Pleasantville Presbyterian Church has stood on the corner of Bedford Road in the heart of the village of Pleasantville, New York, since its cornerstone was laid on November 2, 1880. Organized earlier that year by thirteen men and women, the congregation first gathered for worship in Sunset Hall, above John Thorn's livery stable on Wheeler Avenue, before moving into the newly built sanctuary on July 17, 1881. The building has been rebuilt and enlarged three times, and in 1923 the orientation of the sanctuary shifted from the east side of the building to its present-day south side. Members and visitors still point to the stained glass window as a feature worth seeing from the inside.
Today the congregation describes itself as a Christian community grounded in faith, hope, and love, and as a diverse, supportive, and joyful community church open to all people. The Rev. Katrina Zezza serves as pastor, working alongside Director of Music David Macdonald, who has led the adult choir since 2000, Organist Arno Steinig, and Youth Group Director Eka Tawe. The church is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in the Hudson River Presbytery.
Sunday Mornings at 10
A single Sunday service gathers the whole church family in the sanctuary at 10:00 AM. Chancel Choir members rehearse in the Choir Room at 8:45 AM, and the service itself lasts about an hour. Worship is shaped by prayer, preaching grounded in scripture, congregational singing, and the involvement of lay members. The Passing of the Peace, the Children's Sermon, and open seating all help newcomers feel at ease. No one is asked to stand and introduce themselves, and visitors are free to sit wherever they like.
The Lord's Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday of most months, and communion is open to everyone. After the Children's Sermon, around 10:15 AM, children ages three through high school leave worship to attend Sunday School, while the rest of the congregation stays in the sanctuary. A Zoom coffee hour follows the service at 11:00 AM for those worshiping online, and Adult Education meets in the Campbell Room off the downstairs hallway at 11:30 AM when in session.
Seasonal services throughout the church year include Ash Wednesday, each Wednesday in Lent, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, an interfaith Thanksgiving service, and Christmas Eve. The 10:00 AM service is also livestreamed on YouTube each week, with archived videos available at any time, and the congregation includes regular online attendees from different parts of the country and beyond.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music is a defining feature of life at Pleasantville Presbyterian. The Chancel Choir, directed by David Macdonald, anchors the 10:00 AM service most Sundays, with Arno Steinig supporting congregational singing from the organ console. A Handbell Choir offers another way for musicians of all ages to participate in the musical life of the church. Together the choirs and organ are a long-standing tradition that members frequently point to when describing the congregation.
Growing Up at PPC
Faith formation for children and youth sits at the center of the church's identity. Sunday School meets during the worship service for children from Pre-K through senior high, with a staffed nursery available for children up to three years of age. The children begin in the sanctuary for the opening prayers and hymns, then head to their classrooms at about 10:15 AM after the Children's Sermon, gathering first in Room 106 before splitting into age-appropriate groups.
The elementary curriculum uses HolyMoly! from Spark House, a video-based program that walks children through Bible stories with games and activities. Middle schoolers work through a video-based "Connect" curriculum with adult teachers, while senior high youth explore issues of contemporary faith with mentors from the congregation. Sunday School classes wrap up around 11:00 AM so families can rejoin the Coffee Hour in the Fellowship Hall.
The Youth Group extends that ministry beyond Sunday morning, meeting regularly on Saturday and Sunday evenings for fellowship, fun, service, and spiritual growth. Director Eka Tawe, a Rutgers graduate who also plays rugby and several instruments, guides the program alongside adult mentors from the congregation.
Faith Development for Adults
For adults, the church offers ongoing study and fellowship. Women's Bible Fellowship meets on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, engaging in Bible and book studies that explore what it means to be women of faith in today's complex world. Presbyterian Women gathers for service, study, and fellowship, and Adult Education classes meet in the Campbell Room following the Sunday service at 11:30 AM when in session. A mid-week meditation is also part of the rhythm of the church and is highlighted in the weekly digital newsletter.
A Church That Looks Outward
Mission and service are woven into the life of the congregation and organized under what the church calls its four core ministry areas: Spirit-Filled Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Transformational Mission and Service, and Extra-mile Hospitality and Digital Connections. The Appalachia Service Project (ASP) sends volunteers to repair homes in Central Appalachia and address substandard housing. Midnight Run brings volunteers into New York City to meet the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness. The Food Scarcity Fund supports local efforts to address hunger, while the annual Rummage sale is both a community tradition and a major fundraiser for the church's mission work.
English and Spanish classes are taught at the church, serving neighbors learning a new language and providing another long-standing outreach. Presbyterian Women, scholarships for graduating high school seniors, and a range of other giving opportunities round out the congregation's mission commitments. Pleasantville Presbyterian is also a supporting congregation of HRP Queer, a Hudson River Presbytery gathering group that creates paths for the full welcome of LGBTQIA+ members, families, siblings, and friends in the work and worship of the presbytery's congregations.
Visiting Pleasantville Presbyterian
The church sits on Bedford Road in the heart of the village, two and a half blocks west of the Mount Pleasant Library and two and a half blocks east of the Pleasantville Train Station. Visitors can park in either of the two lots between the church and the funeral home, in the lot behind the church, in the spaces in front of the church on Bedford Road, or, on Sundays, in the lot across the street. A designated handicapped parking spot sits next to the church, with an elevator in the Fellowship Hall providing access to the sanctuary and an accessible restroom on the lower level.
Dress is "come as you are." Members show up in everything from jeans and play clothes to business casual, and children sometimes arrive straight from soccer practice. Children of all ages are welcome in worship, and the service is also streamed downstairs in the Fellowship Hall for parents who want a more active space for little ones. The building's office hours run Tuesday through Friday from 8 AM to 3 PM, with the office closed on Mondays and Saturdays, and the building is open on Sundays from 9 AM to noon.
A Coffee Hour in the Fellowship Hall follows the service, giving visitors and members a chance to meet and learn more about the congregation. Giving is available online through Vanco Services, by Venmo, by mailing a check to the church office, or by signing up for recurring electronic contributions. A weekly digital newsletter keeps subscribers up to date on worship, mid-week meditation, and church news, and the church maintains a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, with sermons also available as a podcast through Apple Podcasts and a sermon archive reaching back through SoundCloud.
What the Church Believes
Pleasantville Presbyterian describes itself as a people of God seeking to proclaim and live out the Good News of Jesus Christ, called by God through the Holy Spirit to serve as a spiritual center for the community. The congregation affirms that God comes to us with grace and love in the person of Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose for us so that we might have eternal and abundant life in him. As Christ's disciples, members seek to continue his mission of teaching the truth, feeding the hungry, healing the broken, and welcoming strangers. The Holy Spirit is understood as the one who gives energy, intelligence, imagination, and love to be Christ's faithful disciples in the world. The unity of believers in Christ is reflected in the rich diversity of the church's membership, and there is no place in the life of the church for discrimination against any person.
The church's stated mission is to nurture spiritual growth and renewal, to provide a sanctuary in a fast-paced world, to reach out and share Christ with all, to pass on faith to the next generation, and to serve God through the growth of mission outreach. The pastor is also the Moderator of Hudson River Presbytery, reflecting the congregation's connections across the wider church. Pleasantville Presbyterian Church continues to welcome worshipers, visitors, and neighbors on Bedford Road, just as it has for more than a century.