Elkins Park RP Church

Location: Abington, Pa.

Presbytery: Atlantic

Organized: Dec. 5, 1850

Pastor: John Edgar

Membership: 15 communicant, 11 baptized

Web Site: www.phillyrpc.org

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Our History

Elkins Park RPC began as the 3rd Church of the Covenanters in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, Pa. About 50 years later the congregation moved to Franklin and Dauphin Streets in North Philadelphia. The church moved to Elkins Park, just north of the city, in 1959. Our oldest member, Clara McClay, joined the church through the Sabbath school program in 1936!

Elkins Park is one of the inner, older suburbs of Philadelphia, and covers parts of Abington and Cheltenham Townships. The congregation was officially disorganized for lack of elders in the fall of 1998. However, the congregation persevered and, with the help of the Lord and many willing preachers, continued to hold worship services every week. By the fall of 2001, the Lord had raised up three men to be elders—Duran Perkins, Mike Jessop, and John Edgar. The congregation was formally organized once again on Sept. 23, 2001. John Edgar was called to be the pastor in November 2002.

Our Ministry

Psalm 127 is especially fitting for the congregation at the moment, as families are being built through new children. Buildings are being repaired and renovated. Pray that the Lord would build His house and ours.

Members of the congregation meet on Tuesday for a men’s meeting, on Thursdays for prayer, and on Sundays for Sunday school and worship. As our largest age group is from 0-10 and promises to grow further over the next year, Sunday school is a growing part of our ministry. The men work together on construction projects. This past summer saw a wonderful conference at White Lake Camp with the Hazleton and Broomall RPCs. As for other aspects of our ministry, as one member says, “the monthly meals are excellent.”

We are blessed by friends from Broomall RPC, Hazleton RPC, and Bordentown APC who join us for our monthly Sunday evening psalm sings. We have also reached out to our neighborhood through cohosting a blood drive, holding yard sales, and inviting our neighbors to Christmas events.

Prayer Requests

1) That we would reach our friends and neighbors with the gospel. 2) That the Lord would lead us to know and serve our neighborhood effectively. 3) That issues related to the congregation’s two buildings would be resolved successfully. 4)That our large proportion of children would grow in faith and love.

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Trivia

In 2001, the average age of the new session was 28.7. We’re curious if anyone knows of a younger set of elders.