FAQ’s

pastor_john_edgar
1. May I come to your service?

All of our services are open to everyone. You do not need to be a member, or a Christian, or an American citizen. You are most welcome to come. There is no fee for attendance. You are invited to come, worship God, hear the gospel, and get to know us.
2. When are your services?
Our Sunday morning service begins at 11:00 a.m. and usually lasts until 12:10. Our evening service begins at 6:00 p.m. and usually lasts until 6:45. Our prayer meeting is every Thursday evening at 7, and usually also meets in the church building. Our young adults meet Friday evenings at 6:30 at church. The men meet the first Saturday of the month during the school year, and we eat lunch together the first Sunday of each month. Each of these meetings is open to all who wish to come and participate.
3. Do you have a Sunday School?
Yes, it meets at 10:00 a.m. and has classes for children and for adults. After an opening greeting, classes meet from 10:05 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. (No Sunday School during July and August.)
4. When do you observe the Sacraments?
We observe the Lord’s Supper the first Sunday of each month. All may watch, but only baptized believers who are members in good standing of a Bible-believing church are served communion. Ask to meet with the elders before the service if you wish to commune. Baptism is observed whenever someone is ready for baptism, either an adult convert or a child of members.
5. Do you have a nursery?
Yes, there is a room available which parents are free to use or not use as they choose. If you will want to leave your children in the nursery during the service, ask to meet the aide when you arrive. During Sunday School there are classes for children two and up.
6. Does your schedule change in the summer?
In late June we usually replace the Sunday School with a time of prayer and praise. We return to our regular schedule just after Labor Day.
7. Who are the pastors?
Our pastors are John Edgar and Hunter Jackson. Before becoming our pastor in 2002, John taught middle school math in Hatfield, high school math and history in Philadelphia, and math, history and religion courses at Peirce College. He attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and also has earned degrees from Swarthmore College and Temple University. Hunter grew up in South Jersey, attended Liberty University and Cairn University, and graduated from Westminster Seminary in 2022.
8. Who are the elders?
Our elders are Michael Jessop and Duran Perkins.
9. Who are the deacons?
Our deacons are Emil Nahm and Bob Allmond.
10. How does the whole congregation conduct its business?
There is a congregational meeting on the last Saturday in January to hear reports from the pastor, elders, treasurer, and deacons; approve a budget for the year; and deal with any other business. The congregation also calls its pastor and elects its own elders and deacons to a permanent office.
11. What are your doctrinal standards?
As part of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, we subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism. To these the Reformed Presbyterian Church has added a Testimony which speaks to issues not before the church when the Westminster Standards were written. We also have a Directory for Worship, a Book of Discipline, and a Book of Church Government. These standards provide us Biblically sound guidance and consistency of practice
12. To what larger church body does your congregation belong?
We are part of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Synod of North America. Under that Synod, we are part of the Atlantic Presbytery. The RPCNA belongs to the National Association of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches. As of 2009, it no longer belongs to the National Association of Evangelicals.
13. What avenues of service are open to your members?
a. Praying for each other, especially for our children, and for needs around the world;
b. Teaching a Sunday School class, helping care for the church grounds, being hospitable to one another and to visitors, visiting the sick, leading the singing, recording, copying, and uploading our weekly worship services, witnessing about Christ to family and friends;
c. Helping other ministries, such as White Lake Covenanter Camp or Alpha Pregnancy Services in Philadelphia.
14. What do you expect of members?
All of our members believe in Jesus Christ as their only Savior and accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God. We have promised to worship God weekly with the church, read our Bibles and pray, observe the Sacraments, tithe, serve one another, and listen to any necessary admonitions from the church. Families should pray together regularly; workers should work diligently and honestly.
15. What is your congregation’s history?
We are the continuation of the Third Church of the Covenanters, organized in Philadelphia in 1851. We moved to Elkins Park in 1958.