From humble beginnings: Uniontown’s Tent Presbyterian Church celebrates 250th anniversary
Jeff Smith has been the pastor of Tent Presbyterian Church since September 2020.
This quilt that hangs in Tent Presbyterian Church in Uniontown contains the names of some of the church's members over the years, including Joan Gans, who has worshiped there for more than 80 years
This handmade Last Supper hangs behind the pulpit at Tent Presbyterian Church and was donated by the family of current church member Barry Lewellen
Tent Presbyterian Church in Uniontown will mark its 250th anniversary with a celebration this Saturday.
This bell adorns the side of Tent Presbyterian Church.
Those who drive near Tent Presbyterian Church are greeted by this sign.
Tent Presbyterian Church in Uniontown has been in existence since 1773. This building has been in use since 1832.
In the 1770s few opportunities existed for people in Western Pennsylvania to come together to worship God.
Roving ministers such as the Rev. Dr. James Powers would visit the area to preach, and eventually in 1773, a group came together, with Powers’ help, to form Tent Presbyterian Church.
“The reason it’s called ‘tent,’ is because for the first 18 years they had a tent,” explained Jeff Smith, pastor of the Uniontown-based church. “When they first began to meet, the settlers would sit on logs or whatever, and the tent covered where the speaker was. Native Americans would come too because they were curious about what was going on.”
On Saturday, Sept. 16 all are invited to join Tent Presbyterian’s faithful group of congregants to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding during a special 4:30 p.m. service.
Smith said the church, located at 275 Tent Church Road, remains active, as it has been over the past two-and-a-half centuries.
“This celebration is so important because this may be an opportunity to get people to the church,” said Smith, who began as pastor in September 2020. “We don’t have a big congregation.”
There were only 11 people in attendance at a recent Sunday service, and Smith would like to see that number increase.
Joan Gans is among those who worship at the church, and has been doing so for more than 80 years.
“My ancestors came here a long time ago,” Gans said, adding that many of them are in the cemetery that adjoins the church building. “I’m just very fortunate to be here. I had cancer several years back and the doctor said, sorry, nothing that we can do for you. God had different plans. I was always grateful, but that reinforced my faith.”
Barry Lewellen has been a member since 1959 and spoke highly of Smith’s work as pastor.
“Without Jeff, I don’t know if these doors would still be open,” he said.
Following the days using a tent to shield its worshipers and speakers from the elements, the church constructed its first building in 1792. Tent Prebyterian’s current building has been in use since 1832.
“This church has seen a lot of interesting things,” Smith said. “When they were tearing down the old church, after they built this one, they actually had a disaster where a building collapsed and killed about five or six of the church leaders at the time.”
The 1905 Rand Powder Mill explosion in Fairchance blew out the windows of Tent Presbyterian, though services were able to continue. And the church’s cemetery is the final resting place of many who served in the military, dating back to the Revolutionary War.
Smith said being the pastor of the church is something that means a great deal to him.
“It’s neat to be able to meet the people, to know who they are,” he said. “Sometimes I feel humbled because of where I get to be. I don’t feel I’m better than anybody else. I just feel I have a different gift. Just to be here on a Sunday morning is something special.”
Smith holds weekly services at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, preceded by a Bible study at 8:30 a.m. For this Saturday’s celebration, he said he’s invited “every politician we can think of,” and noted the church received a letter from the office of Gov. Josh Shapiro to welcome those who attend.
“The church continues to have an incredible impact on the hearts and minds of everyone its work has touched,” the letter reads.
Smith is hoping that in conjunction with the upcoming anniversary celebration, more people will realize that Tent Presbyterian Church is still alive and well, with a congregation ready to welcome anyone who’d like to worship with them.
“I want a church that’s like the bar in ‘Cheers,’ a place where everybody knows your name. We all know your name here. I think people get welcomed here. It’s a place where everybody knows each other for better or for worse,” he said.