First RPC of Beaver Falls

Location: Beaver Falls, Pa.

Presbytery: Alleghenies

Organized: Nov. 10, 1874

Membership: 130 communicant; 29 baptized

Pastor: Bruce Backensto

Web Site: www.firstrpchurch.com

History

The history of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Beaver Falls is one of church planting and church merging.

In 1874 the church was organized with 24 members. Dr. Robert James George was called as the first pastor. During his ministry, the church grew to 275 members.

In 1892, a mission Sabbath school was begun in Patterson Heights. A church was also planted that year by First RPC on College Hill and organized as the Geneva RPC on Oct. 28.

Attendance at the Patterson Heights mission work reached 103. In 1894, a chapel was built for those people. On Christmas Eve, one day before the dedication service, the chapel burned down.

In 1924, the downtown building was sold and the First RPC reunited with the Patterson Heights congregation. In 2004, daughter again reunited with mother as the Geneva and First congregations merged. The congregation now worships at the Patterson Heights location.

Ministry

In addition to morning and evening worship and Sabbath school on the Lord’s Day, the members of the First RPC of Beaver Falls are involved in various home Bible studies during the week. A midweek prayer meeting, monthly fellowship meals and psalm sings, men’s and women’s Bible studies, and monthly socials are some of the congregation’s activities.

An effort is underway to continue the tradition of church planting in Center Township, about 10 miles from the church building. Seminarian Noah Bailey has been hired as a yearlong intern to help with those efforts.

In March, the church handed out nearly 500 newsletters to the Patterson community in an effort for the church to get to know its neighbors. Movie nights have also begun as an outreach effort.

The church now posts its sermons on sermonaudio.com and has already had one listener become a member.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for outreach efforts in the community and in Center Township. • Pray for the Lord to add to the church those who are being saved through the outreach efforts. • Pray for 40 kids to attend the vacation Bible school in July. • Pray that the church’s covenant children will profess faith and sit at the Lord’s supper with the communicant members of the congregation soon. • Pray for the older saints—that each would receive from God and His people according to his or her need.