Oakmont United Methodist Church

Pastor Keith Dunn characterizes Oakmont United Methodist Church members as having openness. A friendly and caring church, it is like one big family that has something for everyone. And, like a big family, it attracts others. Pastor Dunn says that newcomers are regularly seen over the year. The church not only has openness, it also has a growing outreach mindset among the members.

One thing is for sure: Oakmont United Methodist Church is busy church with a lot of meetings, programs, activities and events. Jumpstart is one such program. An after school children’s program for age four through 5th grade students, it meets every school day from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Kids even get dinner at 5:15 p.m. with dessert! Arriving from school they go right into playtime. After dinner comes group time for prayer and a lesson followed by crafts or other activities.

As part of the church’s outreach, an Alpha Course is offered to those interested in Christianity. Alpha is a very popular, low-key, fun type course on Christianity that is held in a very relaxed setting. It is held each Sunday beginning with a dinner and followed by a program that usually is presented with videos on topics such as Who Is Jesus?, Why and How Do I Pray?, and Who is the Holy Spirit?. The dinner, course and childcare are free. The church is also starting to work with Twin Boro Health Ministry, a local program.

It is often heard that churches not very exciting, but at Oakmont United Methodist Church it just isn’t true. An example of this is the yearly Mystery Dinner Theater program. This year the mystery dinner was called Castleblanka and was a near sellout. The proceeds are used for Mission Share. Along with drama is music and the church has two choirs, Chancel (adult) Choir and Youth Choir. During the summer months special music is presented each Sunday. The church also has Interpreted Dance.

The church has a youth group program for sixth through 12th grades that meet on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 3:30 p.m. There is a joint time of fellowship with games, refreshments before the group divides into junior high (6th-8th grades) and senior) 9th-12th grades) for a lesson. Katherine and Randal Burdelski oversee the junior youth and Linda Sweeny, Youth Minister, oversees the senior group. There are a lot of special activities for the youth such a short-term mission projects, retreats, movies, all night bowling and charity programs. The traditional Sunday School classes are held between services at 9 a.m. on Sundays.

A backbone of the church is the United Methodist Women. They raise funds every year enabling the church to give generous donations to many charitable organizations that focus on the needs of women and children.

Pastor Keith Dunn, Oakmont UMC

Tuesday night is set-aside for the Pastor’s Bible Study. They have been studying the book of John recently using Raymond Brown’s commentary that divides the gospel into the book of Signs and book of Glory, emphasizing the triumph of light over darkness. There is an open invitation to join the bible study at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays in the church’s upstairs lounge.

Oakmont United Methodist Church has a rich history as part of Oakmont and traces it’s beginning to 1872 when services began in a picnic grove. It was formerly organized in 1892, three years after Oakmont was incorporated.

Pastor Keith Dunn has just finished his first year at Oakmont United Methodist Church. A 1989 graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, he was previously pastor of a Beaver Falls church for five years followed by nine years at Nixon (Butler County) United Methodist Church. A native of the Canonsburg area he heard the call of God in late high school. He says that he, “wrestled with the call” while at Robert Morris University, but through friends, his pastor and prayer it became clear to him.

Oakmont United Methodist Church tragically lost their previous pastor, Tom Whitehead, to a heart attack. Pastor Keith was a classmate with Pastor Tom while at seminary. When he attended the funeral service he began to sense God calling him to Oakmont. It wasn’t too long after he received a call from the church.

Pastor Keith is married to Alice Weaver-Dunn. She is the pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Brackenridge.

Oakmont United Methodist Church is located at 419 Maryland Avenue in Oakmont. You may call them at 412-828-9499. Sunday services are at 9 a.m. (MorningStar, a contemporary worship) and 10 a.m. (summers), 11 a.m. (school year), and Sunday School is at 9:00 a.m. Visit their web site at www.oakmontumc.org

Watch the complete video interview with Pastor Keith Dunn at: