Bethany Church is celebrating 75 years of ministry in Havertown this year.  But before Bethany came to Havertown from Philadelphia, she had celebrated her 91st anniversary in Philadelphia.  To say that Bethany relocated in 1949 is an oversimplification.  We want to celebrate how God provided for Bethany during this major transition period by remembering the history. Even though the original plan was to build first and then relocate.  That wasn’t what happened.  The Lord provided, but in a different way than imagined. 

Bethany (EPC) was founded in 1858.  Bethany Chapel was a mission church of the Rev John Chambers’ church until she became an independent church.  Bethany Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia Presbytery was organized in September 1865 and was a PCUSA church until a 2012 gracious dismissal from PCUSA denomination.  

In Philadelphia (1930-1960), there was a major population shift of residents from the city to the suburbs.   Subsequent to this migration trend was diminishing church membership in the city as the commercial property development in urban areas was increasing.   This led to churches having to either dissolve or merge with another congregation to survive.  However by 1943, another possibility to survive was relocation to Delaware County.

In 1943, the Metropolitan Philadelphia Presbytery was organized from three separate presbyteries.  The Philadelphia Central, Philadelphia North, and the Delaware County churches of the Chester Presbytery.   This was the basis of how it was possible for Bethany to relocate from South Philadelphia to Havertown in Delaware County in 1949.  

Bethany had been located at 22nd & Bainbridge since the 1870s, and was very reluctant to relocate, even though a majority of church members had been relocating to suburbs in or near Delaware County in West Philadelphia.    By November 1945, a crucial decision was made by a congregational meeting, voting to relocate.  The Philadelphia Presbytery recommended to Bethany an undeveloped parcel of land on Township Line at Concord Avenue.   

Settlement of the old Bethany property at 22nd & Bainbridge was made in March 1948.  The final worship service at old Bethany was on February 29th, 1948.  The following Sunday, Bethany worshipped at a temporary location in Center City until the new Bethany church edifice was ready for building dedication in September 1949.    The money used to build new Bethany in Havertown came from the sale of the old Bethany property in Philadelphia.  Also much fundraising was happening throughout the construction process.  Groundbreaking ceremony was May 1948.  The Laying of Cornerstone ceremony was May 1949.  And the building dedication was September 1949.  

By the amazing Providence of God, after Bethany had been searching to rent vacant church buildings in the city to use for a temporary worship space during the construction phase of relocating, Bethany was worshiping side by side with her mother church at the Chambers-Wylie Memorial Presbyterian Church on Broad Street from March 1948 - September 1949.  

So although the reluctant decision of Bethany to relocate from Philadelphia took place nearing the end of year in 1945, she celebrated her 90th anniversary (1858-1948) while packing up to move in February 1948. The following year in February 1949, Bethany celebrated her 91st anniversary at the Chambers-Wylie Memorial Presbyterian Church.  Celebrating all the work that the Lord does in and through Bethany had long been a tradition, and even in those difficult and uncertain years of transition beginning in the early 1940s when membership had declined to a critical level, Bethany’s congregation was given the faith she needed to walk through the unknown as God continued to provide the way.  

10:40 o’clock Monday night
March 12, 1888

My dear friend, 

I have just come home this very cold snowy night from Bethany where after the Passion lesson we had a solemn tender talk about how one person could get another to find a blessing from God.

I could not but think of the dear members of my class & I feel it laid upon me to write you this personal note.  

I write to each of you as a saved soul. If you are not saved my dear friend, flee to the merciful Savior as you would fly into this warm room tonight out of the cold streets and the drifting snow… If you are saved, humbly trusting in what Jesus did when His love failed not on the Cross, think of others not saved… NOT SAVED… going on to the eternal darkness, your near friend, your relative, and do something!

When you have faith enough and love enough to start out in the effort to bring a soul to the Savior.  God the Holy Spirit joins in your effort, for God wants everyone saved and He works with even the poorest instrument that engages in His work.. Please read over again the words I have just written.  

I want now to ask you to settle your mind and heart on some particular person to pray for and work with and not give up until that person is converted. 

Your help is in God.  He will put thoughts into your heart, ways into your mind, and words into your mouth.  He will tell you when to be silent and only pray and show your concern.  

If you once have the joy and sweet pleasure of bringing one soul to Christ, you will be hungry to get another.  Do not argue, do not be rebuffed, be patient and gentle and keep on with a prayer in your heart and drop a good word here and there as you go along, an invitation to meeting, to the class, take your friend to the pastor or your teacher for a little talk.  If discouraged go yourself and pray with your pastor or teacher.  Persevere, it is an undying soul you are laboring for and any angel would come down from heaven if such could be, to do the very work you have the opportunity to do.  Oh what a pleasure it will be to you to have some new born soul beside you at the next Supper of the Lord.  If you would like to write to me and tell me who you have chosen to labor for and will let me remember you in prayer, I will be very glad.  If you wish me to advise with you in any way let me know and do not fear that your letter or visit will take too much of my time.  Do not put off a single hour- hearts grow harder and colder every day and Eternity is near.  

God bless you every moment and your home also.  Yours in the hope of heaven and to win our friends to go with us.

John Wanamaker, 
Your Teacher