Old Pine Street Church
| Old Pine Street Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Basic information | |
| Location | Philadelphia |
| Affiliation | Presbyterian |
| Status | Active |
| Website | http://www.oldpine.org |
Old Pine Street Church is a Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania built in 1768.[1]
American Revolution
Old Pine became known as the "Church of the Patriots", because many of the parishioners such as John Adams, stood with George Washington. George Duffield served as pastor from 1772 until 1790; during the American Revolution, Duffield served as a chaplain of the Continental Congress.
The churchyard at Old Pine Church is living proof of the early congregation’s historical and patriotic heritage seeking freedom from the crown of England. We count among those buried:
- A signer of the United States Constitution
- 3 Continental Congress attendees
- 2 colonial printers
- Over 200 Revolutionary War soldiers
- 1 Tory
- Ringer of the Liberty Bell
- 9 members of the Carpenter’s Company of Philadelphia
- 15 medical doctors
- 20 lawyers
- 22 sea captains
- 4 silversmiths
- 4 stonemasons
- 5 tavern keepers
- a host of tradesmen and everyday citizens.
The last body interment in the Old Pine churchyard was in 1958 for In Ho Oh, a University of Pennsylvania student, murdered in a crime of hatred. [2]
Current Activity
It is now the only remaining Presbyterian building in Philadelphia from before the American Revolutionary War.[3]
Continuing our more than 200 years of community activism, Old Piners were among the first to respond to the problem of the homeless on the streets of our city. In 1982, it founded and, in the beginning, sheltered the Philadelphia Committee for the Homeless. In 1978, Old Pine started its Saturday for Seniors (SFS) program to provide a weekend hot lunch and take-home snack for the city’s elderly — a Philadelphia first. With no charge and no means test, SFS has become a vital weekend home for more than 100 older people from all over the city. Old Pine continues its commitment to serve the poor in the 21st century. The congregation participates in a local Habitat for Humanity project in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia, joining with other Presbyterian congregations to jump start development there and in surrounding blocks. In addition, it sends members to communities impacted by natural disasters: the Gulf Coast to help the clean-up and rebuilding effort in the wake of the disastrous Hurricane Katrina; flooding disasters in Huntington, West Virginia and Towanda, Pennsylvania; Bayville, New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy.
References
- ↑ http://www.ushistory.org/tour/old-pine-presbyterian.htm
- ↑ http://oldpine.org/history/historic-colonial-churchyard/
- ↑ "The Old Pine Story". Old Pine Church. Old Pine Church. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
External links
Coordinates: 39°56′36″N 75°08′58″W / 39.94345°N 75.14944°W