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175-Year Time Line of Plainfield's Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church

A look at each decade within the 175-year history of Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church in Plainfield. The historic church will celebrate its anniversary on Nov. 16 and 17.

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Bob Makin
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995 views1 page

175-Year Time Line of Plainfield's Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church

A look at each decade within the 175-year history of Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church in Plainfield. The historic church will celebrate its anniversary on Nov. 16 and 17.

Uploaded by

Bob Makin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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175-YEAR TIMELINE OF PLAINFIELD’S CRESCENT AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

1844 – Church is first organized as the Second Presbyterian Church, located on Front Street in Plainfield

1854 – The Rev. Theodore S. Brown replaces founding pastor, Rev. William Whitaker.

1867 – Rev. John C. Bliss becomes the church’s third pastor and serves through 1883.

1871 – The church is given the deed to its current property at 716 Watchung Ave. in Plainfield, and a
year later the cornerstone is laid.

1883 – The church adopts the new name of Crescent Avenue Presbyterian and gets a new pastor in Rev.
William R. Richards, who serves through 1902.

1894 – The church celebrates its 50th anniversary.

1903 – The church’s fifth pastor, Rev. John Sheridan Zelie, begins his service, which continues through
1917.

1918 – Rev. John James Moment becomes the church’s sixth pastor. During his service through 1948, he
wrote hymns, such as “God of Compassion, in Mercy Befriend Us” and “Men and Children Everywhere.”

1926 – For the first time, the church hires a woman organist, Charlotte Lockwood Garden, an
internationally recognized musician.

1931 – The original building on the current site is destroyed in a fire, rebuilt, reopened three years later
and stands today.

1949 - Rev. Ralph Haas becomes pastor and serves through 1961.

1950 – Plainfield’s Park Avenue starts to become lined with medical services. Many of the doctors
attend Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church.

1962 -- Rev. Charles Mead becomes pastor and serves through 1978.

1979 -- Rev. George McIlrath becomes pastor and serves through 1981.

1982 -- Rev. William R. Harvey becomes pastor and serves through 1994.

1994 – Church celebrates its 150th anniversary.

2002 – A major renovation is undertaken and four years later, a 5,100-pipe organ is installed.

2019 – The church celebrates its 175th anniversary with a dinner and concert on Nov. 16 and service on
Nov. 17.

By Bob Makin

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