A Corner of Church Road for 75 Years
Oreland Evangelical Presbyterian Church sits on Church Road in the heart of Oreland, a small community in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, just outside Philadelphia. Locally known as OEPC, the church has occupied its corner of Church and Paper Mill Roads since 1951, drawing families across generations with a self-described focus on "Real Life Connections" and a mission statement that ties everything together: "Connecting to Christ, each other, and our community." Today the congregation is known around the area for a thriving Christian preschool, a children's and youth ministry that fills the building on Wednesdays, and a music program that blends old hymns with contemporary worship songs.
From a Postwar Church Plant to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church
OEPC's story begins after World War II. As Springfield Township saw an influx of new residents, the Philadelphia Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. decided to plant a new congregation in Oreland, with Carmel Presbyterian Church in Glenside acting as the sponsoring church. The first worship service was held on Palm Sunday, April 2, 1950. Rev. James C. Caraher was installed as the first pastor on June 26, 1951, and the newly built church at Church and Paper Mill Roads was dedicated that same year.
A new sanctuary was erected and dedicated in 1969 as the building expanded to keep up with the growing community. The church's nursery school, founded in 1965, is now the OEP Preschool and still operates on the same campus. The Senior Fellowship ministry began in 1971, and the annual Living Nativity in the courtyard dates back to 1981.
In 1998, members began asking questions about the doctrinal direction of the Philadelphia Presbytery and the national PCUSA. After ten years of study and prayer, the congregation voted in 2008 to leave the mainline Presbyterian Church. On March 29, 2009, the church was received into the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and took the name Oreland Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Pastors who have served OEPC include Rev. James C. Caraher (1951-1962), Rev. Charles K. Murray (1963-1992), Rev. Jim A. Farrell (1994-2017), and Rev. Robert "Bob" Cummings as interim (2019-2021). The current pastor, Rev. Daniel Phelps, was installed on July 25, 2021. The congregation marked its 75th anniversary in 2025.
Sunday Mornings at 10 AM
Worship takes place in the sanctuary every Sunday at 10 AM and lasts about an hour. The service follows an expository preaching style, with the pastor working through books of the Bible rather than selecting scattered texts. Communion is served on the first Sunday of each month and is followed by an opportunity to receive prayer and anointing with oil for God's healing and wholeness. The Sacraments of both Communion and Baptism are observed throughout the year.
Music during morning worship is a deliberate blend of hymns and contemporary songs, led by the Worship Choir and the Worship Band. The pastor and elders are available to pray with people after each service. An assisted listening system is available at every worship service, and the Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, and the first floor of the adjacent Christian Education building are wheelchair accessible.
The main parking lot is off Paper Mill Road, around the corner from the GPS-friendly Church Road entrance. Visitors entering for the 10 AM service should use the two white doors off Church Road; those coming for the earlier 8:45 AM Christian Education hour can enter through the white door marked "Church Offices." Coffee and a treat are set out in Fellowship Hall a few minutes before the service begins, and there is no dress code - jeans and Sunday best are equally welcome.
The full service is livestreamed on OEPC's YouTube channel, where recordings of each week's service are also archived for later viewing.
Christian Education at 8:45 AM
Christian Education runs from 8:45 to 9:45 AM on Sundays, immediately before worship. Adult classes are offered in six-week cycles throughout the year and cover topics like Bible study, church history, theology, doctrine, life application, and social issues. A recent study walked through the Gospel of Mark, with the teacher guiding the class through the Old Testament background and first-century context of the text. A fall New Members Class also meets in Room 203 during the same hour.
For children and youth, the 8:45 AM hour includes a Gospel Project Class in Room 201 for grades 4 through 8 and a Breakfast and Bible Class in Room 202 for grades 9 through 12. The church's vision is that Christian education extends even into the nursery, with two adult volunteers with Pennsylvania child-protection clearances present in every program involving children, in accordance with state law and the church's own Child Protection Policies.
Kidz Connect, Explorers, and Family Night
The children's and youth programs at OEPC fill the middle of the week. Kidz Connect meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 4:30 to 5:30 PM in Fellowship Hall for potty-trained toddlers through third grade, with singing, dancing, crafts, a snack, and time to play. It has become a popular gathering for homeschool families in the area.
Family Night takes over on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the basement level. The evening includes a shared meal, musical worship, a kids' message, and breakout groups for Pre-K through first grade, second through fifth, sixth through eighth, ninth through twelfth, young adults, and parents.
For older students, two weekly programs run in parallel. Explorers (grades 4 through 8) meets Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 PM in Room 202, and Wednesday Night Lights (grades 9 through 12) meets from 6:30 to 9:00 PM in Room 001. Both groups include a meal, games, a Bible lesson, worship, and time with adult mentors. Graham Allen, the Director of Children and Youth, oversees all three programs, and his office hours at the church are Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
A Music Ministry That Rings, Sings, and Plays
Music at OEPC is taken seriously, and the music ministry has its own layered structure under Director of Music Beth Jenkins.
Ring Song is a multigenerational beginning choir that plays choir chimes. Open to students in third grade and up, as well as youth and adult beginners, the group rehearses Thursday afternoons from 4:30 to 5:30 PM in the Music Ministry Office under the sanctuary and rings in worship several times a year.
The adult-and-youth bell choir, BOP, plays three octaves of bells in worship every four to six weeks. BOP rehearses Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, September through June.
The Worship Choir is the congregation's primary singing ensemble, made up of high school students and adults. The choir sings a mix of traditional and contemporary anthems and leads the congregation in song. Each Advent it prepares a Christmas Worship Concert, and in Holy Week it sings for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday services.
The Worship Band provides the contemporary edge to the blend. Open to high school and adult instrumentalists and singers, the band rehearses Sunday mornings from 8:00 to 8:40 AM in the sanctuary.
Women's, Men's, Senior, and Young Adult Fellowship
Adult ministry at OEPC takes many shapes. Sisters of the Word, the women's Bible study, meets Thursdays from 1:00 to 2020:30 PM in the Terrace Room or by Zoom. The study walks through books of the Bible with worship, devotions, prayer, small group sharing, and a teaching time. Several times a year the women also gather for a Women's Brunch, and an annual Women's Retreat is on the calendar.
Men's ministry centers on small groups, including one led by Doug Lieberman that meets at 6:30 AM in the church library and via Zoom. The men also gather several times a year for a Saturday breakfast with an encouraging speaker.
Senior Fellowship welcomes anyone 50 and up to a monthly lunch and program on the third Tuesday of each month from September to April at 12:00 PM in Fellowship Hall. The gatherings include a meal, a speaker, and time for Christian fellowship, with handicap-accessible entry through the Paper Mill Road office doors. There is no cost to attend, though donations are accepted.
Young Adult Fellowship meets Sunday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 PM in the basement.
The OEP Preschool
Tucked into the church's Christian Education building, OEP Preschool is one of the best-known programs on the OEPC campus. Founded in 1965, the preschool serves children aged two through pre-kindergarten with a play-based, Christian education model.
The school runs a 9 AM to noon schedule from September through May, with an additional two-week camp offered in early June. Six classes are offered: a two-day Twos, a two-day Threes, two three-day Threes, a three-day Pre-K, and a five-day Pre-K. Class sizes range from twelve for the youngest to eighteen for Pre-K. Each class is led by a teaching team of two.
The curriculum emphasizes socialization, age-appropriate academics, and weekly Bible stories, with a monthly themed curriculum that ties Old and New Testament stories and verses into the year. Enrichment programs include Lunch Bunch, afternoon enrichment sessions on topics like science, cooking, planets, sea life, and classic stories, weekly class emails, gym twice a month, and a Wee Play Language Spanish program for Pre-K. A Christmas concert and end-of-year concert are annual highlights.
Janie Brey has been the preschool director since 2004. The Ministry Team that oversees the school is approved by the church's Nominating Committee each year and is directly accountable to the Session.
Reaching Out Locally
OEPC supports a wide network of local ministries in the Philadelphia suburbs, with most donations collected on site. The hallway between Fellowship Hall and the Christian Education building holds bins and shelves that make participation easy.
- Cradle of Hope in Glenside ministers to single mothers and their children through transitional housing and support services.
- AlphaCare in Philadelphia serves women and families facing pregnancy and related concerns; OEPC collects 0-3 month sleepers, onesies, blankets, baby bottles, and shampoo.
- CLC Ministries in Fort Washington distributes used Bibles and Bible reference books through Christian BookLink to address the famine of Christian resources overseas.
- New Life Food Cupboard in Glenside receives canned meats, peanut butter, baby food, boxed goods, paper bags, and toiletry items from OEPC. On select Tuesdays, OEPC members also prepare and serve meals on site.
- Philly House in Philadelphia receives men's underwear, socks, t-shirts, linens, toiletries, non-perishables, and used eyeglasses for men in need.
- Whosoever Gospel Mission in Philadelphia receives gently used clothing, shoes, housewares, linens, toys, books, and electronics through the green shed in the Paper Mill parking lot.
- Cornerstone Christian Academy in Philadelphia and Every Good Gift round out the local partner list.
Around the World with OEPC
Global mission support is woven into the congregation's calendar. Each summer, OEPC invites missionaries it supports to speak during the 8:45 AM Christian Education hour, sharing what God is doing in their fields. The list of world outreach partners includes Ambassadors Football, Chosen People Ministries, Coalition for Christian Outreach, Crisis Care Training International, El Rancho Del Rey, Harvest of Life, Harvest USA, The Huguenot Fellowship, Literacy and Evangelism, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Reformed Evangelical Fellowship, Rishama International, Route One Ministry, WEC, Whosoever Gospel Mission, and Youth Life of Richmond. In addition, the congregation prays for several EPC World Outreach missionaries, including Robert and Iris, Paul and Elizabeth, Randy and Martha, Jeff and Lynne, Patricia, Phil and Diane, Jonathon and Fozia, and Bruce and Ellie.
What OEPC Believes
OEPC's statement of faith ties the congregation firmly to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The church holds that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God and the only rule for faith and life, with application to both public and private life. The church affirms the Biblical view of marriage and acknowledges the inborn sinfulness of humanity that separates people from God and one another. Reconciliation with God, the church teaches, comes only as a person is drawn to God, repents of sin, and believes in God's only Son, Jesus, as Savior and Lord.
The church affirms that Christ's sacrifice on the cross made full atonement for sin, that He rose from the dead and reigns with the Father as Lord of life, and that salvation and obedience through the Holy Spirit empowers believers to love one another and bear witness to Jesus and His gospel to the ends of the earth. The church eagerly awaits Christ's return in glory.
Within the EPC, OEPC belongs to the Presbytery of the East. The denomination's mission agency, EPC World Outreach, and the EPC Women in Ministry network extend OEPC's reach beyond Montgomery County.
Giving, Prayer, and Practical Details
The church's teaching on giving works through common questions on tithing, encouraging members to give generously and cheerfully as an act of worship and trust in God. Tithing is taught as a biblical principle rather than a legal requirement, and pledging is recommended but not required. Giving is confidential and is recorded only by the church administrator.
Tithes and offerings can be placed in the offering box at the back of the sanctuary on Sundays, dropped off at the office entryway weekdays between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, mailed to 1119 Church Road, Oreland, PA 19075, scheduled through a personal bank bill-pay system, or sent electronically through GivePlus or the GivePlus Church app. A separate Deacon's Fund supports benevolence and care needs in the congregation and community.
Office hours run Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Visitors with prayer requests can email them confidentially to office@orelandpres.org, and the church library, with a catalog searchable through LibraryWorld, is open after worship and during office hours, with a librarian available on Thursdays from 10:30 AM to noon. New members and visitors can plan a visit.