After a few years of steady growth and wanting to be more of a physical presence in Penn Township, a Property Search Committee was formed to look for property suitable for a church building. The search began with prayer for God’s guidance. Soon the Marcinkewicz farm, bordering on Raymaley and Boxcartown Road, came on the market.

Building
Amid much prayer by the committee and the congregation, a plan was formulated—money would be borrowed to purchase the farm; a portion of the farm including the house, barn and outbuildings would be sold to the highest bidder; 8 one and one-half acres lots would be divided and sold; and the net result would be twenty acres for the church and a down payment to begin construction on the building.

On September 28, 1997, the first Worship Service to our Mighty God was celebrated at the new Raymaley Road site for New Life Presbyterian Church in Harrison City, Pennsylvania.

A special marker was placed to the right of the entrance door to the church, proclaiming God’s faithfulness and goodness to us. It includes the cornerstone from the barn and the inscription:

“See I have given you this land” Deuteronomy 1:8
As God gave the Promised Land to the Israelites,
this congregation believes He gave this land to us.

This stone, from the original barn on the property, is a reminder that Jesus Christ is our Rock.

…and Beyond
We are a relatively young congregation. Sometimes we feel like teenagers as we establish a personality. It is great fun discovering God’s design for us as a church. With each new member we look for what God is doing among us and try to cooperate with what He is doing. We are enjoying growing together, seeking to become like the Lord Jesus Christ. It is our goal that each of us becomes mature Christians. We have the wisdom of many who have been followers of Jesus Christ for decades. In 2004, we also had 5 newborns arrive!

Presently the Lord has brought to us the need to expand our physical facility. We are praying and confident that He will again provide according to His rich grace, that others might know Jesus and grow to be mature Christians here at NLPCA.

True to the

Reformed Faith,

Obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ

Our Mission is

To Love & Worship God,

To Proclaim Biblical Truth,

and To Love and Serve others
as the Family of God.

Here are the some of the

things we treasure the most.

BIBLE We believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word, infallible and inerrant, the authoritative, trustworthy guide for what we believe, and how we live as Christians. The Bible will permeate everything we teach and do. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed…so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

WORSHIP We believe God wants us to worship and enjoy Him completely according to biblical direction and the leading of the Holy Spirit. We believe music is God’s powerful gift to honor Him and minister to man’s spirit. Psalm 100:1-2 “…worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”

PRAYER We believe that God desires his people to pray and that he hears and answers prayer. Therefore, the ministries and activities of our church will be characterized by a reliance on prayer in their conception, planning, and execution Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask and it will be given to you;

TEACHING We believe that the transforming power of the learning and teaching of biblical truth will make us successful in doing God’s will Romans 12:22 “..be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

LOVE We believe that love should drive everything in the church. If we are going to gain at all, love must permeate everything from our worship of God to our service of others.. John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you.”

PREACHING We believe that through the preaching of the word God is pleased to save those who believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21 “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.”

EVANGELISM We believe that the Holy Spirit is working to bring people into His kingdom. Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

FAMILY We believe the family is God’s inspired institution..1 Timothy 5:8 “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

COMPASSION We believe in an open heart and an open hand. Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

CHILDREN We believe our children are God’s gift to us. Psalm 127:3 “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.”

HUMOR We believe that humor is a gift from God. Proverbs 17:22 “Being cheerful keeps one healthy; it is a slow death to be gloomy all the time.”

SERVICE We will focus on ministering to the needs of others rather than having our needs met. Galatians 5:13 “Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”

INTEGRITY We will conduct ourselves with authenticity and integrity at all times. 2 Corinthians 1:12 “Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.”

RELATIONSHIPS We believe that loving relationships should permeate every aspect of church life John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another.”

OUTREACH We believe that Christ’s body, the church, is outward oriented. Matthew 20:28 “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

DISCIPLINE We believe in the lordship of Christ over our lives. Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.”

FELLOWSHIP We believe that God desires his people to love one another. 1 John 4:19-21 “We love because he first loved us.”

LEADERSHIP As God raises up men to be servant leaders in the church, we will give them honor, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord. Luke 22:26 “But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.”

Cheerfulness We believe that a cheerful attitude is a positive reflection of our trust in God. Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

HOSPITALITY We value the warm openness of gracious hospitality. 1 Peter 4:9 “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

UNITY We believe the church should live together in unity and harmony. Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

PEOPLE We believe that God has uniquely designed each person to honor and serve Him. 1Peter 4:10 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.”

OPTIMISM, We will face life with an optimistic enthusiasm, which reflects our childlike trust in God. Mark 10:27 “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

TEAMWORK Only by working together can we grasp the vastness of Christ’s love Ephesians 3:18 “…may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp …the love of Christ…”

INFORMALITY We believe that peace with God and love for others affords informality and casualness. Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body.”

New Life Presbyterian

We belong to a denomination called the Presbyterian Church in America, or PCA. Check out the PCA web page here.

We are called Presbyterian because of our form of church governing. Presbyterian means ruled by elders. In fact, the United States government itself is a model of Presbyterianism – the original establishment of our country was sometimes called the Presbyterian Revolt.

With much prayer we elect representatives who seek to know God’s will and direction. The heart of our elders is love that desires to shepherd one another toward Christ-likeness.

Our Pastor since 2001 has been Dennis J. Gill. Dennis grew up in western Pennsylvania. After he graduated from Asbury College in Kentucky, he married his high school sweetheart, Sue. They then moved to Mississippi for him to attend seminary.

His first pulpit was in West Virginia, where his two children were born. He still likes to get around, often visiting homes where small groups are meeting. He may even show up at your place one day! You can usually find him at the church in the daytime, or on a soccer field refereeing a Jr. High Soccer game.

Contact Pastor Gill dennis@newlifepresbyterian.org.