Our History
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
TIMELINE
HISTORICAL PROLOGUE
· Matthew 16- I Will Build My Church…
· July 1, 1643- February 22, 1649 Westminster Assembly and the adoption of the Westminster Confession of Faith- see An Anglican Renewal Movement (J.I. Packer)
· 1705- The first Presbytery was formed reflecting the efforts of first Presbyterian minister, church planter, Francis Mackem
· 1716- The first synod, the Synod of Philadelphia was formed including the New York Region
· 1729- The Adoption Act Synod of New York
· 1786—The First Publishing of Westminster Shorter Catechism in New Haven
· Jonathan Edwards- “The Presbyterian way has ever appeared to me most agreeable to the word of God and the reason and nature of things.” (The Life of Jonathan Edwards, Timothy Dwight, quoted in Charles Hodge, Constitutional History the Presbyterian Church in America, p. 412)
SUMMER OF 1991
· A “serendipitous” trip across the L.I. Sound
1991-1992
· Fall 1991: The Formation of a “High Gospel-High Church Vision: A Thursday evening Bible Study in the Westville area of New Haven
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Eph.1:22-23
· Spring 1992: The Birth of a Church Planting Strategy
The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.
Prov.16:9
· October 1992: Preston Graham Jr. Commissioned by as an Evangelist (church planter) by the Northeast Presbytery, PCA
· 9:30 AM, October 11, 1992: First Covenantal Worship Service and the establishment of a “Mission Church” at Amity Regional Junior High School, Orange CT. Sermon text: Matthew 28:18-20. In attendance were 28 people, children and adults combined.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Mathew 16:18-20
1993-1994
· 1993: Sermon Series in Ephesians, Establishment of Sunday School, Mid-Week Study Center Congregation of 22 adults and 26 children
· Spring 1994: Sermon Series in Jonah and reaffirmation of a vision to be a “Center City Church” in New Haven reaching both New Haven proper and greater New Haven.
· August 1, 1994: Rental of the basement level office at 383 Orange St., New Haven to become the pastor’s study and church study center.
· August 28, 1994: the Sunday worship was relocated to the Neighborhood Music School located at 100 Audubon Street.
· 4:00 PM, November 6, 1994: Special Service of Organization of the Northeast Presbytery at 100 Audubon St. New Haven. Evangelist Preston Graham Jr. was installed as Pastor, George Levesque, Cliff Bogue, Rob Hawkes were installed as Ruling Elders.
1994-1995
· Characterized by many wonderful evidences of spiritual growth. 7 adult professions of faith and membership up to 77 with weekly worship attendance averaging 140.
· Plans being made to plant a daughter church in Providence R.I. with CPC pastoral Intern Melvin Sensenig.
1996-2000
· September 5, 1997: Christ Presbyterian Church purchased for a Study Center and future site of worship 135 Whitney Avenue. The aging 1850 Gothic Revival Cottage was purchased at a price of $400,000. (Designed by Architect Jackson Downing and featured in his The Architecture of Country House (1850) under the design title “A Symmetrical Cottage Design # 7.” Described as combining “the beautiful with the good”, the design was commissioned by Esra Reid, President of the Bank of New Haven, for his aging parents. In 1922, the cottage was sold to its second owner, Father Riggs, the first Catholic chaplain assigned to Yale University and founder of St. Thomas Moore Chapel.) CPC became the 4th owner and her members initiated a sacrificial effort to restore and renovate the existing cottage in conformity to its original design lasting several years with significant costs measured in both sweat and financial equity.
· Summer of 1998: Begin worshipping in the Marquand Chapel at the Yale Divinity School.
· Fall 1999: the church hired an associate pastor of college ministry, Tom Morrison, to assist in ministry with Yale students especially.
· Fall 2000: the church hired a part time Music and Worship Arts coordinator, Dan Kellogg, toward developing greater participation and excellence in Sacred Music.
· Congregation grows to 190 weekly attendance
2001-2009
· April of 2001: after two years of legal, political, financial and architectural preparations, there was a ground breaking at 135 Whitney Avenue for a future Sanctuary of Worship. (Architect: Paul Pozzi and Associates, Owners Representative: Hugh Hedges, Attorney: Steven Mednick)
· April 2002: God’s power evidenced in human weakness, including a miraculous and unexpected gift of $850,000 at a moment when the project seemed all but lost, the building project was granted a temporary certificate of occupancy right on time for the first worship service on Easter Sunday, albeit with concrete floors and unpainted walls exposed.
· August 2005: Commissioned David Hutchinson along with several CPC families to plant a daughter church in Danbury CT
· Summer 2007: began Bible study in Hill community.
· Spring 2008: Church Commissions artist Makoto Fujimura for the chancel art for permanent location on the wall of the Chancel.
· Fall 2008: The initiation of a multi-congregational vision for reaching New Haven and the commissioning of Rev. Tolivar Wills to establish a CPC congregation in the Hill community following two summers of mission activity in the Hill previously.
· October 10, 2008: A Public Service of Dedication Upon the completion of the Sanctuary and “building” phase of 135 Whitney Ave., New Haven CT.
· August 2009: Worship Services of CPC in the Hill, a second congregation of CPC, began in the Boys and Girls Club at 230 Columbus Avenue.
