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Message from the Pastor |

February 2001:

Anniversaries are good things.  
Anniversaries give us the opportunity to focus our thoughts on the beginning, reminisce over how
things were, and take stock of where we are today in light of the hopes and dreams that were.

I find the story of this church's history fascinating.  It begins in the 1740's as Scottish immigrants
in what is now Delaware, Chester, and Lancaster counties petitioned the General Associate Synod of
Scotland to send them a minister.  They had needs.  They were here to stay. They wanted to
practice their Presbyterian faith. 

In 1753, the Kinross Presbytery recruited a person who was willing to follow the Lord's leading into
"the New World"   the American frontier   Chester County.  The folks that settled here west of
Philadelphia were a hearty lot.   By design,  William Penn set up a  "buffer zone" between his beloved
Philadelphia and the savage natives who didn't always understand how the King of England had the
right to say who could live where. 
But, that's another story.

In 1753 The Reverend Alexander Gellatly, newly ordained, arrived at New Castle, Delaware.  He was
accompanied by a more experienced pastor who was to return home after a year of helping the
younger pastor get things started.

Within a year a congregation was organized at Oxford, Pennsylvania, and became known throughout the
county as a center of faith.

For 173 years folks gathered at the Oxford church celebrating Christ's presence in their lives, expressing
thankfulness for their blessings, remembering the ceremonies of their lives, and being the Body of Christ.

After 173 years, circumstances in Chester County changed.  The influx of Irish and Welsh over the years  
with their own traditions and churches   led to a proliferation of Presbyterian churches in the immediate area.
The congregation prayerfully decided that the cause of Christ's ministry could best be served if there were
less separate individual church buildings to maintain.

In 1926 the congregation of the Oxford United Presbyterian Church petitioned the Presbytery to dissolve the
church, sell the assets of the church and enable a new church to be started among a new and growing
population.

The development of Drexel Hill was just beginning. Some of the earliest people moving into the new suburb
wanted a church in their neighborhood   as a center of faith   giving witness Christ's Presence and  anchoring
the community to the glory of God.  

By January of 1927, 47 residents of Drexel Hill petitioned the Presbytery of Philadelphia to organize a new
church.  The money from the sale of the Oxford church was used to build the first building   which we use
today as the chapel.

I often think about those 47 people, wondering about their hopes and dreams at the time.
Did they think their work might last another 173 years?   Did anyone venture to guess what it may mean to be
faithful in the year 2001?  

On the wall in my office is a photograph taken in June of that first year, 1927, of the first "Children's Day" at
the new Presbyterian Church.  There are at least 73 children in this picture!    
Where did all those children come from?   
Clearly, those folks in 1927 had their priorities in order.   

As we look ahead to our 75th  year of ministry in Drexel Hill (our 248th year of continuing ministry), Let us find
our focus and our priority for continuing Christ's ministry for another 75 years.
Be with us Sunday as celebrate our past, our present,  and our future.
See you in church, 
          Clyde E. Griffith

In our sacred text, the one we call Emmanuel (which means God Is With Us) said,
"I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly!"