Our Team
Our Team
Ordained in 2007, Brian Snyder has been our pastor since 2010. Brian is a Western Pennsylvania native who has also lived in Ohio, Oklahoma, and New York. Growing up in an evangelical home, Brian felt discouraged by religion, but in college discovered “another way to be Christian” in mainline Christianity. He has worked in some field of professional ministry since 1995. After five years managing a Presbyterian high school in Cameroon, he returned to the US to enroll in Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and prepare for pastoral ministry. While there, he married fellow student, Michelle, who is a church consultant and mental health therapist. Brian earned his doctor of ministry degree in homiletics in 2013 from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. He and Michelle live in South Fayette with their two daughters, Chloe and Greta.
Fred holds a BA in Psychology from West Virginia Wesleyan College, a Master of Divinity from the Theological School of Drew University and a Doctor of Divinity from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
He is a retired United Methodist Pastor who has served churches in the Erie area before coming to Pittsburgh to serve for 32 years as the Executive Director of the United Methodist Foundation. He has lectured nationally and authored numerous articles on The Biblical Basis of Christian Stewardship, Planned Giving and Church Administration.
His wife Amy is a life long Mt. Lebanon resident and has a deep passion for homebound ministry.
Amy is a Pittsburgh native and degreed engineer who spent several years relocating to cool cities across the country to work with various manufacturing companies. However, Amy’s passion has always been to work with children and youth, which she has done in various capacities since high school. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Amy found herself leaving the corporate world behind. She began working at Bower Hill in July 2016 as the director of children and youth ministries. Amy and her husband Craig have two daughters, Autumn and Noelle. In her spare time, Amy loves playing with her girls, listening to audio books, swimming, and spending time outside
Our Music Director, Anne Carper Smith, began her tenure at Bower Hill Community Church on January 5, 2015. She was baptized at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair by Laird Stewart. Anne is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music and studied piano and organ with William C. Evans. After college, Anne taught music in public schools in the Chicagoland area before moving back to Pittsburgh. She lives in Mt. Lebanon with her husband Andy, their daughters Leah and Caroline, and their dog Misty.
Phillip is Bower Hill’s financial secretary. He keeps the books, runs reports for leadership meetings, and works closely with the Treasurer, Finance committee, and Session to ensure the church meets budget requirements.
Kim began working as Office Administrator for BHCC in September 2021. She supports the head pastor and can be reached at the church during normal office hours. Kim has several years of experience in the administrative field. She and her husband Chris live in Canonsburg along with their 4 children, Maggie, Madison, Makenzie, and Ross.
Kathleen provides childcare for our children up to 3 years old on Sunday mornings and for other special events
Amanda provides childcare for our children up to 3 years old on Sunday mornings and for other special events
Company of Pastors
If busy mechanics, or retired mechanics, are bringing their cars to your auto repair shop, then you can be pretty sure you’re doing something right. If busy or retired pastors are attending your church, then the same thing must be true. Here at Bower Hill Church, we’ve got a group of ordained clergy—either retired or otherwise employed—who attend our worship services regularly and who help out on a volunteer basis whenever needed. This is the “Bower Hill Company of Pastors.” Currently is consists of the Rev. Dr. Betty Sykes and Rev. Fred Leasure, who also serves as our parish associate. This team of clergy fills in for Pastor Snyder whenever he is away. They also help to lead in worship, teach classes, serve on committees, make themselves available for counseling, occasionally help with pastoral care issues, and even sing in the choir. We encourage you to get to know these five volunteer pastors.
The Rev. Dr. Betty Sykes is an honorably retired member of Muskingum Presbytery (Ohio). Betty’s doctorate is in Christian education. She moved to Mt. Lebanon in order to be close to her family, but she also spends much time in Colorado.