On a stretch of Bristol-Emilie Road where cow pastures and broccoli farms once spread out toward Green Lane, a high and square tower still lifts a Christian cross above the rooftops of Levittown. First Presbyterian Church of Levittown was founded in 1952 as the first house of worship in the community and remains an enduring one, with two Sunday services, a packed Wednesday night for kids, an active recovery ministry and a music program that fills the chancel and the parking lot by turns.
The First Church in Levittown
In April of 1952, fifteen Presbyterian worshippers gathered with officials of the Philadelphia Presbytery to arrange for a new congregation on land set aside for houses of worship in the booming postwar community. Within weeks the group agreed to organize what became First Presbyterian Church of Levittown. The chosen site, near the intersection of Green Lane and Bristol-Emilie Road, was a tract surrounded by cow pastures, cornfields, broccoli farms and asparagus patches. On Sunday, September 12, 1954 the completed building was dedicated, making First Presbyterian the first house of worship to be instituted in Levittown.
That tower is still the calling card. The building is well known for its high square tower lifting the Christian cross that invites people to a life-transforming journey, growing in faith and discovering Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Two Sunday Services in One Chapel
Worship at FPCL is shaped around two services held each Sunday, both welcoming visitors at the door.
At 9:00 a.m. the Contemporary Service fills the chapel with the energetic, respectful and genuine sound of Redemption, the church's contemporary praise band led by Colleen Moore and Jane Moore. The atmosphere is informal, a place where newcomers can hear Jesus say "Come as you are." Worship and preaching are rooted in scripture but meant to feel relevant to everyday life.
At 10:30 a.m. the Traditional Service continues in the chapel, and from Sunday, October 11 it moves to the Sanctuary. A greeter meets newcomers and helps families check in their children. Blended music opens the service, traditional music is sung each Sunday, and a rich liturgy led by diverse worship leaders invites reflection and prayer before a sermon that aims to stir both heart and mind.
Children, Sunday School and Youth Club
Children are woven into the life of the church from the first Sunday a family arrives. Nursery and Preschool care is offered for infants through kindergarten at the 10:30 service. Children can be dropped off at 10:15 in the Nursery and Preschool Room and picked up at 11:30.
During the Traditional Service, students in first through fifth grade worship alongside their parents until after the offertory, when they are dismissed to a Sunday School teacher. Using the Adventure Bible, the teacher shares a Bible lesson and fun, relevant activities. Kids are picked up at 11:30 in Room 8 in Fellowship Hall across from the kitchen. "Busy bags" are available for children who want to stay in worship with their family.
On Wednesday nights from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., September through April, Youth Club takes over the building for students in first through twelfth grades. The evening includes group games, crafts, snacks, worship, a Bible lesson and plenty of time to make friends. The first attendance is free, with $3 per week per youth or $5 for two siblings, and scholarships are available. Youth Club does not meet when Bristol Township schools are closed. The program is adding monthly mission projects for the community.
For summer, FPCL partners with Upward Sports to run a Summer Kickball league on Wednesday evenings from 5:15 to 7:15 in the parking lot, open to boys and girls ages 7 to 13. The fee covers a tee shirt, snacks, drinks, practices and games, with all skill levels welcome.
Music That Shapes the Heart
Music is one of the most distinctive ministries at FPCL. Redemption leads the 9 a.m. contemporary service with vocals and instruments aimed at bringing the room to worship. The Chancel Choir, under the direction of Colleen Engeland, carries the traditional service with the classics of the hymnal.
Each year the Sunday before Christmas, the Chancel Choir performs the church's annual Christmas Cantata at the 10:30 traditional worship service. New singers are always welcome. The Bell Choir, directed by Ken Fravel, adds another layer of music to the year, with performances posted for the congregation to enjoy.
Growth Groups, Women's Retreat and Men's Fellowship
Adult formation at FPCL centers on Growth Groups, small groups of adults who meet weekly in homes or at the church to study God's Word and support one another in their Christian lives. Studies run six weeks or longer, with multiple topics, days, times and locations so members can choose what works best. The fall semester kicks off the first week of October.
The Women's Ministry gathers for Bible studies, fun activities and an annual Away Retreat at Mariawald Retreat Center in Reading, held each October. The weekend includes spacious accommodations and home-cooked meals prepared by the nuns at Mariawald, with the study subject rotating each year. Linda Eisenhart coordinates the ministry.
The Men's Ministry builds faith and friendship through working together on special projects, small-group Bible studies and times of listening. Members connect over shared work as much as shared study.
Recovery Groups and Inner Healing
FPCL hosts four different recovery groups each week for people battling addiction or facing life difficulties. Recovery is a recurring rhythm of the church's outreach, and Dale Howland is the point of contact for those wanting to learn more.
The Inner Healing Ministry offers confidential, no-cost sessions led by a trained Prayer Team for anyone wrestling with unexplained anger, fear, anxiety, obsessive behavior, depression, grief, the struggle to forgive or a feeling of having lost their faith. Drawing on Transformational Prayer Ministry, the team sees the troubles of life not as things to be endured but as opportunities for faith to be refined and minds to be renewed.
Outreach and Mission
The Mission Committee frames the church's calling with Matthew 22:37-39: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. That calling reaches across the street and across the globe.
Locally, FPCL supports Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, collecting money to subsidize HFH projects and joining Build Days alongside Habitat homeowners and crew leaders. Members also serve in Bucks County through the Deacons' Fund, which quietly assists people in the congregation and travelers passing through who face dire emergencies.
Globally, the church partners with a number of well-known organizations. Through Unto, the humanitarian ministry of Cru, members support clean-water initiatives, including a beloved summer mission trip to the Unto Global Logistics Center in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, where they pack seeds, rice and beans, quilt, assemble water filtration kits, pack school supplies, sort shoes, make LuoPad and Jesus bracelets, build bucket irrigation kits and sort used clothing. For about $8 a person, a family in a hard-to-reach area can receive a clean-water filter and an introduction to the hope of Jesus.
Jews for Jesus has been supported by FPCL for many years, with guest speakers sharing the Gospel from a Jewish perspective. Samaritan's Purse extends disaster relief around the world. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the PCUSA connect FPCL to the wider mission engagement of the denomination, including gifts such as Livestock for Lent. The church also supports a missionary serving students in the Arabic-speaking world under high security.
Members have walked the Camino de Santiago as pilgrims, traveling 145 kilometers between Ponferrada and Santiago de Compostela before serving at a hostel in Ligonde that houses and feeds other pilgrims on the Way.
Year-Round Events for the Whole Congregation
Beyond weekly worship, the calendar is filled with events that have become beloved traditions at FPCL. The annual Christmas Bazaar in November fills the building with vendors, kids' crafts, a special Tea Room and a visit with Santa. The Bunny Breakfast, held the week before Easter in Fellowship Hall, draws families for a hearty breakfast, crafts, face painting and an egg hunt. Trunk or Treat each October 24 turns the parking lot into a safe place for trick-or-treating, with a prize awarded for the best decorated trunk. The Afternoon of Praise and Worship on the lawn features Redemption playing for the whole community.
What to Expect on Your First Sunday
Visitors who want a soft landing will find one. Newcomers can stop at the Welcome Center for a welcome packet and other important information. Ushers and greeters will help check in children and answer questions about anything from the order of worship to where the restrooms are. After the 10:30 service, all are invited to coffee, tea and snacks at the Cozy Coffee Corner in the Fellowship Hall near the kitchen, where kids and adults can color, read, pray and get to know the church family.
On rainy days, hospitality begins in the parking lot, with members holding umbrellas to escort visitors to the door. At the door, greeters welcome visitors with a smile and direct them to the right worship service. Bulletin in hand, newcomers can follow along with songs, prayers and the sermon.
Online giving is set up through the Presbyterian Foundation and Vanco Faith Mobile. Donations can be scheduled or given as a one-time gift, with the option to cover the two percent processing fee. Members can also give from their phones through the Vanco Faith Mobile app using the church code TMMPWY.
Beliefs and Presbyterian Identity
As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), FPCL holds to the historic beliefs of the Reformed tradition that traces its roots to John Calvin and the Scottish reformer John Knox. The church affirms one true living God revealed in Scripture who created the universe, and the reality that human beings, created in God's image, have rebelled and sinned against God and one another. It confesses that Jesus Christ is God's Son, fully God and fully human, born, sinless, dying faultless and rising again to offer forgiveness, healing, wholeness and life eternal to those who believe in him. The Holy Spirit is present in the world and within each believer, empowering followers of Christ for ministry and guiding them in growing closer to Jesus.
The Bible is the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source for faith and practice. FPCL celebrates two sacraments: Baptism, which unites believers with Christ and his Church and does not need to be repeated, and Communion, or the Lord's Supper, which can be celebrated as often as every Sunday and is open to all who claim Jesus Christ as Lord. Its name comes from the Greek word presbyteros, meaning elder, reflecting a style of church government in which local congregations elect elders and deacons and encourage congregational participation in the leading of the church.
Leadership Through a Time of Transition
The church is currently guided by Rev. Ann Schoonover, a Transitional Pastor hired to lead the congregation through the period between the departure of a settled pastor and the installation of a new one. Donna DeMaria serves as Director of Communication and Christian Education Coordinator, and Colleen Engeland directs the Music Ministry, including the Chancel Choir. Pastors and lay preachers who have brought messages in recent seasons include Rev. Dr. Willie Keaton, Rev. Dr. Betty Tom, Pastor Ruby Davis, Pastor Elisamuel Rodriguez from Jehova Nissi Pentecostal Church, and Pastor Manuela Kauer, who preached a long series on the Sermon on the Mount, the Sermon on the Church and the parables of Jesus.
Elders serve as the spiritual leaders of the congregation and meet monthly as the governing Session of the church. They are nominated and elected by the congregation for three-year terms, with the option of one additional three-year term before a required one-year sabbatical. The Deacons minister to those who are sick, friendless or in distress, steward the Deacons' Fund and deliver special treats of cookie trays and plants to homebound members at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
A Church That Connects
Whether through Recovery Groups on a weekday night, a Wednesday-evening Youth Club, a Thursday Bible study in someone's living room, a Saturday retreat at Mariawald or a Sunday morning in the Sanctuary, First Presbyterian Church of Levittown is built around the conviction that people are created to connect and build relationships that grow them as people and allow them to know and strengthen others. Worship together, commit to grow in faith and give generously of themselves and their resources, all in response to God's love for them, is the way the congregation describes its mission on the ground.