|
 An old brick church on Walnut Street in Royersford is home to a “somewhat new” type of ministry for the Spring-Ford area.
Gethsemane Tabernacle of Hope is a “multicultural, Christ-centered, loving place of worship,” explained the Rev. Everett Slater, pastor. “We’re somewhat new to the community,” he added.
Church members invited area residents to get to know them recently at a Community Day, complete with flea market, clothing giveaway, face painting, door prizes, puzzles, games, moonbounce, hot dogs, tomato pie, lemonade, cookies and music.
The congregation moved to the Royersford facility about six years ago from Philadelphia. What brought them here? “Capital L, Capital O, Capital R, Capital D – the Lord,” Rev. Slater remarked. Most of the members already lived in the Spring-Ford area, he explained, so when the church, former home to Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church, came on the market, “it was a godsend.”
With fewer than 100 members, “we’re a growing church,” Rev. Slater said. “This is a developing work in this area.”
“We have something geared for everybody in the family,” he noted. The second and fourth Fridays of every month feature an evening just for men. The fourth Wednesday of each month is family night, with movies, games and discussions. The church also offers women’s groups, youth groups and even senior citizen groups. “We have games for those who can run and sit-down games for those who can’t,” Rev. Slater quipped.
Every Sunday morning begins with praise and worship at 10:30, followed by the morning service at 11. “We’re lively,” Rev. Slater said. “You come here, expect to enjoy the Lord in a rejoicing manner. We’re like David. David danced before the Ark. We like to dance for the Lord.”
The neighboring residents have been very receptive of the church, he noted. “People like to hear our music,” he said, explaining that on Sunday mornings the church plays soothing, inspirational music which can be heard throughout the neighborhood, and people have told him how much they enjoy that.
And where does the name come from?
Rev. Slater explained Gethsemane, where Jesus went to pray, represents “a place where you can come and pour out your soul to the Lord.” The tabernacle was a place of worship, and this tabernacle is “where men can meet God and God can meet men without being interrupted.
Finally, hope is an intangible, what keeps up holding on. “Hope gives us something to look forward to, a promise, because all of our hope is in Jesus.”
To learn more about the church, call 610-948-0411.
|