Holmes Presbyterian Church stands on Holmes Road in the small borough of Holmes, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, just down the road from MacDade Boulevard. It is a neighborhood Bible-based congregation that has served Ridley Township and the surrounding communities for more than a century. Members describe their calling in simple terms: to spread and show the love of Jesus in all that they do, both inside the church and out in their community.
A History Rooted in a Sunday School
The story of the church begins in 1897, when sisters Mary and Margaret Holmes became concerned that the families in their part of Delaware County had no Sunday School nearby. With help from Presbyterian ministers and the Presbytery of Chester, they started the Holmes Presbyterian Sabbath School. A lot at Hannum Avenue and Holmes Road was purchased, and a chapel was built and first used in 1908. The Presbytery of Chester officially organized the congregation on February 18, 1909, with 21 charter members.
As the congregation grew, it moved into a new building at MacDade Boulevard and Holmes Road in 1920. The present sanctuary was constructed and dedicated in 1954, and a Christian Education building was added in 1963. The fellowship remembers that long history with gratitude - to God, to the Holmes sisters who started it all, to the generations of members whose labor built the physical and spiritual foundation, and to current members whose vision keeps the work alive.
Sunday Mornings on Holmes Road
The church gathers for traditional Sunday worship each week. From September through June the service begins at 10:30 a.m., and during the summer months (June through September) it moves to 10:00 a.m. Services are uploaded to the church's YouTube channel every Sunday evening for anyone who cannot attend in person.
Before the service, adults gather for an Adult Forum (Sunday School) at 9:15 a.m. Children's Sunday School for kindergarten through fifth grade is held during the worship service itself, so families can attend together without separating for the morning. The combined schedule means parents, kids and adult learners all share the same hour in the building.
Children and Youth
Children's ministry is treated as a serious priority. Sunday School classes for ages kindergarten through adult meet on Sunday mornings, and a special after-school program called CREW 143 gathers first through fifth graders on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., September through June. The 90 minutes are described as jam-packed with stories, discussion, crafts, music and surprises, all rooted in Christian values like kindness, generosity and joyfulness. Registration is required so that parents can be reached.
The youth ministry is open to any young person in the community, regardless of church affiliation. Students in grades 6 through 12 meet Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., September through May, for what the church calls a Christ-centered support group. Each summer the church also offers Vacation Bible School, typically a morning program during the last full week of June with songs, games, crafts, snacks and Bible lessons, and a summer theater arts camp for third through eighth graders that has run for more than three decades.
Adult Ministries
Two long-standing groups make up the adult ministry. The Men's Bible Study meets every Monday at noon in the church parlor, September through June, for education and fellowship. It is open to any man in the congregation or community who wants to grow in faith alongside other brothers in Christ. The Women's Prayer Circle gathers to bring health concerns, grief, and life trials before God in prayer. Adult Sunday School rounds out the week, meeting at 9:15 Sunday mornings to study Scripture together.
Outreach Beyond the Church
Holmes Presbyterian takes seriously the call to love neighbors in tangible ways. Every November the church holds a food drive to support Loaves & Fishes, a food bank located in nearby Prospect Park. Members contribute both food and clothing to help families facing hard times.
The Deacons host a free community clothing give-away at the church's Fall Fest each September, providing clean, gently used clothing to anyone who needs it. The church also partners with Grands Stepping Up, an organization in Havertown that supports grandparents raising their grandchildren. From mid-November through mid-December the Deacons adopt a family through the GSU network and work to fulfill Christmas wishes for basic necessities, and around Mother's Day the church runs a diaper and baby wipe drive to supplement the GSU pantry.
An Alcoholics Anonymous group meets at the church each week, and the building opens its doors to that recovery community year-round.
Visiting Holmes Presbyterian
The church building sits at 375 Holmes Road, with a mailing address of PO Box 117, Holmes, PA 19043. Worship is traditional, friendly and intergenerational, with children welcome in the service and Sunday School happening at the same time. The office can be reached at (610) 532-0346 or by email at holmespreschurch@gmail.com. Services that cannot be attended in person are uploaded to the church's YouTube channel each Sunday evening.