Allentown Presbyterian Church was founded in 1720.

Our Story

Our story began well before the days of the American Revolution. APC was formally organized in 1720 by a group of Scottish Presbyterians who docked in Perth Amboy after being sent into exile after suffering brutal imprisonment for their unwavering belief in the importance of self-governance of the Church, by individual congregations, led by Elders (called lay officers) and Ministers of the Word and Sacrament.

 

After meeting in basements and backyards for two decades, APC moved to its current location in 1744, and built the original church in 1756. Our current church sanctuary was built in 1837. Our Sunday School, the longest continuous-running program of its kind in rural America, was founded in 1809.

 

Over its nearly 300 years, the church campus has grown considerably to include a fellowship hall, an education building, a small house for our church offices, two pastor’s manses and a youth center.

 

While the congregation grew slowly and steadily throughout its history, it is now enjoying unprecedented growth, with worship attendance having more than doubled since 1997. There are now more than 550 active members of APC, with more joining through transfer or reaffirmation of faith in the fall, winter and spring of every year. In 1999 we added a second Sunday morning service, and we’re exploring the possibility of adding a midweek evening service.

 

Since its founding, the church has been served by only 19 installed senior pastors, several of whom served for more than 30 years. To celebrate our 250th anniversary, we published a book on our church history, and copies are available in the church office, the Cornell House. We are looking forward to celebrating our 300th anniversary in 2020.