Our Pastors and Staff

As a life-long member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Rev. Chris has a strong identity in the Disciple’s tradition.  He received his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies at Bethany College. He then went to Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University where he received his Masters of Divinity Degree. 

Rev. Chris has served in the Pennsylvania Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since 2003, first as the minister of the Christian Church of Connellsville.  During this time, he has been a counselor at Camp Laurelview and a representative on the Regional Assembly Planning Committee for Pennsylvania.  He has served as the Secretary of the Regional Board since 2014. Rev. Chris has also participated as a member of the Shalom Day Prayer Group since 2003, where he has been its director since 2013. 

Rev. Chris uses his past experiences and interests to illustrate his memorable sermons and his teachings on the gospel. Chris feels worship is essential to the church and incorporates many types of music into church services. He also enjoys gardening, reading and local sports. He is passionate about helping others know the love in Christ he has come to know.  Rev. Chris lives in South Park with his wife Jessica and children Owen and Charlotte.   

Karen Thomas is a Washington PA native. She graduated from Washington High School and Duff’s Business School in Pittsburgh, graduating with an Executive Secretarial Science Diploma. 

Karen lived in Somerset County for 25 years while her husband was a PA State Trooper.  In Somerset she worked for the Daily American Newspaper for 18 years in the circulation department and then for 5 years as the Circulation Manager.   After her husband retired from law enforcement, they moved back to Washington to be closer to family. 

Karen and her husband have 2 adult children and 1 fish.  Karen showers her love and affection on her 15 nieces and nephews and 9 great- nieces and great-nephews. She loves to cook, hosting First Sunday of the Month Family Dinners in her home. In her spare time Karen likes to tend to her many houseplants, craft and read. 

Karen likes to think that a smile can change the world and lives by the motto, Choose Happy :) .

Carson Throckmorton is a 17-year-old Highest Honors’ student at Peters Township High School.  He began taking piano lessons in kindergarten and has been playing ever since.  Carson also plays trombone in the Wind Symphony, violin and viola in the Orchestra, bass guitar and piano in the Jazz Band, and snare drum in the High School Marching Band, where he is also the Drums’ Section Leader.

Carson enjoys his Chemistry, Physics and Spanish 4 classes in school.  He has performed at Coffee House and the Library Arts Café with numerous bands.  For this year’s Coffee House, he is performing with his band, Big Big Big, and two other acts.  Carson was the piano player in last year’s high school musical, Beauty and The Beast, and is currently preparing for this year’s show, Anything Goes. 

When Carson is not hunting, fishing, riding his bike, or playing video games, he's working at Franco's Trattoria in McMurray.  He is a self-proclaimed choc-o-holic, with his favorite cookie being… yep, you guessed it, chocolate chip!  Carson holds a Second-Degree Black Belt in Nejad Martial Arts.

Carson is the son of Rob and Jill Throckmorton of McMurray.  His sister, Elisabeth, 24, is a Travel Nurse in South Carolina, and his brother, Parker, 21, is a junior at West Virginia University.  Carson also loves his 2-year-old rescue pup, Ellie.