First African Presbyterian Church in West Philadelphia, which grew from a street-corner ministry to become the first Black Presbyterian church in America, is celebrating the 200th anniversary of its founding by a former slave.
According to an 1857 history by William Catto, John Gloucester was a body slave to the Rev. Gideon Blackburn of Tennessee, who saw Christian leadership potential in him, and brought him to Philadelphia in 1807 to meet with the pastor of Third Presbyterian Church (now Old Pine).
Gloucester began preaching at the corner of 7th and Bainbridge (then Shippen Street) in May, 1807, according to Catto. Within a month, he had attracted 22 people and the work of organizing the church began. Blackburn freed him to pursue his studies in the ministry, and Gloucester became the first ordained African-American Presbyterian minister, serving as pastor of First African Presbyterian Church until 1822. The first church building was located at 7th and Bainbridge. It has had three other homes since, at 17th and Fitzwater Sts., 18th and Christian Sts. and its present location at 42nd St. and Girard Ave.
The Rev. Barbara Ndovie, with the church since December 2001, is the first female pastor in its history.
An anniversary banquet is planned for Saturday, May 19, at the Hilton City Avenue. Channel 6 news personality Vernon Odom, whose wife, Wanda Motley Odom, is a second-generation church member, will be the keynote speaker.
He will describe societal conditions during the early 1800s when the church was formed (only 30 years earlier, some slavery still existed in Pennsylvania) and compare the needs of the black community then with its needs today.
First African Presbyterian — considered the mother church for all black Presbyterians — played a key role in Black America’s history, says Odom.
Her thesis for a master’s degree in social work, The Church as a Social Welfare Institution, detailed the history of mutual assistance at black churches — noting some of the ministries of First Presbyterian: child care, litera¬cy education and housing, and a Wednesday afternoon service when anyone is welcomed to come for meal and a message.
Elizabeth Dunston Nolan has been active in the church since it was at 17th and Fitzwater. At 88, she is president of the Gloucester Memorial Society, which maintains records and Dunston Nolan outside First African Presbyterian. sends them to the Presbytery of Philadelphia to assure that the Black America’s history, says Odom. church history remains current.
Anniversary Sunday services the next "We have been doing everything for morning, May 20, will feature, as guest the community, whether they belong to speaker, the Rev. Mark Lomax, pastor of the church or not," said Nolan, a mem-First African Presbyterian in Lithonia, ber since 1933. "Serving people is what Ga., and his choir will perform. God intended us to do. At one time, we Delegates to the National Black even housed the homeless."
Presbyterian Caucus, July 11-15 at the Sheraton Society Hill, will convene at the church July 15 for a special tribute.
