The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Christian Church is one of the oldest and largest denominations founded on American soil, having its beginning in 1832.  Today there are 4,400 congregations across the United States and Canada with a total membership of over 1.2 million.

Within the Christian Churches there are four levels of organizations: congregational, district, regional, and national.  Individual churches are congregational in policy with the people selecting their own leaders and sharing in important decisions.

The symbol of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a simple red chalice bearing the cross of St. Andrew across the left side of the bowl.  The color red signifies vitality, spirit and sacrifice.  Long associated with the disciples of Christ as a symbol, the chalice points to the centrality of the Lord's Supper in the life and worship of the Disciple.  Thus, a weekly Lord's Supper open to Christians of all persuasions has been characteristic of the church from its beginning in the early nineteenth century.  The Cross of St. Andrew, national cross of Scotland, focuses attention on the Presbyterian roots of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  Thomas and Alexander Campbell, our founding fathers, both studied in Scotland and were Presbyterians.  They drew many of their ideas from developments that took place in that country.

The Christian Church of Connellsville

The Christian Church of Connellsville was organized in 1832. The first building was completed in 1845 on East South Street. The congregation grew steadily, and it soon became necessary to have a larger house of worship. The new building was dedicated in 1874. In 1897, the building was sold, and the site the church now occupies was purchased. In 1898 the current building was dedicated. Since that time a number of improvements and additions have been made to the building.

The signature aspect of our building is the stained glass windows found throughout. All together there are 129 stained glass windows, many of which contain symbols that richly describe the nature of Christ, the power of God, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. We have included pictures of many of the windows throughout this website for your enjoyment and invite you to see come and see them all sometime.

The true history of the church, however, is not told by recounting the buildings occupied. Rather, it is the story of people worshiping and working together in fellowship with Jesus Christ.

As we face the future, we desire a fellowship where people are spiritually fed and have an enthusiasm to build the Church of Jesus Christ, not for a day, but always.

Our Beliefs                                                                        Jesus Christ is the son of God and the personal savior of all who accept and obey him.
                                     
The Holy Spirit is sent by God to all followers to provide strength, support, and guidance in our lives.                                                          The Bible is the Word of God and is a guide for Christian thought and action.                                       

The Church is the Body of Christ and includes all who profess faith in Jesus Christ and is the place where followers come to gain support in the faith and guidance in interpreting the scriptures.

The Lord’s Supper is the center of our worship and is celebrated each and every Sunday. All Christians are invited to partake in communion with our Lord.

We believe and practice baptism by immersion. However, in union with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we welcome as members all who have been baptized in other ways as well.

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is dedicated to Christian unity. Using the New Testament as a guide we seek union upon this common ground.

Each individual in our communion has access to God without intercession by a priest or minister.

Freedom of individual thought is important and is the right of each Christian in all areas beyond the commands of scripture. To this end we say, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things charity."

The ethos of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is the marriage of faith and reason.

We are dedicated to making Jesus Christ known. Therefore, in our worship, fellowship, and outreach we seek to present the claims of Christ so that he may become the Lord of our lives.

Our Pastor, Rev. Chris Stillwell                                                       This picture taken on the day that our regional minister, Rev. Darwin Collins, dedicated Owen Alexander Stillwell, the son of  Rev. Stillwell and his wife, Jessi.

The picture below was taken on the day that our regional minister, Rev. William Allen, dedicated Charlotte Bethany Stillwell, their daughter.

The Reverend Chris Stillwell was educated at Bethany College in Bethany, WV where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies and then at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX where he received his Master of Divinity Degree. He came to the Christian Church of Connellsville in 2003 following pastorates in Big Sandy, TX and Chapel Hill, WV. He also spent four years as a campus minister at TCU.

A lifelong member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he was born and raised in Wheeling, WV and spent a great deal of time in Southwestern Pennsylvania. His wife, Jessi, is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and also attended Bethany College where they met, fell in love, and married. They have one son named Owen Alexander and a daughter named Charlotte Bethany.

Rev. Stillwell enjoys the majestic autumns, long summers, stunning springs, and quiet winters of the Laurel Highlands, and is proud to work towards establishing God’s Kingdom in a land so richly blessed by God’s bountiful beauty.