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Union Presbyterian Church is part of the Presbyterian
Church (USA), a branch of the larger family of churches called the Reformed
Churches. Reformed Churches were Christian Churches of the 14th
through 16th centuries which proclaimed the lordship of God over all
of life, gave the Bible back to the congregations, restored governance
and liberty to the people, and emphasized the care of each Christian
for another.
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The beginnings of Union Presbyterian Church date back
the spring of 1916, to a Sunday School which was organized under the
leadership of Mrs. Joseph M. Wright. Then, on March 5, 1917,
the Presbytery of West Jersey formally organized a Presbyterian Church
with 20 members under the leadership of Rev. C. A. Fornataro.
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On Sunday, February 15, 1920, the pastor Dr. O. Bell
Close dedicated the church. A reception was held for 114 people
entering the membership of the church. A petition was drawn requesting
that the Presbytery of West Jersey change the name of the church to
Union Presbyterian Church. Because of extremely crowded conditions
and the need for additional facilities, extensive renovations were made,
and an educational building added in 1950.
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Forty-two years after the dedication of the first church
building, a new church building of modern design was dedicated on February
17, 1962. Over 500 persons, ncluding both members and visitors,
viewed the dedication of the new sanctuary which connected with the
former church building. This former church building became part
of the educational facility.
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By 1988, it had become apparent that this former church
building would have to undergo extensive renovations. When these
renovations were completed in 1990, the Presbytery of West Jersey dedicated
the newly named Featherer Hall in memory of Judge Alvin and Sally Featherer.
This building, with its large meeting room, choir room, Deacons' closet,
modern kitchen, and up-to-date facilities is in constant use, not only
for church gatherings but also for other community activities as well.
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At the present time, an updating of the lower floor of the 1950 education building has recently just been completed. This included construction of new separate classrooms, updating older classrooms, and making these ramp-accessible. |
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Since 1917, we have had 15 installed pastors
and one interim pastor:
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1917-1918
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Rev. C. A. Fornataro |
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1918-1920
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Rev. O. Bell Close |
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1921-1924
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Rev. Frank E. Depue |
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1924-1927
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Rev. N. Calhoun |
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1927-1928
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Rev. Imman Wilcox |
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1928-1945
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Rev. Dr. Thurlow Fraser |
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1946-1947
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Rev. Harvey Jennings |
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1948-1952
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Rev. Joseph MacCarroll |
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1953-1958
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Rev. H. Newton Hudson |
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1958-1962
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Rev. William J. Evans |
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1963-1966
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Rev. Ralph Tomaccio |
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1967-1974
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Rev. Dr. Joseph MacCarroll |
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1976-1980
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Rev. William Kight |
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1981-1985
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Rev. Gregg Townsley |
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1986-1995
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Rev. Robert T. Walters |
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1995-1998
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Rev. Suzanne Uittenbogaard (Interim Pastor) |
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1998 Present
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Rev. Dr. Roger L. Dunnavan |
| From September through mid-June, worship for the Lord's
Day at Union Presbyterian Church begins at 11:00 a.m. Childrens
church is offered immediately following the childrens' message.
A nursery is also available. From mid-June through lobor day, our
Sunday worship begins at 9:30 a.m. Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month with the exceptions of July, August and September. The Presbyterian Church (USA) practices an open communion table. All those who love Jesus Christ are invited by our Lord and Savior to partake of the bread and cup He offers. |
| Some of the other special worship services that occur throughout the Christian Year are: |
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
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Ash Wednesday Service
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Lenten Evening Services
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Maundy Thursday Service
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Easter Sunrise Service
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