About & Leadership

Located 20-minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, we directly serve people in real need, from providing space and workers for the West Deer Food Bank to nurturing children through the Deer Lakes Nursery School, to welcoming mentally and physically-handicapped neighbors (and their caregivers) to worship every Sunday through our Faithful Followers service. We have active mission partnerships with churches in northern Haiti, Malawi, Africa and rural West Virginia.

Sundays energize our people as we worship in three distinct services, each with its own style and feel. Children and families of all kinds participate in these services through music, drama and creative interaction. Enlivened by this worship, members and friends thrive. Our large, inviting campus bustles nearly every day and night of the year. Our people possess a myriad of gifts and talents as we serve Jesus Christ in practical, hands-on ways.

Rooted in rich history dating back to 1850, we seek to live into the dynamic future God has planned for us. The wind of God's Spirit blows constantly at East Union , making this church an exciting place to grow in faith.

Rev. James Ramsey

Pastor James has served East Union since 2004. He acts as Head-of-Staff, Mission Coordinator and Moderator of Session (the governing board of Elders.) He previously served churches in Watertown, New York (1991-1996) and Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania (1997-2003).

Leadership

RAMSEY, Rev. Jo_ Associate Pastor of Fam

Rev. Jo Ramsey

Pastor Jo has served East Union part-time since 2007, first as Director of Children's Worship. She began work as Associate Pastor of Family Life in 2011. She coordinates all children's programming, including our Summer Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, and programs throughout the year. She also writes and directs an annual Christmas Pageant. She previously served Magee Women's Hospital as a Spiritual Care Provider (1997-2005 periodically). Before becoming a pastor she served as a social worker in the fields of adolescent parenting, hospital care and domestic violence.

Mindy Young

Mindy has served East Union since January 2023. She serves as our Administrative Assistant and is also our Financial Secretary. She staffs the Revenue Advisory Team and manages our social media platforms. Mindy is also our Executive Director of Walnut Woods Summer Camp and BASE program. Before joining the East Union team, She worked in accounting and was a general ledger reconciler for FIS.

Mike McCormick

Mike has served East Union since 2008 as Maintenance Custodian. Mike works full-time at Cook Medical and part-time at East Union. Mike staffs our Board of Trustees and is very busy fixing stuff, maintaining equipment, mowing and cleaning.

Support Staff

Pearl Campbell

Pearl has served East Union part-time since 1975 as our Housekeeping Custodian. Pearl cleans, straightens, organizes, water gardens, and generally keeps the church campus sharp and clean.

Elders

East Union is governed by a board of 10 elected and ordained elders, who are members at East Union. These elders, together with Pastor James, make up the Session, which charts the course God is calling the church.

Rev. James Ramsey, Pastor
Carol McCaskey, Clerk
Doug Blinn
Wanda Blackwell
Patricia Martinez
Sue Vresh
Jared Hawk
John Burk
Keith Russel
Dawn Spence
Teresa Williams

Deacons

East Union is led in its care ministry by a board of 7 elected and ordained deacons, who are members at East Union. These deacons watch out especially for the sick and the homebound, but serve the church and community in a variety of ways.

Jan Blinn
Meaghan Parsons
Robin Tarbi
Bonnie Braun
Jeanne Walter
Shari Smallwood, Mod.
Denise Winter

Trustees

East Union is guided in the stewardship and maintenance of its buildings and grounds by a board of 6 elected trustees, who are members at East Union. These trustees work tirelessly to take care of our facilities, to improve them, and to make them more energy-efficient.

Mike Maher
Mary Runas
Tom Crawford
William Runas
Rich Rusek
Kevin Vresh