Londonderry EPC Has a New Name

According to an announcement on the church’s Web site that I also received from a member:

The congregation will officially re-open its doors to existing members as well as the surrounding community on September 7, 2008 with worship services and Sunday school taking place at the Matthew Thornton Elementary School on Mammoth Road in Londonderry.

“We are excited to move forward with our new name and to resume our full focus on the good work that Jesus has called us to do, both here in Londonderry and beyond,” said the Rev. Kenneth Glasier, pastor of Orchard Christian Fellowship. “We are blessed to have Matthew Thornton as our temporary home, and will wait on the Lord to reveal His ultimate plans for our permanent worship location. In the meantime, we will continue with our many ministries and community events, revealing Christ’s love to all through fellowship and Scripture-based teachings.”

The folks in Londonderry are off to a great start, from what I’ve heard, and I’ll be praying for them as they get started in the elementary school (as it happens, my own church plant, Redeemer, will be returning to our former home at Belmont Elementary School in Woodbridge the same day). May Orchard Fellowship see a bountiful harvest in the days ahead!

(Hat tip: Rob Holland.)

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Rob Holland Says:

August 29, 2008 at 9:36 am

As I type this message the lpcnh.org site seems to be down (or very slow). In case that continues to be the case, the URL of Orchard Christian Fellowship’s new web site is http://www.orchardnh.org/, on which the press release can also be found.

Thanks David!

Chip Byers Says:

August 29, 2008 at 9:13 pm

How sad. These folks are ashamed to call themselves Prebyterians. They could have done “Orchard Evangelican Presbyterian Church.” I am always distressed when a church tries to hide the fact that it is a CHURCH (uses “fellowship” like it is some club. i.e. Fellowship of the Ring) and hides its identity as a Reformed Church. This looks like a group which wants to be “generic evangelical” rather than “evangelical Presbyterian.”

The Name of the Evanglical Prebyterian Church means that 1) It is a church, 2) the kind of Church is Presbyterian (governed by a plurality fo elders and following a reformed theology) and 3) The Kind of Presbyterian is Evangelical.

Note, EPC does not mean that it is the presbyterian form of Evangelical Church but the Evangelical form of Presbyterian.

This church looks like it is one with problems in its future. I hope the EPC is not starting to make “bringing churches in” more important than maintining doctrinal purity.

Dan Says:

August 29, 2008 at 9:33 pm

Chip,
I would like to point out the the Church’s full name is:

Orchard Christian Fellowship:
An Evengelical Presbyterian Church

Just wanted to set the facts straight.

Dan

Pastor Bob Merrill, Presbytery of Northern New England Says:

August 29, 2008 at 10:07 pm

On Monday September 1, 2008 at 10:00 am Londonderry Presbyterian Church will hold a Prayer Service in their Sanctuary at 126 Pillsbury Road. They will return to their building with prayers of thanksgiving and dedication. A time of prayer will allow for reflection upon their journey and focus on their future. Their Sunday service at Pillsbury Road will be on September 7th at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary.

http://www.londonderrypcusa.org/

August 29, 2008 at 10:09 pm

Dan,

That only makes is slightly less problematic but I guess it’s OK.

Don Says:

August 30, 2008 at 11:36 am

It’s actually more about logistics. The two properties are side by side. The original church is in a more visible location. To have two churches, one called “Londonderry Presbyterian Church” and another called “Orchard Evangelical Presbyterian Church” could be confusing when advertising an event or when giving directions. Someone not knowing that they’re different might go to the first Presbyterian church they came to and find the event not happening and go home. By having a different name like this will alleviate any confusion between the two.

The congregation isn’t attempting to hide what they are in any sense.

Benjamin P. Glaser Says:

August 30, 2008 at 12:46 pm

Come to Pittsburgh where there are many PC(USA) churches literally next door to each other, as well as two separate types of Eastern Orthodox. People are notthat dumb, give them some credit.