Overbrook
Presbyterian
Church

Overbrook Presbyterian Church

The Church at the Crossroads
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Order of Worship: September 24, 2023

Worship Services

Worship with us on Sundays at 10:30 AM and join us for Fellowship Hour following worship.
Past Online Worship Services
Watch our past online services here on YouTube.
Join our Email List
If you'd like to be added to our e-mail list, please email Carol (carol@overbrookpresb.org).

In-Person & Online Gatherings

Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 1, 2023
3:00 PM
All creatures great and small are invited to gather on the church lawn for a special blessing. Pastor Adam and Seminarian Marc welcome special companions, whether they bark, meow, sing, swish, or slither. If your companion pet is unable to travel, please feel free to bring their picture. Favorite stuffed animals are also welcome. In the event of inclement weather, the Blessing of the Animals will take place in the Sanctuary.
Kensington Project
Sunday, October 8
9:30 AM
For some time, members of Overbrook have been visiting neighbors in Kensington to deliver food, toiletry items, clothing, blankets, and more. What we also bring is the love of God. Youth will be making meals and preparing other items to deliver. We are also setting aside space in the church to collect needed items on an ongoing basis.
Fall Inquirer’s Class
Sundays, October 15 and October 22, 2023
9:00 AM
Have you been attending OPC and considering membership here? Are you simply curious to know more about Presbyterianism and how our church is organized and makes decisions? Do you want to know more about our members and opportunities to serve our community? Bring your burning questions and join Adam Hearlson in the Williamson Room for an exploration of all things Overbrook. Coffee and refreshments will be served to fortify our robust discussion. RSVP to Elizabeth Mendoza, and please let us know if you would appreciate childcare during these classes.
Taste of Overbrook Dinner & Auction
Saturday, October 21, 2023
5:30 PM
For those of you who are new to OPC, “Taste of Overbrook” is a celebration of the many cultures that bring us together. You can purchase tickets online or at Fellowship Hour on Sundays (Early Bird pricing of $5 off available through Sunday 9/24!)
Organizing this event is a big task, and the Stewardship Committee needs your help! Currently, at the top of our to-do list, is gathering items for the live auction. Perhaps you have a mountain or beach house weekend to share? Tickets to a local sporting or music event? Willingness to prepare dinner for friends? Contact Keedra Carroll with any ideas or if you would like to help gather items for the live auction.
If you have a favorite dish you’d like to make, sign-up sheets will be available on Sundays at Fellowship Hour, or you can contact Carol Rozmiarek.

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.

Click here for 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 Parish Care Associate, Sharon Parker, our Deacons or office.

Weekly Gatherings

Zoom links for all online events will be shared on email, our Realm calendar and our Community Facebook page. If you'd like to be added to our mailing list, please email Carol.
Forum
Sundays at 9:15 AM
Chapel
In-person
Formal programming for Forum is on summer break, but Coffee and Conversation will be available in the Chapel, throughout July and August. From 9:15-10:15 AM each Sunday, the coffee will be brewing and the welcome will be warm. Join us in the Chapel for fellowship and informal discussion.
Tuesday Prayer Group
Tuesdays at 7:30 AM
Online
Join us on Zoom for some prayer, connection, and support.
Bible Study
Bible Study is on break for the month of July.
Adult Choir Rehearsal
Choir is on break for the summer.
Farmers Market
Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Parking Lot
In-Person
Established in 2008, this market has a loyal following of residents in the neighborhood who make this market a regular part of their Saturday mornings.
Children's Activities
For more information on activities for children, contact Anthony.
Connect on Facebook
Keep connected with our community on our private Facebook Community page.
Using Zoom
If you have any questions about how to use Zoom, please read this info page or contact Carol.

Newsletter

September 2023

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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