About Us
who we were, who we are, who we are becoming
Statement of Mission
Park Road invites you to the way of Jesus through this church family.
We believe that we have a Father in heaven who created us, knows us, loves us, and desires that we would live in fellowship with him.
We believe fellowship with the father is only possible through Jesus, His son, who is the way, the truth, and the life, (John 14:6).
We aspire to know and follow the way of Jesus that He lived first, we believe that Jesus embodies truth itself, and we believe that Jesus alone offers abundant life.
We also believe that in Jesus, we are family - no longer strangers and aliens, but members of the household of God, of whom Jesus is the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-20).
As family in Jesus, we aspire to love one another and live out the gospel together by joyfully participating in a shared life (1 Thessalonians 2:8), believing that we need one another to reach all the riches of maturity in Christ (Colossians 2:1-5).
Welcome home.
Rev. Dr. Christopher, Senior Pastor
What We Believe
We are a Presbyterian church within the ECO denomination (A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians).
Read ECO's Constitution, and learn more about ECO's Essential Tenants.
In accordance with our denomination ECO, Park Road has three foundational pillars of belief:
Reformed, meaning:
The great purpose toward which each human life is drawn is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. However, no part of human life is untouched by sin and our desires are no longer trustworthy guides to goodness; what seems natural to us no longer corresponds to God’s design. Having lost true freedom of will in the fall, we are incapable of turning toward God by our own will. Instead, we believe that God chooses us for Himself in grace before the foundation of the world, not because of any merit on our part, but only because of His love and mercy. There is no part of the human life that is off-limits to the sanctifying claims of God; progress in holiness is an expected response of gratitude to the grace of God, which is initiated, sustained, and fulfilled by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
Evangelical, meaning:
We recognize and receive God’s authoritative self-revelation, both in the infallible Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and also in the incarnation of God the Son, Jesus Christ. In union with Christ through the power of the Spirit we are brought into right relation with the Father, who receives us as His adopted children. Jesus Christ is the only Way to this adoption - the sole path by which we become children of God. Through His regenerating and sanctifying work, the Holy Spirit grants us faith and enables holiness, so that we may be witnesses of God’s gracious presence to those who are lost. We joyfully proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God manifest in the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and present Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Egalitarian, meaning:
The ministries of the church reflect the three-fold office of Christ as prophet, priest, and king – reflected in the church’s ordered ministries of teaching elders, deacons, and ruling elders. We affirm that men and women alike are called to all the ministries of the Church, and that every member is called to share in all of Christ’s offices within the world beyond the church. Every Christian is called to a prophetic life, proclaiming the good news to the world and enacting that good news. Every Christian is called to extend the lordship of Christ to every corner of the world. And every Christian is called to participate in Christ’s priestly, mediatorial work, sharing in the suffering of the world in ways that extend God’s blessing and offering intercession to God on behalf of the world.
Our History
In the early 1800s the predominant language spoken in Reading’s homes, businesses, and churches was German. Eager to cross a cultural boundary with the good news of Jesus Christ, local banker John McKnight enlisted the aid of Rev. John Ferguson Grier and, in 1814, together they founded the First English Presbyterian Church of Reading.
In 1846 Rev. Dr. Elias Richards led First Presbyterian's construction effort, establishing a permanent structure at the corners of 5th and Franklin. Home for over 170 years, the Gothic church on 5th & Franklin was completed in 1848.
On Easter Sunday 2019, First Presbyterian Church of Reading began worshiping at 1045 North Park Road in Wyomissing and officially became Park Road Presbyterian Church.
Since moving, Park Road has doubled in size, gained new momentum in children’s and student ministries, prioritizes relational discipleship, and works hard to facilitate intergenerational relationships.
