry initiatives.

In the past year, a major amount of clarity has come our way, enabling us to see where the Lord is leading Hebron in the area of local ministry. Rather than seeking to create another off-site mission, we believe the Lord is directing us to use some of Hebron’s assets in a new and creative way.

In April 2019, the IRS granted approval of a new, independent non-profit entity entitled “Hebron Community Center” (HCC) . Acting under the direction of a board of directors, the HCC will seek to establish a ministry to the community using the Barclay Building. The plan is to hire a part-time Community Outreach Director (with HCC funds) to develop programming that will impact the community with the Gospel in a manner similar to what Allegheny Christian Ministry Alliance Church did in the early 1980s when they began Urban Impact.

We are already in discussion with the leadership of Urban Impact, including our own Andrew Churchill. Andrew has been an essential part of Urban Impact’s ministry to urban youth on Pittsburgh’s North Side since 2009. Whether a partnership with Urban Impact is attainable has yet to be determined; but certainly a close collaboration with Urban Impact is already happening.

With the closure of the Penn Hills YMCA and the closing of a number of Penn Hills elementary schools, the need for well-designed recreation and youth programming in Penn Hills is clear. It is HCC’s intention to work to meet some of these needs through Gospel-centered outreach programming utilizing the renovated Barclay Building while compensating the church for the use of its facilities.

You will be hearing much more about the plans and work of the HCC in the coming months. What is needed most at this point is your prayerful support.