About Us – Gladwyne Presbyterian Church

Statement of Faith

We believe God is ever present.

Though we may question, doubt, and struggle- God keeps expressing love for all creation, and for all persons.

We know this love in the person of Jesus Christ who helps us understand God and what it is to be human.

Jesus lived God’s love in his ministry of compassion to all people: well or sick, rich or poor, included or outcast.

Jesus invites all persons to experience God’s transforming forgiveness and grace, and to share new life with others, following Christ’s example.

We believe in the Holy Spirit there is an active force eternally present that moves people to demonstrate their faith.

The Holy Spirit inspires us and enlightens us, coming to us in times of need, refreshing and renewing us, and giving us courage.

We believe the church is where we seek to be faithful together and where we answer the call to help mend the world.

We come from many faith backgrounds and together we explore the questions in our hearts and support one another in growing trust.

In our ministry our constant source of strength and direction comes from the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Our History

1870

A small group of Gladwyne residents petitioned the Presbytery of Philadelphia to establish a Presbyterian Church in Lower Merion.

1874

The church was formally incorporated as the First Presbyterian Church of Lower Merion, now known as Gladwyne. There were twelve original members.

1875

A lot was purchased for $500 and a building erected at a cost of $3,000.

1941

A Sunday School addition was built by the men of the church, made possible by Reverend Joseph Harvey’s generous donation.

1943

The trustees voted to build a new church after World War II ended.

1953

Harold Milton Neufeld is called as pastor. The growth in membership required creative use of space. Sunday School classes had to be held in the town library, firehouse, Old Baptist Church, as well as the manse and Sunday School annex.

1954

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Warner offered a gift of 3.8 acres of land on Monk Road, and the decision was made to move the church to its present location.

1958

The Present building was erected.

1960

Reverend Donald G. Huston ignites the church’s passion for social justice and serves as our pastor until 1970.

1970

Reverend Howard Friend’s leadership in fostering the congregation’s inward-outward journey spans 23 years, until 1993.

1995

Co-pastors Woody and Julie Sheetz-Willard are called to lead the church.

2001

The church is served by Pastor Carol Evans LeBlanc. We are graced with caring leadership during period of transitions by Reverend’s Scott, Hinnant, Nablo, Sutton, and Valentine.

2006

Pastor Todd Stavrakos is called as pastor and leads the church to expand its ministry in the spirit of those first members, who, in 1874, organized to serve a small community seeking to be faithful.

Who We Are

On the first Sunday of each month, we have communion. Our worship style is informal. We delight in music of all kinds – traditional hymns, spirituals, classical, and jazz.

Our sanctuary is a nurturing place filled with light. It is a place where, in confusing and difficult times, we get our bearings, clarify our issues, and learn how to live with creativity, joy, and love.

For those of us unable to worship physically in our sanctuary, we are grateful to be able to keep connections strong with our weekly online offerings.

Pastor Liz Wagner

The GPC Session is excited to announce and welcome Reverend Elizabeth Wagner (Pastor Liz) to serve as our Transitional Pastor. Liz comes to us with strong pastoral, administrative and interpersonal skills, having had experiences serving as associate, solo, and transitional pastor. She most recently served at Wayne Presbyterian Church as both their Director of Finance and Transitional Head of Staff. She comes to us with a breadth of perspective, having served churches in a variety of regions of the country, including First Presbyterian Church of Logan, Logan, OH and Associate Pastor Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, Arkansas. Liz’s undergraduate education was completed at the University of North Carolina (BS in accounting) and Otterbein University (BA). A thirty-year resident of Charlotte NC, Liz attended Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte and was ordained in 2014. Over the course of her career she has served her local Presbyteries in keyways. These include as Commissioner on COM Presbytery of Arkansas- Northwest Region; Commissioner on CPM Presbytery of Scioto Valley (Columbus OH), and Commissioner on COM Philadelphia Presbytery Southwest and Southeast Regions.

Liz has also been a CPA for thirty years. For sixteen years she served as Controller for Springs Leasing Corporation, a Charlotte NC company that provided office copier leasing and rental services. Most recently Liz has served as the Director of Finance for (OIC) Opportunities Industrialized Center (OIC). Founded by Leon Sullivan, it is an organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty, unemployment and illiteracy through education and job training.

Liz wrote the following response to one of the questions on her Personal Discernment Profile: What is it about transitional ministry that energizes you? Transitional ministry claims the reality that change is constant and invites the congregation to embrace the work God is doing in their midst and journey into new mission. Ministry of change challenges the status quo, celebrates history, and promotes discussion where both the gains and losses are named. Transitional ministry proclaims God is in the joy and the trauma of change.

“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19). Transitional ministry provides an opportunity to explore the many stories of change in scripture, incorporate new worship practices that welcome change and commemorate the rituals that have supported the congregation thus far. Transitional ministry recognizes that questions are affirmations of faith. Churches embracing transition express a desire to launch a relevant version of the congregation into a changed reality and do so confident of God’s abiding love.

Liz loves Philadelphia and sees her 11th and Spruce residency keenly positioned to take advantage of all Philadelphia has to offer. Jim, her husband, a culinary aficionado, is the Director of Business Administration for the Presbytery of Philadelphia. Liz and Jim have two sons. We are delighted to be able to take advantage of all Liz has to offer as we work together to shape a new vision for our church community.