St. John's Burry's Church
ABOUT US
Come Worship With Us!
We are an independent church located 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We are Evangelical and Reformed in doctrine. We believe that the “good news” of the Bible is that lost sinners are saved by grace alone, through faith alone because of Christ alone. If you live in the Beaver County area or plan to move to our area of beautiful Western Pennsylvania, we invite you to pay us a visit and see for yourself what wonderful things God is doing in and through our church family. If you would like more information about Burry’s Church, just fill out our contact us form and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.
What We Believe
The Trinity
We believe in one God who eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Bible
We receive and hold the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God, and as the only infallible rule and standard of faith and practice, according to which all doctrines and teachers are to be judged.
Jesus Christ
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death and atonement, bodily resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father.
Mankind
We believe that man, created in the image of God, was tempted by Satan and fell, and because of his consequent depravity, requires regeneration by the Holy Spirit for Salvation.
Marriage
We believe that marriage was instituted by God to be between one man (by birth) and one woman (by birth) as the foundation for the family..
Salvation
We believe that salvation consists in the remission of sins, the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and the gift of eternal life, received by faith alone, apart from works.
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer empowering him to live a godly life and grow in sanctification.
The Second Coming
We believe in the imminent, visible, personal return of Jesus Christ in power and glory.
Resurrection and Judgment
We believe in the resurrection of the body, the eternal life of the saved and the eternal punishment of the lost.
The Heidelberg Catechism
We believe in the doctrine taught in the Heidelberg Catechism and require our youth to be instructed in that document.
Our Mission
Our Highest aim is the worship of God in spirit and in truth, the advancement of the Christian Life through the preaching of the Gospel, the administration of the Holy Sacraments, and Christian instruction in Church and School.
OUR STAFF
John Fanella
Senior Pastor
John Fanella has been in pastoral ministry for over 25 years, and has been the Senior Pastor of Burry’s since January 2021. He is on the Board of Directors of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC). He has also served as Chaplain of the Day for the North Dakota House of Representatives, President of a regional Ministerial, and has served on numerous ministry boards and denominational committees. Pastor John is the author, editor, or contributor of a dozen books including, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Made Easier to Read (P&R Publishers), The NIV Pastor’s Bible (Zondervan), Pastoral Ministry in the 21st Century (Group), and The Heavenly Footman (The Billy Graham Association). John has been married to his beloved wife Cheryl for 29 years, and they have three children and two grandchildren.
John Fanella
Senior Pastor
Stacie Aland
Church Secretary / Office Manager
Born and bred at Burry’s, Stacie knows more of the ins and outs of the church than many others in the church, making her an asset to the team. She and her husband, Kevin, have four children and in addition to her work and volunteering at the church, she is a professional dance instructor.
Stacie Aland
Church Secretary / Office Manager
OUR HISTORY
Est. 1835
Founding
In 1835, a group of German farmers founded St. John’s German United Evangelical Protestant Church. They purchased an acre of land from Jacob “Swiss” Burry, meeting in his home until the first log-church was constructed. As a result, the church acquired the nickname, “Burry’s Church,” a nickname that, after more than 185 years, has stuck. So, while officially we are “St. John’s Church,” many in the community simply know us as “Burry’s Church.”
First Pastor
Burry’s founding pastor was E.F. Winter, a German Reformed pastor who was called to America due to the need of pastors on the frontier. Pastor Winter would be responsible for founding or serving nearly a dozen churches in this region but would serve as pastor here at Burry’s from his arrival in 1835 until his retirement in 1880.
Buildings
The log church that was built in 1835 served the church until 1859 when the second church was built. The congregation worshiped in the second sanctuary until 1928 when, having outgrown the second church, the church building in which we currently worship, was built. Many additions and improvements to the building and property have been made since that time.
Affiliation
Burry’s was a part of the “The German Evangelical Protestant Movement,” which thrived along the Ohio Valley between Pittsburgh and St. Louis for about 100 years. However, as many of the German Evangelical Protestant churches began joining with denominations, Burry’s Church chose to remain independent, while also staying committed to our historical roots. Today, we still do not belong to a denomination. We are “congregational” in government and are committed to the beliefs and principles of our reformation heritage.
The Future
Our history helps keep us grounded as we move into the future. While challenges have always existed, we seek to continue to stand firmly within the evangelical and reformed heritage as we shine a beacon of light and truth into this world around us. We know from where we have come and look forward to where God is taking us; come join us in that journey.
contact info
Phone
(724) 452-6941
Email Address
secretary@burryschurch.org
Church Address
1835 Route 68
Rochester, Pa. 15074