A Church Born from a Long Walk
Stewartsville Presbyterian Church sits at 550 North Main Street in Stewartsville, a small village in Warren County in northwestern New Jersey. For more than 175 years the congregation has shaped the rhythm of this community, and the story of how it began is part of what gives it character.
Town history traces back to the Stewart family, who settled on land secured from King George of England in 1729. By 1850, when the church was built, Stewartsville was a busy stop on the post road between Easton, Pennsylvania and Morristown, New Jersey, a community of about 500 people with a brickyard, a harness factory, and two blacksmith shops. The Morris Canal had been chartered nearby in 1824, and a daily stage carried passengers and mail through the village.
Before 1850, residents of Stewartsville walked to worship at Greenwich Presbyterian Church, two and a half miles away. In warmer weather many walked barefoot, carrying their shoes and putting them on only as they neared the church door. Others rode horses and wagons. A local farmer and his team hauled many of his neighbors to public worship in his farm wagon. The distance proved unreasonable in severe weather, and a group of Stewartsville residents drafted a plan to bring worship closer to home.
On January 1, 1850, they asked Greenwich Presbyterian for permission to build a place of worship in Stewartsville and to hire a co-pastor who would alternate duties with the Greenwich minister. The proposal was discussed through January, then deferred indefinitely on January 30. The very next day, Stewartsville citizens met and unanimously voted to organize and build a new church. About $2,400 was pledged on the spot. Against the wishes of many at Greenwich but with the support of the Presbytery, Stewartsville Presbyterian Church was organized on May 29, 1850, with 76 members.
John Fulmer, considered the wealthiest citizen of Stewartsville though not a Presbyterian, donated the lot. Over the summer and fall of 1850 the building went up at a cost of $4,300, with seating for 500. The bell was purchased in Philadelphia and hauled back to Stewartsville by a team of oxen and farm wagon driven by Charles Godfrey. A two-horse lever power sawed the lumber. The new church was dedicated on December 10, 1850.
The Manse, the Organ, and a Growing Campus
The original manse was built in 1853 on a lot chosen by the Reverend George C. Bush, the church's first pastor. The present manse, located next to the church on North Main Street, was donated by Elder John C. Boyer in 1925; the Reverend Looloian was the first minister to occupy it. The home underwent a significant renovation in 2010.
Music has been central to the congregation's identity from the start. The first pipe organ cost $1,000 and was dedicated on March 5, 1925. It served until the present Neill Johnson organ was purchased in 1953. In 1966 the organ was moved and expanded, and provisions made during a 1970 renovation of the sanctuary front allowed additional pipes to be added.
Other milestones have shaped the campus. In 1967 the original steeple was rebuilt. That same year the land joining the back of the church to the parsonage property was donated to provide a parking lot. The Christian Education wing, which houses the pastor's study, the church office, and numerous classrooms, was added and dedicated in 1973.
Worship on Sunday Morning
Sunday morning worship is the heart of the week at Stewartsville. The service begins at 10:30 AM and is offered both in person and on Zoom, a dual arrangement that has allowed the congregation to remain connected across the surrounding region.
Joining by Zoom is straightforward. The meeting ID is 944 1891 0396, the passcode is 08886, and the dial-in numbers include New York (646-558-8656), Germantown (301-715-8592), Chicago (312-626-6799), Tacoma (253-215-8782), Houston (346-248-7799), and San Jose (669-900-9128). Members and visitors without a computer or smartphone can simply phone in to listen.
The church's 150-plus-year history of music continues through the work of Music Director Brian Ballentine, Choir Director Denise DeMasi, and Music Director Emerita Jean South. The Neill Johnson organ and chancel choir are part of the regular worship experience.
Mission Close to Home and Far Away
Stewartsville Presbyterian's mission is shaped by partnerships at the local, regional, and global levels. Among the relationships the congregation sustains is support for Matt and Becki Beack, missionaries serving in the Philippines.
The church participates in the work of the Presbyterian Church (USA) through the denomination's mission agency, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and the PCUSA special offerings. Warren Habitat for Humanity and Norwescap, which serves low-income residents in northwestern New Jersey, are among the local partners. The church also stands with UrbanPromise USA, Kiva (where the congregation has a lending team), the Foundation for Peace, Warren County Family Promise, the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County, and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Farther afield, the church supports Compassion International, the Christmas Joy special offering, and ministries such as the Center for Community Development, Camp Johnsonburg, and the Covenant Network of Presbyterians.
On Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM the church opens its doors for an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, part of a long-running hospitality that brings recovery support into the life of the building and the broader community.
Children, Youth, and a Long Lunch Table
Children and youth are cared for through a Children and Youth Ministry led by Mary Sampson, the ministry intern. Sunday School is part of the congregation's regular life. An Adult Lunch Group gathers the wider church family around the table, and a Needlecraft Group offers a quieter space for hands-on fellowship. The choir program invites singers of all ages to take part, continuing a tradition that stretches back to the early decades of the church.
The Pastor, the Pastor Emeritus, and the People of the Church
The Reverend Stephen Park Choi is the twelfth pastor to serve Stewartsville Presbyterian. A native of Chicago, he received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois and is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 2005 and came to Stewartsville in January 2010, after serving as Associate Pastor of a 750-member congregation in central Pennsylvania and a 500-member congregation in central Illinois. Stephen and his wife, Laura, have three children: Timothy, Ella, and Henry.
The Reverend Jack E. Roan serves the congregation as Pastor Emeritus. Together with the elected elders, deacons, and ministry leaders, they share in the spiritual and practical leadership of the church.
The congregation itself spans a wide geography. Members live across northwestern New Jersey and into eastern Pennsylvania. Pastor and people alike describe the community in plain words: informality, compassion, acceptance, and a genuine love of laughter.
What the Church Believes
The congregation's stated mission is this: "To worship God and seek to find his will for our lives as we show his love both in what we say and do in our church and community, as we witness to others of God's grace and the gift of salvation he freely offers us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
Stewartsville Presbyterian is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), part of the Synod of the Northeast and the Highlands Presbytery. The church has stood for more than a century and three quarters as a place where worship, formation, and service have been woven into the daily life of a small New Jersey town.
Visiting, Giving, and Staying in Touch
The church is open to visitors every Sunday at 10:30 AM at 550 North Main Street, Stewartsville, NJ 08886. Those joining online can connect through the Zoom link, meeting ID, and dial-in numbers listed above. Sunday bulletins and monthly newsletters are available for reading online, and the calendar of upcoming worship services and AA meetings can be subscribed to through Google Calendar or exported as an .ics file. Giving is accepted online through the church's "Give Now" page.
For more information, the church can be contacted by phone at (908) 859-1399 or by email at office@stewartsvillepc.org.