06504
October 6, 2006
Tricentennial of American Presbyterianism celebrated
Philadelphia service marks 300th anniversary of first presbytery meeting
The Rev. Joan Gray, moderator of the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), was among those present for the tricentennial celebration. Photo by Joe Williams. PHILADELPHIA – The great cloud of Presbyterian witnesses most certainly would
have been pleased on Sunday, Oct. 1.
Peering down at the goings on inside Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church here,
they had to be smiling as they watched their offspring paying homage to them.
And no doubt they marveled at just how far their church had come in 300 years.
A colorful procession of presbytery banners, two choirs and a brass ensemble, an
array of denominational officials and a hearty crowd gathered to mark the 300th
anniversary of the first presbytery meeting in America. Held in Philadelphia in
1706, the meeting set the foundation for what is today the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.)
“You can feel the cloud of witnesses in this place,” the Rev. Joan Gray,
moderator of the 217th General Assembly, said of those early church founders. “They are with us in spirit.”
View a clip of the Rev. Joan Gray's sermon. 
“They ran the race that was set before them. We would not be sitting here if
they had not been faithful,” she told the worshippers.
Seven Presbyterian ministers organized that first presbytery, which was a
general presbytery with broad geographical boundaries. They were led by the Rev.
Francis Makemie, considered the father of American Presbyterianism.
History was brought to life through people portraying the Rev. Francis Makemie (left), considered to be the founding father of American Presbyterianism, and Benjamin Franklin (right). Photo by Joseph Williams. The other six men, all considered nonconformists in the Anglican-majority
colonial environment, were the Revs. Jedidiah (or Jedediah) Andrews, Samuel
Davis (or Davies), John Hampton, George McNish, Nathaniel Taylor and John
Wilson.
“They were religious dissidents,” said Frederick Heuser, director of the
Presbyterian Historical Society, the Philadelphia-based national archives and
historical research center of the PC(USA).
“They realized that they needed each other’s fellowship,” he said, adding that
the men gathered for fellowship, education, and for disciplining, licensing and
ordaining ministers. “They were individuals who were interested in establishing
some sort of community.”
The Historical Society, which hosted a reception a few hours prior to the Oct. 1
anniversary worship service, has in its collection the minutes book from that
first presbytery meeting.
The presbytery grew, and in 1716-17 it expanded into more presbyteries and the
first synod was created. The Synod of Philadelphia consisted of about 17
congregations.
“It’s important for us to mark significant anniversaries like this. To look back
to the past for clues or keys to the future,” said the Rev. Ed Gehres, executive
presbyter of Philadelphia Presbytery and a member of the 300th anniversary
service planning committee.
Philadelphia, Donegal, Lehigh, New Brunswick, New Castle and West Jersey
presbyteries all helped host the tricentennial event and took part in the
worship service.
Area presbytery officials, including the Rev. Ed Gehres (far right), were part of the celebration. Gehres is executive presbyter of Philadelphia Presbytery. Photo by Joseph Williams. “This glorious day is indeed the day that the Lord has made,” the Rev. Clifton
Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA), proclaimed
from the pulpit.
He remarked at how those early denomination founders, whose actions “sparked a
movement,” knew they needed one another to be faithful to Jesus Christ. They
knew they needed each other “to discern God’s will.”
View a clip of the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick's sermon.
The challenge today is recognizing that “if we want to go the distance we need
one another,” said Kirkpatrick, who noted that the celebration was taking place
on World Communion Sunday.
The sanctuary of Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church (aka Third, Scots and Mariners) was full for the Oct. 1 event. Photo by Joseph Williams. Recognition of the need for one another was especially reflected in the diverse
worship service, which included an African-American choir from Lombard Central
Presbyterian Church, scriptures read in Spanish and Korean, the call to
confession led by an ordination candidate and even comments from a Presbyterian
U.S. Senator.
“Now it is our turn. … It’s time for us to get down to business. It’s time for
us to lay aside the weights and the sins that so closely beset us,” Gray told
the worshippers. “It’s time for us to lay aside fear of risk and change.”
“If we are going to go forward we are going to have to make change our friend and embrace it,” she said. |
