Overbrook
Presbyterian
Church

Overbrook Presbyterian Church

The Church at the Crossroads
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Worship Services

Sundays at 11:00 AM
Penn Wynne Presbyterian Church
130 Haverford Rd
Wynnewood, PA, 19096
Order of Worship
Join us for Fellowship Hour following worship.

Gatherings

Walking with Spirit
Tuesday, June 24
9:30 AM-12:00 PM
(weather permitting)
Merion Botanical Park
100 Merion Road
Merion, PA
All are welcome to enjoy a leisurely nature walk along the Merion Botanical Park trail, followed by a picnic brunch on the OPC lawn. The walk will begin at the trailhead at the Merion Septa Station, where parking is available. The trail is accessible for all; benches line the path. After the walk, all are invited to OPC for a picnic brunch. Food will be provided...and possibly music!
WePAC Tidy-Up Tuesdays
Tuesdays in June & July
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
On Tuesdays June 24, July 1, 8, 15 and 22 WePAC will be reorganizing the library at WC Bryant Elementary. If you'd like to help, contact Janet Bowker for more information.
Books Through Bars
Saturday, July 5
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Come find out what the merry pickers and packers who go to Books Through Bars already know. Contact Janet Bowker for more information.
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History

The beginnings of Overbrook Presbyterian Church go back to 1888, when a group of twenty-three souls came together in the living room of Wistar Morris, a Quaker gentleman farmer who lived on what is now the campus of Friends’ Central School. Together, they began to dream of establishing a Presbyterian church in the area, so that Scotch-Irish immigrants who worked on his farm would have a place of their own to worship.

The following year, they built a little English Gothic chapel at the intersection of two dirt roads—which would later become City and Lancaster Avenues—for the grand sum of $14,767.

Overbrook was at that time a country church. But it did not stay that way for long. Philadelphia was a growing city. The surrounding neighborhood of Overbrook Farms was developed in the 1890s, as the first planned community on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Many of the new residents moving into the neighborhood found their way to Overbrook Presbyterian Church.

The church began to grow in numbers, and in 1905 the chapel was expanded to create a larger sanctuary which is still in use today. Other building additions were soon constructed to serve the growing congregation and its many programs.

Overbrook was also growing in mission and outreach. In 1903, the church established a hospital in a remote part of what was then called Siam, a place that few from here had ever visited before, but that they felt connected to out of Christian compassion. That hospital is still there today in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and is called Overbrook Hospital.

The longest-serving pastor in Overbrook’s history was George Emerson Barnes, who served from 1922 to 1948, and helped see the congregation through the Great Depression and World War II. He was very active in the ecumenical movement, and was instrumental in the founding of the World Council of Churches.

During the pastorate of Robert T. Williamson, from 1959 to 1970, the church felt the call to start a weekday preschool. It began with just a handful of students, but today has an enrollment of 150, and enjoys a reputation as one of the finest preschools in the area.

In the 1960s, the Overbrook neighborhood was beginning to become more ethnically diverse. Some churches in the area were resistant to these changes. But Overbrook opened its doors and welcomed everyone who came. In 1968, Betty Clayton became the first African-American member to join what had until then been an all-white church.

Since that time, Overbrook has grown more diverse, and more committed to urban ministry. David McMillan, pastor from 1983 to 2001, played a vital role in Overbrook's transformation.

In recent years, Overbrook has been blessed with renewed growth and vitality, and is discovering a new identity as a multicultural congregation. Over 125 years since its founding, our church is continuing its important ministry “at the crossroads.”

For more information on Overbrook’s history, there are two volumes available in the Church Office: "The Place Where Thy Glory Dwells: The Story of Overbrook Presbyterian Church" (1958), and "Overbrook Presbyterian Church: The Church at the Crossroads" (1989). And you can click here to view a Pictorial Supplement to the History of Overbrook Presbyterian Church dated November 1963.

Donation Opportunities

  • OPC Fire Rebuilding Fund
  • Narberth Community Theatre
  • Sponsor chancel flowers
  • Giving instructions, more giving options and pledging

Where to Get Help

Pastoral Care
If you have pastoral care needs, please contact Adam.
If You Need Help
If you are in need of any help or support, please reach out to our Pastor, Adam Hearlson, our Deacons or office.

Recurring Gatherings

Adult Forum
Select Tuesdays at 7:00 PM
On Zoom
Centering Prayer
Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
OPC Office
Bible Study
Wednesdays at 10:30 AM
OPC Office
Choir Rehearsal
Thursdays at 7:30 PM
We are rehearsing in the gold preschool room of Overbrook Presbyterian Church. All are welcome, regardless of experience or skill level. For more information, contact Chris Gage.
Monthly Youth Group
First Fridays at 5:30 PM
Calling all youth in 6th through 12th grades...Join us on the first Friday of every month for fellowship and fun. Contact youth@overbrookpresb.org with any questions.

Newsletter

June 2025

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Keep connected with our community on our private Facebook Community page.

Overbrook Presbyterian Church
The Church at the Crossroads

P: 215-877-2744
E: office@overbrookpresb.org

6376 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19151

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