As long as the Ardmore
Presbyterian Church has had a physical presence on the corner of Montgomery and
Mill Creek Avenue there has been lamppost.
In the evenings as people walk and cars pass by the chapel entrance, a
light shines forth. In days past, that
chapel was the sanctuary, and the lamppost had a much more prominent place in
the life of the congregation. You could
see it every time you came to worship.
The first pastor of the church, Rev. Edmund Rawson wrote to the children
of the church about our lamppost in 1914,
This is our lamp-post. By day the sign tells strangers where our Church is. By night the lamp helps us to see the path. Every Sunday it is there, rain or shine, waiting to show you the way to Bible School and Church. Will you come to both as often as you can?
Our congregation began as a light to our neighborhood. Ardmore Presbyterian Church was there to show
that life was more than getting on the train and going to work. In doing so, we were being faithful to the
words of Jesus Christ, "…let your light shine before
others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in
heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Over a hundred years later, the neighborhood looks a little
different. The world of 2012 seems far
removed from the early days of the twentieth century. There have been incredible changes, both
technological and social. Many of the
changes have been for the better, but they have also given us new challenges
and anxieties.
That lamppost in front of the chapel entrance stands as a
needed reminder of who we are. No matter
the generation, we stumble when we walk in the darkness. Although it may look a little different in
various places and ages, the loving light of Jesus Christ is the answer to our
needs. The people of the Ardmore
Presbyterian Church bring that light to today’s concerns. We are transformed by God’s grace, and by
extension, the world is a little brighter because of our presence.
