Mover & Shaker of the Month, Pastor Jay Passavant

By Paula Green

The name Passavant is certainly a familiar one to local area residents. There are Passavant hospitals in McCandless and Cranberry Townships, Passavant Retirement Community in Zelienople and Pastor Jay Passavant of North Way Christian Community Church. Yes, he is related to the famous family – as he states, “My great-great grandfather was a Lutheran minister and he founded the hospital and various other institutions. There were no other Lutheran ministers in the family until I came along.”

Pastor Jay grew up in Beaver, PA. He attended Washington and Lee University in Virginia where he earned his Bachelors degree in Chemistry. He spent two years in the Marine Corp, and he attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA, where he received his Masters and Doctorate. He and his wife Carol live in the Gibsonia area. They have three children Amy, David and Jonathan, a son-in-law, also named Jay, and two grandsons, Luke and Jack.

“Carol and I, along with eight other couples founded North Way Christian Community on March 29, 1981. We are very excited that we are fast approaching our 25th anniversary,” Pastor Jay said. The church is located at 12121 Perry Highway in Wexford.

“North Way is a safe and familiar Christian community with biblical values. We are different than other churches because we seek to make a connection with people and their needs. We are a small, interdenominational church with a lot of people,” he added.

There are approximately 3,500 active adult members at North Way and there is something for everyone. There are many different types of groups that meet, such as: men’s and women’s groups, and even groups that focus on demographic stages in life, i.e. college, singles, married couples, as well as children. For those in need, there is a counseling service, which is readily available.

“As a community, we are truly blessed. Our goal is to help people’s lives change through the grace of God, that is what sustains our church,” Pastor Jay said.

In addition to prayer services and support groups, North Way offers recreational fun. Friday evenings in the summer, the church has a Starlite Car Cruise from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the church parking lot; admission is free and it is great fun for the entire family. There is still plenty of time to check out a car cruise, since they will continue until Sept. 30.

Upcoming in mid-October, North Way will be launching a Thursday evening service targeted for young adults. Weekend services are: Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. For more information on North Way Christian Community, visit the website at www.northway.org. and to find more about their Friday evening Car Cruises visit www.starlitecarcruise.com.