Your Hometown Church…faithful in tradition, loving in fellowship, reaching for tomorrow

In the closing decade of the 1800s there were two new Reformed (Presbyterian) Congregations founded in the hamlet of Mars. There already was a Covenanter cousin on the green, but in those days the roots from the "Old Country" still held sway. The Presbyterian Church in the USA was built next to the Covenanters, and the United Presbyterian Church of North America was begun where we now worship. The differences obscured over the following century, but an easy contrast would be to say that the Presbyterians were mostly English in heritage while the U.P.'s were almost exclusively Scottish and Scots-Irish. In pursuing the differences with one further generalization, the Presbyterians were merchants and owners while the U.P.s were farmers and workers. As the generations passed, the young had little interest in maintaining their ethnic roots, and the differences disintegrated so that by 1958 when the two national denominations merged, appropriately in Pittsburgh, there was little reason for competing congregations to continue across the street from each other in the same town.

To the everlasting credit of those two congregations, there was a merger in the spring of 1969. Under the lead of Reverend Joseph E. Heckel, who shepherded the new congregation through its first year of organization, some things were accomplished that have been a blessing in our policies and witness. With the merger we truly became a community church. The reason we have clung to the name, "Mars United Presbyterian Church," is not out of loyalty to the old denomination but because with the merger we were truly "united."

In 1970, Robert B. McCrumb, II was called to serve Mars United Presbyterian church after having begun his career in Coraopolis and Stoneboro churches.  Rev. McCrumb was a graduate of New Castle, PA high school, Muskingum College and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.   Rev. McCrumb helped initiate many of the programs and institutions that are so much a part of Mars UP today.  The irrepressible "idea man", RB as he is affectionately known, not led, but challenged and stimulated over a generation of Mars Presbyterians.  He delivered many, many thought provoking sermons, often illustrated with with book quotes from his voracious reading. RB also was a major advocate of heavily using the church kitchen and many programs were centered around food and fellowship at the church.  RB not only tended to his flock of parishioners but also to his flocks of real sheep as he maintained a successful side vocation raising sheep.

In 1974 a major renovation was done in the larger, present sanctuary. From the Presbyterian Church woodwork, pulpit, and pipe organ, given by the J. C. Trees Family (Treesdale), were incorporated, drastically changing the worship center. Over the years a constant upgrading has been a priority. In like manner, there was a commitment to strive to keep up and use the other structure by the bank. Costs were high and parents didn't like the idea of unsupervised children navigating the distance between the two structures. In keeping with the requirements of the deed, in the late eighties the two buildings in the park (We had bought the vacant Covenanter building.) were returned to the heirs of the original donor. We bought the Eshbaugh house at that time and use this structure for our office and Sunday School classes.

At the beginning of our second century, in the late nineties, it was decided that we needed to expand our building. The minister suggested that we move to a location where we would have more room for parking and activities. The idea was trounced. The sentiment of our membership was that this was where we have worshiped, married, baptized, and buried. This is our home, and here we will stay. The beautiful addition of classrooms was built and an elevator installed. The rooms were fully decorated and paid off in short order. So, here we are, continuing our century old stake in Mars.

On June 26, 2005, 40 years to the day from his ordination in the Presbyterian Church, RB McCrumb, II retired as pastor of Mars UP Church.  He has been appointed Pastor Emeritus in recognition his long, faithful and successful leadership of the church.  Assuming the spiritual leadership in the church will be Rev. John Rickloff, who had been serving as co-pastor of the church along Rev. McCrumb.