In 2003 Pilgrim Presbyterian Church held a Heritage Celebration honoring its 150th anniversary. Pilgrim is the product of a merger between the First Presbyterian Church of Phillipsburg and Trinity Presbyterian Church back in 1961. Half of Pilgrim's congregation at that time came from the First Presbyterian Church of Phillipsburg. The First Presbyterian Church of Phillipsburg, although not known by that name until 1903, was formed in 1853. The other half of the congregation at that time came from Trinity Presbyterian Church of Delaware Park (Lopatcong Twsp.). Trinity Presbyterian Church was formed in 1928 and at the 2003 Heritage Banquet we honored its 75th anniversary. The history of Pilgrim Presbyterian Church begins with the history of the church in Phillipsburg. The very first church in Phillipsburg was the Presbyterian church. The First Presbyterian Church of Phillipsburg was established and its congregation was joined with the congregation of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Delaware Park in 1961. The official organization of the church took place on Tuesday, December 13, 1853, in the "Acadamy". Thirty-two persons were members of the new church. The first pastor, the Rev. Smith Sturges, was installed in April of 1855, and on September 12, 1858 the South Main Street Church was dedicated. By 1873 the church had sponsored three additional church schools with a combined attendance of 547. The Howell Sunday School, later known as the North End Mission, assisted in the building of Trinity Presbyterian Church. In 1903 major improvements were made in the South Main Street Church and its name was changed from the Phillipsburg Church to The First Presbyterian Church. The Trinity Presbyterian Church part of Pilgrim's family history began in 1907, when the Rev. James Moore, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church, began Sunday afternoon services in the Delaware Park Public School. On June 2, 1918, the new Delaware Park Mission Chapel was dedicated. Under the guidance of the Rev. M.H. Looloian the Trinity Presbyterian Church came into being in November of 1928. The period from 1955 to 1960 was marked by a great deal of discussion about merger of the Presbyterian Churches of Phillipsburg. On September 14, 1961, following a vote by both congregations, The Presbytery of Newton approved the merger of the First and Trinity Churches under the new name, Pilgrim Presbyterian Church. To learn more about the establishment of the First Presbyterian Church of Phillipsburg, please visit this link (Raub-and-More.com). Links Presbyterian Historical Society Home | Worship | Mission | News | Boards | Groups | Information | History | Links (c) 2004-2007 Pilgrim Presbyterian Church All rights reserved