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In the spirit of God’s inclusive love,
we come together to worship and rejoice, to encourage gratitude and wonder,
so our congregation and the larger community will love and care for all creation.
We believe our calling is to be the body of Christ —
to live with love and grow in God’s grace together.
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2727 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 845-6830
office@stjohns.presbychurch.net
Directions
St. John's: A Brief History
The Centennial Notes: 1907-2007
Presbyterian History
1907 Fellowship Hall Groundbreaking
Junior Choir (long-time member HelenDole, on right, end of 3rd row), ca. 1946
St. John's
Presbyterian Church
Following the devastating earthquake and fire that destroyed much of San Francisco in April of 1906, many families moved to the East Bay after losing their homes in the tragic event. Some of these new residents joined about 100 people from the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley to consider the formation of a new congregation.
On May 15, 1907, these people petitioned Presbytery to establish a new church in Berkeley, and, on June 16, 1907, this church was officially organized by the Presbytery. Many of the first members of this new church who had come from San Francisco brought with them a cherished memory of the St. John's Presbyterian Church there along with a hope that its pastor, Dr. George G. Eldridge, might be influenced to accept the call to be the first pastor of our new church in Berkeley. On November 10, 1907, Dr. Eldridge did indeed accept a call to be our pastor and brought with him one sentimental stipulation: that the new church be called St. John's.
Services were held temporarily in Stiles Hall (the University YMCA) until all the structures needed to serve the church could be built.
After eleven years of faithful service, on October 9, 1918 Dr. Eldridge became a fatal victim of the great influenza epidemic that began sweeping across our country. Although the church remained in heartbroken bewilderment, a retired minister in his eighties, Rev. E. S. Chapman, comforted and led the perplexed congregation through the coming months and on September 10, 1919, Dr. Francis W. Russell was called to be our pastor.
In 1923, Dr. Russell left St. John's to become the Executive Director of the Mr. Herman Association and in January, 1924, Dr. Stanley Armstrong Hunter from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania started his ministry with us. For the next thirty years, Dr. Hunter played a major role in framing the history and future direction of St. John's, retiring in January, 1954.
Sunday School with Mrs.Hincks, ca. 1954
In 1955 the church bought the present property on College and Forest and ten years later occupied the fellowship hall and adjoining classrooms while maintaining our various ministries on "two campuses."
In 1968, a generous bequest from Dr. Howard Campbell made it possible to complete the building of a new sanctuary and all the necessary accessory areas. In 1974 we vacated the "old church" and temporarily held services n the Fellowship Hall until the sanctuary was finished one year later. In late 1978 the final mortgage payment had been made on the entire property and a grand service of burning the mortgage was held.
We are grateful for the gifts that God has provided us through the years, especially through the spirit within people that have been called to serve us, teach us, love us, and bring us vision of God's will.
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St. Johns Presbyterian Church, 2640 College Avenue, ca. 1964 -
Now the home of the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts
St. John's Presbyterian Church, 2727 College, ca. 1973
St. John's Sunday School Carriage, ca. 1910
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St. John's: A Brief History __ The Centennial Notes: 1907-2007 __ Presbyterian History
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| The Centennial Notes 1907 to 2007 | |
| Perspectives on the past and present, prayers for the future | |
| It’s
March in Berkeley, 2007. St. John’s is preparing events to
celebrate our 100th year. Meetings convene, and all the energy of our
church is focused on festivities — and on fundraising, since a
capital stewardship campaign is also underway. This is a busy place.
Nearby on the Cal campus young and old have clambered into a grove of
oaks to protest their removal for a new gym. Tomorrow, St. John’s
members will join marchers flooding San Francisco streets to oppose a
war of our country’s own making. Meanwhile, spring’s pinks
and yellows insist on being noticed. This morning sparkles and
it’s warm, suggesting that winter has left town early and
won’t turn around and unpack. We pay attention to weather these
days, now that the earth is teaching us in earnest the cost of human
excess. One hundred years ago members of San Francisco’s St. John’s were recovering from an ecological disaster right under their feet. Having fled to the East Bay after the 1906 earthquake and the destruction of their church, they joined other worshipers from First Presbyterian, Berkeley, in organizing a new church of about 120 members. Despite upheavals of every sort and magnitude in the century ahead — devastating wars, the Great Depression, social outcries that roused the nation’s conscience in the name of justice for all, our stalwart forebears created a community which, by the grace of God, still stands. With thanks to God and to the vision of past and present “saints,” in June, whatever the weather, St. John’s will celebrate a centennial. We will rejoice in our hundred years of receiving Christ’s love in Word, Sacrament, and Holy Spirit, of sharing joys and concerns, of prayerfully participating in the renewal of God’s needy world. |
IN THE BEGINNING Drawn from Earlier Descriptions of Our Church Life— On June 16, 1907, our congregation was organized. The Rev. George Granville Eldredge of St. John’s in San Francisco was called to be pastor. On November 10, Dr. Eldredge accepted, bringing with him the name “St. John’s.” He served until his death from influenza in the fall of 1918. The Rev. E.S. Chapman served briefly as interim pastor until September, 1919, when the Rev. Francis W. Russell was issued a call. He served until June, 1923, and was considered a brilliant student of the Bible and an able administrator. In January, 1924, the Rev. Stanley Armstrong Hunter began a ministry of thirty years at St. John’s, serving with unusual pastoral skill, “going in and out of our homes, sharing our joys and our sorrows, helping people in countless little ways.” Stories abound of the Hunters’ gracious presence and support. Those early years were years of growth for St. John’s: growth in membership, faith, service, mission, and in the spirit and love of Christ. The earliest Christian church consisted of Jews in the first century who had known Jesus and heard his teachings. It gradually grew and spread from the Middle East to other parts of the world, though not without controversy and hardship among its supporters. |
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 Currently on exhibit on the bulletin boards is a photographic timeline of events from 1907 to 2007. Stop by and vsit us! |
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Welcome ___ Worship___ Calendar___ History Tour Campus: Schedule Events, Meetings, Weddings ___ SiteMap___ Contact Us BACK TO TOP St. John's: A Brief History __ The Centennial Notes: 1907-2007 __ Presbyterian History |
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| Presbyterian Church History | ||
| The earliest
Christian church consisted of Jews in the first century who had known
Jesus and heard his teachings. It gradually grew and spread from the
Middle East to other parts of the world, though not without controversy
and hardship among its supporters. During the 4th century, after more than 300 years of persecution under various Roman emperors, the church became established as a political as well as a spiritual power under the Emperor Constantine. Theological and political disagreements, however, served to widen the rift between members of the eastern (Greek-speaking) and western (Latin-speaking) branches of the church. Eventually the western portions of Europe, came under the religious and political authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Eastern Europe and parts of Asia came under the authority of the Eastern Orthodox Church. In western Europe, the authority of the Roman Catholic Church remained largely unquestioned until the Renaissance in the 15th century. The invention of the printing press in Germany around 1440 made it possible for common people to have access to printed materials including the Bible. |
This, in turn,
enabled many to discover religious thinkers who had begun to question
the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. One such figure, Martin
Luther, a German priest and professor, started the movement known as
the Protestant Reformation when he posted a list of 95 grievances
against the Roman Catholic Church on a church door in Wittenberg,
Germany in 1517. Some 20 years later, a French/Swiss theologian, John Calvin, further refined the reformers' new way of thinking about the nature of God and God's relationship with humanity in what came to be known as Reformed theology. John Knox, a Scotsman who studied with Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland, took Calvin's teachings back to Scotland. Other Reformed communities developed in England, Holland and France. The Presbyterian church traces its ancestry back primarily to Scotland and England. Presbyterians have featured prominently in United States history. The Rev. Francis Makemie, who arrived in the U.S. from Ireland in 1683, helped to organize the first American Presbytery at Philadelphia in 1706. In 1726, the Rev. William Tennent founded a ministerial 'log college' in Pennsylvania. |
Twenty years later, the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton University) was established. Other Presbyterian ministers, such as the Rev. Jonathan Edwards and the Rev. Gilbert Tennent, were driving forces in the so-called "Great Awakening," a revivalist movement in the early 18th century. One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, the Rev. John Witherspoon, was a Presbyterian minister and the president of Princeton University from 1768-1793. The Presbyterian church in the United States has split and parts have reunited several times. Currently the largest group is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which has its national offices in Louisville, Ky. It was formed in 1983 as a result of reunion between the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS), the so-called "southern branch," and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA), the so-called "northern branch." Other Presbyterian churches in the United States include: the Presbyterian Church in America, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. |
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 The Seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) The seal is comprised of the symbol, the basic components of which are cross, scripture, a descending dove at the upper part of the cross, and flames on either side of the lower part of the cross, and the name of the denomination, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), encircles the symbol. The seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a symbolic statement of the church's heritage, identity, and mission in contemporary form. In I Corinthians, Paul described the church as a body with many members, illustrating the pluralism of the church and the many gifts which God gives to its members. So also the seal's individual parts, when taken together, form an encompassing visual and symbolic unity. The seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a registered trademark. For detailed information: http://www.pcusa.org/oga/seal.htm |
Presbyterian 101: A general guide to facts about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him. Calvin did much of his writing from Geneva, Switzerland. Many of the early Presbyterians in the United States came from England, Scotland and Ireland. The first American Presbytery was organized at Philadelphia in 1706. The first General Assembly was held in the same city in 1789. The first Assembly was convened by the Rev. John Witherspoon, the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence. What is distinctive about Presbyterian Church? Presbyterians are distinctive in two major ways: they adhere to a pattern of religious thought known as Reformed theology and a form of government that stresses the active, representational leadership of both ministers and church members. Learn more: http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-distinct.htm |
Our position on social issues In the 1958 Statement of the PCUA, p. 537: The General Assembly: * Affirms its conviction that neither the Church as the body of Christ, nor Christians as individuals, can be neutral or indifferent toward evil in the world; * Affirms its responsibility to speak on social and moral issues for the encouragement and instruction of the Church and its members, seeking earnestly both to know the mind of Christ and to speak always in humility and love; * Reminds the churches that their duty is not only to encourage and train their members in daily obedience to God's will, but corporately to reveal God's grace in places of suffering and need, to resist the forces that tyrannize, and to support the forces that restore the dignity of all men as the children of God, for only so is the gospel most fully proclaimed. Learn more: http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-social.htm |
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Presbyterian theological beliefs Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin remain at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of the scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers. What they mean is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God's purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God's generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone's job - ministers and lay people alike - to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike. Learn more: http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-theology.htm |
Who are we Presbyterians? As far back as 1837 the General Assembly declared that the church, by its very nature, is a missionary society whose purpose is to share the love of God in Jesus Christ in word and deed and with all the world. Witnessing to the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the world, Presbyterians engage in mission activities, seek to alleviate hunger, foster self-development, respond to disasters, support mission works, preach the gospel, heal the sick, and educate new generations for the future. In partnership with more than 150 churches and Christian organizations around the world, the missionary efforts of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) involve approximately 1,000 volunteers and compensated personnel. Learn more: http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-whoare.htm |
The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) The Constitution of the PC consists of: The Book of Confessions, contains historical statements of what we as a church believe. To download, click here. The Book of Order is Part II of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This document contains the Form of Government, Directory for Worship, Rules of Discipline, and the Formula of Agreement. To download, click here. To purchase, click here: http://www.pcusa.org/ marketplace/item.list.jsp NOTE: No part of the Book of Order or The Book of Confessions may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher. Reference material from http://www.pcusa.org/ |
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St. John's: A Brief History __ The Centennial Notes: 1907-2007 __ Presbyterian History
"Seek peace, and pursue it."
- Psalm 34:14