Pebble Hill Church celebrates 50th anniversary

Pebble Hill Church celebrated its 50th year anniversary Saturday, Aug. 25, with an event that included a reunion of the World Peace Choir and presentations from founding Coordinating Minister Gordon Dragt and retired Coordinating Minister Gary Culp.

The Rev. Gordon Dragt began Pebble Hill Church in 1968 as an experimental outreach of the Reform Church of America.

Although sprung from a conventional Christian denomination, Pebble Hill was never a conventional church. Dragt took a stand against the Vietnam War, declaring that Pebble was part of the “revolution of our times,” like it or not.

After a decade, Dragt moved on. Pebble’s energy had outgrown the restraints of any denomination and the ties to the Reform Church were cut.

In 1983, the Rev. Gary Culp, another one-of-a-kind minister, came to Pebble Hill and immediately adapted to the congregation’s loving, free-to-be personality.

Although the Vietnam War had ended, the Cold War with its nuclear standoff still loomed, and Pebble remained very peace conscious.

Culp immediately got Pebble registered as one of the few official peace sites in the country.
Pebble Hill annually gives the Peace Award to a deserving activist promoting nonviolence or selfless service to humanity in the Delaware Valley.

This year, the Harold and Alma Abel Peace Award was given to Janet Berkowitz for her work with Suicide Anonymous, a suicide awareness and prevention organization.

Berkowitz received the Peace Award at the Sunday Celebration on Aug. 5, corresponding with the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki marking the ending of World War II.

More than 150 people showed up for the 50th Anniversary Celebration, which began with a cleansing ceremony by the Rev. Siobhan Comisky and a welcome by Council President David Cook.

The Rev. Susan Manning from Pebble Hill’s School of Sacred Ministry facilitated interfaith prayers by representatives of Christian, Sufi, Sikh, Hindu and Jewish faiths.

Other features of the 50th Celebration included a “Wall of Remembrance” that displayed pictures of Pebble Hill members, plus an art gallery and silent auction of paintings by the late Pebble Hill Church member Ray Winfelder.

Also featured were a Pebble Hill book, volume 2 of “Pebbles On The Hill” originally published for the 40th anniversary; a 50th anniversary mug with the 50th anniversary Pebble Hill logo; a banquet of food and beverages; and a show starring the “Pebble All Star Players” followed by a drum circle and a bonfire. For information, visit pebblehillchurch.org.

http://www.buckscountyherald.com/8-30-18/Pebble-Hill-Church-celebrates-50th-anniversary.html