Information for Potential Candidates
Thank you for your interest in The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill (PCCH) and our Senior Pastor/Head of Staff position.
PCCH is seeking to call a new Senior Pastor and Head of Staff. We were blessed by the tenure of Rev. Cindy Jarvis, who served the congregation ably for 23 years, during which time the church underwent a significant physical and programmatic transformation. Cindy was followed by Rev. John Wilkinson, who was with us for 4 years and left in the summer of 2023 for a senior role with The Presbyterian Church (USA).
After Rev. Wilkinson’s departure, Rev. M. Craig Barnes, the former President of Princeton Theological Seminary, served ably as our Interim Senior Pastor. Craig worked behind the scenes in looking at our leadership and committee structures, and put some needed changes in place that position us well to continue our growth. In May 2024, the Rev. Russell Sullivan, Jr., the recently retired Pastor and Head of Staff at Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, PA, began his service as Bridge Pastor, and Russell will continue on until the end of this year or until a new Senior Pastor/Head of Staff is called.
Chartered in 1852, PCCH is located in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood, an affluent and picturesque urban village tucked into the leafy Northwest corner of one of America’s great cities. We almost literally straddle the line between city and suburb, which is reflected in our congregation and outreach. Our location puts us in a unique position to bear witness to Jesus Christ, seeking to serve among the powerful and the powerless in a ministry of love and compassion for the surrounding community and beyond.
We are an inclusive community of faith that is committed to excellence in worship, music and the arts, education, and outreach. We value traditional but friendly worship, with exceptional music that lifts our voices in praise of God. The congregation has been stable at about 550, with an average of 185 in the pews each week. With an endowment of $5.5 million and an annual budget of $1 million, we are also stable financially and believe we have significant unrealized opportunities for growth in stewardship.
In our new Senior Pastor, we are seeking a spiritual leader who can work with lay leadership and the congregation to plan and realize new growth in membership, stewardship, mission impact (PCCH is a Mathew 25 congregation), and spiritual fulfillment. Our new Senior Pastor/Head of Staff will lead us with energy, intelligence, humor, imagination, and love as we enter the next chapter in our church’s rich history of service and spiritual growth.
We invite you to review our website and the following links to learn more, and to reach out to us at PCCHPNC@gmail.com with questions or indications of interest. May God bless you in your discernment.
