Bellevue Church observes 200th anniversary

Margaret Allison has been attending Bellevue Presbyterian Church for 80 years. "We have never compromised the basic essentials of our faith," said Margaret, who, along with her husband, Paul, has been providing historical information by portraying costumed pillars of the church from years past to celebrate the faith community's 200th anniversary. "When we look for a new pastor, we are looking for 'Do you believe in the Trinity and the resurrection?'"

Margaret's convictions about the essentials may be traced to her mother, Zelma Martha Zander, who attended Sunday school at Bellevue as a child, even though her parents did not attend church. Eventually, Zelma's husband and then her children attended. Her granddaughter Susan Houck attends, as does Susan's son, Ethan, who compared the church to a second home, calling it "familiar and safe." Susan now brings her grandson to church sometimes. "My grandmother was very quiet, but she had faith, and knew what she wanted," said Susan.

On Sunday, Nov. 5, at 10 a.m., Bellevue, 810 Newport Ave., Gap, will hold a special service including a short presentation called "Celebrating What God Has Done." Missionary and professor of theology Bruce Anderson will speak about his work in the mission field at the 9 a.m. Sunday school. He will speak at the 10 a.m. service, and special instrumental music will be provided by a group of woodwind players. Associate pastor Brad Moger will share thoughts reflecting on the 40 years Bud Davies was pastor of the church. The service will be followed at 11:30 a.m. by a reception with refreshments.

According to church historian Dale Groff, the roots of the church are found in Scotland in the 1300s when families named Maxwell, Kennedy, and Stewart united through marriage. By the late 1400s and early 1500s, a number of the clan had become Presbyterian ministers, and within about 200 years, members departed for Philadelphia, where they founded churches north of the city and near Stewartsville, N.J. In the early 1800s, Jane Maxwell started a Sunday school in Gap that attracted up to 300 participants. A house of public worship called Bellevue was built on an acre of land owned by Elizabeth Kennedy in 1823, with eight men working to dig the foundation, hauling stone and bringing boards, rafters, shingles, and more to construct the building, which was completed on Dec. 27 of that year. According to John Perella, additions were made to the north and the east sides of the building, with the section added in 1863 becoming an education wing and the eastern addition including a library and a large fellowship hall named for Davies.

Moger noted that the trajectory of the church mission is both international and close to home. "While we have always identified with a global movement, we have been re-embracing our call to be God's people in our local area," he said, noting that about 50 people from the neighborhood have been attending Wednesday night Eat-n-Meet dinners held at 5:30 p.m. to coordinate with the Kingdom Kids children's program.

Readers who would like to learn more about the church may visit http://www.bellevueepc.org.