By: centraljersey.com
Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church (WSPC), located at 124 Witherspoon St., Princeton, is inviting the community to join members in a celebration of the church’s 170th anniversary. Special events are taking place Friday through Sunday.
"We are proud of our history at Witherspoon Street, and are looking forward to a bright future," said Charles Bush, the 170th anniversary chair.
The kick-off event will be the "Witherspoon Got Talent" show tonight at 7 at the Princeton High School auditorium The free show will feature dancers, singers, comics, artists, and other talented performers.
On Saturday, from 6 to 10 p.m., there will be a gala dinner celebration at the Mercer County Community College Conference Center in West Windsor. The event will begin with a reception and silent auction that will include some unique items. The Reverend Dr. Adrian A. McFarlane, a former pastor at WSPC, will be the guest speaker. There will also be an awards presentation and dancing. Tickets for the gala dinner are $75 for adults and $40 for children.
The culmination of the 170th anniversary observance will take place Sunday at 10 a.m. in the church sanctuary. There will be a special Holy Communion worship service recognizing milestones such as birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries, along with a recommitment ceremony for couples.
Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest African-American Presbyterian congregations in New Jersey. It began during a time of social, political and religious upheaval in the Princeton community as well as the nation. The church emerged as a determined congregation of slaves, servants and free people.
On March 10, 1836, 90 of the 131 colored members of the First Presbyterian Church (Nassau Presbyterian) in Princeton were dismissed to form a church under the name of the "First Presbyterian Church of Colour of Princeton."
The official date of the church’s beginning is Sept. 4, 1840. The official name was changed from the "Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church of Colour of Princeton" to the "Trustees of the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church of Princeton," on Nov. 19, 1907.
Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church has a vibrant and active faith-community, honoring its heritage and living in the present. Led by the Reverend Muriel Burrows, the church’s multicultural and multigenerational members are involved in worship, Christian education for children and adults, women’s ministry and outreach to the community and the larger world.
For more information, call 609-683-5093 or 609-924-1666.

