HISTORY
St Matthew's Lutheran Church-Crafton has been a cornerstone of the Crafton community for over 120 years. We are dedicated to spreading the love of God and our neighbors through worship services, Bible studies, and other unique activities.
History
1903-30
St. Matthew's was established on September 3rd, 1903, by 16 charter members. That same year, the Wright brothers received a patent for their airplane, and both the Ford Motor Company and Pepsi were founded. By 1904 the growing church had decided to build at the corner of Lincoln and Steuben. In 1906 the self-described "modest" brick building was completed for $10,000. It was a good first decade; the membership grew from the original 16 members to over 80 families. St.Matthews had renovated the church building and passed a motion to build a parsonage and Sunday School building on the church property. In the early years the church reached out to many community organizations. Special collections were held for the Home for Epileptics, the Zelienople Old Folks Home, Zelienople Orphans Home, Boy Scouts, Jewish Missions, Near East Relief and the Thiel college Library Fund. In July of 1923, St. Matthews agreed to provide up to $1.00 per member per year to support 1 hour per week Bible study in the 6 grads of the Crafton Public schools. The beginning of WW1 and the Spanish Flu were turbulent times of the church. The flu epidemic was noted in the church council minutes because the forced closure of the churches for 4 weeks had an adverse impact on St. Matthews receipts. The other major impact was the depression during the 30's. Within months of the stock market crash in October 1929, plans for new buildings were shelved, property was sold, paid positions were eliminated, and charitable giving both to the synod and to local charities hall precipitously. Receipts in 1932 were down 41% compared with 1927. The willingness to make the tough decisions during the depression resulted in a church that was once again growing and expanding by the end of the 1930's.
1940-50
On September 5, 1940, St. Matthews made the decision to construct the current structure, designed by A.W. Steinmart and built by the J. O. Burgwin company. Every expense was carefully considered; at one point, they contemplated using brick veneer instead of the current stone to save $594.10. Exactly five years after the dedication of the current building, the mortgage was paid off. During the 8-month construction period, the congregation gathered in the Kroger storeroom at 65 Station Street. Construction was completed by May 25, 1941. One week later, Pastor Teichart entered the army as a chaplain and was temporarily replaced by Pastor Ellis Burgess. Rev. Teichart's health led to his early discharge from the military in May 1944, and he returned to St. Matthew's in September 1944. The 1940s and 1950s were considered the golden years for churches in general, and St. Matthews flourished. Attendance surged to 300 for holidays and 150 at regular services. New member classes often comprised 15-30 people, and Catechism classes typically had 15 or more children per year. The 1950s and 1960s were also prosperous. Membership continued to grow, with attendance regularly exceeding 200 by 1961. The Sunday School boasted 25 teachers and 135 active pupils, along with 39 inactive pupils. With the church in a solid, stable condition, Pastor Teichart announced his retirement on October 6, 1960, pending a replacement. On April 14, 1961, Pastor Bieber formally accepted the call, marking the end of Pastor Teichart's 33-year tenure.
1960-70
The early 60s marked the beginning of a slow decline for St. Matthews. Despite the slowing growth, many believed it was temporary, and plans were made to purchase the house next door for Sunday School classrooms, along with approving major expansion plans for the building. However, between 1968 and 1973, the church realized that the building expansion would be affected by declining membership growth and revenue shortfalls. Additionally, there was a shift in religious attitudes towards public education in America. St. Matthew transitioned from sponsoring religious education and approving religion teachers in public schools in the early part of the century to the 1964 Supreme Court decision outlawing prayer in schools. By the beginning of 1972, attendance had fallen by 31 per week over a decade, making investments crucial in the budget process. In response to the challenges faced by the church, St. Matthews underwent numerous changes. In 1965, a bell carillon was donated, and a guest carillonneur, C. Martin Staub, was invited for the dedication. Other changes included modifications to communion options, hymnals, first communion age, number of services, altar position, basement finishing, and handicap accessibility. Plans for a Sunday School building were altered to include the construction of a parking lot instead. Another significant change was the rejection of a proposal to allow women to serve as ushers.
1980- Current
The 1980s and 1990s were decades of accelerating change. Attendance decline became a persistent concern, dwindling from 123 in 1980 to 102 by 1995. In response, social programs like "Coffee and Conversation" were introduced, providing discussions led by church members or experts (judges, doctors, lawyers, etc.) on pressing topics. The shepherding program, overseen by Willie Cruise, a council member, ensured that every member had a connection by assigning them to a "flock" for support. During this era, the Lutheran Church Women (LCW) played a crucial role, organizing projects, social events, and support services quietly yet effectively. In 1990, St. Matthews Lovable Brats was launched, offering after-school assistance and activities. Children's programs expanded, including a choir and sermons tailored for them, while traditional church practices like the live nativity were revived. Unfortunately, as the decade drew to a close, participation in our services waned. Pledges declined significantly, dropping from covering 80% of the budget in 1988 to 30-40% by 1992, resulting in budget shortfalls and delayed benevolence payments. To address these challenges, we collaborated with other churches, sharing pastoral expenses to alleviate financial strain. This partnership enables us to face future challenges collectively and maintain our focus on our mission and ministry in the Pittsburgh area. Currently, Pastor Jin is serving both St. Matthews and Crafton United Presbyterian Church.
