Beginning on Monday, February 1st at 7 pm, GPC will begin a six week study, A Separation of Church and State?, of the Christian church’s role in the founding of the United States and its impact on the nation in its first century of existence. We will explore the faith of the colonies and the desire for separation, but we will also explore the churches in the expansion of the country, the development of evangelical Protestantism, the role of the church and slavery and the antecedents to the rise of white nationalist Christianity.

Much has been written about the early church and the development of the idea of the separation of church and state, but what was the impetus for this separation? What were the dominant faith traditions of the colonies and the early nation? How did the growth of the evangelical movement (the rise of modern Protestantism, not the contemporary conservative religious movement) coincide with the growth of the nation? What was the Christian justification of slavery in the nation? Following the Civil War, what was the theology that gave rise to such movements as the Ku Klux Klan and other white nationalist movements?

These are just some of the many topics that we will explore during this study. All are welcomed!

Prayers of recovery from Covid for Jack.

Prayers of healing for Lisa who is hospitalized with lung difficulties

Prayers of joy for Nancy after her successful surgery.

Prayers of strength and healing for Arthur who has been hospitalized for seven weeks.

Prayers of mourning for Tim and his family at the passing of his mother.

Prayers for Kenny, who was found in his home and is now hospitalized.

Prayers of safety for the men and women of the military who are serving overseas.

Prayers for Willa as she receives treatment for a ruptured disc.

Prayers for the families who have lost loved ones to Covid over the past year.

Prayers of healing for our nation and our leaders as we face many challenges.

Prayers for the memory and life of Hank Aaron

Pastor Todd Stavrakos preaching, “Having Your Life Overturned”

Beginning Wednesday, January 27th at 6:30 pm, GPC is honored to continue its relationship with Bethel AME Church. During Advent we gathered together to share in daily devotions and the desire was to continue this sort of gathering, so on the 27th we will continue. Each fourth Wednesday of the month we will gather on Zoom to continue in our fellowship.

On Sunday, January 17th GPC joined with Bethel AME Church, Beth David Reform Congregation, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Haverford Friends Meeting, Or Zarua Synagogue for a service to witness to the work and legacy of MLK and his dream of racial justice.

For those who missed the service or if you want to watch it again, it can be found on here.

Prayers of healing for Lin.

Prayers of safe travel for Brianna as she travels to New Mexico

Prayers of strength for Harold who is on a ventilator

Prayers for peace and calm in our nation.

Prayers for students and teachers returning to school.

Prayers for peace and understanding.

Prayers of health for Ruthanne and her family as they struggle with Covid

Prayers of recovery of Linda and Nancy.

Prayers for Lauren as she recovers from Covid.

Prayers of joy for John and his mother as she turns 90.

Beginning on Tuesday, January 5th the Bible Study will begin the study of three different writings that are considered Gnostic Gospels. There has been much written about the Gnostic Gospels, which were discovered about 70 years ago, although they were written in the centuries after the Resurrection of Jesus. The name, gnostic, comes from the Greek work which speaks of wisdom or knowledge. The gospels claim to contain the needed wisdom or knowledge that one needs to truly believe in Jesus. While the some of the material deserves study, others do not.

Over the next few weeks, we will study the Gospels of Thomas, Judas and Truth. In addition, if you would like to read an introduction to the Gnostic tradition, click here.

All are welcomed to join us at 10 am on Tuesdays on the GPC Zoom site.